First Gun advice

[MickDono]

Anybody got any advice for a first time buyer?

For a hunting rifle I’m torn between the steyr scout and the steyr pro hunter.  I’m leaning toward the pro hunter purely because it’s cheaper. Any good alternatives?

For optics I was thinking about a Swarovski z3.

For a pistol I’m looking at either a glock17, sig legion or a cz.  Eventually I’d like a FN .45 but it’s a bit pricey.

Any advice?

[Nefarious]

AK-47. So easy a caveman can do it.

[FX1]

I better question is what caliber? I have hunted all the North American game and my vote would be 7/08 then 300 win for longer shot bigger game.

Can't go wrong with SW scopes. I have two and both are amazing clear.

Pistols I would go with glock first then save up for a good 1911 or 2011.

More than likely if your new to hunting a shotgun is the most useful tool. Bird hunting is so much fun and much cheaper than big game. Look at a solid 12ga. I like older Remington 1100 gas guns. Can't go wrong and the older ones have beautiful wood stocks.

[JOACH1M]

In my experience it’s much cheaper in the long run to buy the more expensive better guality gun rather than buying the cheaper one and putting expensive parts/scopes on it.

[FX1]

50/50 rule. Scope and rifle should cost the same.

I have a old 700 that would cost $400 used but I have a 2k scope on it. Its my father's gun so the 50/50 rule doesn't apply.

[EskimoJoe]

I have a CZ 75 D PCR and I absolutely love it. You cannot beat the trigger on any CZ, and I would definitely look into them.

Are you trying to use it to carry, or just for home defense and target shooting?

[Gman]

MickyD, can you own those handguns in the UK?  Or are you living elsewhere?

For a hunting rifle, the Steyr Scout isn't optimal IMO.  I've owned 2 of them, a 308 and a 223/556 variant.  It's a Scout rifle, which you CAN hunt with, but it's set up for a long eye relief optic, which is again, a Scout type rifle idea, more ideal for quick standing snap shots, increasing speed, but giving away some accuracy as well as magnification.  Plus they are very expensive now, I picked mine up when my business was the national distributor for them back in 2002 or so.  I'd get a non-Scout type rifle if it's your first one and you plan on hunting with it, and mount a decent quality and power optic on it.  Not only should the optic be of good quality, but so should the mounts/rings, don't cheap out there.

Handguns, personal pref, there are many good options.  Decide which caliber is best for your purpose, and pick a type you feel comfortable handling, and fits your purpose.  Some prefer striker fired, some DA/SA, some single action.  Also, if you plan on shooting a lot, as in tens of thousands of rounds per year, consider a metal framed pistol over a polymer framed one, the Legion you mentioned will outlast the G17, even Glock's own documents only give it a 20k service life, while Sig gives the 226 line including the Legion over double that, and in my experience of seeing millions of rounds go through both types, it's relatively accurate.  Most never shoot this much, and therefore if you are going to fall into that category, don't worry about it, a G17 or any other polymer/striker will outlast you most likely. 

Try and find a range that rents a wide variety of types/calibers, and try them out, even if it's just dry fire, but try and put some rounds through them as well.

Lastly, don't forget training, even if you can't afford expensive courses, you can self train to a certain extent using videos and the net, and while not optimal it certainly beats just winging it.  Learn the fundamentals of pistol shooting, preferably from an instructor, and go from there.  Adhere to the 4 major safety rules, and again, have someone instruct you on this, as the margin of error can = your life or someone elses. 

[Oldman731]

Anybody got any advice for a first time buyer?

For a hunting rifle I’m torn

...um...what are you planning to hunt...?

And where?

- oldman

[DaveBB]

The only fun kind of hunting is rabbit, squirrel, or pheasant.  Everything else you just stand in a tree, hide in a blind, or sit on a cold jonboat and wait. Boring as can be.

Get a Remington 870 shotgun. It is pump action, can fire slugs as well as shot (get the 870 capable of 3.5" shells), and is inexpensive.

[Vulcan]

...um...what are you planning to hunt...?

And where?

- oldman

^ what he said.

Do you want a bush pig (a light rugged rifle that suits bush hunting) or something for the tops (mountain shooting, long range and normally a bit heavier)?

[alpini13]

    ive been hunting for 40 years and have had many rifles and pistols.....and now i just use a cz-550 light in 300 win mag with a european stock....for everything i hunt now,lol...deer...bear, turkey,coyote/wolf....same gun... what i like about it is its light, great caliber, detachable magazine, has a set trigger, i use  a 4.5-14 zeiss scope and a i have a range finding pair of binoculars with an inclonometer built it.....and im good to go.   for all that think deer hunting is boring.. try still hunting deer...

[Gman]

+1 for CZ rifles, I've been really impressed with them, we started carrying them around 2000, and I bought my first 17HMR rifle from out CZ distributor, a CZ 452 heavy barrel, and it IMO was the best of all 17 options at that time.  I've only shot a couple center fire CZs, but they were all equally decent quality for the $.

I have a feeling MickyD isn't in the UK any longer, as the handguns he's asking about aren't legal there, in any way shape or form as a private citizen.  Hopefully he posts back regarding where he's living and what he wants to hunt there.  If you can have only one rifle, something in a 270ish or one of the newer 6mm-ish range calibers would be enough to take most game, and varmints as well, and be right in the middle in terms of performance/overkill IMO.

[MickDono]

MickyD, can you own those handguns in the UK?  Or are you living elsewhere?

For a hunting rifle, the Steyr Scout isn't optimal IMO.  I've owned 2 of them, a 308 and a 223/556 variant.  It's a Scout rifle, which you CAN hunt with, but it's set up for a long eye relief optic, which is again, a Scout type rifle idea, more ideal for quick standing snap shots, increasing speed, but giving away some accuracy as well as magnification.  Plus they are very expensive now, I picked mine up when my business was the national distributor for them back in 2002 or so.  I'd get a non-Scout type rifle if it's your first one and you plan on hunting with it, and mount a decent quality and power optic on it.  Not only should the optic be of good quality, but so should the mounts/rings, don't cheap out there.

Handguns, personal pref, there are many good options.  Decide which caliber is best for your purpose, and pick a type you feel comfortable handling, and fits your purpose.  Some prefer striker fired, some DA/SA, some single action.  Also, if you plan on shooting a lot, as in tens of thousands of rounds per year, consider a metal framed pistol over a polymer framed one, the Legion you mentioned will outlast the G17, even Glock's own documents only give it a 20k service life, while Sig gives the 226 line including the Legion over double that, and in my experience of seeing millions of rounds go through both types, it's relatively accurate.  Most never shoot this much, and therefore if you are going to fall into that category, don't worry about it, a G17 or any other polymer/striker will outlast you most likely. 

Try and find a range that rents a wide variety of types/calibers, and try them out, even if it's just dry fire, but try and put some rounds through them as well.

Lastly, don't forget training, even if you can't afford expensive courses, you can self train to a certain extent using videos and the net, and while not optimal it certainly beats just winging it.  Learn the fundamentals of pistol shooting, preferably from an instructor, and go from there.  Adhere to the 4 major safety rules, and again, have someone instruct you on this, as the margin of error can = your life or someone elses.

I appreciate the great advice there.

I'm now living in Alabama so i plan to hunt deer next season.
Regarding caliber, i have found that i am more accurate with 9mm - for some reason with the 1911's I've shot, I can't hit a thing! 
I plan on trying some different .45 caliber handguns this coming weekend.

I have a CZ 75 D PCR and I absolutely love it. You cannot beat the trigger on any CZ, and I would definitely look into them.

Are you trying to use it to carry, or just for home defense and target shooting?

The pistol will be for home defense and target shooting.  I don't plan on carrying yet.

[mthrockmor]

You're in Alabama now, right?

Remington BDL .270. Great weapon, round, etc. Leopold scope. Its about 50-years old, just as deadly as first day it was fired. The caliber will, and has taken down everything in North America minus a Brown or Polar bear. Everything else, yep.

Pistol, plinking or concealed? I have owned a .357 but it's too big, way too loud. I used to have a 10mm, whatever. 9mm is pretty standard. For concealed I prefer a River. 22. I know, no knockdown at all. That's okay though. I'll out not only the first rough center of mass, but the following 9 rounds. Allows for excellent, rapid placement. Most of my friends like the 9mm or .45. I think they are overcompensating for... ya know... other, smaller things.

Boo

[MickDono]

You're in Alabama now, right?

Remington BDL .270. Great weapon, round, etc. Leopold scope. Its about 50-years old, just as deadly as first day it was fired. The caliber will, and has taken down everything in North America minus a Brown or Polar bear. Everything else, yep.

Pistol, plinking or concealed? I have owned a .357 but it's too big, way too loud. I used to have a 10mm, whatever. 9mm is pretty standard. For concealed I prefer a River. 22. I know, no knockdown at all. That's okay though. I'll out not only the first rough center of mass, but the following 9 rounds. Allows for excellent, rapid placement. Most of my friends like the 9mm or .45. I think they are overcompensating for... ya know... other, smaller things.

Boo

 

My thinking right now is that i'd rather have 15 9mm rounds over 7 .45 rounds..

That's why I think i would eventually like a double stacked .45 handgun.