Author Topic: Getting a handi rifle,got some questions.... (Read 1095 times)

ebonitekid767 · « **on:** December 12, 2004, 04:15:47 AM »

well im a youngster who is a gun and hunting NUT!i have a low wage dishwashing job so it doesnt leave me with much money to buy guns so i decided on a handi rifle due to its great price.i had a .22 hornet heavy barrel that i sold and now i want another handi rifle.so im going to get the .223 heavy barrel varminter.gonna slap a tasco varminter 2.5-10 mildot scope and plan on shooting the cheap winchester USA ammo.i would like to get some barrels for deer hunting in the woods of NY.what do you suggest for a barrel used for hunting in fields,and for short range(100yrds or less) barrel?i do not handload so i have to shoot factory ammo! also i have another question.

i heard that when H&R put out the .22-250 a bunch of years ago it had problems so they stopped making them.do the new ones they came out with have similar problems?

thanks :-)

Mac11700 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 12, 2004, 04:26:01 AM »

Welcome Aboard

I think you've come to the right place for for answers...and you will see a whole bunch of different opinions as to what a great close range deer cartridge means to different folks...as to your question on the 22-250...I can't help you..but there are others here that can...but to your quest for a close range deer cartridge...I have a few suggestions...

1) 30-30...it's usually very accurate..little recoil...and factory ammo is abundent and cheap and you can take game at longer randges than 100 yards

2) 243...the same applies

3) 7-08 or 308...these increase your range significantly...they have a little more recoil than the 30-30 & the 243 but the trade off is worth it...incase you are ever in a situation where you need to take a longer shot...

As you get older and more accustom to shooting high power rifles you can get just about any one of the other barrels to fill your needs...of course...these are just my suggestions...

Good Luck and welcome to GBO's

Mac

Hildy · « **Reply #2 on:** December 12, 2004, 04:57:10 AM »

This would be my list from greatest to least:

1- 7mm08....VERY good deer cartridge from close to beyond hundreds of yards. Alot of bullets to choose from and factory ammo is easy to find and cheap.

2- 308....Same applies as with the 7mm08 except the recoil is a bit more and it throws a larger bullet.

3- 30-30...45-70.......both good rounds for your usage. The 45-70 throws a large glob of lead and will pack a punch to you shoulder while the 30-30 throws the same weight as the 308 (same diameter) with a smaller impact. Good out to 200 yards with the average shooter although they are still capable of downing game very far.

Good luck with your choice and report back when you get the gun

Hildy

MSP Ret · « **Reply #3 on:** December 12, 2004, 05:09:50 AM »

Welcome aboard ebonitekid767, stay a while and read and ask questions, you can learn a lot here, I did and still do every day. The .223 is a great caliber and gun for you. The Winchester Valuepak is wonderfully accurate shooting ammo out of the Handi .223's. You might consider a standard taper sporting barrel instead of the Bull barrel for hunting, I have the Bull barrelled version and it's accurate but a bit heavy for carrying all day...although some here prefer it. Both the .223 and 30-30 ammo is cheap and accurate for someone that dosen't reload. And remember the 30-30 can be easily and CHEAPLEY reloaded with a $14.00 Lee Loader, also you can load it up to higher velocities than factory ammo with pointed bullets if you wish. 30-30 loaded ammo also comes in spire point if my memory is correct. The 30-30 with proper ammo is a great if not almost perfect deer gun for NY State and most of the New England region also....<><.... :grin:

Markus · « **Reply #4 on:** December 12, 2004, 05:44:22 AM »

I'll let the other guys recommend rifles, but for a short range deer killing tool it's hard to beat the tracker2 in 20 or 12ga. Cost of picking one up used is less than the cost of getting an accessory barrel fitted. Look at the shotgun forum and check out some of the posts by dave H. he's taken 4 or 5 this year alone. The ammo is expensive but the on game performance is lethal. Welcome aboard.

gwhilikerz · « **Reply #5 on:** December 12, 2004, 09:12:00 AM »

If you are just getting into the sport then I would suggest 30-30. Not that it isn't good for us old timers also, but it is just about ideal for a newbie. Not much recoil, accurate and powerful enough to about 200 yds, and ammo is plentiful and cheap. Then when you have a little more $ to spend you can buy reloading equipment and roll your own for this same gun. It is surprising what the lowly 30-30 is capable of. And like MSP ret. said, you can reload your handi 30-30 with some very good bullets that would not work in a lever action 30-30. It greatly improves performance too. Only down side would be that handirifles in 30-30 are kind of hard to find.

ebonitekid767 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 12, 2004, 09:25:20 AM »

just to let you guys know,im not really a newbie.i have a fairly good knowledge of firearms and ballistics.just wanted to get your P.O.V on what you think would fit the bill.also...im no little guy so recoil is not a problem.A old timer who was a friend of the family took me under his wing a few years ago and told me "he didnt have much time left,and no grandkids who had the "passion" i do for guns and hunting to pass on his knowledge too" so he taught me everything he possibly could in the 3 years we spent together.so i have a pretty good idea of whats goin on.so even though im young you guys dont have to break down your comments to make it easier to understand.

thank you :-)

quickdtoo · « **Reply #7 on:** December 12, 2004, 09:48:03 AM »

Well, I would highly recommend the .45-70 for the fun factor involved with the round, it's just a lot of fun to shoot and I think you would enjoy it. Plus the cartridges themselves look cool! :wink:

single shot shooter · « **Reply #8 on:** December 12, 2004, 10:50:47 AM »

1) .44 mag

2) 45-70

3) 308

these would be the best calibers for deer hunting at 100 yards or less. the .308 could go out to around 200 if you needed it to.
welcome to GBO !

quickdtoo · « **Reply #9 on:** December 12, 2004, 11:19:01 AM »

Ahem.....the .308 win is an easy 275-300yd + caliber with good bullet selection! :wink: If it will make one shot kills on humans at 1000yds as a sniper round, it will easily kill deer cleanly at 300yds.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/mountain_rifles.htm

http://www.clcweb.net/Shooting/Ballistics/ballistics.html

gwhilikerz · « **Reply #10 on:** December 12, 2004, 12:55:49 PM »

Sorry ebonite, I didn't notice your age before i gave my opinion. At 18 you can use any caliber from 223 to 458, 410 to 10ga.

handirifle · « **Reply #11 on:** December 12, 2004, 12:59:02 PM »

ebonite
Welcome!
I'll answer as best as i can. You've received a ton of good advice so far, but I'll go along with the 30-30 for several reasons that you mentioned. First you're new to hunting so lower recoil is better. I'd go with 150gr for deer and ammo should be about $7 a box.

Second your not rich, again, ammo is about $7 a box. The 30-30 will kill deer cleanly at 200yds if you are accurate and you are more likely to be son if you can practice a lot and not afraid of recoil. Don't worry, many oldtimers are but won't admit it.

While the 243 is considered a low recoil round, it is sharper than the 30-30 and shoots a lighter bullet. the idea of LOTS of practice means you shoot LOTS of ammo and 30-30 fodder can be had much cheaper than ANY of the others mentioned.

I have 2 of them and they are both very accurate.

JPH45 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 12, 2004, 02:03:07 PM »

Handirifle said it all. The 30-30 has lost it's sex appeal with these later generation folks. You yourself asked for a 100 yard rifle, and the 30-30 is the king of that. Yes it is easy on the pocketbook to shoot, even easier once you begin to reload and is quite reloader friendly being capable of useful velocities with all but the very heaviest of 30 caliber bullets.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #13 on:** December 12, 2004, 02:30:18 PM »

Yabut, the .45-70 is cooler

and just as cheap to reload for all intents and purposes....although more expensive for factory ammo. :cry:

Donaldo · « **Reply #14 on:** December 12, 2004, 03:12:37 PM »

Kid....
You have had lots of good advice here already. I have a 223 UV and love to shoot it, and the cost is reasonable. As for the deer cartridge, I can't for the life of me understand why there is a 7-08. It will not do anything a 308 will do and for less money. For a deer cartridge, the 30-30 or the 308 are mighty hard to beat. You already have a good target/varmint round, the 30-30 or 308 would round out the list pretty good.
PS. And the ammo is available just about anywhere. I really don't see that much 7-08 ammo around.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #15 on:** December 12, 2004, 03:52:42 PM »

ebonitekid767, I see Donaldo callled you "kid" for short, a mid level contraction of your forum name. Take no offense from that nor the term "newbie", it refers to your rather new appearence on this forum and limited number of posts at that time. It is actually used as a term of welcome. Your 18, I'm 42 years older than you and a while ago I was a newbie also. It just takes a few posts, questions, comments, POV's, or opinions, it dosen't matter which, the term is only used in passing and all to soon the honeymoon is over and your just one of the gang, or to put it another way just another of the bunch, a bannana like the rest of us. Happy to have you here and Merry CHRISTmas!!! (from a former old newbie)....<><.... :grin:

gwhilikerz · « **Reply #16 on:** December 12, 2004, 04:52:37 PM »

ebonitekid, I called you a newbie and I hope you were not offended by that. "Newbie" to me means a new person on the forum or one that has not posted much. Like MSP ret said we were all newbies once. Heck I'm a newbie on here as well, just a few months. Newbie is a term of endearment, and we love you man.

Fred M · « **Reply #17 on:** December 12, 2004, 05:56:43 PM »

ebonitekid767.
This is an unusual name, are you making any products from Ebonite?
This product has been used in the gun industry in earlier times.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #18 on:** December 12, 2004, 06:51:20 PM »

Quote from: ebonitekid767

just to let you guys know,im not really a newbie.i have a fairly good knowledge of firearms and ballistics.just wanted to get your P.O.V on what you think would fit the bill.also...im no little guy so recoil is not a problem.A old timer who was a friend of the family took me under his wing a few years ago and told me "he didnt have much time left,and no grandkids who had the "passion" i do for guns and hunting to pass on his knowledge too" so he taught me everything he possibly could in the 3 years we spent together.so i have a pretty good idea of whats goin on.so even though im young you guys dont have to break down your comments to make it easier to understand.

thank you :-)

So..you have quite a-bit of pratice and had a mentor...this is a really good thing...if only this would happen more often

Since your not slight of build...and are capable of more than a true beginner... this would change my order and choice of calibers somewhat......since we all know your yardages can and do change with each different hunting area we go to... I would opt for a rifle capable of taking the majority of game hunted...(even if you only plan on hunting deer at 100 yards)...have a reasonable level of recoil,and be flat shooting...just incase you need it...so with that in mind...

1) 30-06...it offers the best of all worlds...bullet selection is outstanding...as too factory offerings...ammo can be found world-wide...it doesn't kick really bad...it offers a good trajectory for deer weight bullets...and you can get some really heavy weights if needed...

2) 308...slightly less recoil...same bullet selections and just about the same amount of fine factory loads...ammo can still be had just about everywhere...

3) 270...makes a fine cartridge for just about everything except the very largest and meanest critters...has a recoil level between the 308 heavy loads and the mid 30-06 loads...known for shooting flat and a favorite of many....bullet selection isn't as good as the 30 cal...but ...the cartridge will work with all the fine choices available...

4) This is defiantly a new favorite of mine :wink: ...25-06...all one has to do is pick up most reloading manuals to see the ballistics on this is simply outstanding...the recoil is less than the 308(IMHO)...but your going to find that the performance on this one will surprise you...there is a very good selection of ammo to choose from...some with all the latest and greatest bullets available...it is a really flat shooting round that will take critters from elk down...while they may be temperamental to some...when you get one that shoots it is just plain fun....

5) Last...but by no-means least on my list...the venerable 45-70...what's not to like about this choice...there's something about throwing great big chunks of copper and lead...or...just lead...at very long target butts....or...handloading up some 300 grain Nosler Partions to about 2300 fps and dropping a deer(or whatever) in it's tracks...YaaaaHoo...what a blast...but...the caveat to this ofcourse is the recoil...and yes...it does kick...but if you take some simple precautions and learn the proper tecnique of shooting heavy recoiling rifles...then you won't bear any worse for it...but..the one nice thing about it...most factory loads don't push it up to very high limits...they do offer some...PMC...Buffalo Bore... Garretts...but most factory loads are quite tame and mild to shoot...

So...there you have it...and while there are several other choices you can make...these should give you something to think about...and since your already on your way...let me just say...Welcome to becoming a Handiholic...I'm sure we'll be talking again....

Mac

Donaldo · « **Reply #19 on:** December 12, 2004, 07:13:39 PM »

The reason I refered to you as "Kid" was that I could not remember all of your handle, and I did not "cut and paste". Must be the old man in me. Welcome aboard, lots of good stuff here, and a lot of good guys. I would bet that I am the oldest one on this forum. Any takers. I am pushing 69 really hard, bout 2.5 more months. Cannot believe it, even after a quintuple bypass, where the hell did the time go? Must have been having a very good time.

ebonitekid767 · « **Reply #20 on:** December 13, 2004, 12:51:56 AM »

no offense taken guys, was just putting it out there that i know a thing or two about guns and ballistics so you guys didnt have to make things sound easier to understand.I really hope to learn ALOT more between here and the GGVG board.and i do believe im gonna be a HANDIHOLIC.

take care guys