First rifle

[Stuntcarpenter]

Hey Guy,

I’m looking to buy my first rifle. I have a 12 g that I use for clays but want to get a rifle also.

It’s going to be for target shooting to start to get proficient. I would like to go deer hunt at some point in time but I know I need a bunch of practice before I ever try and take a deer.

This bring me to the question. Should I get a .22 to learn on and then upgrade in a year or two when I’m ready to start hunting or should I get a something that I could hunt with and learn on it.
The only other variable is that I shoot left handed so the availability of guns is less

[pikergolf]

So much to learn with a .22. Great first rifle, relatively cheap to shoot, places to shoot are more available, tons of gopher patches around. It allows you to familiarize yourself with safety etc. It would be my choice. As for left hand guns CZ 457 comes in left, Tikka T1x comes in left as well as other manufactures. Those two would be my choice though as they make great .22s that hold their value and they are nice enough that they can be a forever gun. There are cheaper options available as well. Savage comes to mind as a left option.

Centre fire rifles are expensive to shoot a lot, although if you want to hunt big game you will need one.

[Wrongside]

Get both.

A 22 is good practice and helps with some shooting fundamentals, but not a perfect replacement for shooting CF. Recoil management, especially with lighter rifles, is important and shooting 22 doesn’t get you that.

Tikka is the easy button, especially for LH shooters. The T1x 22 is very accurate and a nice complement to your T3x centerfire.

Enjoy your shopping and shooting!

[elkhunter11]

By all means, start with a 22lr, then when you fully understand the basics, and are ready to hunt, get a suitable centerfire.

[Big Sky]

IMO, everyone gun owner should have a 22. Excellent for practise, great for small game and they are a fun way to spend time at the range while your centerfire is cooling down.

I'd go with the Tikka. There's not a lot of left hand options and the Tikka would be a good one. I have one and I am happy with it for the uses that I stated. The LOP might be a little short but it is a problem with lots of solutions, from inexpensive like a new recoil pad to more costly such as a new stock.

Getting a t3x centerfire to go along with the T1x would give you a real nice 2 gun battery.

[tirebob]

As a fellow lefty shooter who went through very much the same thing you are going through now, I ended up with a brand new CZ557 in 30.06 with a beautiful Walnut stock as well as a solid pre-loved CZ452 in .22, also walnut stock. Both lefty orientation and good value for quality!

[Smokinyotes]

Trying to find a left hand CZ 22 is tough. I looked for over a year and bought a Tikka T1X. It shoots amazing, only problem is my wife has claimed it.

[freeride]

Originally Posted by Big Sky

Getting a t3x centerfire to go along with the T1x would give you a real nice 2 gun battery.

That's what I did. Set them both up the same as well. Practice cheap with the 22, and while the big brother is cooling down.

[Stuntcarpenter]

Thanks guys. That’s what I was expecting. Now it’s a matter of finding one.

[fishnguy]

With Tikka, you also have the benefit of using the same stock on both rifles, .22 and whatever other cartridge you choose.

[eyeflyer]

Definitely a .22 first. You want to shoot lots when getting started and like already mentioned these are cheaper to shoot and a lot more areas to shoot./hunt. I also shoot CF and shotgun but am not a target shooter with CF so maybe shoot 30-40 rounds of CF a year, a few hundred with shotgun shooting trap and waterfowl hunting and a few thousand .22 target shooting and gopher hunting. As you can see I shoot my .22's the most of any and my most expensive gun/scope is my .22. After shooting for many years with mostly mid level firearms my wife bought me a nice Anshutz .22.............she is the greatest.

[~altiplano~]

You'll want a 22 to plink with at some point. Why not first?

[partsman]

How about a browning SA-22 ejects out the bottom so anybody can shoot it, I like my two.

[graybeard]

A good hunting buddy of mine is a lefty. When he was young all there was in his budget were right hand actions.

Simply put, he learned to shoot the right hand action from his left side and he is very proficient. The other option was to stay on the porch.

If you are just starting out, what the heck.

Good luck,

[waldedw]

In my opinion you should get yourself a good bolt action 22 to start with, if you get a good one it will last you a lifetime and probably pass it down to your kids for another lifetime

[Stuntcarpenter]

Would this be a good start? Or hold out for a T1x

https://guns.townpost.ca/marketplace...-hand-22-rifle

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by Stuntcarpenter

Would this be a good start? Or hold out for a T1x

https://guns.townpost.ca/marketplace...-hand-22-rifle

I would hold out for a Tikka or CZ.

[pikergolf]

PM sent.

[vance]

I have not even seen a tikka 22 FYI.
I have 5 CZ rimfires and have owned 3 others. Compared to the Savages that I own/have owned, the CZ rifles feel and balance more like a full size CF rifle.
The Savages have always been good shooters, but the CZ is a finer rifle to have and use if you can find one in left. If you can't buy one in right hand and go shooting till you find a lefty.
Then get a 223 or a 7.63x39 bolt action rifle as your next step in practicing
(due to ammo cost)

[~altiplano~]

I'd get a cheap bolt 22.

My first rifle I bought over 20 years ago was a Savage bolt action 22 for not much more than $100. Shoots great, I still shoot it today.

I'd like to get a lever 22 too though... The Henry carbine with the Skinner sights is a nice rifle. Saw it at Hougen's in Whitehorse in the fall and thought I'd pick it up when I was back through later in the month, but it was gone.

[Big Sky]

Originally Posted by Stuntcarpenter

Would this be a good start?

[tirebob]

Always leery of a low post count but if it can be verified as a legit sell, this Left Hand CZ452 in .22 just came up on CGN...

https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/foru...lent-Condition

[JD848]

Semi auto's are fun ,but for your first I would go with a bolt ,like the one Tirebob has posted for another member that CZ .Very dependable ,never loaded after you fire it ,you need to cycle another round for it to be loaded in the chamber. Plus a bolt is easy to clean.

Seen guys with years of experience slip up an have a loaded chamber in the rifle after they taken a grouse or something and forget to unload .

The tikka or CZ would be my choice in bolt, my last choice would be a ruger 10/22. There's thousands out there so many must like them, just not my pick.

All the best in your new choice of rifle ,buy good and a 22 can last a very long time .

from a .22 to a non mag tikka's are hard to beat ,they shot very well.

[Stuntcarpenter]

Hey Guys,

Would this be a good purchase.

Tikka T3 7mm REM Mag
Bushnell banner 6-18x50

$850

IMG_3215.jpg

[Savage Bacon]

I'd suggest a ruger 10/22 for a few reasons.

It isnt the nicest or highest quality but really, everyone should have one.

Fairly accurate with a rimfire scope.

Your first rifle is going to get beat up a bit so I'd upgrade to a nicer 22 later on.

You're going to be knocking it over and probably hitting it on things for the first while. So don't get the CZ or Tika just yet.

Even putting it away in a soft case when it's freezing cold and leaving it for a while might develop rust. So learn to be meticulous with something that works, but isn't the end of the world if it isn't treated the best.





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[mstefoniuk]

any 22 lr lever action can work for right or left handers, also resale on a lever would be better than a left handed bolt action.

[Stuntcarpenter]

I thought a bolt action would be better as I would also be getting proficient with the action for when I get a hunting rifle working the action would already be muscle memory