Bang bang shoot shoot

[captpackrat]

I have an old .30-06 rifle, two 12 gauge shotguns, a .45 Colt revolver, a couple air pistols and a high-powered .177 air rifle.  Ammo for the .30-06 is insanely expensive, about $1-1.50 per round.  .45 Colt isn't much better, about 50 to 75 cents per shot.  12 gauge shotguns are a bit limited in what you can use them for, and while .177 pellets are super cheap (a few dollars for hundreds of rounds), the air pistols and rifle that I own are single-shot, and the rifle's break-action is a real bear to cock.

I was at Scheels today, looking at the firearms, and I saw a Marlin 795 rifle on sale, normally $150, but with sale and a mail-in rebate, down to just $115.  Then I saw a box of ammo, 555 rounds of .22LR for just $22, about the price for just 20 .30-06 rounds.  That sold me on it.

This is my first semi-automatic firearm.  Everything else I've owned has had a bolt or slide, or fired only a single shot.  The closest thing I've had was my double-action revolver.  This rifle promises to be fun, and possibly useful.  I used my air rifle to take out the flock of pigeons that were damaging the barn, but it was a lot of work, cock-load-aim-fire, cock-load-aim-fire, cock-load-aim-fire, over and over again.  This rifle has a 10 round magazine (hopefully I can buy more), so I'll be able to take 10 shots without losing my bead on the target.


While at Scheels I saw a couple other rifles I'd really love to own.  The first is a Henry Big Boy lever-action repeater chambered in .45 Colt.  I love the design of Henry rifles, and having one that's chambered in a round I already use (and a very powerful round at that) would be nice.  Alas, it was about $850.

The other rifle I was lusting over, and probably the next one I'll buy is the Rossi Circuit Judge.  Like my Nightcourt Judge pistol, it's chambered for both .45 Colt and .410 shotshells, but uniquely, this rifle has a revolver action!  It looks like a normal revolver pistol, but with a full stock and a loooooong barrel.  It's a more reasonable $550, which is still more than I was willing to spend right now.  It would be so sweet to take that rifle to a firing range and have everyone oohing and aahing over its unusual design.

Comments

[mondhasen.livejournal.com]

I bought a Ruger 10/22 for plinking, years ago. I liked the rotary magazine but it wasn't always reliable and would jam occasionally. Last thing I shot with it was a woodchuck that was terrorizing my pumpkins.

We aren't supposed to use any firearms in my town due to some strict ordinances, but it doesn't stop my neighbors from shooting coyotes.

[crim-ferret.livejournal.com]

I learned to shoot with a Marlin lever action .22. It was light, accurate as heck (even with the iron sights it had) and made very well. If their quality has been maintained, you got a good one.

[fangwolf57.livejournal.com]

Dude I would love to see your place nice. My only gun for now is my pump action .22 my grandfather gave me 15 years ago.

[shiningriver.livejournal.com]

That model 795 looks very much like the model 70HC I bought back around 1992. I managed to break some plastic part in the bolt while using some high velocity ammo, probably Federal Spitfire or CCI MiniMag+V. The owner's manual has a warning about not using high velocity ammo, of course. I never bothered to get it fixed because I only paid about $100 for it new.

[captpackrat.livejournal.com]

The owner's manual for this rifle specifically recommends high velocity ammo (which is what I purchased) and warns against hyper velocity ammo.