Buying my First Rifle

[CityTurnedCountryMan]

I am hoping that my FAC turns up sometime in the next 2 weeks. I have put in for a .22lr and a .17hmr

I am particularly keen on getting the .17hmr first. Does anyone have any advice in any shape or form even from companies pr people they have bought from before to what to look for or anything else you think I should know

Any Advice appreciated

Ben

[haynes]

Cut your teeth on the 22lr it'll teach you how to shoot well. 

This is the most boring answer youll get. But buy a cz rifle. Not flash but you wont be disappointed either. Both my cz 22 and hmr are more accurate than i am. Had them both new at about 500 new with scope and mod. 

Happy shopping 

[Vince Green]

29 minutes ago, haynes said:

Cut your teeth on the 22lr it'll teach you how to shoot well. 

This is the most boring answer youll get. But buy a cz rifle. Not flash but you wont be disappointed either. Both my cz 22 and hmr are more accurate than i am. Had them both new at about 500 new with scope and mod. 

Happy shopping 

+1 to getting  the .22 first,  and a big  +1 for the CZ

Edited December 5, 2018 by Vince Green

[oowee]

I bought the 22lr first and then binned it when i got the HMR. You will certainly learn more with a .22. The sound of ricochet, the calculation of bullet drop, how hard it can be to get close to your quarry, how cheap ammunition can be. With HMR you can concentrate on the shooting and only have to worry about a few fliers, split cases. 

There is something somewhere about the huge numbers of .22 and that everyone had them, started with them,handed down from great grandpa, more foxes even dropped a charging rhino (made that up) it goes on and on etc If HMR was invented first then it's unlikely the .22 would have been invented.  

Anyone fancy a Ruger WSM? 

[Rewulf]

Theres one big advantage of .22lr  silence .

Well , plus ammos 3 x cheaper too !
Love em both though 😄

[The Burpster]

I roughly agree with the sentiment of the above posts. Learning set up and trigger technique with the .22lr is a great way to learn of its abilities and inabilities. Also a great way to learn that all is not as it may seem when it comes to Rimfire ammo. Some cheap units work very well and some expensive ones don’t in certain barrels. Don’t be lulled into the rhetoric of ‘Brand X is awesome in my rifle’ as all barrels are almost as individual as humans, it may be great in theirs rubbish in yours. Always be on the lookout for a new brand to knock the one you are using of its perch, you and your rifle’s accuracy are govened by the ammo you can buy as you cannot reload for rimfire. 

Ammo for the .17HMR is limited to a couple of bullet weights and a few (at most) makers so while it is a really good round there is nowhere near as much choice as there is for .22lr. Also remember that however good your suppressor is .17HMR still has a pronounced report and as such unless you at a club you could well quickly p!ss off those surrounding you shooting lots of rounds for fun which you need to with your first rifle. Also learn about and set yourself a good cleaning regime ( http://riflebarrels.com/support/22-rimfire-maintenance/  ).

As to which rifle? This is a basic question to which there is only one answer..... How much are you willing to spend?

CZ are great budget rifles and you can over time ramp them up with all sorts of upgrades that make a real difference there are also quite a few configurations to get your head around. 

Step up a bit in funds and you open up Tikka, Sako and Anschutz rifles which if looked after properly will outlive you, and perform very well indeed. Don’t forget you may want a scope and mounts and again with these you get what you pay for. 

Get yourself on Guntrader and spend time looking at the rifles for sale to give yourself a working knowledge of the different types and styles of each rifle and the variation of stocks available.......

most of all, enjoy it! 

[CityTurnedCountryMan]

Thanks Guys,

 

I have been looking at the CZ 455 as it seemed a good place to start. I have heard good things about CZ. I have spent hours looking at guns and set ups but can only do this in 10 minute sprints as I feel like every time I do it I may jinx my FAC dropping through the letter box. 

[Pigeon Shredder.]

Hi CTCM.

CZ's are a very good place to induct yourself but think before you buy, are you going to be walking a permission or be laying in wait for your prey ?

CZ 455 can become heavy once loaded with a scope, bipod and moderator, whereas a 452 in American format is a doddle to carry all day loaded the same.

Both are going to shoot to an accuracy the same as many aforementioned and more expensive rifles, the only modification most CZ owners carry out is the £15 trigger one and if your buying s/hand you might find it's already been done.

[oldypigeonpopper]

44 minutes ago, CityTurnedCountryMan said:

Thanks Guys,

 

I have been looking at the CZ 455 as it seemed a good place to start. I have heard good things about CZ. I have spent hours looking at guns and set ups but can only do this in 10 minute sprints as I feel like every time I do it I may jinx my FAC dropping through the letter box. 

hello, had my 455 3 years now with no problems, like RWS subs after testing 4 makes, i only clean barrels very occasional and a drop of gun oil for moving parts and bolt, if you find RWS best make sure you clean off wax or the tiny brass bits clog up the breech, i use white spirit 50 at a time, good luck 

[CityTurnedCountryMan]

I have been offered a CZ 455 stainless with the soft touch stick which I love the feel of. I handled a Tikka T1X at the weekend and actually preferred the feel of the CZ. The rifle in question is chambered is .17hmr and has only had about 150 rounds through it. It's a friend that has offered it as just after he bought it his variation came back with a .243 so he stopped using it and went straight to the .243 for most things he does. 

It hasnt had the trigger set done but does come with decent scope and bipod. All in £500 I think he paid £700. A little more than I was prepared to pay but its a new gun rather than an older second hand rifle that has had thousands of rounds through it. Though I have been told you would be hard pushed to break a barrel on a .22or .17hmr

 

I have also been offered the same but with suppressor included in a wood stock 452 for £300 all in but I prefer the look and feel of the 455 and I'm not so keen on a wood stock 

[oowee]

I like the synthetic stocks as its one less thing to think about and that sounds like a nice rifle. It may well be a bargain as you know it's history.  I would guess your mate will buy another when he realises he still needs a rimfire. 

A couple of thoughts. If you are going to use the rifle for night shooting then maybe stainless is not the best option and scope choice may well be critical. Many use Bipods but I never use one as it's way too wet and muddy where I shoot. So these accessories might not be needed whereas you will probably want a moderator.

 

[Scully]

I much prefer the .22 as it is much quieter from my point of view. I don’t care what it sounds like down range as both will spook quarry, but I so enjoy not having to wear ear protection when having a wander or a drive. Mine is the synthetic stocked CZ, scoped and modded with a 16” chop. It also has a Harris bipod which admittedly doesn’t get used much nowadays but does help stabilise my hold especially when resting  on the doorframe while seated in a a vehicle. It also has a good sling which I find does the same for snap shooting when walking.

Have fun. 

 

[CityTurnedCountryMan]

1 hour ago, oowee said:

I like the synthetic stocks as its one less thing to think about and that sounds like a nice rifle. It may well be a bargain as you know it's history.  I would guess your mate will buy another when he realises he still needs a rimfire. 

A couple of thoughts. If you are going to use the rifle for night shooting then maybe stainless is not the best option and scope choice may well be critical. Many use Bipods but I never use one as it's way too wet and muddy where I shoot. So these accessories might not be needed whereas you will probably want a moderator.

 

Will a Stainless barrel make that much difference at night? Obviously I am aware it will reflect any light etc. but I wasn't sure just how much difference it would actually make if you were shining a lamp etc.

[oowee]

Not much difference but if you get NV it might make a difference with the IR or if you run a torch off the rifle. 

[CityTurnedCountryMan]

14 minutes ago, oowee said:

Not much difference but if you get NV it might make a difference with the IR or if you run a torch off the rifle. 

Interesting I hadn't thought about that. Has anyone had a steel barrel before and changed it to a black barrel for any reason?

[oldypigeonpopper]

28 minutes ago, CityTurnedCountryMan said:

Interesting I hadn't thought about that. Has anyone had a steel barrel before and changed it to a black barrel for any reason?

hello, i had some reflection off my blue barrel 455 with N/V but it was the new TR  I/R torch with AS led, a quick pm to seller and info on how to stop this so once i did that i had no more reflection. 

[Ultrastu]

Bit of tape on the barrel or a snood on the torch = sloved. 

[The Burpster]

5 hours ago, CityTurnedCountryMan said:

I have been offered a CZ 455 stainless with the soft touch stick which I love the feel of. I handled a Tikka T1X at the weekend and actually preferred the feel of the CZ. The rifle in question is chambered is .17hmr and has only had about 150 rounds through it. It's a friend that has offered it as just after he bought it his variation came back with a .243 so he stopped using it and went straight to the .243 for most things he does. 

It hasnt had the trigger set done but does come with decent scope and bipod. All in £500 I think he paid £700. A little more than I was prepared to pay but its a new gun rather than an older second hand rifle that has had thousands of rounds through it. Though I have been told you would be hard pushed to break a barrel on a .22or .17hmr

 

I have also been offered the same but with suppressor included in a wood stock 452 for £300 all in but I prefer the look and feel of the 455 and I'm not so keen on a wood stock 

I know it’s newish but still make him an offer as I am sceptical he would get 500 on the open market for it. The soft touch is great for a while but be aware they look great when new but have a habit of looking shabby when they get chipped or scraped, just food for thought. Unless you intend to keep It for a long time don’t buy your your first one in haste. It’s not hard work but is a PITA swapping rifles on FAC. 

 

[Walker570]

8 hours ago, haynes said:

Cut your teeth on the 22lr it'll teach you how to shoot well. 

This is the most boring answer youll get. But buy a cz rifle. Not flash but you wont be disappointed either. Both my cz 22 and hmr are more accurate than i am. Had them both new at about 500 new with scope and mod. 

Happy shopping 

Agree with the above. I have a 17 HMR  CZ 455 at this moment and have had two other CZ rim fires and all have shot better than I can. 

If you can afford both then buy both as they do different jobs. If they were knives, the 17HMR would be for brain surgery and the 22RF for sharpening pencils but without anyone knowing it.

Edited December 5, 2018 by Walker570

[CityTurnedCountryMan]

12 hours ago, Walker570 said:

Agree with the above. I have a 17 HMR  CZ 455 at this moment and have had two other CZ rim fires and all have shot better than I can. 

If you can afford both then buy both as they do different jobs. If they were knives, the 17HMR would be for brain surgery and the 22RF for sharpening pencils but without anyone knowing it.

I am certain to get both but wanted to cut my teeth on the 17hmr first as I think it is more robust. I have a bit of experience shooting .22lr all ready and maybe it's just me wanting to try something new!

12 hours ago, The Burpster said:

I know it’s newish but still make him an offer as I am sceptical he would get 500 on the open market for it. The soft touch is great for a while but be aware they look great when new but have a habit of looking shabby when they get chipped or scraped, just food for thought. Unless you intend to keep It for a long time don’t buy your your first one in haste. It’s not hard work but is a PITA swapping rifles on FAC. 

 

I completely agree looking on gun trader I can't see him getting 500 for it to be honest

[Ultrastu]

7 minutes ago, CityTurnedCountryMan said:

I am certain to get both but wanted to cut my teeth on the 17hmr first as I think it is more robust. I have a bit of experience shooting .22lr all ready and maybe it's just me wanting to try something new!

I completely agree looking on gun trader I can't see him getting 500 for it to be honest

Thats fair enough. But surely you can try before you buy with your mates gun .so you should know how it feels and if its accurate and with which bullet .(not something you can do with a new gun or sh from a different source ? .

So considering the above will save you a lot of money not chasing the best round or even buying duff gun .id buy your mates  (if its a good un ) for £500 or what ever you agree .but dont under estimate the try before you buy aspect .

 

[The Mighty Prawn]

My 452 American has been flawless, I’ve dropped it, soaked it, rarely cleaned it and it will still cloverleaf at 90 yards which is perfect for head shooting bunnies to make tasty bunny!

[Walker570]

2 hours ago, CityTurnedCountryMan said:

I am certain to get both but wanted to cut my teeth on the 17hmr first as I think it is more robust. I have a bit of experience shooting .22lr all ready and maybe it's just me wanting to try something new!

I completely agree looking on gun trader I can't see him getting 500 for it to be honest

The 17HMR is an awesome little round. I was tempted to go for reloadables eg the 17 Hornet but already have a 17 Remington. The HMR just fills that space and with a good moderator it does not disturb other beings.  I shot a tree rat a few weeks ago only about two yards infront of a cock pheasant, the pheasant looked astonished...if pheasants can..and walked over to inspect the carcase. All CZ rifles are pretty robust and have never had a problem in 30yrs of owning one or other of them.   Have fun.

[Hendrix's rifle]

I bought a cz 452 American off here a couple of years ago, been a great rifle. Only gripe with the hmr is I can reload the 223 cheaper! Take a look at the 22wmr, as effective as the hmr with ballistics and range, cheaper to run. Wish I never sold my wmr, again, a 452 American 

[wymberley]

23 hours ago, oowee said:

I bought the 22lr first and then binned it when i got the HMR. You will certainly learn more with a .22. The sound of ricochet, the calculation of bullet drop, how hard it can be to get close to your quarry, how cheap ammunition can be. With HMR you can concentrate on the shooting and only have to worry about a few fliers, split cases. 

There is something somewhere about the huge numbers of .22 and that everyone had them, started with them,handed down from great grandpa, more foxes even dropped a charging rhino (made that up) it goes on and on etc If HMR was invented first then it's unlikely the .22 would have been invented.  

Anyone fancy a Ruger WSM? 

Yep, I did.