If I can have only one rifle, which should it be?

[STORMINORMAN]

None of the 5... Oh, make that 4 choices, IMHO...

An Aero Precision lower with both 16" 5.56 & 300 Blackout uppers will do the trick.

Cheers!

 

[UNCLE PAULY]

If you could only have one pair of shoes what would they be?

This pair

 

[STORMINORMAN]

Festus (and his cousin) got in a lot of trouble with a widow woman wearing a pair of boots like those...!

Cheers!

P.S. They were the ones wearing the boots: not she!

 

[smoothshooter]

A .22 LR rifle of some sort.
Shotgun. Birdshot for general use and slugs for big game.
Lever action .30/30 or bolt action .223. Ammo is easier to get most of the time, and a little cheaper. There will be sporadic shortages driven by world and domestic political events from here on out as Western Society and culture continue to unravel until just about everything collapses.

 

[murphydog]

Since you seem to be allowing write-in candidates...

I second an AR-style rifle in 5.56 mm. A .22 LR conversion unit and you are set for training all the way up to smaller game hunting, and with a larger caliber upper for bigger game (if legal). Having the same mechanics and system all the way through is also a plus. Good luck in your decision.

 

[smoothshooter]

I say let your daughters work part-time when they are old enough ( young adults do it all the time ) to cover part of their tuition and ease the financial burden on you.
If you are pouring so much money into college funds that you can only afford 3 guns, that probably means you are putting little or no money in YOUR retirement accounts, so you and your wife don’t have to live like paupers in your old age.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I cannot imagine a time when I do not have a good .22 rifle. Nothing else can do the same range of chores.

My old classic 1939 vintage Winchester Model 62A is just about perfect in every way, but has become far too valuable to be dragging around in the woods. So about 4 years ago I added a CZ 455 American .22LR for such duties. Beautifully made and finished, classic checkered walnut stock, blued steel, bolt action with removable box magazine, exceptionally accurate, very affordable. Came with CZ factory steel 1" scope rings, but I finished it off with a ramp & bead front and Williams receiver sight for my usual needs (small game at modest ranges).

If I ever feel the need the CZ rifles can be easily changed out to .22WMR or .17HMR with interchangeable barrels, simple magazine well block to accept the longer cartridges. Such a conversion costs under $150 and takes only a few minutes to perform. So far I haven't encountered a critter I wanted to take home for dinner that a .22LR wouldn't handle (no, it is not for deer, antelope, elk, buffalo, rhino, or elephant).

A good reliable .22 rifle is the basic equipment!

 

[Echo40]

I voted for the Springfield M1903 despite the fact that I actually prefer the Henry All-Weather, simply because the M1903 actually is a true Rifle whereas the Henry is really more of a Pistol Caliber Carbine.

Also, if you're going to have only one Rifle, (and the AR-15 isn't on your list) then it might as well be an All-American classic like the M1903.

 

[DeplorabusUnum]

I voted for the Henry .357 because that's the only one on the list I own, and I love shooting it. It's truly a blast. I can shoot it very inexpensively because I cast my bullets and reload. My costs per round are not down to 22LR cost, but maybe only double instead of 7 times.

For teaching children how to shoot, a 22 rifle is a must IMO. I have 21 grandchildren and now I'm up to 4 different 22 rifles.

 

[alwslate]

A .22 for a one and only rifle just isn't enough gun, Many like lever action .357s but there are several drawbacks. Ammo is costly unless you are a handloader. Probably not legal for Deer in many areas. All Henrys are over priced in my opinion. Range is very limited as the stubby pistol bullets shed velocity very quickly. All lever actions stretch cases due to the rear locking action so ammo can be a problem even if you handload. A 1903 Springfield is a classic rifle but is large, heavy and fires expensive ammo with quite a bit of recoil. Original sights were regulated to extreme distance for combat. A nice one would be pricey. My choice would be the SKS. Ammo can be bought in bulk for a reasonable price. A true battle rifle with sturdy iron sights. Easy field stripping for cleaning. Lethal to 300 yds and accurate enough. Relatively light recoil. Short length of pull for small users. Basically indestructible. Best gun, best choice.

 

[BabaBlueJay]

As always, the wisdom of these forums has been invaluable to me. I think I am going to think more on this and lean towards a 22. Then I will convince my wife that a bigger rifle is needed down the road.

Thank you all for once again proving me wrong and helping me to avoid an unforced error. Joining this forum has helped me learn a ton, and I learn most when I am wrong. I am glad you helped me see the issue with my premise.

 

[steelslaver]

Over the years I have managed to get ALMOST every bare minimum gun a man needs to have. So far that minimum number is about 140, but that is subject to change of course as my bare minimum needs become more refined.

Neither I nor the majority of people here are qualified to give very good advice on minimums, let alone ONE of any type gun.


OK, ok, one gyrojet is enough, but only enough gyrojets.

 

[GypsmJim]

I say let your daughters work part-time when they are old enough ( young adults do it all the time ) to cover part of their tuition and ease the financial burden on you.
If you are pouring so much money into college funds that you can only afford 3 guns, that probably means you are putting little or no money in YOUR retirement account, so you and your wife don’t have to live like paupers in your old age.

My parents couldn't afford to pay for my college. But they were helpful in that they provided free room and board. Thus, I chose to live at home and go to a local University.

I always took the earliest classes available, ,so I was finished by 3 PM. Then I went to my job and worked the 4-11 shift. When I graduated I had no debt and was able to buy a brand new car for cash.

I firmly believe that hard work and good planning are what's necessary in this life. I know some individuals that had everything handed to them and they never achieved their potential success.

I know, I know, off topic. As many have said, a bolt .22 is the only logical option. IMHO, a semi-auto anything is not a young person's trainer.

 

[dave1918a2]

The OP asked for a opinion on the five rifles listed in a poll to select just one. Not a mismash of opinions on everything under the sun. Just one of those would be the one I voted for, the 1903. One of the most versatile cartridges ever.

 

[Cal44]

I'll probably get laughed at, I'd suggest a Savage in 6.5 Creedmoor.

The 6.5 CM is powerful enough to hunt anything in North America short of Grizzly.

It has lower recoil than 308 win or 30-06.

It's a great target paper punching round

Ammo is widely available although more expensive than 308.

I have a Savage which I really like, but every rifle manufacturer offers 6.5 CM.

 

[gdogs]

If you are going to limit yourself to one "rifle" for all of the uses outlined, then it should be an AR-15. 1 rifle, and an extra upper. Personally, I'd have 223 and 350 legend uppers. The 223 will cover reasons 1,2,3 and the 350 would cover 4. Your additional requirements are all easily handled by an AR platform rifle.

 

[S-W4EVER]

First rifle I bought when I got out of the Army was a Ruger 10/22 (for $59). That thing was a tack driver! I put a lot of rounds through it before giving it to one of my daughters.

 

[IAM Rand]

None of those above. It would be the Savage 24. 20ga 30/30.

 

[BabaBlueJay]

I am not getting an AR-15 or an AK-47. I know how effective they are, but there are people near and dear to me that will never be comfortable with that. You can think that is dumb, and I agree it is, but that is a non-starter for me.

I think the solution here is for me to get a rifle I want now, then get a 22 for my girls in 5-6 years when they are old enough. In the meantime I will continue to teach my toddler respect for firearms and safety rules while I'll have to wait to do that with my infant. I will also continue to take the precautions I feel are needed to keep them from having access to them.

 

[ladder13]

03 or 03A3