younggun308

Hey guys, I now have my .308 bolt-action, I was thinking of what gun I would want next.

I am looking for a "fun gun" so to speak, I would think it would be a small caliber, fun shooting, and maybe quick to reload and not with a pricetag that's way through the roof.

I was thinking of either a Ruger Mini-14 or Ruger Mini-30. Also, is there an auto-loading .22 WMR? Is it any good? My main focus is a good shooting, and maybe a little varmit hunting rifle.

I am open to other suggestions.

Thanks,

Josiah

younggun308

I also might even consider bolt-action varmit rimfire guns, like .17 HMR, or .22 WMR, or any other suggestions, I just don't know how much fun those are to shoot with open sights.

jeepkid

AR-15 in .223. WAY better then the Mini's. imo

younggun308

Cost alot, though, don't they?

jeepkid

No, not really. Probably a couple hundred more then a Mini, but in order for a Mini to be as accurate as an AR, it will cost a lot more to modify the Mini. You could get a pretty good AR for $600-1000, a stock mini would be around $600. And there are WAY more aftermarket parts for the AR.

younggun308

It would mostly be a plinking gun, so I wouldn't need a scope or nuthin',but I'm not sure about all the high-tech cleaning stuff. I want a shooting gun that requires not much more care than an average gun of it'sgeneral type ofaction. I don't want to have tokeep spending money on it like crazy.

wyotimberghost

Personally, I'd get a Ruger 10/22. 22LR ammo is a heck of a lot cheaper than 17 HMR and 22WMR ammo, and 10/22's are fun little guns. And with the money you save, you can purchase some upgrades/accessories for your gun. There are tons of them out there.

CamoCop

x2

younggun308

My dad already has a Marlin tubular magazine in .22 lr with the stainless barrel. He said a friend of his had a 10/22, and it jammed and wasn't as accurate, but he said that since the guy had a 50-round drum for it that might have contributed to it.

But the main thing is, we've already got a .22, give me a good reason I need another one.

I might get one when I go to college, but that a littleways off now.

Aught Six

Yeah, I'd recommend a 10/22 as well. It's a heck of a lot of fun to shoot, and bricks of ammo go quickly. You can fire as quickly as you can keep the sights on target. Some people have trouble with the hi-cap mags, so it's best to find something that has a reliable history, rather than pick up whatever looks cool. Franky, I stick with the 10-round factory mags most of the time.

AR-15s are also a blast to shoot, but they can get a little pricey. If you've got the money, I'd say go for it. Finding cheap .223/5.56 is easier said than done today, though, due to the war. It's getting pretty expensive in some parts.

I'm familiar with the Mini-14, but I'm just not that excited about it. Accuracy is better in the new models, but still, it's nothing to write home about. If I were you, I'd buy something inexpensive and fun and save the rest of my money for a good AR down the road.

Now that I think about it, the M1 Carbine might be something you should look into. You can get a new Auto-Ordnance model for roughly the same price as a Mini-14/30. To be perfectly honest, it doesn't outshoot the Mini-14, but's a piece of Americana that never gets old, and it's very light and handy. Makes a great home defense carbine as well.

Last, but not least, every think of picking up an SKS or AK clone? Cheap, cheap, and so is ammo.