Firearms/Long guns- Discussion Thread

I wanted to start a general discussion particularly about long guns (shotguns, rifles, etc.). I am looking to acquire 2 new rifles in the near future and would like some feedback on what you've owned/fired, it's pros and cons and overall whether you liked or disliked that particular weapon. As I'll probably never be able to own a pre-ban full auto weapon, I'd like to keep this thread mainly in the realm of what any average Joe/Jane would be able to purchase (legally) in this day and age. That's not to say I wouldn't mind hearing about any stories about weapons used during military, police, government services so long as you don't have to kill me after telling me.

I'll start just to give you an idea of what I'm looking for.

Currently own:

H&R 12 ga shotgun (youth model)
-single shot break action
-bead sight replaced with fixed blade/notch style sight
-small frame, light weight, easily manuverable
-good for shot... not so much for slugs
-less rounds per minute than pump or semi-automatic

My dad gave me this shotgun when I was 10 yo. It is the first firearm I have ever owned and I absolutely cherish it. I've grown very adept with this weapon due to years of small game hunting with family and friends (you learn to reload fast when rabbit hunting). Currently I use it for a home defense weapon. The plan is to pass it on to my kids when they are old enough.

Looking to acquire:

1. M191/30 Mosin Nagant
-7.62x54r
-big and heavy @ 4' long and aprx 8lbs
-long range rifle with excellent stopping power
-iron sights accurate to app 600 yds depending on shooter
-can upgrade to scope but expensive for little gain
-can be found relatively cheap and ammo is inexpensive
-easy maintenance and very durable

I shot one of these not too long ago and it was definitely fun. It was highly accurate even though we were only at 100yds. I think the weight and length of the weapon absorbs a lot of the recoil so it's not like you're getting kicked in the shoulder by a mule ever time you shoot. I definitley think it would be awesome to own a piece of history (albeit Russian history) as the one I'm looking at comes w/ bayonet, sling, mag pouch and oiler. I would definitely like something a little smaller like the M44 but it's 2x the cost so it's ruled out for the moment.

2. Marlin 60 or XT series
-.22LR
-great for plinking and small game hunting
-inexpensive and ammo is cheap and easy to acquire
-accurate and easy to shoot

Looking to pick up a .22 for me and the boys to get them into shooting. This seems like a tried and true version that has a lot of great reviews. I just haven't decided whether to get the semi or bolt action version. Can anyone shed some light on their preference?

Looking forward to seeing what everyone posts. There's a few other firearms I've had the privilege to shoot over the years such as my dad's 303 Enfield (sold when I was a kid ), an M1 Garand, Rem 700 in 30.06 and .300 Rem Ultra Mag, Colt AR15 (5.56) and various shotguns. They were all very fun to shoot but I'm not looking to bust open my piggy bank just yet. I figured these were 2 cheaper and simpler ideas that I can pick up for around $300 combined and can shoot for Lincolns instead of Jacksons. TIA for the information.

Lots of great info here and it is much appreciated. My initial thought was to try and squeeze 2 rifles into my budget but I have thought of buying one good quality higher powered rifle and then adding to the collection as time goes on. This re-election has got me (as I'm sure many others) on edge about the future of gun ownership.

@ Stafford & Whatevah- I have considered the Ruger but not in a tactical sense. The setup y'all have looks pretty sweet but I'm looking for something to plink with as well as hunt small game. Showing up with my tac .22 to bust squirrels just isn't soemthing I picture in my mind . Also I haven't been able to find a Ruger for less than $200 stock whereas I can purchase a Marlin for about $50 less in the configuration that I'm looking for. When I'm ready to spend $350-$500 on a tac .22 this is what I'm looking at...
http://www.budsgunshop.com/cat…g+Rifle+10%2B1+Capacity+1

@ Ian, Keith.eric & Quantam- I have (and still am) considering an AR. I didn't know how much fun an AR could be to shoot (other than Call of Duty ) until I shot my brother's. This route would definitely stretch my entire budget and I'd end up with only one weapon instead of two but there are pros and cons to each route. Of course, at the moment I couldn't afford a high end AR like my brother's and cousin's Colts but I haven't heard many bad reviews about Bushmaster, DPMS, S&W or Olympic Arms all of which are running close to the same price. What do y'all have your ARs chambered in and what facilitated your choice? It seems that the 5.56/.223 is the hotness right now due to the ballistics and stopping power they deliver and also the fact that a lot of people and orginizations are using it. This also seems to be driving up the price of the ammo as it's more in demand and newer than 7.62/.308 which has been around forever and is fairly stockpiled as Trey mentioned. Ian the M1 is an awesome platform to shoot. It's very accurate and a smooth rifle. I've shot about 50 rounds through one that belonged to my buddy's dad. This is definitely on my wish list for future buys.

@ Tedsbumper- I've shot 2 Remington 700s and they are awesome. I haven't had the privelege of shooting a Savage yet but I've heard the same that they are highly accurate right out of the box. I found both a Rem 770 and Savage Axis right around the $300 mark so they are definitley high on my list at the moment. I'd really like to be able to pick up 2 weapons at the same time but maybe I'll wait a few months for a .22. Got 2 questions...Have you ever had any issues with the bolt on your Rem? Have you shot any 7.62 ammo through it? I hear mixed reviews on shooting factory match grade compared to 7.62 military grade. From what I've found any recently manf civilian .308 should have no worries shooting 7.62 (such as NATO rnds) as the PSI ratings for the civilian weapon are higher (about 10k PSI) than what NATO allows for their ammo. I've also found that some 7.62 military grade ammo can really be detrimental to a .308 made for civilian use but this is all debatable and I haven't found anything definitive yet. As you said, 7.62 is stockpiled globally and it is such a common round that the availability reduces the cost of ammo by almost half of what 5.56 runs ($4 & $9 respectively).

Thanks all for the info. Keep it coming. I'm looking to make at least one purchase by the end of the month. I've done a lot of research online but first hand experience is definitely preferred. I'm sure there's other possibiltiies out there that I haven't even considered or seen yet.

Wolverine- As you are well versed in the ways of your lever action .22 could you school me in some of it's aspects. I've never shot a lever action. When I see them I instantly think of The Rifleman even though I only saw reruns as it was before my time. Is yours scoped or fixed sights? Do you notice any variance in accuracy from your lever action to your Rem semi action? I know a big part of accuracy lies within the shooter but I've always heard that bolt action rifles are considered more accurate than the rest. I'm fairly ignorant in this dept. between different type actions other than how they work.