RE: First Centerfire
I just bought a Stevens 200 at the Lafayette Sportsman's Warehouse about a month ago. They offered to mount and boresight a scope for free, so I ordered a Nikon Monarch on clearance and took it in yesterday. They've raised their prices on all guns since I bought mine. I got the Stevens for $259, and now they're $289. It's still agood dealthough. Same thing asa Savage, but minus the accutrigger. Theyare dealers for Howa too, but don't have many in stock. Actually, they were running pretty low on Stevens 200's yesterday too, so they must be pretty popular.I was in a similar situation to you and decided on either a Howa or Stevens after a lot of time spent reading on the internet. One more thing to consider... IndianaDNR is probably going to allow riflesfor deer hunting next season. The catch is that it must be chambered for a cartridge with a case length of no more than 1.625". That means handgun cartridges. The 500 S&W Magnum has a case length of exactly 1.625", so it's the biggest handgun cartridge allowed under the proposed rule. Sportsman's Warehouse carries a single shot Handi-Rifle in 500 S&W, so if you wanted to buy a rifle that could be used for deer hunting, there you go... As a bonus, the Handi-Rifle is supposed to be pretty accurate, and I think they're under $250. If I hunted deer with a gun, I'd look seriously into that. Actually, if I had money and hunted deer with a gun, I'd call Hornady or someone and see how expensive it would be to come up with a cartridge based on the 500 S&W necked down to accept smaller diameter bullets. Bullets for the 500 aren't that aerodynamically efficient, so they're only going to be good for 150, maybe 200 yards. A smaller diameter, more streamlined bullet with a higher B.C. could open things up a little. If you wanted to hunt deer with a gun and didn'tneed to shoot over about 75 yards, there's a lever actionMarlinin 44 Mag. Acompany calledRossi(sp?) makes a lever action 454 Casull that might be good for a little over 100 yards. I don't thinkeither of those would be an improvement over a slug gun though, unless you justwanted something with a little less recoil.
You should really just go to Sportsman's Warehouse. Look around, ask questions, and they'll get you set up with something you'll surely enjoy. It's on Creasy Lane, just off 26 out by the interstate. I don't know how familiar you are with the area, since you said you go to Purdue. I also came to the area to go to Purdue, but layed out for a couple years. I'm going back in the fall but that's beside the point.If you need better directions, or have any other questions, let me know.