Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

Any suggestions? I was thinking about a Ruger 10/17, a Berretta CX4 Storm, or maybe sometime of lever gun, don't want a bolt action this time around.

Camp

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

I just got an NEF 44 mag rifle with Synthetic stock. With full power loads it packs a good pop but with 44 special loads, its just a fun little rifle.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

What kind of fun do you want to have with it?

For sheer ability to shoot millions of rounds cheaply nothing beats a good .22LR.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

if i was to get a gun for fun i would get prob a 17hmr. they look cool. i jus got a 223 for furbear and its fun to shoot also and cheap. but next time its either a new 223, a 17, or a 7mm

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

How about a Saiga or SKS?
Both are fun and shoot cheap ammo.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

I have to go with Big bull and say for a fun gun a 22LR is the way to go. Have you thought about a muzzleloader. You may not get a high volume of fire, but you can have a blast with a blackpowder rifle.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

I do have a 22lr already, a marlin 25n, and it is fun. What I am looking for now is something a little different, more range etc.. I currently have a 7mm-08, a 44 mag carbine, and a 30-30, so I don't really need a big-bore at this time. Semi-automatic or a a lever is what I was thinking. What would you add, a .223 or .17hmr, if it was just a fun, plinking, backpack gun?

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

I think the most fun I ever had was on those younger, care free days sitting on the hill with my old man shooting cans, dirtclods, bees, etc. with an old 22LR
Still have the old man, and the 22LR but my young care free days are gone.

Ah.... think I'll take that old 22 out just to relive some memories.

BTW my fun gun now is a 14" Contender in 38-55

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

Just for fun, I would pick up a lever 45-70. Or maybe a SKS as Briman described. Or a AK-47. That Berretta storm would be fun, but pricey.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

Ruger 10/22.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

A heavy bbl 10/17 would be fun, and I'm EXTREMELY partial to leverguns, but I won't suggest you buy the Berreta Storm...it's a great gun, in the hands of professional shooters, anyone who buy's G&A magazine has seen it throw impressive 50yrd groups-you'll likely never shoot it that well. I had the chance to "test run" one recently, it was pretty impressive in the accuracy department, however, for what it is, it's huge and ungainly...kinda like having a full sized six shot revolver chambered in .22lr, there's just no need to be that big for what it is. As far as pistol cartridge semiauto carbines go, I've had two Kel-tec Sub-2000's, one in 9mm and one in the .40S&W, two hi points in 9mm, an Israeli semiauto "tommy gun" repro in .45acp, and handled the CX4 for about a month...overall it was a good gun, but it cost $600, I could buy three hi-points, or two Kel-tecs for that price, and they shot every bit as good, maybe the quality of the Hi point wasn't as good, and the kel-tec was pretty small for good shooting (it's made to fold in half and be small for easy storage), shooting them in the same manner gave pretty well the same results. The Israeli tommy was $400 freshly imported-don't see many come around like it anymore, but it by far out performed the CX4 on accuracy, and power (9mm vs. .45acp).

I won't say don't buy it, I'm just saying look at the "cheaper" models out there first, they're every bit as good and cost WAY less (although the Berreta is VERY upgradable, while the others really aren't).

Now, my suggestion for a fun gun is definitely a levergun, if you're looking for one just for fun, maybe some short range deer hunting, a Marlin 1894 .44mag would be great, I've got a pair of them and they're as reliable as anything, and pretty accurate to boot, I've used one of them for deer out to just under 200yrds. It's also hard to beat the Marlin 1895's, depending on your taste you can get a LONG one, or a SHORT one, the 1895 cowboy or a 1895 Guide gun respectively. I've got both, they're both incredibly accurate and have a ton of power if you want it, if you're just looking for a plinker, shooting factory ammo through them is rather mild. I've got a buddy that has a marlin 336 .30-30 that throws 2.3" groups at 200yrds all day, and he's a terrible shot usually. (If you do get the Marlin, post it here and I'll email you a preventative "fix" for it, nothing to worry about really, just a small production flaw that MIGHT cause a problem 1000rnds down the road called the Marlin Jam-one time occurence thing that requires the gun be disassembled to clear.)

If you decide to go with a levergun, if you want a pistol caliber, DO NOT get the Winchester 94, you WILL be sorry if you do...if you're getting a .30-30, I still don't recommend the winchester, but I won't say don't buy it (win. 94 pistol calibers don't feed for crap and they tend to be terrible on accuracy-I don't like the 94 action is why I never recommend it, but it's designed for the .30-30 and the .32-30, long bottle neck, rimmed cartridges, and they haven't figured out in over a hundred years how to get it to work right with pistol cartridges.)

You might also look into a AR-15 or a SKS or AK-47, not many things more fun than just burning up ammo in a hurry. A Yugoslavian SKS can be had for $150, better quality ones for $300 or less, AK's are $200-600, AR's typically start at $600 new and can run clear up to $10K. The 7.62x39mm SKS and AK can be hunted on deer, and all three make pretty good varminters, with the AR-15 being the best by a long shot.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

I would think that an SKS paratrooper model (shorter) with a few after market add ons would be a great, affordable, fun plinker. You can now acquire rear receiver covers with integral scope mounts that work decently for short range...it is a short range weapon anyway. These cover/scope mount jobs pop on and off if you have the right one. You can get 5 round magazines or just make a block plug for it.
They aren't as light as you might think, but light enough and plenty comfortable to shoot. Ammo is available everywhere and complete stripping and cleaning is a fairly easy issue. I've a few SKS's and I even use some of the pretty nasty dirty ammo....I just flush the parts out with carb cleaner and then put it away with a normal cleaning.
If you have no particular budget then the world is your oyster....but for an affordable way to go the SKS is a viable option.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

Heck man, there all fun . lol , ,just kidding, , happy hunting.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

As far as the "fun factor" goes, it's hard to beat the enjoyment you will get from a .17 HMR. It's a great little round in any gun!

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

AS far as the "fun" factor is concerned, ther may be no "funner" gun to blast away with than an AR-15 clone. I recently took Doomsday and his father-in-law out to shoot with about 300rds of surplus ammo. They never could get the $hit eatin' grin off of their face the rest of the afternoon.
It is accurate, fun and cheap to feed with ammo running around $.10/shot (bought by the case) That is almost as cheap as a paintball gun! Hey there's an idea for you...how about a good paintball gun!:D

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

My next "fun gun" is going to be a Henry Golden Boy. Man, they are nice!!!

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

My fun gun that dont requrie sub moa is a mini-14. I have one of the butler creek folding stocks and a 40,30, and 10 round clip that i can easly empty 3 or 4 times in one day out to the range/pit. Cleaning up the empties gets old after about 600.:D

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

If you want to burn cheap ammo in a hurry, then 10/22 is the way to go. For something with a little more punch, then pistol cal lever action is hard to beat. I have a M94 in .45colt that is a blast to shoot, and I've never had jamming problems with it. With reloads using cast bullets it doesn't cost much to shoot, and hits the 100yrd silloutte with a solid thwack.

Semi's are fun too, Mini-14 or SKS, little recoil, fairly cheap to shoot, and a bunch of fun.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

I'm thinking this might have everything I am looking for, classic styling, fun 17hmr round, lever action...the winchester 9417, and it has the built in scope groove. does the pointed 17hmr bullets work in a tubular magazine because they are rimfires, whereas ceterfire tubular magazines require blunt tip bullets, becasue of the possibility of the primer being fired from the tip of the proceeding bullet???

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

Or maybe this, Ruger 96/17, got to love that rotary clip.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

Camp 13, I like the choice of the 9417. If it were me, I'd get it. If you do, I'll envy you.:)

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

Nice looking rifle. But I'd never trust pointed bullets in a tubular magazine, even rimfire.


I have a Hi-Point 9mm Carbine w/ a cheapy scope on it. It's a blast, until time to reload the magazines. I need to find a helper just to tag along and reload mags for me while I shoot.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

For me it's a Mini-14, got a 1.5-6 power scope and love it. Another fun gun is the SKS. Got a Chinese one and put a real stock on it (the one on it was WAY to short) and with open sights it will shoot 1 1/2 inches at 100yds.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

My fun gun is a marlin 1894 in 357 magnum.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

Ruger 10/22 a ton of fun for well under 200.00.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

How about a mini 14 ranch rifle. It has integral scope mounts if you want to put a scope on it later. You can buy ammo for a bit over $2 a box. Has plenty of range, accurate, fun, and packs easy cause its so short. And it can dispatch unwanted critters in camp. And is a good deterant for any unwanted 2 legged critters too.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

Wow what great replys! I got a 9417 yesterday, its really sweet, I am thining about picking up a mini 14 also soon, it does look like a blast, and it would go well with my deerfield.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

Congrats on your new "fun gun". What does Winchester say about using a tubular magazine for pointed rimfire cartridges? I'm very interested to find out the safety factors involved. My understanding of the rimfire cartridge is that a strike on any portion of the rim will cause ignition.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

What can I say, not sure Winchester says anything specifically about safety of the pointed bullets in the tubular magazine. I'm thinking it should be fine, I am sure its something they have studied with the litegous society we live in. It is a sweet little gun, I put on an older but mint Weaver scope, I found at a gun show, it really suits the lines of the gun.

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

I always like to see and show pics, so heres my new Winchester 9417 "fun" gun:

RE: Need a fun gun (rifle)
 

My favorite fun gun that I get to shoot about twice a year is the good ole Browning M2 .50 cal machine gun. There is nothing like rock 'n and rollin with that thing!!!!... Unfortunatly it ain't exactly an easy weapon to get hands on unless Uncle Sam has his hands on you!!!