Factors to Consider When Buying a Beginner’s Hunting Rifle

While most people will often suggest buying the best rifle available, it’s important to account for the user’s marksmanship. Beginners may not be able to handle rifles that are meant for more experienced hunters. If you’re planning on acquainting yourself with hunting rifles, these are the things you need to consider when buying your first rifle.

Game Size

The first thing to base the type of rifle to buy should be the target you intend to hunt with your rifle. While it’s not impossible for beginners to hunt big game, it’s highly recommended that beginners hunt small game like jackrabbits and turkeys to develop both their aim and their hunting skills.

Since small game is incredibly fast, it’s much better to hunt with either an air rifle or a bolt-action rifle that has minimal recoil. If you intend to hunt big game, these are some rifles you may want to consider. These rifles are of higher caliber and they pack a lot more power, and have a lot more recoil. Be warned that these rifles are suited only for experienced hunters who have good aim. Due to the higher recoil, it’s going to be more difficult to recenter your shot should you miss.

Budget

Hunting may not be for everyone, and unless you’re completely set on making hunting a hobby, beginners are advised to avoid spending large amounts of money on a rifle because there’s still a chance that they may not continue with their hunting hobby. A budget of $300 to $500 is optimal for a beginner’s rifle as rifles within this price range already come with a synthetic stock, which are lightweight and durable. This helps with accuracy and ease of aiming. Only purchase better rifles when you’ve honed the skill to match their caliber.

Accuracy

Accuracy refers to the ability of a rifle to hit the same spot repeatedly. The smaller the spread of your shots in a grouping, the more accurate the weapon is. It’s going to be very difficult for beginners to gauge the accuracy of a rifle that they’re about to purchase, as they’ve likely never held a rifle before. The best measure to determine whether a rifle is accurate or not is to ask those who have already handled the rifle as they have in-field experience of how the rifle actually performs.

A .22 Caliber Rifle

Most sources will recommend that beginners get a .22 caliber rifle as their first weapon. This is sound advice because .22 caliber rifles like the AR-15 Rifle are versatile enough that they can be used to hunt small to medium-sized game. Hunters tend to retain their .22 caliber rifles even after they’ve gained more hunting experience, as it will serve you well in the long-term.

A hunting rifle is the tool of the trade that will have a significant impact on your rate of success. While it can feel like a daunting task to choose among numerous options, these factors will help you narrow your choices to make it easier to select the rifle that best suits you.