How to Choose a Gun for Hunting

When choosing a gun for hunting, the question is not which gun is the best for hunting, but rather which gun is the best for you. When picking a type of weapon to take hunting, there are many options, all of them with their own advantages and disadvantages. There are 2 main aspects of selecting a hunting rifle: the situation and personal preference. The right mix of the two will yield the best hunting experience.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Ammunition

1. Decide where you want to hunt and what kind of animal you're interested in hunting. The target animal means everything in weapon selection, as quail hunting calls for a shotgun while deer hunting needs a rifle.

2. Choose which caliber of bullet and what bullet type you want to use. This will vary greatly with the location and type of animal. With rifles, if you foresee long, clear shots, a smaller bullet would be better.

3. Think about whether you want a single shot or a repeater. In the case of rifles, almost everything is a repeater for matters of convenience and overall quality, allowing you to get at least 2 shots at a far-away buck before it runs away. Single-shot shotguns are more common.

4. Select the kind of action you want on your weapon. There are 4 main choices: bolt action, pump action, lever action and self-loading. Each has its distinct character and advantages.

5. Consider cosmetic and functional options when available. The length of a barrel is variable, and it affects weight, bullet speed and accuracy. You can also choose between stock materials and metal finish.

6. Read about guns and ammunition on the Guns & Ammo website (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• In most states, you will have to wait a series of days between the time you buy your gun and the time you are allowed to have it. Do not get discouraged, and remember to purchase your weapon with enough time to wait before you go hunting.
• Make sure the gun you choose is compatible with the ammunition you have. Even a slight discord can cause costly and dangerous misfires.
• Safety first at all times. Always treat a gun as if it is loaded, and never point it at anything you don't want to fire a bullet into.

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[crow33]

on 10/29/2008 "With rifles, if you foresee long, clear shots, a smaller bullet would be better."

Simply not true. For "long" shots, a heavier bullet will retain more energy and shoot flatter. A "lighter" bullet will generally be faster out of the barrell, but will lose it's velocity quicker once it starts to slow. According to balistic charts provided by http://www.snipercentral.com/308.htm, the heavier .308 bullet drops LESS at 700 yds than does the lighter bullet.

"almost everything is a repeater for matters of convenience and overall quality" also not true. Some of the finest firearms in the world are not repeaters. Arguably, the most accurate rifles are bolt actions and they are made to the highest quality standards.

I do not know who wrote this column, but as a life long hunter and firearm enthusiast I respectfully disagree with some of it's content.

Crow33