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Hi all,
I've recently moved to NZ from the UK and am now living in Christchurch. I'm applying for my firearms license next week and I'm basically looking for some general advice. I want to take part in target shooting and would love to go hunting but I have no idea what to hunt, where to hunt or what would be the right type of rifle for me to start off with. any help or friendly advice would be massively appreciated.
Thanks
join your local branch of the new Zealand deerstalkers association. they will have club hunts, and target shooting. they will help you.
thanks man.Quote:
Originally Posted by sakokid
there will be heaps of helpful people there to share their knowledge
Welcome to the forum, may I suggest a tikka 7mm-08 :D
7mm08? i'm sure he said CHCH not Dorkland
Welcome
Plenty of hunting in CHCH
DOC (Department Of commercialised Conservation) can be a good place to find hunting areas. Lots of info on the website to give you an idea of where to start. Although I’m sure someone will take you under their wing and show you around.
Hi mate, welcome! Do you have any firearm experience? If not, i would suggest joining deerstalkers and going along and meeting them and getting to grips with their firearm ettiquette (did i spell that right?) Nothing worse for both parties than a beginner turning up with a rifle and start waving it around! I am sure they would let you have a go with some of their toys and you can decide on your preferences.
You will also meet some people who can point you in yhe right direction for hunting.
May i suggest your first purchase is a bolt action .22, you can practise heaps cheaply and get good at shooting, it also gives you some time to decide if/what centrefire you want. It doesn't have to be an expensive 22 but it must be a bolt action, you can get a semi later once you have learned some good habits!
Most calibres work just find for NZ hunting, i would suggest .243 or bigger for someone starting out, smaller and your margin for error is very small, but not so big you are scared of the recoil. The rest is really personal preference and dictated by the type of hunting you will do eg bush or tops hunting. I suggest reading heaps, these forums are really good, go into gunshops and handle as many as you can, decide what you like and form your own opinion, everyone will tell you to buy what they like, really any rifle over about $800 will be fine! Just don't buy a remington 770!:thumbsup:
Good advise above:thumbup:Quote:
Originally Posted by Spudattack
Welcome.
Sent from my GT-S5360T using Tapatalk 2
Welcome to the forum OliSelby
Exactly ! 270w or 308 & a Browning not 1 of the cheap copies .There's lots around so be careful.Quote:
Originally Posted by lostlegend
Welcome.
Welcome!Quote:
Originally Posted by OliSelby
Where in the UK are you from?
I'm just finishing up here in Notts and heading home again soon.
The .22 idea is great as it helps if you have not had much practise and well, everyone should have a Rabbit plinker anyhow!
Ignore any stereo types associated with calibre and go for what you think will suit you best. As mentioned before, the .243 is pretty well suited here in NZ to most Game but that is a bit light for the Bigger boys unless you are going to reload and have decent knowledge on projectiles and re-loading.
Pretty Hard to go past the .270 but again, it depends on your experience and please go into the bush with someone who has a heap of experience... the NZ Scenery is amazing but boy, it can really turn on you fast!
As far as brands go, well that depends on your taste and not someone else's ... TIKA, Remington, Savage and Howa are all readily available and have a Rifle for everyone's needs.. I would suggest a Second Hand rifle that already has a Suppressor fitted as it is a niggly waiting game when you just want to have a shoot and you are waiting for bits to be fitted/threaded... and well it costs less when someone has already done it for you!
Scope's are gonna be your next issue. Again these are dependant on your usage. But hey, by that time you will have changed your mind 1000 times anyway so start a thread and list your wants/needs and we'll try to help you out.
Until then, good luck with the Arms officer. They tend not to have a sense of humour so don't even go there.
Slimy
What sakokid said , PLUS , NZDA run a course called the HUNTS course.Quote:
Originally Posted by sakokid
Get your arse on one !!! Even experienced hunters learn something from it ... But probably the best thing you can get from it is a bunch of guys to go hunting with !!
http://www.deerstalkers.org.nz/hunts/
Regards
Tim
Welcome to you as well Slimy
Hey mate. Welcome.
Pretty much what the peep's above are saying. Meet people in your area and find out what best thats suits that area.
Caliber is a real minefield on here, we all have different views. Its one of the hottest most fierce debates around :)
Watch the weather down those ways. She will turn on ya in no time.
Let us know how you get on mate.
+1 for HUNTS Course - they are made for people in your position
Welcome OliSelby, all good advice so far, just get started, it will all fall into place with time.....as im beginning to learn!
Thanks Rushy!
I used to live just off Tuhirangi Rd ... Amazing place!
+1 on the hunts course!.And the Deertalkers will been keen to take you out hunting with them good luck.
Oh yeah, one more piece of advice.
Before you buy any gear : STOP
Make do. Use what you've got buy second hand off trademe ... Borrow. When you've figured out what you REALLY LIKE, REALLY WANT and REALLY NEED, then and only then buy it new. Maybe not even then.
Dont spend a shitload of money before you have to
And welcome to the forum.
Tim
And there speaks the voice of experience that every last one of us wishes that we had heard!Quote:
Originally Posted by kiwi39
Your local deerstalkers should be running a hunts course that covers everything you have asked and more.
Well worth it and a good way to meet people who are keen on hunting in your area.
Finish up by buying yourself a 6.5x55 and you will soon be filling the freezer and back on your feet they are as accurate as hell and deer hate them.
Larrakin