Thread: Newbie needs help setting up.

Hi everyone.

I'm a complete newbie to target shooting, and at the moment just going through the steps to get my license.
I'm already looking at what rifle to buy when I get my license. As I know nothing I would love your guys help on this.

I have up to $3000 to spend on the rifle, and that could be without a scope as I'm happy to use iron sights for a while.
I really just want to use the rifle for target shooting, not too bothered about hunting at the moment.

Also which caliber to buy, and make of rifle. I want to fire decent distances maybe up to 1000m.
Obviously i will need a scope for anything above 300m. But I'm happy firing up to 300m in the meantime.

Would love your input.

Its horrible being a newbie, but you have to start somewhere.

Have you done any previous shooting?

Yes I was in the British army for a while.
Just fired the SA80 5.56 semi auto.
Would quite like something similar as far as power goes.
But not sure if you use anything like that for target shooting.

oh I know, a 6.5x55

Originally Posted by Jackangus

Yes I was in the British army for a while.
Just fired the SA80 5.56 semi auto.
Would quite like something similar as far as power goes.
But not sure if you use anything like that for target shooting.

Hi,

So broadly,

Good, you'll understand safety and all the basics like trigger control, huge advantage.

If you want to do "formal" target shooting there is the NZ NRA which is bolt action 308win only in effect. There are 3 classes, TR which is iron sights and sling, FTR which is the same gun but a scope and bipod, and F open which is any caliber to 8mm? which is also bloody expensive as it goes through a $1k barrel in a season (its also probably dangerous as they overload so much). Trouble is a gun for NRA is $6k to do this, but the good news is clubs usually have club guns. I use the club's 308w TR and FTR gun when not shooting 303. You can shot a 223/556nato in this as well but the wind with an 80grain bullet would be an um challenge. In saying this Im thinking of using a AR15 with a high spec upper to do just this.

Welcome to the NRA NZ | National Rifle Association of New Zealand

You should be able to find a club near you from the above. I usually shoot my No4 Enfields at Trentham but they are only allowed to 600yds. So above 600yds I shoot TR or sometimes FTR. Im considering shooting an AR15 but I have to see if they will allow this or not, in theory, yes but they are a bunch of crabby oldies.

My club also has complete reloading gear so you can reload for the wholesale cost of components in effect, 90cents a pop for 308w.

Then there is service rifle which is usually 100m but can go to 600m. In this we shoot any military rifle and mil caliber.

WSRA

So a 223/556nato AR15 is a frequently used gun and its a lot of fun. Again I shoot 303brit or Russian 54R, but cheap SKSs ($400~$450) are used as well as a lot of Ar15s.

Best bet is go along to some clubs and events and see what lights your fire and talk to the ppl about what you can shoot. I started with small bore went to scoped FTR now shoot iron sights and I am getting an AR15 soon.

Well there's a .223rem but I don't think it'll much use if you want to shoot to 1000m.

Do you know what the equivalent round here is for a 5.56 Nato round?

Originally Posted by Jackangus

Do you know what the equivalent round here is for a 5.56 Nato round?

The 5.56 NATO

yeah 223

been looking into getting in to target shooting myself when im not out hunting for the long range practice,

my thoughts were a tikka t3 in 6.5x55 and some sort of sub 1000 dollar dial up scope.

What sort of target shooting are you looking at. There is a whole range of different disciplines competed in NZ... You have mentioned something similar to the SA80 for power and maybe up to 1000m.

So are you looking at service rifle shooting? 4 position shooting? 300m NRA? Benchrest? F-Class? Longer range NRA? Field Shooting?
Maybe you want an across the course rifle you can use in a multitude of different disciplines?

I think you may want to rethink either your max range or max"power" as you put it 223/5.56 is going to make 1000m difficult.

I would say split your 3 grand into

a grand for a rifle (choose a garden variety common as mud factory chambering so you can just buy ammo for a start),

Grand for the scope and

the left over grand will get eaten up with all the other stuff you need but did not realise you needed

I think I'll start with 100m-300m with iron sight like I used to do in the army, in prone position.
But I agree 5.56 wont cut it at 1000m, so I might just have to go up to a 303 or something like that.
Just the ammo is so expensive.

Would you guys agree a 303 would give me the freedom to go up to 1000m?

Originally Posted by Jackangus

Would you guys agree a 303 would give me the freedom to go up to 1000m?

Did you serve before or after WW2 ? Things have moved on a bit from the 303... (and no, I would not call that a realistic 1000m option)

Read Gillie's post and go visit clubs doing whatever shooting you are interested in. Talk to guys actually doing that sport about what to buy.