by Chuck Papp, Contributing Writer
Well last month was about going back in time, this month we are in the here and now.
A lot of first time hunters are somewhat torn between which rifle they want to buy first, or just getting another one to add to their collection. Now there are two different types of rifles out there that pretty much gain the most attention. They are your standard bolt action hunting rifle or your modern sporting rifle, also known as the AR 15. The MSR as cleverly named by the industry, is your modern day semi-automatic.
They both are their own breed and you should pick the one which best serves your wants and needs. The bolt action is pretty straight forward. This by far has been the most popular among hunters the last couple of decades if not more. Extremely accurate, it is offered in a wide variety of calibers. It is available in wood stocks to synthetics, blue finishes to weather resistant stainless. There is a bolt action out there for any budget, and all are ready for optics.
As far as your MSR lightweight, it is extremely reliable for a semi-automatic rifle, and easy to mount optics as well. The one main advantage is that it can also double as a self-defense rifle if the time should arise better than the bolt action due to the fact of the capacity factor is much greater in a MSR. Average magazine capacity is 25 to 30 rounds. However, you should check regulations as far as how many rounds of ammunition you can have in your rifle during hunting season. Every state varies on this, so it’s up to you to find out. One limiting factor though is in general you do not get the variety of calibers to choose from in an MSR. The two major calibers are 5.56 and the relatively new 300 black out. So, bullet selection is critical for these to be effective. Myself I am a bolt action or traditional hunting rifle person all day long, but you need to decide on what you want. I know guys that use their MSR’S and love them. Good Luck in your decision on what to get for this season and many more to come.
Chuck Papp, Manager, Delray Shooting Center, 561.265.0700
thewoodchuck72@aol.com