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[Sir Finkus]

I've got over 80 rabbits, and people near me breeding and releasing more. I could waste $500 for a day of blowing up rabbits. Scopes are awesome, mostly because I don't want to be near any of these things when I'm shooting them. I won't be throwing it around, for it'll cost a shitload.

If you're going for rabbits, you're probably going to want something a bit smaller and cheaper to shoot.  I'm not an expert, but you'd probably be better off with a .22 for the rabbits, and a high powered rifle or even a shotgun for the alligators. 

Luckily for you, there isn't a shortage of excellent milsurp bolt action firearms.  If you just want something cheap and fun, you can't really go wrong with a Mosin Nagant.  You can find one almost anywhere that sells guns for under $150, just make sure the rifling is decent.  If you want something a bit more spendy (but still not very expensive) look for a Swiss K-31.  It's a very accurate rifle, and most are in pretty decent condition.  The ammo is a bit more expensive, but it's very high quality and non-corrosive.  You can get scope mounts for both, but please get one that doesn't require drilling and tapping the receiver. 

Ordering rifles online is a bit of a pain in the ass, so if possible I'd go into a local gun shop and see if they have anything nice.  If you do order online, expect to pay $30 in shipping, then an additional fee (usually $20-$50) for the ffl transfer.  You're also kind of making a gamble ordering online because you have to rely on the seller's description and pictures.

:edit: Oh, and be sure to check the laws in your area regarding hunting.  There are often restrictions on caliber and magazine capacity among other things.  Don't go shooting any critters until you know what the laws are.

[Nikov]

Your first rifle shouldn't cost a shitload, and trying to kill a gator at range is going to be pretty hard because they're usually in rough terrain, are very low to the ground, and are usually pretending to be a log. Shooting them close improves your stopping power and ability to hit the vital organs. If you're worried about them getting a last laugh in on your shinbones, I'd shoot them from up high, like a truck bed (park near water, sit in lawn chair in bed, drink beer, wait) or from a tree (spot, climb tree, shoot).

Blood is absolutely right, it is a bitch to calibrate a scope. If you don't know how (and given these questions it seems safe to assume you don't) you're going to throw your money away. Furthermore if you're used to a shotgun I'm willing to bet your aim is less than stellar and a lot of that scope's capacity is going to be wasted due to a lack of form. Get a solid old rifle and learn to use it before you invest in a fancy scoped manhood compensation device.

And I'm calling bullshit. 7.92x57 IS > 7.62x54R. I've got an M44 as well, so this is no idle comparison. I've held both rounds, and the IS doesn't neck down nearly as much as the 54R.

My only caution against buying a Mosin as that there's no saftey and the bolts tend to be rough. Hunting deer you would make noise locking the thing, since its not cool to carry around the woods a loaded and unsafetied gun.

[Sir Finkus]

My only caution against buying a Mosin as that there's no saftey and the bolts tend to be rough. Hunting deer you would make noise locking the thing, since its not cool to carry around the woods a loaded and unsafetied gun.

Nagants have safeties, they are a bit of a bitch to put on and off, but they have them.

[atomicwinter]

.22lr is all you need for small game. Deer you need a minimum of a .243 with good shot placement. A .270 at-least for any North American game larger than a Deer. Really thou for larger game, a .30-06 is much more suitable at least get something to that power level. The proper loading makes all the difference, research the different loadings available for your caliber. If you can't handle the recoil of a larger rifle, you really have no business shooting.

From what I can read, you seem to be underage and in-mature. Please for the sake of humanity do not acquire a firearm. You have to be serious with this sort of thing, I am sick of going to the range with all these kids joking around. We have deaths at my range happen every year from idiots like these.

Talk with your parents, acquire a hunting license before you go killing game, EAT what you kill out of respect, if you don't you have no place killing game.

Just some advice from a hunter/firearms enthusiast.

[Tellemurius]

And I'm calling bullshit. 7.92x57 IS > 7.62x54R. I've got an M44 as well, so this is no idle comparison. I've held both rounds, and the IS doesn't neck down nearly as much as the 54R.

my father has a iraqi guard Mauser and i compared the rounds, Nagants are bigger with a 5 gr difference.

also word of advice, DO NOT BUY FEDERAL ROUNDS, THEY SUCK DICK THEY GO BERSERK AT 50 YRDS AND CAN COMPLETLY MISS YOUR TARGET.

[Retro]

Blunderbusses are back in season, I hear.

[Tellemurius]

Blunderbusses are back in season, I hear.

phht you don't need rounds for that.

[Nikov]

My only caution against buying a Mosin as that there's no saftey and the bolts tend to be rough. Hunting deer you would make noise locking the thing, since its not cool to carry around the woods a loaded and unsafetied gun.

Nagants have safeties, they are a bit of a bitch to put on and off, but they have them.

Its possible my M44 "Conscript Special" doesn't have one as a cost saving design decision.

[Tellemurius]

its the knob at the back of the firing assembly, pull it (very hard) back and turn it left to lock the firing spring (or whatever its been a while since i disassembled that part and its a bitch).

[malimbar04]

RT-20, the only way to be sure.

Deer? What deer. all I see is a big red blob where something exploded.

[DJ]

You can even get HE rounds for that extra boom. I meant he should get it for gators, because I imagine they're tough mofos (they're like 2/3 size of a crocodile, right?), but I guess shooting deer or rabbits with it would be highly entertaining.

[inteuniso]

Get a 30.-06. If you have the money, spring for a Weatherby. My grandpa swears by them, and he's been shooting for half a century.

[Cthulhu]

You can even get HE rounds for that extra boom. I meant he should get it for gators, because I imagine they're tough mofos (they're like 2/3 size of a crocodile, right?), but I guess shooting deer or rabbits with it would be highly entertaining.

You don't need an AM rifle for alligators, or really anything at all you would realistically be shooting.  You especially don't need HE, holy shit man.

Just get a 30-06 like Inteuniso said.

Talking about the RT-20. I'll look at that gun now.

Better yet, don't get a gun.

[Aqizzar]

i hunt deer with a 7.62x54R Mosin Nagant no scope, shit can pew deer 300 yards straight, bastard has a huge kick though, bigger round than 8mm mauser.

I was going to recommend exactly this, so there it is.  I got mine by just reading the local paper once in a while for the sales at the hunting goods store.  They got in a shipment of them, selling for like $120 each.  Really, your best plan is to just keep your eyes open for anything bolt-action in the 30-ish caliber range, that comes up for sale at a price you're willing to pay.  There's no reason to spend a buttload when you can get a great deal on something functionally identical.

[sneakey pete]

For the love of god join a gun club and get some decent advice. They'll be able to answer a hell of a lot of your questions quickly and simply (not to say that the long posters here don't have the right idea, but its not exactly a 20 questions kind of thing going on).