What gun(s)?

[SimonTuffGuy]

I'm just getting into hunting... What guns does everyone suggest?

I'm pretty small (5'6" and 130~ lbs), so I don't want something that'll knock me over!

Looking to hunt deer and small game, turkey/grouse, etc... Maybe at some point, bear with the rest of the family.

Just open to suggestions at this point. I don't want to break the bank, but I don't want something that will fall apart on me either.

-Simon

[mauser]

I favor bolt action.
Savage Model 110 and CZ-550 American are great guns for the money.
Stay away from Remington Model 710!!!
Don't be shy about looking at the used guns, there are a lot of good deals to be had there. Maybe you can score a Winchester or Remington bolt action for a reasonable price. (But not a Remington Model 710).
As far as caliber for Pa. whitetail, you'll get all kinds of opinions.
From my personal experience, .243 Win., .260 Rem., and 6.5X55 Swedish have plenty of power for medium size game, and mild recoil. If a bit more recoil wouldn't bother you, you could look at .270 Win., or .308 Win.. Bigger than that, you'll probably be getting into something with more recoil than you'd like. Some will tell you that you don't notice the recoil when you're dressed in heavy clothing and excited about the shot. That's very true, but you're going to want to shoot at targets to get sighted in and get comfortable and familiar with your gun too, that's where you'll notice the recoil, and that's when you could develop bad habits, like flinching.
There are plenty of other calibers to gun styles to choose from, these are just a few recommendations I can offer from actual hands-on experience.
There will be many more opinions here to guide you.
Let us know what you decide.
Good luck.

[SimonTuffGuy]

Thanks! I'll check into some of those suggestions. I'm going to check with the family members that hunt too and see what they think. I should be able to borrow a gun from one of them to use until I pickup something that I want for myself.

I looked at some when I was at Bass Pro tonight, but didn't see anything in particular that caught my eye. We'll see! I'm not in any rush really.

[mauser]

If you're not in a hurry, that's all the better for you. You're in a better frame of mind and not so eager to jump on the first thing that looks like it is even marginally what you want. AND, there's a good chance that you could find a better deal after hunting season, when there aren't as many people looking to buy, and probably a few looking to sell.
Do some searching and look at ammo prices and availability. If you have a chance to shoot a few different calibers, DO IT! If you like to work with wood, get something that looks beat up and restore it. If you're not one to be concerned with appearance and are likely to make your gun look beat up anyhow, get one that already looks that way, it's like paying someone to break it in for you. The downside of that is that if someone didn't take good care of the outside of it, there's a good chance that they didn't take care of the inside of it. Use a bore light and have someone knowledgeable about firearms look at it with you before you commit to buying it, and if you have a chance to test fire it, by all means, do it. There are a lot of guns that get banged around in hunting season and are rarely fired. The appearance takes the price down, but the functional value is still there. Make sure you're comfortable with the fit and weight of it. An extra inch or an extra pound doesn't sound like much when you're reaching for your wallet, but when you're lugging it around all day or shouldering it quickly in the field, either one of those factors could make a big difference.
Take your time and get a decent mid size caliber that's in your price range and comfort level.

For what it's worth, my mother used to bitch at my dad for shooting deer with "that G@& damned cannon" that he used. (It's the first gun I shot a deer with too). It ruined too much meat if the shot placement wasn't perfect. The front quarters were good sausage meat unless they were damaged.
"That G@& damned cannon" was a .243.
We started using .222, she was happy and we never lost a deer. I always had one shot kills, a few with .243 and then a lot with .222. My longest shot was around 300 yards, and I don't remember any shots less than about 125 - 150 yards (Both calibers included, the 300 yard shot being with .222). I'm not recommending a .222, .223 .22-250 or .220 Swift for a beginner, but it's certainly not out of the question.
You don't need a magnum cartridge to take Pa. whitetail.
Like my previous post, I'm speaking from actual personal experience, not hearsay.

Let the flaming begin. I know I'll be hated for saying I hunted deer with a .222, but my one shot kill record speaks for itself, and I took quite a few deer with my .222.

[mickey8]

just don't keep your options at rifle hunting , archery hunting is a great experience. i also love flintlock seasons too. i have a 30-30 marlin and a 30/06 Remington for rifle but I'm thinking about hunting with my .357 Ruger. there's so many options that you can consider and just go with whats comfortable.

[CoyoteJack]

Mossberg and Remington both make pump action shotguns that are very reasonably priced. Both the Remington 870 and Mossberg's Bantam also come in youth sized models. An important aspect of any long gun is that it fit your body size. Length of pull refers to the distance from the trigger to the end of the shoulder stock. In a standard sized shotgun or rifle this is generally 13 to 14 inches. Youth sized guns shorten this distance by an inch or two and also often shorten the barrel by the same amount for better balance. My wife is 5'6" and finds the youth sized guns fit and feel much better when she brings them to shoulder. Generally the youth models are offered in 20 gauge which is more than enough for small game hunting. Ammo is readily available, unlike some shotgun gauges such as 16,28, and .410. I'm sure some turkey and goose hunters might say that the larger 12 gauge is needed for their targets but I know many successful turkey hunters that only shoot 20 gauge.

I'd suggest finding a reputable firearm dealer first and getting their input on finding a rifle or shotgun that fits you.

[mauser]

+1 on the advice from CoyoteJack to get a good fit. I'm 5'6" and youth size guns fit me pretty well. Most full size guns are OK too. I have been known to buy guns and cut an inch or so off of the butt and re-fit the recoil pad. You probably won't want to do this with a classic gun, but a second hand affordably priced gun is a good candidate for such a modification. Keep in mind that when you're dressed for cold weather your arms seem to be a lot shorter. It's a good idea to try a gun for fit while you are wearing a heavy coat and an extra shirt or two.

[knight0334]

Dont overlook a good levergun.. A Marlin or Winchester 30-30(or other chambering) is quite capable of taking deer. And most of the leverguns are sized quite well for persons of smaller stature. You can find a decent used levergun for $150-250 too.. With Winchester not making them anymore, now is the time to buy one up as an investment as well. My 2001 production 16" Trapper 45LC model is averaging $150 more at the auctions than it did 7 months ago.

[WMG]

you may find the 7mm-08 in a youth sized model fits your needs

[mauser]

you may find the 7mm-08 in a youth sized model fits your needs

A friend of mine just bought a NEF Handi-Rifle in 7mm-08 for his great grandson to use for deer. It's a great caliber, plenty of energy with mild to moderate recoil, depending on the load you use. The NEF Handi-Rifle is a good quality, reliable and accurate gun, and it's very affordable. Some people don't like a single shot rifle for hunting, but that's a matter of personal preference, it doesn't take long to chamber a second round if you need it. Rossi also makes a single shot that is very similar to the NEF Handi-Rifle and just as affordable.
Here's a link to a review of the NEF bu Chuck Hawks:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/nef_rifles.htm
Rossi isn't offering 7mm-08, but they do have a fair selection of common calibers from .223 to 30-06.
http://www.rossiusa.com/products/products-rifles.cfm