My boyfriends birthday is coming up and I wanted to get him a rifle. I know he wants one so he can go hunting with his brother. Can anyone tell me what kind I should buy? I am so confused.

Thanks,

Jessica

Ah...... difficult question to answer without more information. What does he plan to hunt, does he already own any rifles, if so what are they, has he mentioned anything in particular, short/tall, right handed/left handed.... etc.....

Hi, Jessica:
Additional questions. Where. Open plains, deep bush? If he has eyesight problems, a scope is a big help. You could ask him to explain guns to you, and pick up a few hints that way. Could his brother help you. If he's rarely hunted before, and doesn't shoot much, avoid any calibre named Magnum.

Bye
Jack

Opps, big omission. Can you legally buy a rifle where you live? Even if you can, are there hoops you have to jump through? Waiting periods?

Bye
Jack

Jessica,
Welcome to the forum. You are indeed a sweetheart if you are going to buy your boyfriend a rifle for his birthday. I don't think anyone has ever bought a gun for me since my first shotgun when I was 10! You are doing really good (especially in the eyes of your boyfriend).

The questions that MikeG and Jack asked are pretty important. Things like what your boyfriend likes to hunt, where he hunts, etc... are all pretty important. He would want a different rifle for hunting antelope out on the plains than he would say, bears in the brush. If you could, give us an age and physical description, maybe where and what he likes to hunt. There's a lot of good folks here that can help out.

Jack has a good point - when you buy from a dealer in the United States you have to fill out the federal paperwork and one of the lines is that you are stating that you are buying the gun for yourself, and not for anyone else... ridiculous, I know... but that's the law.

You are allowed to purchase a firearm as a gift for a a person who is not prohibited. The line about buying for someone else refers to straw purchases.

I suppose I should amend my previous post, which was submitted hastily.

There is no FEDERAL law preventing you from giving a firearm as a gift in the U.S. However, I do not know about other countries, nor am I aware of the various state regulations that may affect you.

Just be sure to do your homework. I consider your boyfriend a lucky fellow!

Jessica,

Here's a thought. You'll lose the surprise, but buying a rifle is like buying a car. Far too many to pick and each serves a different need and desire. Take your boyfriend with you, let him make the decision and everyone is happy. Again, the surprise is gone, but how could any guy complain especially if his girlfriend is nice enough to BUY him a rifle. Just a thought. Good Luck!

Jessica,

Right now you have a lot of men wishing they were your boyfriend. What you want to do is great. As already mentioned, buying a rifle is a lot like picking a girl friend, there are a lot of good ones around, but one seems to fit better than all the rest. The best suggestion I can come up with, if there is a local gun store your guy goes to, talk to the owner and arrange a gift certificate. Then you can be with him to see the look on his face when he is making his selection. It will also give you the chance to learn more about his interest, and to share it with him. You don't have to become a huntress if you don't want to, but your interest in his sport will put a lot of point on your side. This way he can fill out his own bloody paperwork. Good luck. :D :D :D