r/canadaguns • u/Random_Reddit_User_5 • May 12 '26

Buy recommendations Buying a .22

Everybody on the internet is saying to get a .22 because it is easy and cheap to shoot. But honestly, what can you do with a .22? Plinking and very small animals. Am I looking at this the wrong way? My FSC instructor sayed to get a .243 because its relativity cheap to shoot and still powerful. And another friend told me to get a 25-06 but its ammo hella expensive. Please fell free to give me another point of view.

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u/Birdybadass May 13 '26

What’s your reason for fire arm ownership? Plinking, hard to beat a .22lr. Hunting, tons of opportunity. The reason everyone suggests a 22lr is because it’s so usable for every aspect of shooting.

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u/Random_Reddit_User_5 May 13 '26

well hunting and there are no gophers here and by budget wont allow for two guns within next year.

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u/Birdybadass May 13 '26

Hunting gophers, squirrel, grouse, hare, there’s plenty of opportunity with a 22lr, and if you’re an inexperienced shooter getting the repetitions in practicing trigger control and technique would be very advantageous.

If you’re only buying one rifle, I would not recommend a .243 and instead I’d really look at what game you intend to hunt and buying the best all around caliber from there. 308 is relatively inexpensive, readily available, and capable for everything in North America aside from polar bears or Sasquatch. Your “buy once” method would go a lot further with a 308 than 243 or 25-06.

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u/Random_Reddit_User_5 May 13 '26

well i have shot guns like AR-15s in the states and i manged to hit like 60% of my taregets so im not new to shooting guns but i dont (own) a gun. And most of my hunting will revolve around coyotes and black bears. So .223 is underpowerd.