Thank you all for your opinions! The information was very useful. Being married with two small children I'am on a tight budget. Are there any suggestions for a multifire rifle that is resonably priced and could take care of a large predator such as a black bear or mountain lion. Thank you all again! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I have lots of guns, but my "survival rifle" is an old Remington model 721 chambered in 30-06. Yeah it's not a 300 win mag but a well placed shot will stop almost anything you want and take game without slaughtering it. I suggest you go to you're local gun SHOPS. Check them all out because all gun dealers are not created equal, but tell them what you are looking for and how you intend to use the rifle. Many gun shops take guns in on consignment and there are bargains to be found. If you know anyone that is a gun enthusist, take them with you and don't get pressured into buying anything. If a salesman (used loosely) recommends a gun, take down the make and model and do a little research, if nothing else ask here.

It's a serious investment work the research.

Check out a gov't surplus M1 Garand.

Couldn't agree more. There are also a large number of dealers who sell via classifieds online ( http://www.gunsamerica.com/ ) so you can get a pretty good idea if you are getting a decent price.

Don't be afraid to haggle a bit, on both new and used. Though you'll probably have better luck negotiating on used. Find a dealer who is very helpful, not pushy, and who doesn't make you feel like you are an idiot. Tell them that you are looking for a local dealer, that you need to research it carefully as it's a large budget item. Tell him your price range, what you need it for, and what you would like to see. Then, if you can wait, you could also ask him/her to keep the peepers open for hardware that fits your bill and budget. Make sure that he knows you'll be coming back for ammo, accessories, and possibly future guns.

One other thing, go to a local gun show. You can meet a lot of gun dealers quickly and get a general feel for who you would like to deal with pretty quickly. Don't be bowled over by the lowest price tag. Those are quite often movable and the lowest priced stall might not be the best in service.

completely agree

Assuming we are talking centerfire and not a .22, and you are looking at the best value....

The SKS. Reasonably accurate, fairly powerful, ammo is pretty easy to find, and it is Russian grunt tough. Not horribly priced, the market fluctuates depending on what's been suplused recently. I'm just not sure if you can get one in Mass.

Similiar in concept would be the Mini-30 from Ruger. Same cartridge, but it has a detachable box mag (always nice when kids are around) and more accurate, but sometimes more expensive.

In a manual repeater, Savage and Ruger both make top flight bolt actions on a budget. You don't need more than a .308 or .30-06 in southern New England, you don't have moose, but you do want something a little more oomphy than .223. The 7.62x39mm Ruger M77 would be a good choice, as would the M77 or one of the Savages in .243, if you aren't wanting the full recoil of the .308 or .30-06.

Marlin makes good lever actions if that is more your style. In 30-30 or .44 Mag, they will be fine for most anything you are likely to run into. .357 will be a little more forgiving, and you get the added advantage of being able to digest .38 with equal ease, so ammo is dirt common, but it's pretty marginal for deer.

Any of those will deal with a black bear, even if you have to hit it a few times with some of the smaller calibers mentioned.. As for a catamount, have there been any sightings in Mass yet? I wasn't aware of any south of US Route 4 in VT/NH.

I have mixed feelings on telescopic sights. If you go with one, quick release mounts and keep the iron sights on. A sling is a must have, even if it's just a shoulder sling and not a shooter's sling. If you don't know the difference, don't worry, the shoulder sling will be fine. A cleaning kit, a carrying/storage case that locks (again, little fingers) and a military ammo can with a lock kit to store the ammo in. That and a stock of ammunition that shoots well and will do what you want it to in terms of terminal performance, and you'll be good to go.

The one thing I will caution against: The M-1 Carbine. I'm going to draw fire for saying that, but let me also add I own one. They are light, handy, and with expanding ammo, fine for self and home defense. But they suck for hunting, and the ammo gets harder and harder to find every year. Even with the fastest opening hollow points I can find, it's not enough against catamount or bear, and just as marginal as the .357 for deer. Great gun, just not very good for survival.

The M-1 Garand that was mentioned, on the other hand, is hard to go wrong with if you don't mind the investment.

Or a double barrel. Not much more, but it's something. That's why anything I take with me is a repeater, except for a stubby (legal length!) shotgun to back up a rifle.

*mumbling around foot*
Leigh, sorry, I think I misunderstood what you were trying to say.

Good advice but the 7.62X39 is getting harder to find. You can get Wolf brand ammo but it's the dirttiest ammo I've found, not good for a gas operated weapon. I'm fine with telescopic scopes as long a poeple dont go ape S***, I have a 6 power 38MM and it's more than fine. I mean you can get a 4-10X50 and when you try to focus the scope in a hurry you spend too much time fumbling around. I prefer a fixed power scope of moderate magnification.

Huh. Still pretty easy to find around here. *shrugs*

Those are $550 for a heavily-used model -- and even then you cannot get them for a few months. http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/m1garand.htm#Service For that money, you have a lot of other options.

Don't get me wrong. I would LOVE to have an M1. The Springfield SOCOM looks pretty nice. But, unless you know some bargain-hunting tips that I don't (which may be possible), those are NOT for a person on a budget.

The original poster asked about a single-shot rifle that (if memory serves me correctly) goes for well under $200.

Also, note to Feral. If you are thinking about getting food, just go for the Rossi. You can trade up later when you have more money. For defensive use, as others have stated, you should be able to get an SKS for around $200 that has never been fired. You will need to spend hours cleaning out the cosmoline and polishing the wood -- but to some people that is fun. Those things also simply cannot take a scope unless you buy an expensive mount or are willing to cut the wood (ruining the collector value). Cheap scope mounts, the ones that replace the top cover, are simply junk as they will shift around after each shot. But an SKS is affordable, and they are fun to shoot. Just check for the legality in your area. Yugoslavian SKSs have been common lately. They have a bayonet and grenade launcher, which may be illegal in your area. But if you "modify" the barrel so that the launcher and bayonet can never be attached again, you should be OK. But I think that there are some states that outlaw the "evil" top gas tube.