Rifle bleg

Well, I wasn’t going to do this for a while, after I’d done more research on my own, but with the passing of new laws……we’re not in a position to pick up and move unfortunetly.  Hopefully before to many years have gone by that’ll change.  Anyway….

Where we live its legal to hunt deer with a rifle (during the appropriate season of course).  If I’m reading it right NY requires a centerfire rifle for deer hunting.  Neither hubby or I have handled a rifle before.  He always did all his hunting with a shotgun, same for his dad.  As such we don’t really have anything to go off of for experience. 

Hubby’s got lots of shotgun experience, I’ve got some shotgun, some air rifle (I’m kicking myself right now for not having completed my pistol permit already, life got in the way dammit…..).  Suggestions of things we should look for, brands or models, or anything else?  Budget’s a bit tight for extras right at the moment till I’m working again, so as usual money’s an issue….