Most Overrated Rifle?

Ive never had a problem with my AR in all the use I have given it. I think a lot of people with little experience give the AR a bad reputation as not being able to make it through a mag without jamming. Ive seen AKs jam, especially with some of the higher capacity crap mags. I do agree that the AR can get extremely expensive fast. Value though is something only the buyer can determine and what may be vastly overpriced to some may be a nights dinner to others. The only thing I will say the AR has been overrated about is in some of the extreme claims the biggest fanboys make. Beyond that though they are a ton of fun, are reliable as anything else with minimal upkeep, and pretty accurate. The only other thing is value which really depends on each individual buyer. I think a lot of exotic sports cars are overpriced but that doesn't make them overrated.

If I had to say one rifle that was overrated it would be the AK, or at least the AK's ability to never ever need maintained. I think they take bad press when it comes to accuracy since most people run the cheapest surplus crap ammo through them possible but in all reality I have personally seen more malfunctions with an AK type firearm than the AR. I directly believe this to be due to the fact many people with an AK can go with no maintenance forever and not due to the rifle itself. Not so much an issue with the capability of the AK, just the attitude of the users.

From reading this, I believe, just maybe, that every gun ever written up in a magazine , written up on Chuckhawks.com , or written about anywhere by anybody (my grandad had a saying about opinions and A-holes) is the most overrated gun out there. AK's are clubs, AR's jam if you look at them cross-eyed. M-70's are poorly fitted crap, and 700's aren't worth the metal they're machined out of. 29's and Glocks, Savages and Brownings are junk. Garands are too heavy, M-14's are unshootable crap. 1903 was a poor copy of another awful gun. Yes, every gun out there is a P.O.S. It's a wonder anybody is happy with any gun ever made. Oh, wait, did anyone mention the Brown Bess? There. My most over rated gun ever. Lousy flint lock smooth bore. Not good for anything but massed fire at massed targets. Oh, thats exactly what it was designed for. Never mind.

FWIW, I love my 10-22.

I love threads like this!!

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AR-15 wins this hands down.
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I also argue that the G-3 is superior to the FAL, and that the FAL is overrated.
Amen and Amen. BUT I would love to shoot a DSA FAL.

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Bwaahahahahahahahahah.. ssstop it ahhahaha. say it again that is to funny.

Horrible ergonomics, broken glass mixed with gravel trigger, butt ugly...
I could go on and on but let's move on shall we.

Seriously though, I know this may come as a surprise to some of you, but not everyone is shaped the same.
What works well for one may be horrible choice for another shooter.

At least being civilians we are able to pick and choose what works best for us and not have to deal with getting used to it.

For me the FAL is the only rifle I was able to pick up and shoulder that felt like a natural extension of my body. All controls easily within reach with out losing my sight picture yada yada yada.
That makes it the best rifle for me.

Getting into pissing matches over what rig is best makes about as much sence as looking up a hogs azz for a ham sandwich.

What a never ending thread!!! I think there is someone out there to say that every rifle that exists has had some pissed off owner and someone who praises its worth in the weight of gold. Kind of like Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge. I'll keep the guns I like and get rid of the POSs then start supporting David&Goliath slingshots. For their intended ranges and purpose, I am sure we can start a thread on their pros and cons. Next we can debate the pros and cons of the old middle finger, "the bird"!!!!! MIne fires very quickly, accurately, and hits its target EVERY DAMN TIME! It is one weapon that I am learning to shoot perfectly every time! HA! HA!

Don't think I'm POed. I am just trying to add some flavor to this interesting conversation. Keep 'em coming. This is too fun!

Mosin Nagant.

ryoushi no sabe`, amigo. I live in the dark, explain yourself to me!

I would say AK's are overrated. They are very reliable, but they will jam and will break just like any other gun.

And I never understood how AR's are overrated. Most of what people say is, they jam, they need cleaned constantly, and that they don't work with steel cased ammo. They do jam, but so does every gun if you push it hard enough. You never hear, "AR's never jam, you could bury them for a year" but you do hear that with AK's.

Can't wait to see how many more people post about AR's.

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All of my AK jams have been feed jams do to crappy magazines. I also own one of the cheap WASR-10's so AKs definately aren't overrated. It's fairly accurate for such a cheap rifle too.

Pre-64 Winchesters

I don't think the Mosin can be considered over-rated, as even the fans agree that it is crude and basic, except for the Finns, which are easily contemporaries of the best military rifles. The love of the Mosin is its club-like stock and beaver-gnawed steel (plus cheap price).

Ash

*GASP* but if the AUG and L85 both have issues that would mean that slapping a piston between the bolt carrier and gas port doesn't automatically guarantee a papal degree of infallibility in the field!

This engineering stuff is too darned complicated. I give up, I'll let an engineer or something do it.

Some mention the Mini-14. But that rifle seems to be a magnet for criticism.

G3 - dirtiest shooting rifle I've ever seen. inside looked like a chimney after 10 rounds. No bolt hold open, bad ergos for the safety knob. Who's idea was it to put the charging handle inches from the muzzle??

-T

Hk416

Mosin Nagant.

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How can a $70 rifle that most people think is little more than a tent pole be overrated? Granted, most of them are not great rifles, but they are reliable, powerful and have decent sights.

The 10/22, the 10/22, and followed closely by the 10/22.

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wow
denial
is
so
powerful

1) M1911 - Obsolete, unreliable, and generally expensive. A mere 7 rounds of an unnecessarily powerful caliber which only serves to pump egos. It is respectable as a collector's piece to relive WW2 nostalgia (like C&R rifles). However, it is far, far, far from being the greatest handgun for self-defense purposes.

2) Desert Eagle - For almost all of the same reasons above.

3) Revolvers - Obsolete. Low capacity, slow reloads, and heavy trigger pulls. Can be sensitive to dropping and dirt. However, if you're looking for a high-power chambering, a revolver is a better option than a M1911 or Desert Eagle.

4) M1 Garand - Obsolete. Low capacity, awkward reloading, overpowered for defense purposes. Like the M1911, it is respectable as a piece of history. People need to realize and acknowledge that the greatest of yesterday is adequate today and obsolete tomorrow.

5) SKS and M14 - Both of these were obsolete by the time they entered service, for many of the same reasons as the Garand. SKS: Low capacity, awkward reloading. M14 - Overpowered.


With regards to the AK-47 and AR-15... neither is overrated unless you have misconceptions about their intended purposes.

AK-47: The most reliable assault rifle in existence. If you need a gun to work in even the most extreme conditions (think nuclear apocalypse), then the AK-47 is an excellent choice.

AR-15: Superb accuracy, light recoil, and modular design makes customization easy. If you have a SWAT type of situation, then the AR-15 is an excellent choice.

Hmmm, I didn't like the M-16 when issued to me for a lot of the reasons already stated. Having seen years of hype regarding the AK's though, and then later having extensively handled and fired them, I would state that for battle rifles I believe that the AK takes the cake for overrated.

The tipping point for me is the accuracy inherent in the design. To me this is a fundamental make or break point no matter how much maintenance required, when you hunker down draw a bead and need to hit with it the AK like as not will not be a good tool. This is a spray and pray piece in my mind with an horrific trigger even for battlefield purposes.

Like others my PERSONAL preference is the FAL.

p.s. The "intended purpose" of any battlefield rifle is to kill or disable the enemy. If I can't hit it I can't kill it. Rock 'n Roll and base of fire be damned, even with variations made for battlefield conditions, when I need to shoot straight give me a tool that will do just that.

M14 - Overpowered for some.
AR15 - Underpowered for some.
AK47 - Just right for most

Revolvers - Obsolete. Low capacity, slow reloads, and heavy trigger pulls. Can be sensitive to dropping and dirt. However, if you're looking for a high-power chambering, a revolver is a better option than a M1911 or Desert Eagle.

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I can agree for the most part with the rest of your list, but how do you figure that the revolver is obsolete? As a sidearm in bear or cougar country, a revolver is the best there is. It's also the best gun there is for a bedstand gun that almost never gets cleaned or fired. If after spending five years in a drawer it fails to fire, all the shooter has to do is pull the trigger a second or even a third time. With an automatic you'd have to work the slide and hope the old dry gun chambered another round.

also, how are revolvers more sensitive to dropping and dirt than a semi-auto? Think you might have that one reversed.

I don't think revolvers are worthless. I do think they are overrated and obsolete as a primary self-defense side arm.

Now in certain circumstances, they can be a good choice... such as someone who wants a gun for protection but isn't an avid shooter and doesn't want the complexity of an auto (though Glocks are pretty simple too). And yeah, .44 magnum revolvers are popular in Alaska as a defense against wild animals. So revolvers have their uses.

But my interpretation of the topic was with regards to self-defense purposes.

Finally, revolvers can have problems with the cylinder locking up if dropped or jammed with sand. I don't think they are much more reliable (if at all) than a modern, quality auto.

I have been laughing pretty hard looking at this thread.
Basically, anything that was a a battle rifle for decades (Mauser K98), or a hunting rifle by which all others are judged (pre-64 Win), or anything that is overwhelmingly popular and accurate right out of the box (M700 Rem) is judged as being "over-rated". LOL.

Anything with overblown marketing and touted as being the next big thing when the numbers sold and/or lack of lasting popularity say otherwise is over-rated.

Guns by which all others are judged, or set a standard in their day (K98, Pre-64 Win, 1911, Garand, etc.) are not over-rated.

I can't believe that I'm going to post a remark knowing that I'll be poster # 234. No one, but no one is going to read post # 234 so I can say anything and no one but no one is going to care!!

Actually, though, I believe that firearms that are bought because they have super exotic and beautiful wood stocks and extremely polished barrels are nothing more than works of art made to look something like a gun.

Does anyone really hunt with a Blaser that might cost between $6,000 & $9,000 (not incl. scope or bipod) ?

I don't know the names of some of those foreign (English & Italian) side-by-sides & over/unders that cost $15,000 or more but are the purchasers any better than you or me? NO! Richer? YES! It sits in a glass cabinet and everyone gawks but no one is shooting. Isn't that the purpose of a rifle/shotgun/handgun???

My Savage Model 16 Weather Warrior - .243Win. - resides behind glass..................................... part of the time. The rest is spent popping P.D., targets or Pronghorns and it can do it at the same or longer distances (970 yds.) than a Blaser for 1/20 of the cost.


My thought - Expensive firearms are O-V-E-R R-A-T-E-D

10-22, 10-22, 10-22. everybody says they rock, but unless you buy the high end models or modify it ain't that great. the base model is ^#(!@^ imo.
sorry if this draws hate.