DougW
Member
Does 18" count as a carbine?
.308 Battle Rifle/Carbine and why?
- Thread starter Prion
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jpwilly
Member
Another DPMS LR-308 AP4 vote:
Prion
Member
Very nice looking rifle DougW and great pics Jaws. I think the FAL is definitely leading the pack.
In order of preference:
1) M14
2) AR10
3) PTR-91 (good bang for buck)
4) FAL
4) SCAR (due to price and availability, really nice rifle)
5) FNAR (not my cup of tea)
I own an M1A so obviously that is my favorite otherwise I would have bought an AR10. I like a full sized barrel on my 7.62 Nato rifle to get the most from the platform. If I was looking for a carbine I would probably step down to 5.56 in an AR though because they are so much lighter and handier.
1) M14
2) AR10
3) PTR-91 (good bang for buck)
4) FAL
4) SCAR (due to price and availability, really nice rifle)
5) FNAR (not my cup of tea)
I own an M1A so obviously that is my favorite otherwise I would have bought an AR10. I like a full sized barrel on my 7.62 Nato rifle to get the most from the platform. If I was looking for a carbine I would probably step down to 5.56 in an AR though because they are so much lighter and handier.
My choice is generally overlooked and grossly underestimated.
Saiga .308, 16" barrel with a basic pistol grip conversion. Reliable as the sun rising, easy to clean and sub 2" groups with SA surplus and a Russian 6x scope. I have gotten @1" groups with good commercial ammo.
When I bought it they were selling for @$300, that plus about $100 for the parts necessary for the conversion made it a bargain. The only negative I can find is the magazines. Factory is 8rd and US made 20 and 25rd are available but expensive, I only have 2-8s and 4-20s.
It's still just an AK with it's well known ergonomic shortcomings, but I have been an AK shooter for 20+years and I've learned to work around them.
Saiga .308, 16" barrel with a basic pistol grip conversion. Reliable as the sun rising, easy to clean and sub 2" groups with SA surplus and a Russian 6x scope. I have gotten @1" groups with good commercial ammo.
When I bought it they were selling for @$300, that plus about $100 for the parts necessary for the conversion made it a bargain. The only negative I can find is the magazines. Factory is 8rd and US made 20 and 25rd are available but expensive, I only have 2-8s and 4-20s.
It's still just an AK with it's well known ergonomic shortcomings, but I have been an AK shooter for 20+years and I've learned to work around them.
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I agree, a converted Saiga .308 is a great rifle. The problem lately has been the price. At $550-$650 plus the cost of conversion they are just plain overpriced. At $300-$400 though they were a great deal.
On the ergonomics I just don't get it. People are funny I guess and just don't like to adapt to a different platform. If they would give the AK half a chance and practice they too would learn to love it.
On the ergonomics I just don't get it. People are funny I guess and just don't like to adapt to a different platform. If they would give the AK half a chance and practice they too would learn to love it.
Ignition Override
Member
DougW:
That is a really good-looking rifle you have, even if it only had a short magazine. Have seen lots of photos of them over the years, but Hollywood seems to only focus on the AR and AK.
Are the Hollywood Pinheads even aware of the FAL?
W.E.G: Impressive list. Do many people hunt four-legged creatures with them?
Only combat (or -styled) rifles interest me.
That is a really good-looking rifle you have, even if it only had a short magazine. Have seen lots of photos of them over the years, but Hollywood seems to only focus on the AR and AK.
Are the Hollywood Pinheads even aware of the FAL?
W.E.G: Impressive list. Do many people hunt four-legged creatures with them?
Only combat (or -styled) rifles interest me.
Kind of Blued
Member
Have you not seen "Heat"?!>! Probably the greatest gunny movie of all-time, with at least one raging FAL-in-action scene.
Doug, that rifle is absolutely beautiful. Congrats.
Personally, I'd prefer an 18" FAL for most duties, and an M1A for more SDMR-type duties. Why? Because they both rule and I wouldn't want to own one and not the other.
Guitargod1985
Member
Yep, good movie. IIRC, Al Pacino used a SBR FAL (with a 30-round mag
) in the chase scene after the heist and Val Kilmer used either a 20" or 18" from the roof top to shoot at Van Zant's guy during the drop.
Rifleman 173
Member
I'm looking at getting a RRA LAR-8 for my .308/7.62 NATO boomstick. Mounting a decent scope on it and zero it with decent ammo and a guy could have a really good long-range rifle.
DougW
Member
Thanks for the compliments. Would you believe that rifle was built from a kit from Century? Wood is origional hand finished with BLO. Very accurate too.
helz_mcfugly
Member
my pref would be a m14 which I will be getting soon. but right now I have a Remington 742 in .308 thats been sporterized into a battle carbine.
W.E.G.
Member
How many is "many?"
I've hunted deer with mine. A bit heavy compared to my Browning A-Bolt, and not quite as accurate though. I've heard a number of accounts of others hunting with the FAL. Still, I don't think my anecdotal experience is adequate for me to give you any general answers.
Try it for yourself. You decide if the rifle is right for your hunt. There was a time when I thought covering ten miles of broken terrain during a simple deer hunt was great sport. Not anymore though. I wouldn't want to carry a willow switch over 10 miles of broken terrain most days these days. Body parts wear out. What can you do?
RaferJanders
Member
FAL, I sent my L1A1 with the thumbhole stock and no flash hider
to Enterprize Arms, Lilly put the orignal stock and pistol grip on it,
and cut the barrle down to 16inches and parked the whole thing along with 7 twenty rd mags and one thirty rd mag, Shoots like a dream! good luck
Happiness is a belt fed weapon
to Enterprize Arms, Lilly put the orignal stock and pistol grip on it,
and cut the barrle down to 16inches and parked the whole thing along with 7 twenty rd mags and one thirty rd mag, Shoots like a dream! good luck
Happiness is a belt fed weapon
I too love the Saiga as a bang for the buck champ. Alsas I think one has to call into question its title as such. They sell for we'll average and say 550 now (although I found one for $450 and no I wont tel you where because I am going to buy it), plus $150-200 for even a simple conversion and it can definately go up from there. The killer is mag prices. I like to own ten mags for any such weapon I own. 10 saiga .308 mags will cost you $300-$400 depending on where you shop. Versus $70 for 10 Fal mags. Now the Saiga is at $1100 dollars. Add more if you want a threaed barrel and/or flash hider or brake. $1100+ puts it close enough in price to most of the others that it doesn't get the nod on price alone.
There is good new for the saiga though. A FAL mag adapter is in the works which will restore a lot of the cost advatage of a saiga.
That said the saiga is a good rifle and if you are comfortable with the AK platform it is a rocksolid dead reliable 1-2 MOA gun.
There is good new for the saiga though. A FAL mag adapter is in the works which will restore a lot of the cost advatage of a saiga.
That said the saiga is a good rifle and if you are comfortable with the AK platform it is a rocksolid dead reliable 1-2 MOA gun.
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Average Joe
Member
I go with the M1A
Don357
Member
1. M1a/M14
2. FAL
3. CETME or clone
4. AR10
5. BM59
6. I can't remember the nomenclature but the .308 Romanian/Yugo AK sniper variant
2. FAL
3. CETME or clone
4. AR10
5. BM59
6. I can't remember the nomenclature but the .308 Romanian/Yugo AK sniper variant
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