Budget Rifle Opinions Wanted.

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JC-Denton

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Hi all, I'm looking for some advice. I need a home defense/truck rifle with the following attributes:
-Rifle & 2-3 mags must be $900 max.
-Ambi or lefty friendly (but not a lefty rifle).
-6mm+ round, with plinking ammo no more than $1/round (I do not reload and I get ammo online so I don't care about availability or brass or what ammo walmart carries).
-Minute of Bad Guy out to 300 yards.
-Compact as possible without going NFA.
-Reliable in any condition, doesn't take eons to maintain.

I was leaning towards a converted Saiga or Veper (in 7.62x39 or 308), but would LOVE to hear what people think would best fulfill those constraints. Thanks for sharing the opinions and experience!
 
Any number of the AR15 carbines that are available right now for well under you budget. Light, compact and easily capable of center of mass hits out to 300 with only iron sights. Good deals can be found on the S&W M&P Sport line of rifles. They may not have ambi controls but that is an easy fix.
 
Welcome JC. I think most ak's some ar's could fit what your looking for. You could probably find some 6.8 spc, 300 bo, and I know you can find x39 ammo for a buck or less for the ar. Saiga and veprs are good choices. If you're not opposed to bolt action then your options open up a lot more.
 
Prices on both AR and AK type rifles have fallen during the past few months. They
are some of the lowest I've seen in at least a couple of years. If you are looking for
a good budget AR I would suggest the S&W M&P 15. It is a great rifle for someone
new to the AR platform. I have really enjoyed mine, it is reliable, accurate and if
you shop around, you could find one for about $ 500.00.
 
The vz is interesting, I'll look into it!

As for ARs I have not found one that fits my constraints without breaking the budget, but if anyone can find one I would jump on it. The AR would need a piston system of some kind (don't want to start the piston vs di thing, just accept that I would want a piston), some ambitions controls, and to be chambered in a 6mm+ round (don't want to start a caliber war, I just want a round above 6mm), the combo of which are not found on the cheap.

Just to clarify, this must be a hi-cap semi-auto to fulfill the stated roll of self/home/truck defense. I live in a very free state so no need to worry about non-federal restrictions.

Thanks, keep the opinions coming!
 
Get an SKS. Put a TS200 peep sight on it. Learn to use stirppers rather than futz around with high cap magazines. $300 or so for a nice one. Use the rest of the budget on laying in ammo.

Faster, cheaper, more accurate & more reliable than an AK.

I don't do AR's after 16 years in the Infantry.
 
When I played Deus Ex...I preferred the crossbow...but sounds like you really want an AK.

If you want .223 the Kel-tec SU-16 might be an option.
 
Haha, my favorite was the Dragon Sword.

To reitterate, I am completely uninterested in any round that starts with 5 (metric). 6mm+ means anything from 6mm creedmoor to 50bmg as long as it meets my other constraints in the OP.
 
When I saw 'budget rifle' I was thinking less money.

I love my Mosin Nagants, about $150 new and only 0.25c/round when you buy by the ammo can. 7.62x54r worth of fun. :)
 
True, I love mosins, but this is a budget home defense rifle as I have said. $900 is on the low end of what a lot of people spend on a primary. It is certainly not to much to spend on keeping myself and my wife safe(r), and I would gladly go a bit higher if I could (desert tech .308 mdr pre-order pls) but I am on a budget hence my title and question.
 
Cheap puts you into the catagory of a military rifle or clone. Especially when you start looking for mags.

Caliber puts you into Warsaw Pact territory. NATO's .30 and up rifles aren't that cheap.

Compact as possible probabaly means a folding AK of some type. That's what hit's all your bullet points.

More estoric choices:

You can probably find a CETME in your price range.
Atlantic has a VEPR .308 on sale for $849 right now
With some careful shopping on gunbroker and Armslist, I'd bet you could find a FAL just in your budget.
 
I'm always one to tout the SKS. Keep the internal 10-round mag and carry extra strippers in a stock pouch.

Or some kind of AK variant with a folding stock for compactness.

You might be able to find a used AR10 for that much.
 
a build your own AR15 in 6.5 grendel sounds right up your alley. you can do it for about $800 after shipping and magazines. high quality 123GR SSTs can be had for about 50 cents a round if you catch people during a really good sale, about 75 cents a round normally. still effective and very accurate to 300 yards.
 
Does it have to be semi-auto. This would work if not.

http://ruger.com/products/americanRifleCompact/models.html

Under 37" long, well under 7 lbs with a low powred optic on it, and under $600 even after buying 2-3 extra magazines. Street prices run about $350, figure $200 for a decent scope.

Mine is in 223, but 243 and 308 are available. With a 1-4X20 scope on it this is what I use if not an AR.
 
Yes it has to be semi auto for hd (at least for me).

I would love to build a piston AR in 6.5, 6.8, 300blk, or any other 6mm+ round, but I have not been able to get a decent parts list under my budget, let alone with mags. If anyone knows or can find/put together a decent piston build that is under $900 please post it!

As for the PTR-91, I have lusted after one for a long time but I have heard it is very lefty unfriendly, and that the recoil is more substantial than other .308 BRs. However if anyone has experience to the contrary post it, I am open to input.

Thanks for the great replies so far, keep em coming!
 
Hard not to pick a Saiga or vepr in 7.62 based on OP's criteria. I wouldn't even bother to do a conversion. Better yet, use that money for more ammo and call it good enough for budget work.
 
I'm a lefty, and shoot both my CETME and my PTR fine.

The CETME is stock, but the PTR has a modded safety and mag release that makes it even better for lefties.

I don't find the recoil to be an issue. Pretty similar to a FAL, but I don't have a whole lot of trigger time on the other .308's. (M1A, FAL, AR 10)
 
You basically posted that you like AK and don't like AR's but still want 300 yard accuracy. A Garand is too big for you. An M1 too expensive. A Saiga would fit the bill but 300 yards is iffy. Mine will do it from a bench with a scope and good ammo but just barely. An Ar is really better and can be built for under 600. I am building one now. If you insist on a piston and larger caliber it will cost more but is possible in your budget. Why don't you just say you hate AR's buy a AK and be done with it. You will probably never get or make a 300 yard shot anyway.
 
Interesting, I'd love a link to the mods you made to make the PTR more lefty friendly!

Also on the SKS front, it is interesting but I really do not want to have to deal with/train with strippers as my other setups do not currently and are never likely to include another stripper weapon. However it is hard to beat at that price point, I may borrow a friend of a friends if I can get a hold of him and see how challenging it actually is.

If I do go AK I would like to have the vepr or saiga converted as I really want cheap 30rd mags (or 20 for the .308) and a proper pistol grip, but that is stuff I could always add at a later date I suppose. Anyone know how the stock forward grip is, I've heard it heats up to intolerable levels under even moderate rate of fire.

As for hating ARs...well I don't at all, its just not what I'm looking for withing my budget. I've liked pretty much all the versions I've had trigger time on, and honestly if I had the money i'd have just bought a 16in PWS in .308, pretty much my dream gun right there. Like I said if you read my earlier replies if you have a parts list for my budget I would probably go the build my own piston larger caliber AR route SO PLEASE share it if you know of one!

Thanks for the replies so far, I'd love to hear more suggestions and experiences!
 
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