As you have guessed I'm looking for a high capacity battle style deer rifle. I've been pondering this for months and I've narrowed it down to a Springfield M1A, DS Arms fal or a POF all of course chamberd in .308. The gun will be primary used hunting deer in the northwoods of Wisconsin but also looking for a shtf rifle. Up here you rarely shoot anything past 200 yards but I'd like a gun that I can comfortably shoot out to 300. I have friends that hunt every year with their AR-15 and are successful year after year but I'd like a big boy cartridge. I plan on putting a Trijicon 3X9 accupoint on my final decision. Not looking for anything over $2300 the lower the better but I will pay for quality. Help me out with your opinions.
high capcity battle style deer rifle
- Thread starter zooski22
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I would go R-25... looking at around 1500 for that... or an M1A... prices vary but nice used ones can be had for around the same price and less than the R-25. That will leave you a nice chunk for the Glass...
Personally I like the PTR-91... as accurate as I need it to be.
Personally I like the PTR-91... as accurate as I need it to be.
charcoalburner
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Springfield M1A Scout squad or Socom 16 would be my choice. Add a five round mag if required and a receiver scope mount if you do not like the scout setup. To me it balances better than any AR platform.
Heck
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FNAR
A DI AR is just as good as a piston system.
In this case, I'd go with a basic Armalite AR10-A4 w/20" barrel. No, the magazines won't be as cheap as the Pmags for the KAC (which the DPMS/Remmy use) but Armalite mags have a bit more room for cartridge length. Armalites are going for roughly $1200 - $1500. There's a version with a stainless steel barrel that's a little more. Armalite AR-10s are accurate and reliable and their advertised weight is 9.6 lbs. It's easy to add optics to. Other barrel lengths are available.
You could order the parts & build one the way you want.
M14 is expensive and it's difficult & expensive to mount optics. Otherwise an excellent rifle when tuned correctly
A Fal is another great choice and easier than an M14 to mount optics to. Not as accurate and most Fals are built from kits. If not built properly, you'll be spending some time to get it to run right. Once that's done, it pretty much will keep running right with minimal maintenance.
The PTR is another good rifle if you get one with a serial number with an "A" prefix. Later rifles with the prefix "AW" are known to be particular about ammo. Magazines can still be found for a bargain if you know where to look. You have to be accepting of the quirks of HK roller locks & clones otherwise stay away from them.
Of the four, the AR is the most versatile
In this case, I'd go with a basic Armalite AR10-A4 w/20" barrel. No, the magazines won't be as cheap as the Pmags for the KAC (which the DPMS/Remmy use) but Armalite mags have a bit more room for cartridge length. Armalites are going for roughly $1200 - $1500. There's a version with a stainless steel barrel that's a little more. Armalite AR-10s are accurate and reliable and their advertised weight is 9.6 lbs. It's easy to add optics to. Other barrel lengths are available.
You could order the parts & build one the way you want.
M14 is expensive and it's difficult & expensive to mount optics. Otherwise an excellent rifle when tuned correctly
A Fal is another great choice and easier than an M14 to mount optics to. Not as accurate and most Fals are built from kits. If not built properly, you'll be spending some time to get it to run right. Once that's done, it pretty much will keep running right with minimal maintenance.
The PTR is another good rifle if you get one with a serial number with an "A" prefix. Later rifles with the prefix "AW" are known to be particular about ammo. Magazines can still be found for a bargain if you know where to look. You have to be accepting of the quirks of HK roller locks & clones otherwise stay away from them.
Of the four, the AR is the most versatile
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Piston rifles are overrated!!!! Sure they have their advantages and may well be more reliable if you choose to neglect your guns... shoot good ammo AND/or clean and maintain your weapon, the fact that it has a tube instead of a piston makes absolutely no difference... other than costing an extra 1000 dollars (give or take a couple hundred dollars.)
A piston system does not run any cleaner, it just chooses a different spot to dump it's carbon.
The Stoner DI system has been proven to keep running so long as the shooter keeps it lubed.
AR "piston" systems have their own problems including more weight, carrier tilt and added expense.
By the way, the Stoner "direct impingement" system does have a piston. It's the bolt. Or the bolt carrier, depending on how you look at it
The Stoner DI system has been proven to keep running so long as the shooter keeps it lubed.
AR "piston" systems have their own problems including more weight, carrier tilt and added expense.
By the way, the Stoner "direct impingement" system does have a piston. It's the bolt. Or the bolt carrier, depending on how you look at it
charcoalburner
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Mistwolf what quirks are you referring to in the HK and what clones are u saying to stay away from?
Hatterasguy
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Al LaVodka
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Tallinar
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Never heard of the need for a high cap "battle rifle" for deer before. Just so you know, the deer do not shoot back! 
Yes, I read the shtf part, but the thread title just made me smile.
Yes, I read the shtf part, but the thread title just made me smile.
I used a HK91 for decades, bought the my first one in 1975. It'll do the job - but MO required a blocked magazine and a max of 10 rounds. What does Wisconsin require?
Frankly, hunting with the HK stalking deer or walking 3-5 miles during the day with the magazine loaded to the half mark was strenuous enough. I was also in the Reserves at time and even with full battle rattle in the field, the AR was easier to carry.
The most I ever shot in one day was three rounds, but that's Southwest Missouri. I sold the HK and now use a lever action until the AR is finished. Most of the hunting here is at best 150 yard open shots, .308 is unnecessary.
The saying is take enough gun, implying one that's not too small - but too big a gun is just as bad.
Frankly, hunting with the HK stalking deer or walking 3-5 miles during the day with the magazine loaded to the half mark was strenuous enough. I was also in the Reserves at time and even with full battle rattle in the field, the AR was easier to carry.
The most I ever shot in one day was three rounds, but that's Southwest Missouri. I sold the HK and now use a lever action until the AR is finished. Most of the hunting here is at best 150 yard open shots, .308 is unnecessary.
The saying is take enough gun, implying one that's not too small - but too big a gun is just as bad.
zooski22 said:
I have all three on your list but with your budget of $2,300, you could buy an excellent hunting rifle AND a SHTF semi-auto. You could buy an M1A Scout and a Savage Weather Warrior (both chambered in .308 Win) and have money to spare.
It's too bad that every gas piston thread brings out all the "experts" that don't own them, don't shoot them and certainly don't clean them.
Consider a BAR. The Safari is a beautiful rifle. Even though there's less mag capacity, it is still a semi-auto, and it'll do a great job for hunting deer in the conditions you describe; I've always wanted a shorttrack in .243 Winchester for my woods gun (quick follow-up shots and pretty light). If you keep several mags, it would work if the SHTF, too.
Domino
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The best option would be to go for a DSA FAL, AR-10 clone, or PTR-91 for a battle rifle. For a deer rifle a stainless steel bolt action like the Savage 16FHSS or the Marlin XS7S would be much more ideal due to lighter weight and increased accuracy. I wouldn't expect one to fill the others niche but if I could have only one than it would definately be the FAL.
the m1's are a great choice but are heavy for a hunting rifle, scoped that is. i was thinking about an m14 myself but after shooting my cousin's .308 cetme with 20 rounds loaded with a scope, the sucker was heavy! it feels the same weight as the full size m14. i'm from wi too and i use my ar15 in .223. i know it's not the best caliber for deer but a few relatives have been sucessful including myself using the caliber in the same platform. unless you don't mind the weight, an ar10 or m1 type will serve you well. dpms makes a few well priced ar10s i like. the deers in wisconsin i encounter while hunting are usually within 100 yards and realistically shot most within 50 yards.
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