Heck
Member
A new M1A is a little out of my price range, any other recommendations ?
I want a .308 battle rifle
- Thread starter Heck
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WLE
Member
What would 2000.00 get ya
mptrimshop
Member
jeremy1391
Member
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- Jun 15, 2009
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buy a FAL you can get one from the company ENTERPRISE for about a grand
See if you can find something used. A NIB .308 MBR is gonna cost you right now. I'm wagering that the market is going to deflate eventually. If you buy new right now, I think it will depreciate more, if that's a concern, but then again I don't have a crystal ball.
All of that being said, I really love the M1A/M14 platform. Lots of folks prefer the AR-10 platform, but I just never took to pistol grips or the ergonomics of the AR in general. I grew up on hunting rifles though, so you may feel differently. There's also the H&K clones, and the FALs.
Jason
All of that being said, I really love the M1A/M14 platform. Lots of folks prefer the AR-10 platform, but I just never took to pistol grips or the ergonomics of the AR in general. I grew up on hunting rifles though, so you may feel differently. There's also the H&K clones, and the FALs.
Jason
bobotech
Member
FAL.
Don't buy a Century build unless it says "Imbel" on the side of the gun.
Buy a DSA.
Don't buy a Century build unless it says "Imbel" on the side of the gun.
Buy a DSA.
Winston_Smith
Member
Sounds like a DSA STG58 is the medicine you need.
http://www.dsarms.com/STG58-Austrian-FAL/products/9/
http://www.dsarms.com/STG58-Austrian-FAL/products/9/
chris in va
Member
Saiga and convert it yourself.
jr_roosa
Member
Nothing says "battle rifle" like the M1 Garand.
How about a field grade M1 for $495:
http://www.thecmp.org/m1garand.htm
And then have this guy put a new .308 barrel on it for $350 (probably $400 or so when said and done):
http://www.fulton-armory.com/M1-Services.htm
You'd be all done for about $1000 and have a really nice rifle.
The major advantage to .308 in a military style rifle is that .30-06 military surplus ammo is a dionsaur looking for a tar pit...it will all be gone forever some day soon. 7.62mm milsurp will be around for a long time. If you reload, though, you can make all the Garand safe ammo you want in either .308 or .30-06 and the only difference is which brass and which dies you use...cost is nearly identical either way.
You can also get the "Special Grade" M1 Garand (on the same page as above) from the CMP and be out the door for $1000 and have a nearly new rifle: reparkerized receiver, new barrel, new stock, and new or refinished small parts. I got one and I love it. It would be silly to convert it to .308 or you'd be back in the same price range as a new M1A/M14.
Service grades are nice too, and they're reasonably priced. People seem to be surprised at how nice they are when they get them. Haven't seen one first hand, so I can only pass on what I've heard.
-J.
How about a field grade M1 for $495:
http://www.thecmp.org/m1garand.htm
And then have this guy put a new .308 barrel on it for $350 (probably $400 or so when said and done):
http://www.fulton-armory.com/M1-Services.htm
You'd be all done for about $1000 and have a really nice rifle.
The major advantage to .308 in a military style rifle is that .30-06 military surplus ammo is a dionsaur looking for a tar pit...it will all be gone forever some day soon. 7.62mm milsurp will be around for a long time. If you reload, though, you can make all the Garand safe ammo you want in either .308 or .30-06 and the only difference is which brass and which dies you use...cost is nearly identical either way.
You can also get the "Special Grade" M1 Garand (on the same page as above) from the CMP and be out the door for $1000 and have a nearly new rifle: reparkerized receiver, new barrel, new stock, and new or refinished small parts. I got one and I love it. It would be silly to convert it to .308 or you'd be back in the same price range as a new M1A/M14.
Service grades are nice too, and they're reasonably priced. People seem to be surprised at how nice they are when they get them. Haven't seen one first hand, so I can only pass on what I've heard.
-J.
You might consider a saiga if an M1A is out of your price range. The .308 is the easiest to return to proper AKM configuration. Stock ones run around $550 but can be found cheaper. Conversion can run from $100 up to what ever you want to spend.
If you are after max accuracy get a bolt gun. If you are going to shoot cheap ammo the saiga can probably match the accuracy of most of the other MBRs shooting cheap ammo. With decent ammo one can expect 1.5-2" groups consistently. For me that is sufficient for an MBR. I am limited by the open sights more than anything right now. I plan to put glass on mine soon. If I want more accuracy I go with a different platform.
The saiga is very reliable and rugged, a solid MBR (when converted). There are a good number of parts and accessories available. One draw back is pricey mags. One will pay $35+ for mags. I am a big fan of the converted saiga. If I weren't going to the conversion (which really is very simple) I would skip it.
Another option might be a PTR 91. The biggest advantage to the ptr 91 is that it takes cheap G3 mags. If you buy ten mags or so for whatever you are getting it can really change the price dynamics.
A FAL is the classic battle riffle IMO. If a DSA is in your price range they are good guns.
If you are after max accuracy get a bolt gun. If you are going to shoot cheap ammo the saiga can probably match the accuracy of most of the other MBRs shooting cheap ammo. With decent ammo one can expect 1.5-2" groups consistently. For me that is sufficient for an MBR. I am limited by the open sights more than anything right now. I plan to put glass on mine soon. If I want more accuracy I go with a different platform.
The saiga is very reliable and rugged, a solid MBR (when converted). There are a good number of parts and accessories available. One draw back is pricey mags. One will pay $35+ for mags. I am a big fan of the converted saiga. If I weren't going to the conversion (which really is very simple) I would skip it.
Another option might be a PTR 91. The biggest advantage to the ptr 91 is that it takes cheap G3 mags. If you buy ten mags or so for whatever you are getting it can really change the price dynamics.
A FAL is the classic battle riffle IMO. If a DSA is in your price range they are good guns.
Saiga will work within the $1000 budget.
Rifle NIB: $525
RAA Skeleton stock: $75
3 15 rnd Surfire mags: $110
POSP 6x24 V: $155 + SH
What you get is a .308 that will feed, fire and eject until you run out of ammo. A 2-3 MOA. Yeah, the stock trigger is beyond lousy, but you can get used to it. It's the Timex of semi-auto larger caliber rifles. (450 rounds of all types of cheap ammo and no failures of any type so far. Shot 200 rounds, didn't clean it and fired the other 250 two weeks later just to see). If I had more money to spend, I'd 86 the RAA stock, spend the $'s on Dinzag's FCG conversion and put a pistol grip and different stock. BUT, as it is, I'm just fine with it. Anything beyond 400 yards is bolt action territory anyway, even if the round is capable of reaching out there. (I'm not that good anyway).
I almost went with the CETME, but it's used and a Century refurbish. Probably a better rifle NIB before CAI got their hands on it, but used? Your choice.
Rifle NIB: $525
RAA Skeleton stock: $75
3 15 rnd Surfire mags: $110
POSP 6x24 V: $155 + SH
What you get is a .308 that will feed, fire and eject until you run out of ammo. A 2-3 MOA. Yeah, the stock trigger is beyond lousy, but you can get used to it. It's the Timex of semi-auto larger caliber rifles. (450 rounds of all types of cheap ammo and no failures of any type so far. Shot 200 rounds, didn't clean it and fired the other 250 two weeks later just to see). If I had more money to spend, I'd 86 the RAA stock, spend the $'s on Dinzag's FCG conversion and put a pistol grip and different stock. BUT, as it is, I'm just fine with it. Anything beyond 400 yards is bolt action territory anyway, even if the round is capable of reaching out there. (I'm not that good anyway).
I almost went with the CETME, but it's used and a Century refurbish. Probably a better rifle NIB before CAI got their hands on it, but used? Your choice.
USSR
Member
FAL.
Don
Don
Get a FAL. Eats rocks and is field accurate. True it will never win a long range match but if you are at all decent shot engaging targets out to 300m with irons is easily done.
Century built firearms are thrown together by drunken monkeys. I had a Century L1A1 that was not worth the sum of it's parts. Some folks have had good luck with them but from what I have read you will have to dump that much money into it to get it to run right.
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