Molon Labe - Battle Rifle Question

[browningguy]

You say battle rifle so I'm going to exclude intermediate (7.62x39) and small (5.56mm adn similar) guns. The three you mentioned are all good. I personally have a FN 49 in 8mm, just to be different. Some people really like the FN-FAL types, and I've shot one Cetme that was a really nice rifle. Check the C&R forums and you'll find much deeper discussions on all of these.

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

For more information on the M1 Garand check out http://www.ambackforum.com/viewforum.php?f=109 or the odcmp.com forum. They can pretty up without a whole lot of effort.

Though the description of the CMP Garands seems cut and dry the actuality is that most delivered seem to be as described or better. Some real gems, but that is the luck of the draw via mail. I purchased two Field Grades, one is probably 4 MOA but the other can allow this clutzy shooter to do sub 2" groups at 100 yds with surplus ammo. The first cost me $400 with shipping to my front door last year and the second $450 this year.

 

[mustanger98]

Two more forums you really should look into...

http://www.m-14forum.com

http://rifle-company.com

I'm on both of 'em and recommend them.

 

[mordechaianiliewicz]

One possible answer is a Saiga .308 hunting rifle. Now that there is a 20 round mag out there for it, you can get one for about $350-$450. I didn't think an AK platform would be very accurate. Then, lo and behold I bought one, and discovered 2 moa at a 100 yards.

I'm gonna get a 4x scope on that bad boy, and have one heck of a battle rifle.

 

[Dr. Dickie]

First, IMO you have to (if you are an American) have a Garand in your life (I am pretty sure that is in the Constitution someplace ). When someone says, "Battle rifle," I am willing to bet more folks think of the M1 than even the M16.
After you have an M1, then you can start looking for an M1A at a reasonable (ha!) price, or start looking into a FAL.

 

[BigG]

How is a battle rifle different than a plain rifle? I guess I need to play more video games, huh?

 

[Manedwolf]

Somebody mentioned a K31 Swiss as an option... I've heard good things about those and I'm considering picking up one, but I will throw in that ammo is more pricey than .30-06, 7.62NATO, and 8mmMauser.

Get one quick, they're going fast, and I don't think there's any more coming in. It's harder and harder to get one without a chewed-on stock. Surplus GP-11 ammo, which is match-grade, is about 38 cents a round when bought in 60rd battlepacks. Wolf Gold is not bad either, and it's not really Wolf, it's relabeled (and reloadable) Prvi Partisan made in Serbia.

Of those, I'd pick the first two and not the last. .30-06 and .308 will always be easy to find and find components for. The K-31, you can reload with a .308 bullet with .284 win brass run through a 7.5 Swiss resizing die.

But would you be able to find 8mm Mauser? Or even .323 bullets?