Please suggest a rifle for me...

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another person

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Right now I have a Ruger 10/22, a Marlin lever action 30-30, a Winchester semi 30-06, and an SKS which I may get rid of soon.

Im looking for a rifle $400 or under.
Heres what I want:
-decent capacity, preferably high
-semi auto
-chambered in a fairly popular round
-fairly cheap ammunition
-preferably not chambered in one of the above rounds which I already own

Ive wanted an AK but Ive heard that it isnt good for people with long arms. Im just looking for options right now. A mini 14 sounds nice.... I like mil-surp rifles too, but Im not familiar with most.
 
If an AK is what you've wanted, perhaps you should find a gun shop with one and see how it feels. Might be better than you've heard.
 
I don't think they are too bad. I think I have a warsaw buttstock on my arsenal which is suppose to be a little longer than a traditional one. You can always switch out the buttstock for a longer one.
 
I think im goingt o go with the ak since its such a good do it all gun. My SKS has a Tapco T6 stock on it, and I like the stock, but the Yugo 59/66 is too front end heavy, and, well, generally heavy. Also, when the bayonet is in its undeployed position, it gets in the way of my forehand when im trying to grip the rifle because the T6 stock isnt as tall as the origional. Plus I hate the sights. Also, I would like a little more capacity and mags instead of clips.

I like the way this AK looks.
Show_image.aspx


http://tapco.com/proddesc.aspx?id=026a5d72-6d88-4dff-847f-97b9df8df912

Edit: The kel tec just isnt my style and the I think I would take an AK over the saigas because of the pistol grip. Need to get all of the evil features I can while Im able to, since for money reasons I wont be buying another gun for a while.
 
I recommend either the Mini-14 if you can find one in your price range, or go to http://www.odcmp.com and look into the M1 Garand. While the M1 isn't "high capacity" compared with others, it is semiautomatic and some grades are in your price range. They're good shooters too.
 
Another Person, If you really want an AK I'd say look at the Saiga .223.

Why .223? It fills a gap for you. I don't think you'll notice any advantage of the 7.62x 39 over the 30-30 rifle you currently own.

You could get a Saiga .308, but you have a 30-06 so you have that end covered... The .223 is a nice low recoil, cheap, plentiful ammo.

Why Saiga? Value!!! Hammer forged chrome lined Barrell!!! Most inexpensive AK's have crap barrells. Pistol grip is no problem. You can convert the Saiga to look just like pic in your post. An hour and a half at your kitchen table with common tools. but you'd have to spend allot more on any AK to get it to shoot as accuratly as the Saiga .223.

If you are near Cincinnati you are welcome to come shoot mine.

I doubt anyone who's ever owned one could say anything other than it's the best value in an AK platform.

Do some homework here http://forum.saiga-12.com/

Here's a site that shows a step by step coversion http://www.cross-conn.com/Saiga_Conversion/

It's easier than that last site makes it sound. Don't rush your decision!!! By the way I've seen the Saiga .223 online for $235. I paid $259 for mine locally. Many people spend more than $500 for AK's that don't shoot near as well.

Lemme know if you wanna shoot mine or if I can help.

Just looked at the Tapco link in your post... I think all that furniture will bolt right to tha Saiga. You just have to buy a g2 trigger group (you can also get this at Tapco) Very easy to do if you are at all handy.
 
Thanks very much for the info an offer but I dont live near Ohio. The saiga looks neat and I could probaly handle the work but Im missing most of the tools required, and or course im limited in money to buy them.

I do however, have a Dremel, and am willing to do the work to make a low cap $220 WASR accept high cap mags. The only thing Im worried about is canted sights and cosmoline.
 
My friend regrets selling his AK earlier this year. He wants another centerfire rifle, but would feel silly buying back what he just sold. I told him to check out the Saigas, especially the .308 ones, because that's a round that is conspicuously absent from our collective arsenal. I think they are pretty cool guns, especially for the price.
 
If you can find a Hungarian SA85M, they came with a very nice blonde wood thumbhole stock that is longer than a typical AK stock. Very nice guns, and on of the most under-rated AKs out there, IMO.
 
How about a stripper-clip fed SMLE? Bolt action, 10rd magazine chambered in .303 british. They can be had for under $150... I am tempted almost every weekend to pick one up. There's an Indian variant called the Ishapore that had been re-tooled to chamber 7.62NATO, too. A bit more expensive, but still very reasonable.
 
A lot of people are mentioning Ruger Mini-14's and Ruger Mini-30's.

Now, I hate to do this but my experience with Mini-14's were TERRIBLE! My SKS had twice as good accuracy. My SKS has about coyote-MOA at 400 yards whereas the Mini-14 had about barndoor-MOA at the same distance. I know they are different calibers, but me liking my SKS, there's no way I would like to purchase a Mini-30 (same caliber: 7.62x39).

I have good alternatives to both calibers. Mini-14 (.223) < Kel-Tec SU-16 (.223)

Mini-30 (7.62x39) < Yugo SKS 59/66 (7.62x39)

I am just saying I believe IMO, there are better platforms for the same calibers than the Ruger Mini series.
 
A good M-1 carbine is out of the price range.

Why not keep the SKS? And what you honestly will find, is that the AK will fit you better than the SKS did. Or for the price you are talking about, get a better stock for it, an aftermarket improved trigger group, a peep-thru scope mount that bolts to the reciever on the left side, (NOT one of the ones that just replaces the receiver cover, those ones jiggle,) a U.S. military style sight that pins in with the receiver cover pin, lose the rear sight in front of the action, drop the bayonet and grenade sight. I understand that it is ironic to spend $125 on a rifle, and then another $200 improving it to what you want, but this would match your price, and still give you money for a thousand rounds of ammo.

I haven't fired an SU16, but I hear good things about them. For this price range, you might want to consider getting a kit AR and a couple of manuals on assembling it.
 
My observation about my Mini-14 is that I like it very well. I haven't experienced "barn door" sized groups, but then that's my experience. With any firearm, much like buying a car, there's always a chance you can wind up with a lemon. That's when you trade. I've had that happen buying used Winchester .30-30's... bought one that busted casings, traded it, and later bought another Winchester .30-30 that's the one I brag about on this board.

I won't comment on the SU-16 because I have no experience with it. I'm not an AR fan for several reasons, but that's a whole lot of other threads that have already been re-re-re-hashed to death.

IMO, a No.4 Mk1 or No.4 Mk2 would be an excellent choice althought it is a crankbolt as opposed to a semiautomatic. I have the Mk2 and it's a great old rifle. A Sharps rifle would also be a great choice, but it's a single-shot falling block and it's sure to cost a lot more than $400.
 
Thanks for all of the advice. Ive decided not to go with either Mini because of mainly the price and the fact that you guys have convinced me I can get something better for the money. I think Ive decided to get this AK:
http://www.impactguns.com/store/RI1165-N.html
or maybe this with the Dragonov stock
http://www.impactguns.com/store/RI1171D-N.html

Opinions on that issue?

On a second thought... Im interested in the 7.62x25 Tokarev round. Any rifles in my range chambered for that?

On third thought: How much would a CETME go for?
 
A big factor in buying a rifle is the caliber, which not only has to do with performance, but also has to do with what you're using that caliber for, weight, bulk, and most importantly IMHO, availability / price.

I dunno if you can beat the "popular" calibers' price and availability (I.E. .308, x39's, .223) besides surplus ammo, which usually isn't chambered with many self loading rifles.

My experience with WASR 10's was pretty good. Plenty accurate for plinking. Don't ask how I got a hold of one ;)
 
I think the mini 30 out performs the mini 14. I have proof somewhere on my computer. Maybe I'll find it before the night is through,. My friend Dave had his mini 30 and I had my mini 14 and we proceeded to render a Jane Fonda record album cover useable with about 60 rounds each at 50 yards. His mini 30 groups on vital areas like her ass, snatch and boobs were much much tighter than my mini 14 groups. lol

However, I have since done some gas rod mods and glass bedding, and I am down to about 1.5 moa with it.
 
Just since you said you don't want to cover any of the calibers you already have, I have to agree with something in .223 being a great choice.

You ever hunt varmints? Its a blast. The .223 is perfect too.
 
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