Keaner
Member
First, that is incorrect. In a SHTF sinario, I would assume that my Car would also be available as a mode of transport. I would not want to be walking in a situation like that! Anyway, in !PEACE TIME! my car always has 800+ rounds of .30-'06 in it, plus an additional 1000+ rounds at my house. I have a bunch more trunk space, my front seat could hold a few hundred rounds, etc, so I would never have a round limit.Since you won't be carrying more than 200 rds, the need to clean it every 600 rds means nothing.
When you have no help, you'd better never have to fire 20 rds in any one engagement.
This may be true with an AR-15 or an AK, but the M1 Garand is effective for a "normal" shooter out past 400 yds over iron sites. The guy I know that was in the Marines said they routinely had them practice out past 600 yds. With optics, the M1 is supposed to be effective WAY past 1000yds for a good shooter.
At these ranges, I would most likely be out of shooting distance of any opponents, and therefore could hold a large group away at once. I could have the "sniper" effect, someone WAY out of the defender's range, but still within the sniper's range.
Also, the 600 rounds listed above is in somewhat ideal conditions. I doubt the M16 was constantly in the mud, being rained on, etc. I would bet that the M16 would have other problems within that time. My major problem with the platform is the sensitivity of the butt stock. On an AR-15 (AFAIK) the bolt slides into the butt stock. I have seen a few AR-15's with butt stocks broken off, so I cannot imagine it being durable enough to last someone as a "lifer" rifle in a situation.
The M1 on the other hand, has a BEEFY stock, which is easily capable of being a weapon on its own, without damaging the integrity of the rifle.
Finally, although unlikely, I would like to point out the bayonet. I have heard (and this may very well be dead wrong) that using the bayonet on an M4/M16 can screw up some of the inner workings of the weapon. The M1 on the other hand, transfers force from the front end of the rifle, into the stock effectively enough to not cause damage.