wanting a .308 rifle ~$1000

[greyghost01]

FNAR is very good if you can find one
DPMS makes good 308's
PSA is making a 308
Save your money and get a SIG 716, Save more money and get a SIG DMR 1/4" MOA piston driven, Battle Rifle
LMT, LWRC, There are good deals out there you just have to keep looking my buddy bought a LWRC for 1400.00 I wish I could find those deals.
Or seeing as you have the parts and can figure it out build your own!

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Why not go with a bolt action? A Savage 110 will come in well under budget and leave you money for a scope.

 

[MachIVshooter]

id still rather deal with a 4MOA FAL or spend an extra $200 on an M1A than to put money into a platform i dont like and cant trust

Why can't you "trust" them?

Unfortunately for you, your criteria (accurate .308 under $1,000) pretty much leave you with only the .308 AR as an option. And a $1k AR will outshoot pretty much every other 7.62x51 autoloader in the sub-$2,500 range.

I built this for a little over $1,100 (including optic), and it's putting M80 ball ammo into 1-1/2 to 1-3/4" groups at 120 yards. Haven't had a chance to play with match handloads yet, but I'm expecting very close to MOA.

It is the PSA SSK 18" rifle kit ($737 shipped) on an Ares Armor Signature billet lower ($170 shipped), ACS stock ($95), UTG grip ($18), AFG-2 ($35) forward grip, and NC Star mk III 6x42 scope ($60). Total: $1,115. The muzzle brake was basically free, just took me a couple hours to machine.

 

[monk d]

MachIVShooter--totally love that rig!!!

Justin--get that one, or save up a couple more C-notes and get an M1A, hard to beat steel and wood

 

[henschman]

I bet you could get most FALs to shoot 2 MOA with a well developed hand load. If you're talking about a "go to" rifle, you're talking about 2A purposes, correct? There are not many sub-$1000 .308 autoloaders that I would want to take to a gunfight, but a quality FAL is one of them. The M77 looks appealing, and that action is generally very reliable, but I worry about mags. If you want anything with a decent capacity, you have to mod M-14 mags or something. I just don't trust jury rigged stuff like that for a one and only go to rifle for serious use.

Much as I dislike the layout of the G3 pattern, a PTR-91 would also probably be a good reliable rifle that is built on a mature, tried and true design.

A Saiga .308 is another reliable, high quality option in your price range. Aftermarket 20 round mags are made for it. Convert to original grip/stock layout, pin the FSB farther back and thread the muzzle, put a RS Regulate mount on it with whatever optics suit you, and it would be a very capable rifle. It seems they are capable of under 2 MOA with good ammo too.

 

[Jackal]

Much as I dislike the layout of the G3 pattern, a PTR-91 would also probably be a good reliable rifle that is built on a mature, tried and true design.

I cant help but agree with this.

My 18" PTR91 GI was $700
MFI scope mount used $75
Extended charging handle, steel lower, heavy buffer- $180

For $955 I have a rifle I'd have no problem using for ANY scenario. Its as accurate as I am (3moa with Tula/Brown Bear) and has been flawlessly reliable. Not to mention, buying 10 like new H&K mags for $45 delivered....

 

[rbernie]

The FNAR is just a BARII in flat black, with all of the attendant good and bad (lack of BHO being a principal bad) that goes with that. I dislike the G3/PTR/CETME ergonomics even more than I disliked my Saiga 308 ergonomics. The FAL is a long beast, and it's simply not as modular or as adaptable as more modern offerings.

I am a huge fan of the DPMS G2, and recommend saving up and spending a bit over the allocated budget for one.

 

[HJ857]

The FNAR does have a BHO/LRBHO. But I'm liking the G2 more and more as well.

 

[rbernie]

The FNAR does have a BHO/LRBHO

Actually, last time that I checked the rifle doesn't - the magazine does. Remove the magazine and the bolt goes SLAM, unlike most other semiautos that have a receiver mounted BHO that just happens to be activated by the magazine follower to act as a LRBHO.

 

[HJ857]

Well, not that this is big deal, but the rifle I actually own and use has a BHO. If you look at the photo I posted, there's small lever, above the front edge of the magazine, that's a manual BHO. When you insert a new mag you either pull and release the bolt or push down on that lever to close the action.

 

[MachIVshooter]

The FAL is a long beast, and it's simply not as modular or as adaptable as more modern offerings.

If you're only considering the classic L1A1 pattern, yes.

DSA brought the rifle into the present, though. All kinds of configurations, from the classic to accurized DMRs to folding stock carbines, including 9"-13" SBR versions. And there are plenty of accessories, such as side folding adapters to use AR carbine stocks, modular hand guards and rails, top covers, grips, safeties, charging handles, etc.

Not quite the LEGO platform that the AR is, but hardly uncustomizable.

I would have a real hard time choosing between my FAL Para carbine and the .308 AR. AR has the edge in accuracy and is slightly more ergonomic & intuitive, but the FAL is a wicked rifle in it's own right.

My preference for .308 autoloaders is basically:

1: AR
1: FAL
3: M1A
4: G3/Cetme
5: FNAR
6: SCAR 17

And no, the double 1st place is not a typo.

M1A is a great rifle, but it is distinctively lacking in a few ways compared to the AR or FAL, IMO.

The G3 type rifles have their pros, but they are the harshest recoiling of the group, and not terribly ergonomic. They also destroy brass.

FNAR is an interesting firearm, but not really in the same class as the first 4. Accurate and reliable enough, but the ergos are a little weird and they are quite nose-heavy.

SCAR I just can't stand. Ugly, uncomfortable, thumb battering thing with sub-par accuracy for it's price tag. I know some people like them. And they can have 'em. IMO, FN missed the mark big time with that thing. They should have gone with a modernized FAL like DS Arms did. Only thing that is really needed on the FAL is a better magazine insertion & release design, as the rock-in type are a little slow, and trying to drop a mag quickly with the FAL is a good way to get a sore trigger finger.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Well, not that this is big deal, but the rifle I actually own and use has a BHO.

You have a rifle with a Barak Hussain Obama?

My sympathy, sir!

 

[rbernie]

Well, not that this is big deal, but the rifle I actually own and use has a BHO. If you look at the photo I posted, there's small lever, above the front edge of the magazine, that's a manual BHO. When you insert a new mag you either pull and release the bolt or push down on that lever to close the action.

If you pull the magazine with the bolt out of battery, does the bolt stay back or slam home?

 

[HJ857]

Yeah, it stays locked back. You have to pull back on the bolt and release or depress the lever to close the action. It's just like an AR, or even an SKS in that regard.

 

[justin22885]

if i go FAL, i would start out with a basic FAL made from a parts kit and receiver and thats the only area where the initial price matters, from there id begin making upgrades and modifications to it.. i would switch over to a para lower for example so i can have a side folding stock, id swap the barrel to 16-18 inches, new furniture, top rail, etc

so all i want to know about the FAL is what actually needs to be done to achieve a 2MOA accuracy? will a newer condition, higher quality barrel do it or am i looking at having to do a lot more to achieve it?

 

[rbernie]

Yeah, it stays locked back. You have to pull back on the bolt and release or depress the lever to close the action. It's just like an AR, or even an SKS in that regard.

Then I was incorrect! That is an update over the basic BARII progenitor.

so all i want to know about the FAL is what actually needs to be done to achieve a 2MOA accuracy? will a newer condition, higher quality barrel do it or am i looking at having to do a lot more to achieve it?

I've never heard of a 2MOA FAL, and my L1A1s were never better than 4 MOA. I'd be interested in if its even possible.

 

[MachIVshooter]

if i go FAL, i would start out with a basic FAL made from a parts kit and receiver and thats the only area where the initial price matters, from there id begin making upgrades and modifications to it.. i would switch over to a para lower for example so i can have a side folding stock, id swap the barrel to 16-18 inches, new furniture, top rail, etc

You're gonna spend a whole lot more doing it that way. These are not AR-15s. Just changing barrel and going para will set you back > $600, and swapping out the barrel on an FAL is nothing like doing it on an AR.

Buy/build what you want out of the gate.

 

[justin22885]

it would appear after doing some research that most people with good accuracy out of their FALs achieve it with a new, better quality barrel and a proper sight/optic mount.. the rear sight on the lower receiver seems like a bad idea to me just asking for issues holding zero.. these two things can be changed with a new barrel and a fixed, solid top rail

as for the folding stock, it seems the PARA recoil system is contained entirely in the upper receiver utilizing a new carrier and dust cover, the dust covers arent all that expensive and i can get a railed dust cover set up for the para recoil system, and it would seem a conventional FAL bolt could be converted.. all the costs of the PARA conversion would seem to be in the lower receiver and folding stock.. i'm now wondering if i couldnt machine an ACE modular interface into the back of the FAL lower so i can use ACE hinges and adapters to fit just about any stock id like able to fold to either side i want it to

this will break my budget though and put me into the category of the M1A costs, but the FAL i end up with should be pretty similar in accuracy, have the folding stock, and be a lot easier to field strip and clean too.. and if im not mistaken the FAL has a weight advantage over the M1A in standard configurations with the same barrel length.. so i think i'd be ending up with a rifle worth breaking the budget for

and for the record, i dont build AR15s, have no interest in them, the guns i build include AKs, HKs, bolt actions, etc, all of which require significantly more tools and skill than the AR15 so im really not worried.. the only bonus the AR-10 offers me at this point is the ability to build it from an 80% lower which costs a hell of a lot less than the FALs $500 for a receiver

___

on the other side of the coin, the yugo M77 is about $600, already used to the ergonomics, the controls, know the platform like the back of my hand, i know it can do 2 MOA with factory ammo and a different sight, and there are plenty of accessories for it too (i believe PAP furniture works)... so all of that at half the price is incredibly tempting of an offer

 

[Casefull]

Seems kind of silly to set parameters that only can be met with ar10 style rifle and post after post say why you do not like the ar platform. I just put together a psa 10 with one of their blem lowers for about $800. Put on an old leupold scope and took it to the range. I ran 30 rounds of handloads thru it with no problems whatsoever. With a better trigger it will shoot sub moa. The groups would have be .75 moa accept for the horrible trigger. Good luck with your FAL project.

 

[HJ857]

You have a rifle with a Barak Hussain Obama?

My sympathy, sir!

No sympathies needed, it seems perfectly obvious that BHO is a HUGE gun advocate. He's done more to sell firearms and ammo than any president in history, hell, he gave away hundreds or thousands of guns to Mexicans that weren't well enough armed. And he's probably not even done yet.

In honor of BHO giving enormous numbers of otherwise unarmed Americans a reason to support the 2nd Amendment, I had my FNAR engraved with his initials, I do feel a little bad that it's from a Belgian company though.

 

[justin22885]

is this an AR forum or something?.. because it seems like every answer to every question is an AR.. even when people specifically say they do not like, nor do they want an AR, people go on for two pages trying to convince them.. i have to keep repeating myself over and over again.. i dont want a damn AR anything, maybe i dont like rifles that are held together by a plethora of small parts, tiny springs, and detents just to provide the same function of something insanely more reliable and simpler?

im not going with the AR-10 because i strongly dislike the ARs, im not going with the M1A because ive had one and just a simple field strip is a PITA compared to other .308 battle rifles, ive also had the PTR91 and dont want that because its incredibly heavy, rough on brass, and not all that more accurate than other 308 battle rifles, to my knowledge this leaves just the two options ive mentioned, the FAL and the .308 caliber AK rifles like the yugo M77 and saiga 308

unfortunately theres about 5 different types of FALs available, belgian, G1, STG58, imbel, L1A1, and probably more

 

[JFtheGR8]

Looks like you've got it figured out then. You asked for suggestions and didn't like the majority of what you got. Which were all pretty good btw. I will probably be building an AR10 as a result of this thread. Good luck in your search.

 

[hatt]

on the other side of the coin, the yugo M77 is about $600, already used to the ergonomics, the controls, know the platform like the back of my hand, i know it can do 2 MOA with factory ammo and a different sight, and there are plenty of accessories for it too (i believe PAP furniture works)... so all of that at half the price is incredibly tempting of an offer

Looks like that's your only choice.

 

[rbernie]

My Saiga 308s were never consistently 2MOA - I'd be really surprised if the Yugo could be reliably and consistently considered 2MOA.

 

[justin22885]

what id really like is something i can make from an 80% receiver, i like to keep my EBRs off the books since those are ALWAYS the ones targeted when ban talks come up, unfortunately i cant do that with either the FAL or M77 and to my knowledge the only two out there that can be made from an 80% is the AR-10 and HK91/G3

my AK-74 in 5.56 does a consistent 2MOA, so long as im using the same ammo when i test, some ammo will be worse, some better, i generally use M855 in it though, and ive seen saiga .308s do as well as 1MOA with match ammo.. some 5.56 AKs as well.. now that i think about it if im getting 2MOA with M855, i should try out some match ammo sometime and see what it can do