Which assault rifle to buy?

[jeepmor]

I know this could start a huge war as to what's best and why, but I'm going to give it a shot anyhow.

With the Dems enroute to power and Bush having stated that he would sign and support another AWB bill, I figure I best do some shopping before the store is closed on these items.

Please pick your favorite and put a little context as to why you feel the model XXXXX rifle is the best choice.


What say you?

jeepmor

 

[AK-74me]

AR-15 in 5.56,

proven platform

accurate

available cheap ammo

lots of accessories available

plenty of configurations to meet your specs.

I would piece my own together using mostly Stag or DPMS

or as you can see by my screen name I like AK's too but that should be your second rifle.


"assualt rifle" :banghead:

 

[Waywatcher]

"Assault Rifle" is a real legitimate term.

"Assault Weapon" is the concocted one.

I highly doubt you'll be getting a true "assault rifle" as one of the prerequisites is being select-fire.

I'll assume you want one of the civilian versions. Cost plays a big role. AK's hover in the 450 area, AR's in the 850 area. Obviously there are cheaper and spendier ones, but that shows you a ball-park figure. Mags and ammo are about the same for both though. Both are reliable, both are fun.

I just bought an SKS for the reasons you spelled out, though. I couldnt be happier with my purchase. It's a true military weapon (surplus), semi-automatic, and ammo is cheap. I dont need or want 30 round detachable mags, or a pistol grip.

 

[AK-74me]

highly doubt you'll be getting a true "assault rifle" as one of the prerequisites is being select-fire.

I'll assume you want one of the civilian versions.

I understand that "assault rifle" is a real term but I doubt he was talking about buying an M16 or select fire version of ______ so that is why I posted :banghead: because it is just another way of making the EBR even more evil.

 

[WeedWhacker]

My choices, based on research done over the past three years:

#1: Galil in .308. AK-style mechanisms, Finnish-refined and Israeli-built. Damned things are a mite expensive, tho.
A .308 so that you have the power and performance of a full-sized rifle round in a very common caliber that coincidentally can safely fire NATO 7.62 ammo, which is not only plentiful, but even now runs ~$0.35 per round *new*, shipped, from Lake City (per ammoman.com prices).
A Galil in .223 would be my top pick if I cared much for the .223 round...

#2: PTR-91, .308. US-made copy of the HK91, made to HK specs on HK equipment set up by HK technicians. The next .308 I buy will be one of these, and the base model with the improved sights and slightly wider than HK-made magwell runs ~$650 on a good day.

#3: SKS for good, inexpensive and suprisingly accurate 7.62x39 shooting. Downsides: they're not getting any cheaper, and those ten rounds go by quickly.

#4: US-made AK-47-ish rifle, available in a variety of calibers. Arsenal (out of Las Vegas) and Vector Arms have good reputations. Vector Arms' .223 AK can use modified AK-74 mags, which I am told are plentiful and cheap.

#5: Sig 556 or other AR-patterned rifle with a piston-based (or other non-direct impingement) gas system. Some of those are new and may not have had all the bugs worked out of them yet.

 

[GRIZ22]

If you are on a budget I'd get a SKS. Inexpensive, ammo available, reasonably accurate.

In all other cases I'd get an AR for reasons mentioned above. My chopice would be a DPMS or Rock River but any well known name should serve you well. A lot of the bad press the 5.56 has gotten is due to the short barrels that have become popular. The 5.56 gets a lot of its stopping power from fragmenting in the target. If you get below 2800 fps that fragmenting drops off quick. A 55 grain bullet from a 14" M4 is right at 2800 fps. You can solve this issue by practicing with FMJ and have a supply of the same weight in JHP or SP or buying a 20" barrel. Don't get me wrong a 55 gr FMJ is something you want to get hit with. I've used M16s, M4s, AR15s since 1968 (sometimes in social situations so to speak) and it still is my first choice in a battle rifle.

Thre's a lot of fascination with AK variants but the major problem is the lack of accuracy with all of them I've seen (except the Valmet). The bullet is an adequate stopper but with ballistics like a 30-30 you really have to crank up that sight to hit anything at range.

 

[GRIZ22]

duplicate post

 

[DevLcL]

AR15,

Proven reliable.

Litterally hundreds of different configurations are possible with different equipment from a hundred different companies. However! You get what you pay for. This is going off-topic a little but should you go the "tactical" route, remember that the EOTech, Trijicon, and Surefire types may seem expensive but there must be a reason the're used by folks like SpecOps in the military, tactical law enforcement teams, and professionals in the private sector.

I don't suggest SKS or AK or any other foreign caliber weapon because how many boxes of 7.62 are going to be laying around when the going gets tough?

-Dev

 

[HorseSoldier]

With the Dems enroute to power and Bush having stated that he would sign and support another AWB bill, I figure I best do some shopping before the store is closed on these items.

Are you looking for the best assault or battle rifle you can buy today, or are you looking for stuff that you won't be able to get if a new AWB kicks in (and that might appreciate in value dramatically under a new AWB)?

If the first option, I personally like ARs in various flavors. Good for most applications, and modularity and parts availability means you can tweak to exactly what you want.

If the second, I'd say start by picking up a folding stock AK -- a Yugo underfolder will set you back 500-ish in my neck of the woods, may be better deals out there. I'd guess any AWB will really go after folding and collapsible stocks in addition to whatever other stupid particulars they settle on.

To that, I'd add 2-3 stripped AR lowers, which will become "pre-ban" lowers later, assuming the same sort of AWB rules go into effect. You can later build one into an AR (ban or no ban), and if a ban kicks in, you can likely sell the other couple to pay for the other components of your pre-ban rifle once the market inflates like it did last time.

High cap pistol and rifle mags are probably another good investment right now, though the last gun show I hit looked like prices were already up a little . . .

 

[aka108]

AK types are available in 223. I'd probably opt for that. The AK is no more complicated than a cap gun and will reliably run with an absolute minimum of maintenance.

 

[stevek]

I'm partial to my Bushmaster AR-15, and the .223 ammo is still fairly inexpensive.
But I also like my Armalite AR-10, even if .308 is a bit more expensive

 

[jagdpanzer347]

I would decide which caliber you want to shoot first and then decide on a weapons platform. Also, how much do you want to spend? Not only on the weapon, but mags, accessories, and ammunition.

-jagd

 

[HGUNHNTR]

Do we have to throw the word assault around so much giving the bashers of the 2nd amendment more firepower. None of my rifles have ever assaulted anyone, and none of them need to be controlled.

 

[El Tejon]

All firearms are only tools. What is it that you wish to do?

 

[gm]

FN-FAL.for its adjustable gas flow and screw in barrel.

bushmaster ar in a 16" barrel with a standard stock and heavy barrel contour.This gun is so easy to swap out parts if you want to go with a different upper half and configuration.


lastly, a beltfed in 308.

 

[Manedwolf]

Saiga.

Saiga Saiga Saiga.

Your choice of .223, 7.62x25 or .308, they're REAL Russian AKs with chrome barrels, and, at the moment, very cheap. Definitely the best value! Some people here think that unless something costs a whole lot of money, it's no good. They'd be all over the Saigas if they cost $1600 instead of $250, but since they're inexpensive, they throw around other brand names instead. That sort of person is gun dealer's favorite target for for profits. I don't think that way. Value is value.

Get them now, get the mags they'd use if converted, and have them converted at your leisure. A Saiga .223 converted and made literally into a Galil is a very nice thing to have.

And personally, I've never had any love for the AR platform. I like Mr. Kalashnikov's simpler and robust design.

 

[rangerruck]

three Saigas. in 223, 762 russian and 308. all with 16 inch bbls
they are all considered 'sporting rifles' right now, and you can get a few parts to make them take regular ak mags. the first two you can get for 275 or less, the 308 you can get for 375 or less. plus they will be way more accurate than any other ak rifle out there. next , I would look at a kel tec plr 16. this is a piston driven ar. It uses ar parts, and ar mags, but stay clean. I have put about 500 rounds through mine, and the inside of the receiver, is still shiny clean.
who knows how long congress will let this 10 in bbl baby stay civilian legal?

 

[TooTaxed]

If you want a pure short-range assault weapon, it's had to beat an AK...large magazine capacity, cheap ammo (acquire a case or two), somewhat better hit ballistics than the .223, durable as Hell! But their very short sight radius restricts their value for distances much beyond 150-yd, and you should expect 100-yd accuracy to be about 3-6 mil (somewhat better with a scope) as there is a fairly large natural dispersion built into the ammo. Milsurp cases are not reloadable...commercial reloadable ammo is not inexpensive.

I prefer the SKS over the AK...longer barrel and sight radius, aftermarket 20 and 30-rd detachable magazines available (necessary if you mount a scope projecting above the action, and you will also need a brass deflector as the SKS ejects vertically). I can hit a 360-yd steel target with mine, every shot.

AR15 carbines...collapsible stocks, fairly short barrel...are very nice...I use mine almost as much as I use my SKS. Best used with a scope for long range...500-yd shots are fairly consistent. Ammo is generally of better (consistant) quality than 7.62 x 39, more accurate, and cases are reloadable. Lots of useful aftermarket upgrade accessories are available (I upgraded my Colt CAR-15 with a Rock River Varmenter upper, match trigger, Harris bipod and a good variable scope.

I mention the reloadable case factor as I expect the Democrats to both limit ammo imports and add enough taxes to ammio to make it very expensive to shoot. So, I suggest you either buy cases of ammo now when it's cheap, or get set up for reloading, including buying at least an 8-lb can of powder and at least a case of primers.

 

[Prince Yamato]

Do we have to throw the word assault around so much giving the bashers of the 2nd amendment more firepower.

Yep, we do. Because it's just a word. Let the little anti-bastards whine about it.

Now let's all start the rumor that if you say "Assault Weapon" three times in the bathroom mirror a pre-ban Poly Tech under-folder will appear atop your sink.

 

[lionking]

alright "military style rifles".

Depending on your cash flow get what you can,never know what the future may hold.

Ar-15,love the rifle.A pleasure to shoot,real accurate,more so than a M14 or Garand typically,though those 2 are accurate compared to some other military style rifles also.

Ak types,fun to shoot,handy combination of cartridge and design.

M1A,said it before,love the rifle,well balanced,well designed.Great cartridge.

I personally am thinking of getting a Bushmaster in 9mm in the future,good for taking to a indoor range when they dont allow higher powered cartridges.Good plinker,easy on the wallet ammo wise and just because I think I want one.

If....a ban should look like its going pass then a M1A and Bushmaster in 9mm,or possibly a Uzi carbine would go on a credit card.

PTR-91,good price for the rifle,heard good things about them as far as quality.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Let's see I have an M1A1 carbine, a TM1 semiauto Thompson,
and an M70AB Yugo AK.
My son has an FAL, a CETME, a Yugo SKS and a M70AB Yugo AK.
My son has been looking for a M1 carbine, M1 Garand or an
M1A Springfield Armory. (I advised the M1A to keep commonality
of ammo with the FAL and CETME).




on the word assault
Motorized rubber boats are Assault Boats.
Jeeps and Hummers are Assault Vehicles.
Short-take-off-and-landing planes and helicopters are Assault Aircraft.
Compact rifles with detachable magazines are Assault Rifles.
The word "assault" does confuse the sheeple into thinking
their overlords are saving them from physical assault but the word
that describes a capability does not describe the use or the intent
of the owner fer cryin out loud.

If rifles described as "assault" should be banned then so should
small boats and aircraft and four-wheel drive land vehicles.

I still have not recovered from the Joan Beck Chicago editorial
where she praised the Assault Weapon Ban in one paragraph,
then in another pointed out that assault weapons were used in
only 1 out of 800 Chicago murders in the three years before the
ban. If AW made up 10% of the gun sales in 1994, but only .125% of
murder weapons, then they banned the weapons least likely to
"be on the streets." WTP? What's The Point?

 

[M110]

AR, because its a good platform with lots of accessories for it.

Garand!! Because ITS A GARAND

M1A.

M1 carbine.

PTR-91 is a good G3 clone.

SKS, because there cheap.

Not a fan of the AK, so wont recommend them.

 

[lionking]

true Carl about the statistics but its all about a "assault" on gun ownership plan and simple.Military style weapons are just a easy target pardon the pun.

 

[JohnL2]

Well, military style weapons just LOOK scary to the layperson.
And it only takes one crazy on a shooting spree to villify, and demonize them, and relegate owners of them as a bunch of gun-nut loonies.

Personally, I am looking into Sabre Defence Industries. They will be offering more 6.5mm AR's very soon. They have M4 variants but I want a longer barrel.
I am sure Rock River Arms makes superb AR's. Can't go wrong there.

 

[atblis]

You need

To start with you need to get one of each of the following

An AR15 type
e.g. Colt Sporter II

and

A Kalashnikov clone
e.g. MAK90

THose are the two quintessential "assault rifles" that every collection should have. After that, it gets a bit complicated.

Personal favorite
Daewoo K2. Piston operated AR. Has one of the best folding stocks in the busines