Posted on 08/07/2008 5:23:44 AM PDT by Pistolshot
Free Republic Gun Club – Thursday Edition – Sturmgewehr
They are called “Black Guns”. They have been maligned since they have become a mainstay of the gun culture. They have had bans, parts restrictions, and some of the most advanced have been forbidden from import into this country. They have been given the name to make them sound evil, to make them sound more deadly than other weapons.
They are called ‘Assault Rifles’
The very first, the MP44, named Sturmgewehr by Hitler, fired an intermediate cartridge based on the 8mm Mauser. Some say the AK and Kalishnikov used the MP44 as it’s blueprint, however the MP44 is more related to the HK family than the AK.
Today, one of the most popular cartridges is the 5.56x45 or the .223 Remington. A variety of platforms use this cartridge from the Ruger Mini-14 to the Colt AR15 and relative clones. Improvements over the last decade have brought the AR system and its clones to almost peak development.
So what’s missing from the AR?
A better cartridge for one. As accurate as the 223 is, it has downrange limitations, as we have found in Iraq and Afghanistan, where incident ranges are better than the 300 meter effectiveness of the cartridge. The 6.8 SPC has been in evaluation as has the 6.5 Grendel. Both are accurate and carry excellent ballistics.
Next item. Gas piston.
This one thing will improve performance over the present gas impingement system. Stoner was an excellent engineer and he solved a complex problem simply and efficiently. What he didn’t count on was the interference of the military bureaucracy in helping the AR system to fail.
There are many AR clones in 223. One of the best, IMHO is the SIG 556.
This little number is gas-piston, rounded corners everywhere, and all the advantages of the AR system in a truly compact reliable package.
I know we all have our favorites. My AR has been used on prarie dogs, eliminated Coyotes and made me extra cash.
Next up. 308 rifles.
Mine as you can see is the Springfield Armory M1A Scout.
Accurate, reliable, and it is as compact as I would like to get in a 308. It is LOUD and the flash is bright even in broad daylight. I can ring the 600 yard gong all day with this little number, and it hasn’t malfunctioned once, with anything I have run through it.
Other 308’s? Armalite
Based on Eugen Stoner’s original design the AR-10 is one of the best of the breed. The flat-top design is especially good for longer range optics and really makes the 308 stand out from its little brother.
These are just a few of the multitude of assault rifles available. I didn’t forget the venerable AK47 systems, they have a good following and probably are the most produced clone in the world to talk about. I hope we have some real contributions in this area.
JOIN THE FR GUN CLUB PING LIST HERE!!!
Bushmaster a3 is my gun.
I have a Colt Competition Gov't(Blue Box) from the Custom Shop that is a real tack driver. That one has taken it's share of dogs and yotes
I have one and it's sweet. Takes any AR magazine. About $500.
Sounds great to me!
Blackwater Worldwide announces the creation of a new product - the BW-15 Rifle!
Designed by our expert armorers, this exquisite weapon can be modified and built to your personal specifications!
Your choose the barrel, you chose the sights, you choose the rail system. Simply the best value on the market today.
For more information email us at bw15@blackwaterusa.com or call (252) 435-1814
http://www.blackwaterworldwide.com/
What is “gun culture”?
The hobby and historical recounting of firearms throughout history.
To be a firearms enthusiast there is a common denominator amongst this fraternity. WE know what we support. WE know what firearms mean to the cause of freedom.
Gunowners have a culture of their own, little understood by the layman, and never understood by the anti-gunner.
For all the ones I own, I haven't found one AK clone I really like. It's out there, I just need to pick the right one.
Nice little weapon. Thanks for sharing that
Lucky you. I’m relativly new to the AR club. Slowly working on my second OLL build, and being in CA sucks.
I`ve got a HK-93,a real nice gun tho a tad heavy,Don`t
think its ever mis-fired.
These pre-ban HKs have increased in value for sure
I turned down $2,500 for mine last year
If the fit and finish matches the descriptions, it should be an excellent platform.
Here's it all tricked out. The mag is a little close to the pistol grip, but still makes for a fine place to put that leading hand. Holding it pushed out against the sling steadies it pretty well too.
Meant to say in the first post that it's gas-piston also.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.