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!!!
I thought it would never sell. So far we have had to order a few of them.
My daughter thinks the pink AR is cute. Now she wants one.
Are you sure you don’t mean a Springfield Armory M1A? The M1A1 is a WWII era folding stock M1 carbine, a completely different firearm.
VERY nice setup!!!
The original point and click interface was a Smith and Wesson.
>$954.95 vs $1300<
In your opinion is the cost difference substantiated?
What I was told is that if I wanted to put a fore grip handle on it, it would have to be registered w/ BATFE and I’d have to go through the checks/pay the tax. Not doing so would make it an illegal class 3 any other weapon. As told to me by the class 3 dealer I bought it from. My info is only as good as his.
If the company put together a system that is totally parts interchangable, then do it for less money, they are going to get business.
DS has to fight for some market share, and that is tough enough when you have powerhouses like Armalite and Bushmaster to compete against.
I didn’t ask about installing one. My questions is , “Would possession of a foregrip handle violate any laws?”
Possession of a unregistered silencer is against the law. Installing one on a firearm is a separate violation.
Sorry, I misunderstood.
No, mere possession is quite legal - look at all the ones for sale at CTD, Midway, etc. They are legal to put on rifles, just not pistols. If some BATFE jerk saw you at the range w/ the PLR and an unattached handle in the guncase that the PLR, and only the PLR was in, I can imagine getting quite a hassle tho’.
the basic paint job is no different than adding a camo coat- just do it in pink- then add stickers.
Might have to find a well used AR to experiment on. Like an old Oly that needs help.
Foregrip handles aren’t regulated. But if you had an unused one and a handgun like the PLR that could accept it, the feds might say you have ‘’constructive possession’’ of an SBR. It’s the same logic that lets them bust people for having an AR-15 and certain M16 parts, even if they never install those parts. It’s illegal to have the ability to do something illegal.
It’s dumb, and probably pretty safe since unlike M16 parts there are many guns to which you can legally attach a vertical foregrip. But if the ATF wanted you, I think they could get you.
Gun Club BTT. Having given my Garand to my brother I now have nothing that might scare hell out of Sarah Brady or Josh Sugarmann. OK, I do have an H&K SL-8, but it’s a Californicated piece...with G-3 optics. Hence I NEED an Ugly Gun. Need, not want.
Whoa...OK, now that’s interesting. Naw, I don’t have to worry about California legal anymore. I’m definitely considering something in a .308. Another FReeper let me shoot his Springfield one time and I’ve been thinking about one ever since.
I have the Scout Squad with walnut stock. 18 inch barrel, handy shooter. I’ve had a Nat’l match, but I had to sell it a long time ago to make some payments. Always regretted that.
That AR-10 clone looks pretty, especially with the flat-top carry handle.
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