Posted on 10/29/2008 7:59:42 PM PDT by Mad Dawg
I'm thinking of an AR. I'm thinking of a Bushie. I'm thinking lighter, smaller, suitable for when the compost hits the air-conditioner, able to reach out and touch someone at 100 meters, but not too fancy to use on a groundhog.
I'm thinking gas-piston for reliability. I'm also thinking I could be being stupid.
Any thoughtful advice and recommendations would be gratefully accepted. I just have a feeling things could get crazy enough that a vang-comp shottie and my sigs might not be enough.
Over-debated topic.
Just get a Bushy or some other reputable AR.
Bolt action 308. You won’t have to fire twice.
Insist on a 1-8 twist medium heavy 22 - 24 inch barrel, and able to use 80-gr bullets.
I’ll second that.(See tagline)
Buy yourself a Rock River and you'll never regret it.
L
LWRC.
Standard gas system works just fine unless you plan to live with the rifle outdoors in rainy jungle conditions for weeks at a time without cleaning the rifle.
I’ve been thinking the same way lately...
There are literally a dozen decent brands and 3-4 excellent top tier brands. What those brands are is also an almost entirely subjective discussion.
Don’t get caught up in all the mall ninja/couch commando debates on the nit noid details.
Get as close to milspec as you can afford with milspec mags and ammo.
What’s your life worth?
While the gas piston system does tend to fix the major problem with the AR, I must admit that the AR’s impingement issue is irrelevant unless you intend to use the rifle in either jungle or desert type terrains. The rest of the time the rifle seems to work fine.
The problem with the gas uppers is that there is no “standard pattern” for the gas system as all of them are different and no parts interchange. When and if a standard emerges is unknown, but that would be when you would feel free to buy only a gas rifle and be happy with it.
What you can do is buy a standard AR rifle and then get the gas piston upper of your choice for it - the cost won’t be so bad.
Unless your building / buying a NFA Class 3 rig I’d ignore the hype and buy a good M4gery from Bushmaster and go with that. The Hk 416 is a great design for full auto yet after carrying and using assorted M16, M4, XM-177, GAU 5A/AA rigs for 26 plus years I can say the key is keeping the weapon clean and properly serviced. In civilian / retired status these days I keep a M4gery with ACOG and redimag in my vehicle and have taken many coyotes with it and used it at the range and 3 gun matches as well , rapid fire lots of rounds without cleaning..... never a failure to feed or fire thus far.
I’d buy the flattop bushmaster, add a redimag, a surefire forend light and a good assortment of 30 round magazines NOW as well as ammo !
A few key spares like pins and small springs that get lost more than they do broke during cleaning.
If you still want a piston rig this is one I have seen for civilian buy and personally fired trying to get it to fail .....good gas piston version.
As well a buy now and you can get a piston upper later if time allows and ya still want one !
Link to a good piston gun.
http://www.pof-usa.com/p415/p415.htm
....just my opinion and what I do and have experienced.
Stay safe and Good Luck !!
When were YOU in my house?
Thanks all for your thoughts. Keep 'em coming, please.
I am not sure that level of accuracy and power is the most important thing for that type of situation when you have civil unrest. I have a Bushmaster, and it is as accurate as somebody would need in such a situation. If somebody wants a little more power an AK-47 would be a good balance between power, accuracy, and ease of use. They are quite accurate within 200 yards.
least expensive rifle you're going to find with piston is probably going to be the AR-180B
Thanks to all for the thread and replies.
Piston big bump, the M16's extractor retaining pin broke on me in the field at dusk. It wouldn't extract. It wasn't a good night. I haven't liked gas impingement since. JMHO
Or, if you can't afford the Bushmaster, buy the mini-14. Same ammo.
Still, ANY assualt rifle with detachable magazines and 1000 rounds of ammo IS YOUR PATRIOTIC DUTY.
I too expected Murphy at every corner and carried a spare upper that was scoped and halo’d in 3 gun match style for long 800 plus yard shots if they need to be taken at all. Most of us carried an entire spare bolt assembly as well as a lower rebuild kit of pins, parts and springs, c clips etc . We had that liberty to do such as does civilians these days .
Were I to have to return to service and get my choice of service rifle. It would be a Hk 416 in 6.8SPC with a M203 attached. IMHO hand down current best available service rifle combination to have for EVERY troop.
Everything man made is fallible .......:o)
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