I do like to talk :)
I will start with the .308 question. I certain don’t dismiss the round at all - it would be nice to be able to out-range your opponent. My first point with it is that people often get caught up in the newest fanciest round that might do some things a tad bit better but require either handloading to keep it economical or that is otherwise uncommon in the area. I prefer the KISS theory when it comes to weapons platforms. The other area where I touch on the .308 is the AR-15 vs AR-10 debate, and in that aspect I believe that it is situationally dependent. I have an AR-10 along side my AR-15s, and they both serve a purpose. If I were doing a walking patrol as a member of a Community Defense Force, I have to balance the extra weight of the rounds and gun vs need (I can already here the “do extra PT arguments from here). If I am a fixed roadblock, gimme an AR-10 to outrange my opponent from a fixed position. Again, I don’t dismiss any round or weapon system - I advocate heavily for the mighty .22LR. My entire point was that you need to consider some of these things before making a decision, and then make your decision.
What do I envision? I think that Matt Bracken’s book trilogy “Enemies Foreign and Domestic” paint one realistic picture of what might come our way. Economics and culture war are my two big fears, and when this thing gets moving in the wrong direction, it will go downhill fast. Assuming a slow grid-up collapse, as the $$ spigots run dry, EBTs start being rejected and the economy grinds to a halt. I don’t mean a 2008 recession - I mean the BIG ONE that will involve discussions around sovereign debt levels. Riots and social unrest will be common, and systems disruptions stemming from our Just In Time delivery systems may occur.
If we are hit with any level of first strikes leading up to the inevitable war with China on critical infrastructure (i.e. electrical or SCADA systems) with cyber attacks (a la STUXNET re-engineering to bite us in the ass) or EMP, all bets are off on civility.
Sure, the authorities will step in - but not initially. And while I certainly see the dangers of China, they have no ability to truly project power yet (though they are slated to supposedly build some nuclear powered carriers by 2035 I believe). They are focused on regional power project within the innermost chain of the islands in the South China Sea (i.e. Spratly Islands). If they ever came here, they would wait some time for the chaos to truly seize and destroy us internally as a country before offering “emergency funding or supplies”.
I did do a previous post on this topic based off of what I read in another article. Given your assertion that any such breakdown of governmental systems would warrant intervention by powerful state actors, you may disagree with my thoughts there as well, and I doubt either would be able to convince the other. I will just say that I think you are overestimating the ability of the “powerful state actors” to maintain the level of control I believe you are suggesting they will.
https://www.americanpartisan.org/2019/01/the-fourth-turning-the-future-as-i-see-it-by-patriotman/
As my tagline states, I am not an expert by any means. My contributions at American Partisan are from the perspective of a not-so-experienced J.Q Public citizen and meant to generate discussion, debate, and hopefully give people stuff to think about as they make their own decisions on some of these choices.
God Bless.
The disagreement: China is improving their power projection faster than you seem to be aware: they have four carriers in operation or very soon to be in operation, including two large deck carriers. While they would be under water almost instantaneously if they dared go after us while our nation command authority is in action, they would be dangerous if we had a societal meltdown. China, you may be aware, currently controls the Panama Canal, thanks to the generosity of Jimma Carter.
So a full-on Civil War is dangerous to us because the major threat powers - and the UN - would be quick to intervene in their own special ways if the US Government evaporates.
The only other credible scenario that I can think of is a partial melt where gangs run raids into good neighborhoods to steal and play with the inhabitants. While we have the Second Amendment, most of even the gangs with members with the IQs of tap water would understand that they would face a fusillade before they reached the first speed bump on our streets.
I am happy that you enjoy your ARs - but I am a Vietnam combat vet and I have a lot of bad experience with the M16 platform because aluminum batters easily, the chamber is inaccessible from the outside, and mud and sand can still jam that puppy up. Trust me.
M14/M1As are long and heavy but go off every time you pull the trigger - and kill reliably - no matter what. Not only that, if you wish to restrain rather than obliterate, that wood stock is quite effective. As I said earlier, 7.62 NATO punches through almost anything with lots of energy to spare.
I have a buddy who also served in Vietnam but in the army. He debated me once about the M16/M14 in Vietnam and told me "the M14 was too heavy for Vietnam". I told him that I wished that he told me while he was there so "I could have sent him a big, strong Marine to hold the rifle up for him". He hasn't spoken much to me since then...