thank you...
Posted on 01/01/2011 10:02:58 PM PST by scott7278
INTRO
Let me guess, you have seen a few models in your local store, you have seen some ads in the gun rags, and a "guy" you know thinks his rifle is "the best." And now you need some help separating the wheat from the chaff, and have come here to find out what is best for you. Am I close?
I am going to assume you plan to take this into harm's way, or at least want a rifle CAPABLE of being taken onto a "two-way" range. If you just want a recreational shooter, just pick up whatever fits your budget at your local gunshop. If it doesn't work as advertised, no one gets hurt. But for those whose lives depend on meeting evil in this present age with force, and lots of it, keep reading...
The first question you SHOULD ask yourself, is "what's allowed?" For sworn Law Enforcement Officers employed by a department/agency, this could be as simple as "quality rifle approved by the Range Master." Or, it could be as picky as "Colt or Rock River Arms" (Dallas PD.) So BE SURE you get something that FITS YOUR POLICY, as well as fits your needs. Let's keep going...
Secondly, you should assess your tactical parameters. Are you a lone deputy out in the sticks? Are you a member of a dedicated SWAT team in an urban setting? This will all play into what you should look into. We'll talk about that later, so let's move along for now...
In addition, we need to consider what options you will be needing, and what accessories you will be running. These can range from slings, to sights, to lights, etc...
Regardless, you will need a rifle that is DEAD NUTS RELIABLE, and made to a degree of quality assurance...
(Excerpt) Read more at forums.officer.com ...
I’ve seen some lately at Cabelas, and heard they get them in at Big 5 from time to time. Gun shows often abound in these things. Online venues like Gun Brokers usually has them as well.
The usual ones are around $100 now, ones with better barrels are more but you’d have to know what you’re doing to get a good one without getting ripped off.
The ones commonly available these days are the 90/31s made at the Tula and Izhevsk factories in Russia before or during WWII. From the looks of them, they saw plenty of action, and were not typically maintained very well - but it doesn’t matter.
What DOES matter is that they were packed for storage after the war in a sunstance called cosmoline, and it still coats them. It is VERY difficult to remove, and if you don’t remove it, it will melt as the gun heats up after a few rounds, and mix with the shellac that coats most of the Eastern Bloc ammo, forming a tenaceous glue that will then freeze up the action - hence all the jokes about needing a 2x4 or sledge hammer to keep them running.
Both (2x4 and sledge hammer) work ok, but it is far preferable to go find the several web sites that have instructions for the processes known to remove the cosmoline. That’s a MUST! Keep working at it until it’s ALL gone!
Also, AmmoMan has some great quality 7.62 X 54R ammo that lacks the shellac, and this helps, too. Get 1000 rounds for $200 or so, and shoot it through your cosmoline-free gun to your heart’s content. Most fun-shooting gun you’ll ever own once it’s working right. Good luck.
Sunday after Christmas, I walked into our local Big Five and picked up a circular- found that they had Mosin Nagants on sale for $79.95! Needless to say, they were sold out. I was disappointed!
That would be great at a party (Hold mah’ beer and watch this!). I would imagine the muzzle blast is a sight to see.
thank you...
When I first posted # 65, the photo was viewable. Now, all I see is a square with a red x. WTH? Did I mess up?
30-06 - there will always be plenty of ammo for it!
Close work means some one screwed up may be what we wind up facing so a semi-automatic that is easy to field strip and clean and where ammo is plentiful will have to do for me.
“I told him it was a do-it-yourself project.”
Excellent!
Outside of that, I live in South Orange County near Laguna Beach, no bugs, great weather and my Wife loves her job.
Maybe someday, but for right now all I can hope to do is change the Leftist mindset here, one Libtard at a time. At the very least, I have a Brother in Colorado with a small arsenal, so I can just head there when things start to go bad. LOL
Yes, but pricey. In my Mini-14 obsession, pre-AR, I must have collected over 20 magazines trying to get it to work: PMI, Thermold, Mason, Eagle, and more. I have heard the factory 30 round is good, but still more expensive than the best mag ever, the Magpul PMag, for the AR.
Overall though, the Mini isn’t as accurate, light, mags aren’t as good or cheap or abundant as the AR, and I have just grown impatient. The AR just outclasses it on every level.
Otherwise, gently wipe the parts with mineral spirits. Avoid alcohol, because alcohol will strip the shellac from the stock.
Correct that to a 91/30, not a 90/31 - not enough coffee yet back when I posted that.
Great to see such a lively thread, y’all, and one that started with AR-15s and quickly branched out to all my favorites. Happy shooting until the shooting starts in earnest, then shoot well.
One of the best build your own AR-15 sites.
Also check out Model 1 Sales and Spikes Tactical.
You never know, though. Ruger has been trying to push the Mini further into the "tactical" niche, mostly for police departments. But as you say, the AR stlll outclasses the Mini, which even Ruger has acknowledged by selling their own AR clone (which is being received quite well, last I checked).
PFLTR
Seriesly, if I had to choose only one weapon for defense, it would be a AR15-type, or one of the fancier foreign 5.56mm weapons. It's the cartridge that's critical, and not the platform.
The 5.56mm cartridge is accurate and easy to shoot, making it easy to master. The quality weapons range from accurate to phenomenally accurate. Be sure to get some good combat optics, which double the weapon's effectiveness. Be prepared to spend almost as much as you did for the rifle.
The idea is to dominate the conflict over the broadest likely range. If you're not doing counter-sniper work, or shooting it out in the living room, the M16-type can be fast, accurate, and lethal out to 300m, if you've learned to master it.
The US military has historically engaged in firefights that average 176 yards. Police and civilian shootouts are at much smaller range. Your goal is to dominate the orc armed with an AK47 before he even realizes that he's within your range.
Again, this assumes one person, and one and only one weapon that handles the broadest range of situations. With a bit more leeway, I'd add a major-caliber handgun to my gear. Beyond that, I'd scrounge up enough buddies that the real experts with their "exotic" weapons can use their skills while the rest of us take care of "everyday" business with the 5.56mm weapons.
BFL
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