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Posted: 10/15/2009 5:23:42 PM EDT
| Is it WISE to have an AR chambered in .308 Remington on hand?? I have read some very interesting articles about that caliber and it's advantages, including a buddy back from Iraq that only rifle he owns is a DPMS .308?? Can anyone shed some light? |
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There are many arguments for both calibers.
Some military personnel still carry M-14's. They are heavier, the ammo is much heavier etc, but look at the ballistics. There is a difference. Depends on what you want it for. Or for the other comparison, shoot both at a metal gong at 100 yards, see which one is more impressive. Honestly, for the size of the .223 bullet, it does quite a bit of damage, but for flat out punch, it can't compare to the .308. |
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Quoted:
There are many arguments for both calibers. Some military personnel still carry M-14's. They are heavier, the ammo is much heavier etc, but look at the ballistics. There is a difference. Depends on what you want it for. Or for the other comparison, shoot both at a metal gong at 100 yards, see which one is more impressive. Honestly, for the size of the .223 bullet, it does quite a bit of damage, but for flat out punch, it can't compare to the .308. That's exactly my buddy's point for .308 is for knockdown power. Basically has it for a doomsday rifle. |
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Quoted:
I think if you want a .308 go with an FAL or M1A (M14 semi-clone). I'm not sayining anything bad about the AR-10 etc., but the others are actual battle proven weapons. That said, in general I'm a real fan of the .30 cal semi auto regardless. Current M1A's by SA are mostly made of commercial parts. The last Socom I owned had very few parts that I could identify as actual government issue, most were commercial SA copies, which aren't the same. The FAL has ergonomic issues, and I haven't been impressed with the ones I've owned, although I never bought an original pre ban import, or a high end gun like a DSA. Having said that, I don't think they have a real advantage over the commercial AR-10 variants we can buy now. The AR has good ergonomics, but just hasn't been fielded as a battle rifle. Personally though, my semis are AR's, and in .308 I have a bolt action tactical rifle. |
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I liked the good old days, when I could build a FAL for $300, buy mags for $2, and a 100rds of 7.62 surplus for $119.
You mean 1000 rounds for $119 (I actually paid $99/1000 delivered for half a pallet). At one time, I had enough FALs to outfit a rifle platoon with spares. I have since sold off the majority for multiples of what I had invested. Still have a couple hundred of those $2 mags, though. They are almost as reliable as an AK and you can clean them from the breech end. The FAL has ergonomic issues, and I haven't been impressed with the ones I've owned, although I never bought an original pre ban import, or a high end gun like a DSA .
It sure does have ergonomic issues - some of the best ergonomics in a medium caliber MBR extant. If you don't like them, that would make you part of a tiny, tiny minority. The problem with FALs is mechanical iron sight accuracy, since the rear sight is mated to the lower and the front sight to the upper. They can be accurate when they are tight, or an alternative sighting system is used, especially if the bore is not chromed. DSA, import, or homebuilt, a FAL is a FAL. There is not a whole lot of difference, even between inch and metric. One of my better ones was a true parts-bin gun - R1 lower, C.A.I. fcg, Argentine barrel (shortened to 18 inches), Hesse stainless receiver, Israeli sights, L1A1 bolt & carrier, Dutch stripper-style dustcover, TAPCO piston, and Penguin furniture. It has had over 5K rounds though it without a single hitch. It once went for 780 rounds without cleaning. I think I have about $280 total in the thing. Unlike the AR, you can run them dry and the 308 Win does pack a lot of punch. You don't want to try a standard FAL on full auto. Ask me how I know. 
I have only shot a couple of 308 ARs, a KAC and a DPMS. I think that they would be more accurate than a FAL or an M1A out of the box. The ones that I shot were virtually new and were honest 1.5 inch guns at 100 yards with iron sights. Considering how old my peepers are, I would call that pretty accurate. There is a lot to be said for certain tactical advantages of a cartridge like the 308 Win. Like my old crew chief used to say, "There ain't no substitute for horsepower." |
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