FN FAL or AR-10

[Mannlicher]

I would take the M1A over both the AR 10 and the FAL. I'd take it over the G91 as well.

[biathlon]

I love my M1A too as it's traditionally(not a pistol grip)stocked and with the 5 round magazine I can get real good offhand shots. You'll need a heavy after market stock like the J Allen Enterprises one to get real good cheek weld with optics though. For someone on a tight budget though you may want to look at these.http://www.jgsales.com/product_info....oducts_id/4241
Drag through the mud reliable and you can get the commie spam cans cheap with the stopping power for just about anything. If I were'nt a lefty I'd get ona these and replace the rear sight leaf with a scout rail and a low power long eye relief scout scope.
Don't forget, the M-14/M1A absolutly dominated service rifle competition world wide for 3 decades!

[Klayton]

@biathlon, that thing is SWEEEEET! But isnt the Rim ammo (7.62x54R) hard to come by and expensive?

Biathlon didnt answer my previous question, anybody know if you can buy hi-cap mags for the Remington 750 or the BAR?

[Tofu]

[QUOTE=Klayton;8483Biathlon didnt answer my previous question, anybody know if you can buy hi-cap mags for the Remington 750 or the BAR?[/QUOTE]

Quick Google search turned up this link. According to several sources the aftermarket mags are less than desireable.

[Godcopp]

But isnt the Rim ammo (7.62x54R) hard to come by and expensive?

Quite cheap if you don't mind surplus...

http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx?item=A76254R&name=Russian+7.62x54R+147grn+FMJ+440rd+Can&groupid=40

Clean ammo too.

[Klayton]

Thanks Tofu and Godcopp... Sometimes I get lazy and ask forum instead of googling, actually hoping someone with actual experience to the question answers in. :)

But if the non-manufacturer clips (yaya ok magazines) are not recommended, there has to be a reason... Not worth risking imo...

Thanks again.

Now how accurate is that Romanian 7.62x54R rifle I am wondering...

[biathlon]

The rimmed 7.62x54 is the best surplus ammo deal you can get right now. The spamm cans are still plentiful and cheap. The PSLs are at least 2 minute guns which is better than most can shoot. They are hard on brass though so you probably won't be able to reload the commercial stuff. My M39s love the Russian steel cased ammo and will shoot 1 minute with it if I do my part right. I've not heard good reviews on the aftermarket magazines for the Remmingtons. Unless we have an outright forreign invasion or some sort of Mumbai style attack I will stick to my bolt guns.

[Bearman202]

Isn't most of the 7.62x54 stuff berdan primed? i.e. not only corrosive, they're impossible to reload? I see a lot of that stuff at the range. Most of the other stuff gets picked up, but not that.

[biathlon]

The commie surplus is not reloadable but Winchester sells it in their white box with a 308 caliber bullet in it instead of the 311 that the Russian, Finnish and British rifles are chambered for. The Romanian rifles come with a chrome bore so the corrosive primer salts(perchlorate of mercury) are not an issue if you clean the gas system and barrel soon. If you're lucky you will still find the Russian 7N1 sniper loads at gun shows that is extremely accurate. You won't believe the Holy Mother of G ball of fire that comes from the 7.62 x 54 round. Interesting that that round both pre dates the Soviet Union and survived it.

[Bobjr59]

I've owned all 4 starting with the FN FAL G1 to heavy and didn't like dirt Followed by the Rock River LAR10 used the same mags as the G1 only problem I saw was replacement parts bought a Century Cetme to many problems then I had 2 Cetme's built by a HK builder LOVED Them worked the way they should Built myself a M1 Garand Dad ended up with her SWEET Rifle also owned a Federal Ordnance M14 She to was to heavy so long story short if you can find one go with a Beretta M59 it was based on the M1 Garand and uses M14 mags

[Rmplstlskn]

I'm sticking with the FAL because I own one and have buttloads of mags for it, back when they were almost given away... But if I were to do it all over again, and the choices in 308 were expanding like they are now (AR10 no longer the only choice in AR pattern), I may have not gone the FAL route... If I did, it would have been with a PARA FAL with a folding stock option. Mind you, I trust MY LIFE with the FAL going boom every time, but it is an aging platform with better options...

FAL cons: Requires aftermarket mounts to do any kind of optic. Free-float railed forearms heavy and expensive. Design is for reliable BATTLE use, not for sub-MOA tackdriving. Heavy... Trigger needs work, and even then only fair in quality.

FAL pros: Tough & reliable. Clean running, minimal & easy cleaning. Adjustable gas system. Mine is mostly stainless steel, so less concern about moisture and rust. 16" barrel is nice option.

That said, let me say what I have seen personally, in my own little firearm world...

M1A/M14: I have seen several rifles rip off case rims and several stuck shells... Quite a few failures to feed & extract... Just saying what I saw over the decades, I know nothing more about the specific rifles... Just that it happened and I saw it in my little corner of the world... Finicky with mags...

AR10: I have seen many AR10's with cycling issues that end in a failure to feed or double feed. One that was pushing bullets into the case as it fed, as the bullet tip was a lead softpoint and the lead tip was catching on lower reciever and pushing bullet in... Very dangerous situation... FMJ's are the cure, but leaves less ammo options.

I'm not up on the new 308 options out there, but I have seen Larry Vickers and other sites explore them and it seems we are at the edge of a .308 revolution due to GWOT demands. But all the new options are BIG $$$

Rmpl

[Benn Gleck]

I have an HK 91 that I think is a great rifle. It does have it's drawbacks such as poor ergonomics and trigger pull but I think those are made up for with cheap mags and the Hensoldt scope with a claw mount.

I bought mine when they were relativly cheap after reading Mel Tappan's books in the early 80's.

[Patriot Prepper]

I choose the AR platform. The only real AR 10 is made by the Armalite company, because that is their trademark. Other companies use the AR platform in the .308 caliber, including Rock River and DPMS.

I purchased the Rock River and almost choose the DPMS. I have a Rock River AR 15 and the Rock River LAR 8 chambered in .308 Win/7.62 NATO. I use a 20 inch barrel in the Rock River LAR 8. The gun is extremely accurate as is out of the box. I may free float the barrel for more accuracy. The DPMS with the long stainless bull barrel is also highly accurate out of the box. I am using my RR LAR 8 as a mid range SASS and not necessarily as a main battle rifle. For CQC I will transition to the AR 15. For long range up to 600 yards I will use a bolt action .308. Beyond 600 yard I will use the a .338 Lapua or .50 BMG.

Don't ask me how I will transition to various weapons, but it can be done with fall back positions and tactics. The main battle rifle is a military concept to train and employ a large combat force. It does not necessarily translate as well to survival or preppers who must often wear many hats and be highly mobile and flexible.

The FN FAL is a great weapon and build to endure. However, the copies of the the FN do not have the same reliability. The FN FAL is over priced for many budgets and I do not think that they have the accuracy of some of the AR 10 platforms. Also they are more expensive. But they are a great option.

Remember all weapons are tools and every tool has a specific role to play and cannot be used for every purpose. Your choice of weapons depends and your tactical role and philosophy as well as any practical measures within your budget restraints. Think overall strategy and purpose and of what you hope to accomplish in the area of defense. The logistics of your retreat may also dictate which defensive weapons systems you employ.

[Patriot Prepper]

There are other .308 Ar platform rifles besides the Rock River and DPMS. I am only experienced with those two brands and they are both highly accurate with the longer barrels (unless you purchase the DPMS SASS in 16 inch barrel). The reason I choose the RR over the DPMS was that the stainless barrel DPMS would require alterations to the barrel to retrofit a flash suppressor, mussel break, or sound suppressor. Also the shiny stainless barrel is harder to camo. The Rock River as purchased, without a free float barrel, included a match 2 stage trigger, and guaranteed 1 inch MOA accuracy. Also it is easy and inexpensive to install a free float tube. Of course their are other DPMS models but the long barrel stainless bull barrel was the most accurate model for the money. But it would also need a new trigger to get the accuracy of the Rock River in my opinion.

Most things I have stated here are opinion based on my limited experience with the various rifles and other people's mileage may vary. I will be purchasing about 4 or 5 of the same weapon, so there were various factors that I had to consider. I hope this post offers some help to you.

[Patriot Prepper]

Sorry, almost forgot. I also like the idea that the RR uses FAL magazines, both inch and metric.

I can pick these up for under $20. Lots of magazines are nice to have.