gun opinions...

[domerox]

hey i am looking for a FN FAL, .308 AR body, or M14 rifle to use for general purpose including hunting. a 30-06 is also an option i just wondering for a SEMI-AUTO .308 or 30-06 preferably in military styling, like FAL or M14

cheap is good. money is an issue and i dont want to spend a lot on a gun.

[RunningOnMT]

Originally Posted by domerox

hey i am looking for a FN FAL, .308 AR body, or M14 rifle to use for general purpose including hunting. a 30-06 is also an option i just wondering for a SEMI-AUTO .308 or 30-06 preferably in military styling, like FAL or M14

cheap is good. money is an issue and i dont want to spend a lot on a gun.

Look at a Saiga .308

[domerox]

thank you for that that seems like a good option i am just wondering if the MOA is good enough for hunting. and price isnt bad.

[gdmoody]

ROMT is probably right.

M1A (M14) = $1500+
FN FAL = $1000+
Armalite AR10 = $1200+
Saiga .308 = $500 - $700

These $ amounts came from the most popular gun auction site.

[domerox]

awesome and i think having a russian AK styled gun will look pretty cool. ill really look into those. i just saw a local good looking store with garands, which would be the better hunter?

[Zhurh]

I hunted with a 6.8 spc stag carbine with acog last year and really liked her. Light, short, no kick at all, and I killed caribou at over 500 yards; and I'm sure I could kill a moose if it was within 200 yards and I could guarantee kill zone shot. Sure was nice with team sling off 4 wheeler, snowmachine, and road hunting outta the truck.

My long rifles never seem to leave the gun vault anymore unless I'm figuring on shooting across the river or something.

I'll be using a new AR-10 in 338 federal this fall, kinda way too heavy but mostly will be on atv or in truck anyway.

Look that 6.8 spc over, I think it's similar to 308 in knock down power. I actually bought it for my daughter who shoots my old pre ban AR 556 at targets and wood chunks in the river during high water; she wanted it. The acog really got me with the horse shoe ghost ring. I'm going to put the same acog scope on armalite.

[RunningOnMT]

Domerox, I can't attest to the Saiga .308's accuracy but my .223 came certified from factory to shoot 4 moa @ 100yds. Not too hot, but then again that's why they sell for the price they do. I have never carefully sighted it in, so it might be better than that.

[JLA]

the saiga is more than adequate for hunting within reasonable distances (out to 200 or 300 yds) It aint gonna be no 1000 yd nail driver but should have no problem holding minute of deer at 300 yds with good ammo and proper shooting technique.

[JLA]

Originally Posted by domerox

awesome and i think having a russian AK styled gun will look pretty cool. ill really look into those. i just saw a local good looking store with garands, which would be the better hunter?

Garand all the way brother. I am a huge Garand fan and the .30-06 is more than adequate to kill anything south of the north pole.

Plus a well tuned Garand will shoot more than acceptably at 1000 yds.

[domerox]

garands look good, and they can drop everything. looks like the best option. just what is the best price for them (what should i be paying)

[JLA]

shoot. Good serviceable garands can be had for around 800, maybe less if you go thru the CMP if available.

But they can be as high as 2 grand depending on condition, make, designation, etc.

[gdmoody]

I got my M1 at the CMP going on three year ago and I paid in the neighborhood of $400 for it shipped. You can still get one from them for $495 if you Meet the eligibility requirements.

http://www.thecmp.org/m1garand.htm

[Buckshot]

George Patton called the M1 Garand "the greatest single battle implement ever devised by man." They are great rifles to be sure. And the .30-06 will comfortably take any game in North America save the brown bear. However, and this is NOT insignificant, they are damnable heavy things. There's most of a fair size tree in the furniture. Depending on variation, the weight is listed as 9.5 - 11.6 pounds. And that's WITHOUT a scope. That is way, WAY too heavy to carry in the field as a hunting arm.

[domerox]

well ill look at the cmp and i accept the weight as a challenge. i shoot shotgun and me carrying a 8+ pound gun with 50+ shells isn't unheard of.

[CampingJosh]

Originally Posted by domerox

well ill look at the cmp and i accept the weight as a challenge. i shoot shotgun and me carrying a 8+ pound gun with 50+ shells isn't unheard of.

Sounds like a young fella. Ten pounds is nothing... for awhile. My starting weight on my week-long hike along the AT was right at 38 lbs. Finished around 30. But wearing a backpack is way different than carrying a gun.

I need to look at picking up a Garand... but it's going to be quite awhile.

[AmmoForSale.com]

The Garand is always a great option. Ammo is going to be a little more expensive than using .308.

It's not on your list but have you looked at the FNAR? It's the best semi auto accuracy out of the box. You can get smaller magazines for hunting. There is a hunting version available from Remington I believe but it's camo and not black. The lighter barrel variants are typically cheaper and easier to find. CDNN had them on sale for right around 1k.

I was at the same crossroads as you and while I still want a M1A, FN FAL & AR10, but the FNAR seems a better option for me.


__________________
rifle ammo for sale

[TTE]

Originally Posted by JLA

the .30-06 is more than adequate to kill anything south of the north pole.

Usually we agree on most things. However, I will disagree on this statement.

Ability to kill something is not the same as hunting something with the ability to kill it under reasonable hunting conditions.

The 30 06' is certainly capable of killing everything South of the North Pole. However, it is not the best choice for hunting everything South of the North Pole.

It can kill the large bears, but would not be a cartridge of choice for those that regularly hunt Brown and Polar Bears (or even long shots at Elk)

[carver]

Originally Posted by domerox

well ill look at the cmp and i accept the weight as a challenge. i shoot shotgun and me carrying a 8+ pound gun with 50+ shells isn't unheard of.

I'm gonna step in here as I have a Sagia in .308. I have shot one group at 100yds that measured 2 1/4", and have not been able to repeat it with the same ammo. Usually I get groups in the 6" area. Now that will drop a deer, but it won't put that bullet exactly where you want it. I have used bullets from 4 different manufactures, and bullet weights from 150 - 190. My gun seams to like the lighter bullets better. I would go with the Garand. It won't cost any more than the Sagia, but I'm sure it will shoot better. Be prepared to wait for the Garand, you can't just go buy one unless you have deep pockets. CMP is the best way to go if you want to save some money.

[JLA]

Originally Posted by TTE

Usually we agree on most things. However, I will disagree on this statement.

Ability to kill something is not the same as hunting something with the ability to kill it under reasonable hunting conditions.

The 30 06' is certainly capable of killing everything South of the North Pole. However, it is not the best choice for hunting everything South of the North Pole.

It can kill the large bears, but would not be a cartridge of choice for those that regularly hunt Brown and Polar Bears (or even long shots at Elk)

I can see your point, but i will add also, that it will still very much fill the bill in the hands of a skilled hunter/shooter and loaded with the proper bullets for the animal in persuit... If you stick a 200 gr Barnes X into the vitals of a polar at anywhere between point blank and 400 yds hes gonna die. Same goes for Grizzly and Elk. Course, that said. Its definitely not the weapon of choice if I were being charged by an angry griz. There Id want something big and bowerful that will penetrate nasal to anus, the X frame smith .500 with 400 gr Cast would do nicely...

[domerox]

well the CMP is looking to be my friend. and i seriously doubt ill be brown bear hunting regularly in texas

[6x6pinz]

I also have a Saiga in .308 and would not consider it in the same class as the Garand. I like my Saiga as a shooter but 300yds is going to be tough to keep decent groups. On the garand care needs to be taken as a bunch of the less expensive ones have been shot out. The Garand needs to be looked at very close but is by far the better rifle if it is in good condition.

[hkruss]

Just a few things to know about hunting with a Garand.

If you are going to use off the shelf new hunting ammo, you will want to install an adjustable gas plug in the rifle as the hotter new ammo (as opposed to mil-surp) of today, can very likely damage the op-rod. These adjustable gas plugs can be found at places like Midway or Brownells. They are around 40 bucks and they are easy to install. You will need to tune it up at the range prior to hunting, but the instructions will tell you how. It's not hard to do.
I believe Hornady still currently markets a 30.06 hunting round designed for the Garand if you don't want to be changing gas plugs. Be prepared to pay 35 or 40 bucks a box though (if you can find it)!
Some folks may say shoot what you want through it, but I personally would not want to chance ruining an op-rod on a piece of history such as the Garand!

Good Luck


.

[JLA]

Originally Posted by Buckshot

George Patton called the M1 Garand "the greatest single battle implement ever devised by man." They are great rifles to be sure. And the .30-06 will comfortably take any game in North America save the brown bear. However, and this is NOT insignificant, they are damnable heavy things. There's most of a fair size tree in the furniture. Depending on variation, the weight is listed as 9.5 - 11.6 pounds. And that's WITHOUT a scope. That is way, WAY too heavy to carry in the field as a hunting arm.

for most I agree. but then there are gluttons for punishment, like myself that go into the deer fields of Texas with a 12 pound custom loaded with just 5 rounds and a sidearm, usually my 1911 with 8 rounds of 230 gr XTPs. And a snack bag with 2 or 3 bottles of water in it. Damnable heavy??? depends on how far to my stand. or worse, if I do kill a deer. how far do I have to drag it, the rifle, bag and sidearm to get back to the trail so i can retrieve it with the truck...... I love hunting

[JLA]

Originally Posted by hkruss

Just a few things to know about hunting with a Garand.

If you are going to use off the shelf new hunting ammo, you will want to install an adjustable gas plug in the rifle as the hotter new ammo (as opposed to mil-surp) of today, can very likely damage the op-rod. These adjustable gas plugs can be found at places like Midway or Brownells. They are around 40 bucks and they are easy to install. You will need to tune it up at the range prior to hunting, but the instructions will tell you how. It's not hard to do.
I believe Hornady still currently markets a 30.06 hunting round designed for the Garand if you don't want to be changing gas plugs. Be prepared to pay 35 or 40 bucks a box though (if you can find it)!
Some folks may say shoot what you want through it, but I personally would not want to chance ruining an op-rod on a piece of history such as the Garand!

Good Luck


.

solid advice HKR

[domerox]

I was going to order the Greek in enblocks