Looking for Advice: 5,56x45 & 7,62x51 Rifles - Range Toys That Can Handle The Suck

[Jay585]

I'm coming back into the firearms/self defense world after a long hiatus. At the beginning of the hiatus, I sold/gave to my father the firearms I owned. Selling off all your guns to follow a (former) girlfriend to Hawaii isn't something I'd recommend. I recently got a Glock 17, with another on the way, and now I'm looking at long guns.


#1 duty for this rifle is to be a range toy. I like paper punching (I grew up competing as a smallbore rifle shooter), though I'd also try some action/3 gun type shooting, and would like to take some kind of tactical class someday.

#2 duty is for this to be able to handle "the suck". SHTF events. I live near Oakland California (~30 minutes away). Rodney King-type rioting (or as a more recent example, the riots in Baltimore, MD) is possible, as are earthquakes, tsunamis, etc. I realize events like these are relatively unlikely to happen, and needing a rifle is even less likely; but we don't wear seatbelts because we know we're going to be in an accident - we wear 'em because they can happen.

I'd like both a 5.56 and a 7.62 NATO rifle. Ideally both would be the same "type" (like AR15/AR10 or SCAR16/17, et al), though I'm not at all averse to different platforms. Magazine fed, adjustable stock, pistol grip, and capable of accepting a red dot sight and a flashlight are my requirements.

I have a strong preference for an modernized (like this (http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2015/02/25/potd-full-auto-sar-48-with-11-barrel-fn-fal/)) 16" FN FAL and a Noveske Infidel, however the SCAR seems so popular that I cannot ignore it (ugly though it is).

What are your thoughts?

[HCM]

The SCAR essentially is a modernized FAL. Assuming you are buying high quality AR's, it's really a toss up. I have a SCAR H, and it's a great rifle, but I've been shooting and training with AR pattern rifles since the mid 1980's- for myself, that's a big advantage too give up.

For someone not already indocrinated on the the AR I think either would suit your uses. The SCAR would definitely be my number one recommendation for "something other than an AR".

[HCM]

As for selling guns to follow a woman, Conan's father has some advice for you.... ;)


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MKMG-FdCGtM

[Jay585]

The SCAR essentially is a modernized FAL. Assuming you are buying high quality AR's, it's really a toss up. I have a SCAR H, and it's a great rifle, but I've been shooting and training with AR pattern rifles since the mid 1980's- for myself, that's a big advantage too give up.

For someone not already indocrinated on the the AR I think either would suit your uses. The SCAR would definitely be my number one recommendation for "something other than an AR".

That's a good point. The most rifle experience I've had is with an Anschutz 1903 smallbore target rifle, followed by a CMP M1 Garand. THen I have some experience with an FAL and about the same (maybe a little less) with a Kalashnikov.

[DocGKR]

Jay585--You live in California; unless you had a bunch of pre-ban magazines and registered "Assault Weapons", then your best bets are weapons like a 12 ga. shotgun, perhaps a lever-action .30-30, an M1 rifle, or something like an M1 Carbine, Ruger Mini-14, or M1A.

[SecondsCount]

Something from the all around AR-15 thread would be my first choice but that sounds like it could be out of the question. I barely have an idea on what you can own in California. DocGKR made a list and I wouldn't want any of those for precision paper punching, maybe a slicked up M1A but even then that seems like a lot of money.

If you are shooting inside of 500 yards, then I would stay with 5.56 for a lot of reasons but mainly cost. If you are going to be shooting a lot of benchrest/precision then a quality bolt gun would be my choice. You could even pickup something like a 20" Remington SPS in 223 and put a Magpul Precision stock on it, maybe upgrade the trigger. The 1:9 twist will let you shoot 69 grain stuff through it.

For SHTF, I would get a good shotgun.

[elsquid]

Another option for CA is featureless rifles. Rifles that DON'T have any of:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=pen&group=30001-31000&file=30500-30530


(A) A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action
of the weapon.
(B) A thumbhole stock.
(C) A folding or telescoping stock.
(D) A grenade launcher or flare launcher.
(E) A flash suppressor.
(F) A forward pistol grip.

Are GTG, and there are a bunch of options.

Here's a "featureless" rifle picture thread from calguns:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=253777&page=18

Many common rifles ( AR/AK/PTR/FAL/etc ) can be made featureless.

-- Michael

[Jay585]

Thank you Michael.

Yeah don't worry about California compliance. We have ways of making it work. Pinning folding stocks open, bullet buttons, all kinds of things. And though these neutered rifles would kind of suck in emergency situations - my main goal is a range toy.