Thinking about a rifle purchase

[Dougw1515]

With all that's transpired recently I'm thinking a rifle purchase wouldn't be a bad idea. At least get one before whatever happens - happens. Trying to think of a scenario where I'd need one and haven't really come up with anything. I hesitate to call the purchase a "defensive" purchase but I suppose in the proper context that would be the case. I'm not interested, or don't think I am, in AR style pistol or SBR configurations. I've done some preliminary investigation trying to see what's available. My biggest hurdle is trying to determine the situation under which a rifle is my preferred choice of weapons. I live in a city/town. I don't see long range, beyond 100 yds., situation being the norm. Thought about pistol caliber type rifle, 9mm, and still am but trying to make that decision w/o much knowledge ain't all that easy. Stopping power is high on the list. I'm won't be real interested in trying to scare someone. If it get's to the point I feel a rifle is the weapon of choice stopping/take down power is where I want to be.

After just preliminary looking the Century Arms C308 rifle is on the list. Seems it has the stopping power and mid/long range accuracy. The one I saw has a 20 round magazine which, in multiples, should suffice.

What say you'uns?

 

[Bozz10mm]

Although a bit more expensive, I think I would prefer an M1A SOCOM. These were $1399 before they went OOS.

https://palmettostatearmory.com/springfield-armory-rifle-m1a-socom-308-win-kryptek-highlander-aa9613.html

 

[Moonpie]

AK variant.

 

[Sam7sf]

You didn’t mention capacity or weight. If you don’t care about the two I have a few suggestions.

with what moonpie posted get something in 7.62x39 it’s one of my favorites. Great short to midrange round.

if you aren’t interested in an ak look at getting an sks.

Consider a bolt action. A few companies build scout rifles. The ruger American line offers a lot for the money as with the savage line up. One rifle I have wanted to get my hands on is the ruger American in 6.5 Grendel.

 

[Dawico]

AK or AR would be the best options right now.

I really don't like jumping into fairly new calibers but an AR15 in 350 Legend might be a good choice since that's all you will be able to find ammo for. It will meet your needs.

Now is not the time to stock up on 5.56, 308, or 7.62 x39 ammo. It's too late unless you just have a bunch of money to throw at this.

 

[Dawico]

Just want to add that gun shows have everything you need besides a bank on site for a loan.

 

[Dougw1515]

actually... recently Academy has had fairly good inventory of the 5.56 and 7.62x39 calibers and their pricing is acceptable. Just judging as an observer it looks like, for the previous 2-3 weeks, the ammo mfgs. concentrated on rifle ammunition as it was staying in inventory much longer than what has been normal. At the same time 9mm, in quantities, became way more difficult to locate. As of yesterday it seems the pistol ammo is back in inventory a little stronger than it had been being. All of this could be driven by primer availability as well.

I think I want to stay with a Semi-automatic whatever caliber/style I end up with.

Thus far no one has commented on pistol caliber rifles. Bad idea? Specifically I'd be looking at a rifle 9mm.

 

[Moonpie]

9x19mm out of a long gun is a dog of a round.
Its too low powered. The round actually loses velocity in a 16” barrel. Thats why true sub-guns have a 9-10” barrel. Same for the .45aarp.

You’d be better off with a .22magnum in something like the Kel-Tec CMR-30.

 

[baboon]

Thus far no one has commented on pistol caliber rifles. Bad idea? Specifically I'd be looking at a rifle 9mm.

Realistically a 9 mm carbine is fine for what it was designed for, clearing rooms & other close in shooting.

Now you will see short barrel AR in 5.56, filling that roll. The AR gained popularity because it is adaptability. You can have a AR in both 9mm & 5.56, along with other calibers!

 

[Dawico]

Thus far no one has commented on pistol caliber rifles. Bad idea? Specifically I'd be looking at a rifle 9mm.

They're nice but a little under powered for 100 yard targets.

Fun range toy when ammo is cheap.

 

[GeorgeS]

A long-barreled with full-length magazine lever -action in .357 magnum, (which could shoot .38 Special), .45 Colt or .30-30 would meet the criteria without excessive weight.

 

[oldag]

Your Century would be fine. You could also look at a PRT91 .308 (mags used to be cheap and easy to find, at least used to be don't know about today).

But I would urge you to consider an AR10 as well.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

I believe Jackash bought something he might sell.

 

[Sam7sf]

9x19mm out of a long gun is a dog of a round.
Its too low powered. The round actually loses velocity in a 16” barrel. Thats why true sub-guns have a 9-10” barrel. Same for the .45aarp.

You’d be better off with a .22magnum in something like the Kel-Tec CMR-30.

My experience was the other way around. My keltec sub2000 is accurate enough out to 100 for hitting a torso.

my cmr was fun but not even remotely as accurate as my ruger American. Yeah I know apples and oranges.

Both my sub2000 and ruger pc9 are fine rifles and running 147 grain loads suppressed is nice.

 

[GoPappy]

Have you considered a lever action rifle in .44 magnum. 44mag thumps pretty hard out of a rifle.

And that would then give you the perfect excuse reason to buy a nice double action or single action revolver in the same caliber.

 

[satx78247]

With all that's transpired recently I'm thinking a rifle purchase wouldn't be a bad idea. At least get one before whatever happens - happens. Trying to think of a scenario where I'd need one and haven't really come up with anything. I hesitate to call the purchase a "defensive" purchase but I suppose in the proper context that would be the case. I'm not interested, or don't think I am, in AR style pistol or SBR configurations. I've done some preliminary investigation trying to see what's available. My biggest hurdle is trying to determine the situation under which a rifle is my preferred choice of weapons. I live in a city/town. I don't see long range, beyond 100 yds., situation being the norm. Thought about pistol caliber type rifle, 9mm, and still am but trying to make that decision w/o much knowledge ain't all that easy. Stopping power is high on the list. I'm won't be real interested in trying to scare someone. If it get's to the point I feel a rifle is the weapon of choice stopping/take down power is where I want to be.

After just preliminary looking the Century Arms C308 rifle is on the list. Seems it has the stopping power and mid/long range accuracy. The one I saw has a 20 round magazine which, in multiples, should suffice.

What say you'uns?

DougW1515,

My friends here already KNOW what I'll suggest: a GOOD/USED PUMP-rifle by Remington in any of the "popular deer hunting calibers", with a 5/10 or larger cartridge capacity, as those rifles are TOUGH, LONG-LASTING & generally trouble-free with minimal owner maintenance.
(MY SHTF rifle, IF I have a choice, is my circa 1960 Model 760 CARBINE in .30-06 with the 10 & 15-round "after-market" magazines. - I paid 200.oo for it OTD.)
NOTE: I'M STILL LOOKING for a MODEL 7600P CARBINE in 7.62X51NATO & at least FOUR 10 or 15-round magazines for it.
(When I find one, I will have El Paso Saddlery make me a saddle holster for the police carbine, as I like to hunt from horseback.)

ADDENDA: Another thing to consider in buying a rifle "for trying times" is AMMO AVAILABILITY. = 5.56NATO, .30-30WCF,.308WCF/7.62NATO & .30-06 are WIDELY available, even in very small rural places in the USA, Canada & much of Latin America.
(I once bought 4 boxes of "aught six" JSP at a Shell service station in a TINY "far from anywhere" VA town.)

Even in a "CRAZY Joe & da 'HO" administration that "goes all-out for" so-called "gun control", pump rifles/carbines are UNLIKELY to ever be a target of the gun-grabbers.

just my OPINION, satx

 

[Nightwatch]

With all that's transpired recently I'm thinking a rifle purchase wouldn't be a bad idea. At least get one before whatever happens - happens. Trying to think of a scenario where I'd need one and haven't really come up with anything. I hesitate to call the purchase a "defensive" purchase but I suppose in the proper context that would be the case. I'm not interested, or don't think I am, in AR style pistol or SBR configurations. I've done some preliminary investigation trying to see what's available. My biggest hurdle is trying to determine the situation under which a rifle is my preferred choice of weapons. I live in a city/town. I don't see long range, beyond 100 yds., situation being the norm. Thought about pistol caliber type rifle, 9mm, and still am but trying to make that decision w/o much knowledge ain't all that easy. Stopping power is high on the list. I'm won't be real interested in trying to scare someone. If it get's to the point I feel a rifle is the weapon of choice stopping/take down power is where I want to be.

After just preliminary looking the Century Arms C308 rifle is on the list. Seems it has the stopping power and mid/long range accuracy. The one I saw has a 20 round magazine which, in multiples, should suffice.

What say you'uns?

I agree agin' it...those were my reasons. I decided a coupla 20 ga Winchesters and a single shot shorty were my "long" guns. I just couldn't find a real need for a rifle.

 

[Maverick44]

With all that's transpired recently I'm thinking a rifle purchase wouldn't be a bad idea. At least get one before whatever happens - happens. Trying to think of a scenario where I'd need one and haven't really come up with anything. I hesitate to call the purchase a "defensive" purchase but I suppose in the proper context that would be the case. I'm not interested, or don't think I am, in AR style pistol or SBR configurations. I've done some preliminary investigation trying to see what's available. My biggest hurdle is trying to determine the situation under which a rifle is my preferred choice of weapons. I live in a city/town. I don't see long range, beyond 100 yds., situation being the norm. Thought about pistol caliber type rifle, 9mm, and still am but trying to make that decision w/o much knowledge ain't all that easy. Stopping power is high on the list. I'm won't be real interested in trying to scare someone. If it get's to the point I feel a rifle is the weapon of choice stopping/take down power is where I want to be.

After just preliminary looking the Century Arms C308 rifle is on the list. Seems it has the stopping power and mid/long range accuracy. The one I saw has a 20 round magazine which, in multiples, should suffice.

What say you'uns?

If you are going with 7.62/308, a CETME/G3 style gun is not a bad choice. I would be wary of Century though as the people who assemble guns for them are the type of people to hammer a square peg through a round hole. If possible, inspect and fire the gun in person before buying.

Otherwise for 7.62/308, I feel that the AR-10 is the best battle rifle followed by the FAL. You can modernize an FAL fairly easily if that's your thing.

Now, if you just really want a roller delayed blowback rifle, might I suggest you look into a CETME L in 5.56. Both HMG and MarColMar make them. If you want to use modern optics on them, be sure to pick up one that already has a pic rail on it.

HMG™ CETME-L | Hill & Mac Gunworks

www.hmgunworks.com

CETME - MarColMar Firearms

marcolmarfirearms.com

For what you are describing as your needs though, I really feel that a 5.56 or 7.62x39 is better. There's a reason that most militaries have dropped full powder cartridges like the 308 for their infantry rifles. Intermediate cartridges just do the job better. They have plenty of "knockdown" power, they recoil less, and are far lighter to carry than 308. The place that 7.62/308 really shines is in machineguns.

An AR-15 or a modernized AK will probably serve you the best. They will be lighter than a 7.62/308, they will hold more ammo, they will likely be cheaper or at least comparable, and they will be easier to shoot.

As others have said, ammo availability might be a significant issue. I do not keep up with ammo availability or prices since I reload pretty much everything I shoot, so I don't know what all is or isn't available right now. You might look into the oddball MSR cartridges. 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, 300 Blackout, 6mm Arc, ect. That would pretty much limit you to the AR-15.

If you are dead set on a full powered cartridge, you can probably build an AR-10 in 22 Creedmoor, 243 Win, 6mm Creedmoor, 260 Rem, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08, or 338 Federal relatively easily.

 

[flgfish]

I really like my ARs. But I've had my eye on a bigger lever action lately. I really enjoy shooting my lever action 22.

 

[lonestardiver]

Some of the CETME’s have fluted chambers....so it does a number on the brass. If you reload, you likely cannot reuse that once fired (now fluted) brass.