Rifle Crank

"Arfcom"

2009-10-27T11:51:00.001-05:00

Not just about the rifle, although being a gun owner who at least appreciates Gene Stoner's famous design is at the core of Arfcom (a contraction of "AR-15 dot com") membership. From that beginning, this site goes more places than one can imagine and covers the entire political spectrum. Don't believe me? Then check out General Discussion. A word to the wise, though: if you are thin-skinned, it would be advisable to avoid GD and just stick to the more informational sections of the site. Otherwise, your first visit may be your last. No matter your position on politics, you will be met with derision if you appear to take yourself too seriously.
As for the rest of the site, most firearm-oriented interests are covered, at least superficially. You won't find much in-depth technical information here; for that you must go to more specialized sites, but you will probably find folks here who can at least direct you towards more appropriate sites.
Also, you will find similar coverage of camping, survival, ham radio and many other topics.
If you are into guns and outdoor activities, you will probably find your niche here.

in reference to: AR15.Com (view on Google Sidewiki)

AR-15 Weakness

2009-09-02T16:08:00.004-05:00

The AR-15 is an accurate, ergonomically well-designed rifle, and it has proven to be a reliable design. However, when subjected to extreme conditions of dust, dirt and sand, it has proven to be somewhat more prone to failures to feed than, for example, the AK series of rifles. Most people attribute this to the direct-impingement gas system, as compared to the piston/operating rod system of the AK. The real culprit is the cam pin, which can drag on the side wall of the slot it rides in, especially when the bolt face contacts the top cartridge in the magazine in order to strip it from the magazine and feed it into the chamber. This drag slows the forward movement of the bolt/carrier assembly. Add dirt to increase the friction, and this can slow the assembly enough to cause a failure to feed.
At least one company now sells a cam pin with a sealed bearing on the end instead of the fixed rectangular head of the standard pin. This allows the pin to roll, rather than slide, along the slot it rides in.
Another option would be to spring-load the bolt to prevent the pin from contacting the wall of the slot. The buffer spring rate would need to be increased, so as to overcome the bolt spring and allow the bolt to go fully into battery.

Winchester Model 1894

2008-11-15T22:07:00.001-06:00

Winchester Model 1894 (also known as Winchester .30-30 rifle, Winchester 94, Win 94,, .30-30 Winchester, or simply .30-30) is one of the most famous and most popular hunting rifles. It was designed by John Browning in 1894, and was produced by Winchester Repeating Arms Company until they ceased to manufacture rifles in 2006.

[hide]

[edit] Overview

The original Model 1894 was produced in .32-40 Winchester, .38-55 Winchester, .25-35 Winchester, .30-30 Winchester, and .32 Winchester Special. It was the first sporting rifle to sell over 7,000,000 units. The millionth Model 1894 was given to President Calvin Coolidge in 1927, the 1½ millionth rifle to President Harry S. Truman on May 8, 1948 and the two millionth unit was given to President Dwight Eisenhower in 1953.^[1]^[2]

It was the first hunting rifle chambered for the (then) new smokeless powder cartridges. The .30-30 Winchester is the cartridge that has become synonymous with the Model 1894 rifle.

In 1964 the manufacturing of the 94 was changed in order to make the firearm less expensive to produce. Generally "pre-64" rifles command a premium price over post-64 rifles.

Winchester 1894 Models were also manufactured in typical handgun calibers such as .38 Special/.357 Magnum, .44 Special/.44 Magnum, .45 Colt (sometimes called the .45 Long Colt or .45 Cowboy) as well as the .44-40 Winchester. Typically, the tube magazine is able to hold 9 to 13 rounds of the previously mentioned handgun calibers. The magazine capacity depends on the length of the barrel, as the tube magazine (located below the barrel) typically covers the entire length of the barrel.

Handgun calibers are preferred by modern day Cowboy Action Shooters as it allows one type of ammunition for both rifle and handgun. A typical combination would be an 1873 Colt (Colt Peacemaker or clone) and a Winchester (or another lever action made by, for example, Uberti or Marlin Firearms) capable of shooting the same type of ammunition. The 1894 action, designed for smokeless rifle rounds, is much stronger than the action of the Winchesters (Models 1866, 1873, 1876) that were based on Benjamin Henry's toggle-link system, and can easily handle modern high-pressure pistol cartridges such as .44 Magnum. (So also can the even stronger Model 1892, another Browning design, but the '92 ceased production in 1941).

U.S. production was shut down in 2006. There were 14 versions of the Model 94 in the 2005 Winchester catalog.

The Winchester 1894 holds the record for best-selling high-powered rifle in U.S. history.^[3]

[edit] Winchester vs Marlin design

One of the drawbacks of the Model 1894 action in relation to its current competitors, the Marlin Model 336 and Marlin Model 1894, is that it ejects out the top of the receiver, unlike the Marlins, which eject to the side and have solid top receivers. The reason this is sometimes considered a drawback is that a top-ejecting firearm cannot mount a scope on top of the receiver, but instead must mount it either on the barrel in front of the receiver or offset to the side, degrading the usefulness and availability of a scope. In contrast, some users prefer not to scope a rifle best suited for use at ranges of 50 to less than 125 yards, to reduce carrying weight, and to retain the ability to acquire game sight pictures more quickly while firing at moving game.

Winchester alleviated the top ejection issue with an angular ejection change that was implemented on later model rifles (early 1980s), which eject empty shells out at an angle between the original Winchester design and the Marlin design. This change in ejection angle made it possible to mount scopes in a more normal position on top of the receiver. The mid 1990s brought a change from the long-used half-cock notch safety to a cross-bolt safety like the aforementioned Marlins. Many longtime users, however, prefer the original half-cock notch safety design over the newer cross-bolt "lawyer" safety. The last Winchester 94s to leave the New Haven factory before production ceased in 2006 had tang-mounted safeties.

[edit] See also

Winchester rifle

[edit] References

^ Google Book Search, p.42
^ Henshaw, Thomas (1993). The History of Winchester Firearms 1866-1992. New York: Winchester Press. ISBN 9780832905032.
^ Harold A. Murtz, ed. Gun Digest Treasury (DBI Books, 1994), p.190

Henrotin, Gerard Winchester Model 94 Explained - H&L Publishing / HLebooks.com 2008 (E-book)

This article or section includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations.
You can improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (September 2007)

[edit] External links

Winchester Model 1894 Classic Gun Review by Chuck Hawks
Winchester Pre '64 Model 94 Classic Gun Review by Chuck Hawks
Winchester Model 1894 US Patent no. 524,702 & other resources
Winchester 1894 Legacy review by Jeff Quinn

[hide] v • d • e John Browning

Semi-automatic pistols	FN M1900 · Colt M1900 · Colt M1902 · FN Model 1903 · M1903 Pocket Hammer · M1903 Pocket Hammerless · M1908 Vest Pocket · FN Model 1910 · M1911 · Colt Woodsman · Hi-Power

Rifles	Winchester Model 1885 · Winchester Model 1886 · Winchester 1892 · Winchester Model 1894 · Winchester Model 1895 · Remington Model 8 · Remington Model 24 · FN Trombone

Shotguns	Winchester Model 1887 · Winchester Model 1897 · Browning Auto-5/Remington Model 11 · Remington Model 17 · Savage Model 520 · Browning Superposed

Machine guns	Colt-Browning M1895 · Browning M1917 · Browning Automatic Rifle · Browning M1919 · M2 Machine Gun

Cartridges	.25 ACP · .32 ACP · .38 ACP · .380 ACP · .45 ACP · .50 BMG

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_1894"

Categories: Rifles | Winchester Repeating Arms Company

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The AR-15

2008-08-05T16:29:00.001-05:00

AR-15 · Guns

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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AR-15
The AR-15 can come in many different varieties of size, options, and manufacturer
Type	Automatic / Semi-automatic rifle / Service rifle
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1958 to present
Production history
Designer	Eugene Stoner
Designed	1957
Specifications
Weight	2.27 kg - 3.9 kg (5.5 - 8.5 lb)
Barrel length	20 in (508 mm) standard 16 in (406 mm) 14.5 in (368 mm)

Cartridge	.223 Remington, 5.56 NATO
Action	Direct impingement / Rotating bolt
Rate of fire	800 rounds/min (fully automatic versions only)^[1]^[2]^[3]
Muzzle velocity	975 m/s (3,200 ft/s)^[4]^[5]
Effective range	550 m (600 yd)^[6]^[7]^[8]
Feed system	Various STANAG Magazines.
Sights	Adjustable front and rear iron sights

AR-15 (for Armalite model 15) is the common name for a widely-owned^[9] semi-automatic rifle patterned after the fully automatic M16 rifle or M4 carbine. Civilian AR-15 rifles are highly configurable and are commonly fitted with pistol grips that protrude conspicuously beneath the action of the rifle, folding or telescoping stocks, threaded barrels, and bayonet mounts, and are capable of accepting detachable magazines of widely varying capacities. The original ArmaLite/Colt AR-15, distinguished from later civilian-model trademarked AR-15 rifles marketed by Colt Firearms, was a selective-fire prototype submitted for consideration as a military infantry rifle later adopted as the M16.

[hide]

[edit] History

The AR-15 is based on the 7.62 mm AR-10, designed by Eugene Stoner of the Fairchild ArmaLite corporation.^[10] The AR-15 was developed as a lighter, 5.56 mm version of the AR-10. The "AR" in AR-15 comes from the ArmaLite name, not "assault rifle" as is commonly believed; ArmaLite's AR-1, AR-5, and some subsequent models were bolt action rifles, and there are shotguns and pistols whose model numbers also include the "AR" prefix.^[10]

Colt AR-15 Sporter SP1 Carbine

ArmaLite sold its rights to the AR-10 and AR-15 to Colt in 1959. Colt marketed the AR-15 rifle to various military services around the world, including the U.S. Air Force, Army, and Marine Corps. The AR-15 was eventually adopted by the United States military under the designation M16. However, Colt continued to use the AR-15 trademark for its semi-automatic variants (AR-15, AR-15A2) marketed to civilian and law-enforcement customers. The original AR-15 was a very lightweight weapon, weighing less than 6 pounds with empty magazine, though later heavy-barrel versions of the civilian AR-15 can weigh upwards of 8.5 lbs.^[11]^[12]

Today the civilian-model AR-15 and its variations are manufactured by many companies and have captured the affection of sport shooters and police forces around the world due to their accuracy and modularity. (Please refer to the M16 for a more complete history of the development and evolution of the AR-15 and derivatives.)

The trademark "AR15" or "AR-15" is registered to Colt Industries, which maintains that the term should only be used to refer to their products. Other manufacturers make AR-15 clones marketed under separate designations, although colloquially these are sometimes also referred to by the term AR-15.

Some notable features of the AR-15 include:

Aircraft grade aluminum receiver
Modular design allows for a variety of accessories and makes repair easier
Small caliber, accurate, high velocity round
Synthetic stock and grips do not warp or splinter
Front sight adjustable for elevation
Rear sight adjustable for windage and elevation
Wide array of optical devices available in addition to or as replacements of iron sights
A direct impingement gas system

AR-15 sight picture

Semi-automatic and automatic variants of the AR-15 are effectively identical in appearance. Automatic variants have a rotating selective fire switch, allowing the operator to select between three modes: safe, semi-automatic, and either automatic or three round burst, depending on model. Civilian AR-15 models usually do not have three-round burst or automatic settings on the fire selector. In semi-automatic only variants, the selector only rotates between safe and semi-automatic.

[edit] Operating mechanism

M16 rifle firing

The mechanism of operation for the rifle is known as direct gas impingement. Gas is tapped from the barrel as the bullet moves past a gas port located above the rifle's front sight base. The gas rushes into the port and down a gas tube located above the barrel. The gas tube runs from the front sight base into the AR-15's upper receiver. Here, the gas tube telescopes into a “gas key” which accepts the gas and funnels it into the bolt carrier. The movement of gas into the bolt carrier forces the bolt and carrier backwards in a line with the stock of the rifle. As the bolt carrier moves towards the butt of the gun, the bolt begins to turn and unlock from the barrel extension. Once the bolt is fully unlocked it begins rearward movement along with the bolt carrier. The cam pin is responsible for the bolt's rotation as it follows a groove cut into the carrier that twists and forces the bolt to unlock. Once the bolt is unlocked, the bolt carrier and bolt continue to move towards the butt of the gun and the chambered casing is extracted and ejected out the side of the upper receiver.

A return spring located behind a buffer then pushes the bolt carrier back towards the chamber. A groove machined into the upper receiver traps the cam pin and prevents it and the bolt from rotating into a closed position. The bolt's locking lugs then push a fresh round out of the magazine, up the feed ramps and into the chamber. As the bolt's locking lugs move past the barrel extension, the cam pin is allowed to twist into a pocket milled into the upper receiver. This twisting action follows the groove cut into the carrier and forces the bolt to twist and “lock” into the barrel’s extension.

[edit] Variants

See also: AR-15 variants

Colt AR-15 A3 Tactical Carbine. Rifle is shown with a CQB Tactical Sling and a Colt 4x20 scope.

The AR15 rifle is available in a wide range of configurations from a number of manufacturers. These configurations range from short carbine-length models with features such as adjustable length stocks and optical sights, to heavy barrel models.

Aftermarket upper receivers that incorporate barrels of different weights and lengths, and handle different caliber ammunition, abound for this rifle. They are very easily installed, due to the rifle's modular design. These calibers include (in caliber size order):

Pistol calibers:

Rifle calibers:

+ Many obscure cartridges.

When installing a new complete upper receiver, particularly one designed to handle a different caliber of ammunition (i.e. other than .223 Remington or 5.56 x 45 mm NATO), some modification to the contents of the lower receiver may also be required, depending on the particular conversion. For example, a conversion to 9mm typically would involve the installation of a magazine well block (to accommodate a typical 9mm magazine, such as Uzi or Colt SMG), replacing the .223 hammer with one designed for 9mm ammunition, and depending on the original stock, replacing the buffer, action spring and stock spacer with those designed for the new 9mm AR-15 configuration.

Early models had a 1:14 rate of twist, which was changed to 1:12 for original 55 grain (3.6 g) bullets. The 1:14 rate of twist was shown to be unstable at lower temperatures. Most newer configurations use 1:9 and 1:7 twist rates. There is much controversy and speculation as to how differing twist rates affect ballistics and terminal performance with varying loads, but heavier projectiles tend to perform better with faster rifling rates. Additionally, the various non .223 / 5.56 calibers have their own particular twist rate, such as 1:10 for 6.8x43mm SPC and 7.62x39mm, and 1:12 for .308 Winchester.

STANAG magazine compatible with the AR-15. Can be used in several other firearms such as the FN F2000 and the M16

Standard issue magazines are 20 or 30 round staggered-column magazines, traditional box magazines also exist in 40 and 45 round capacities, and usable magazines have been constructed from a variety of materials including steel, aluminum, and high-impact plastics. Drum magazines with 90 and 100 round capacities also exist, such as Beta C-Mags. Low-capacity magazines, usually of a 5 or 10 round capacity, are available to comply with some areas' legal restrictions, hunting and because larger magazines can inhibit shooting from a benchrest.

[edit] Legal status in the United States

A California-legal AR-15 clone (FAR-15) with a 10 round magazine. Other notable features include fixed muzzle, forward assist,"bullet button" collapsible stock & M68(sight optic) mounted on the top rail.

In the United States, variants with certain features such as collapsible stocks, flash suppressors, and bayonet lugs were prohibited for sales to civilians during the period 1994-2004 by the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, under the provision known as the Assault Weapons Ban. Those that were manufactured with those features were stamped, "Restricted Military/Government/Law Enforcement/Export Only" as well as the accompanying high capacity magazines. Since the expiration of the Federal AWB in September of 2004,^[13] these features are now legal in most states.^[14]

The 2000 Assault Weapons ban in the state of California sparked a renewed interest in the AR-15 rifle. It is estimated that some 70,000 California Legal AR-15s are in existence in that state.^[15] Adding the upper receiver of a standard AR-15 or equivalent with an AR-15 equivalent lower receiver which has not been specifically banned by statute or regulation, and that has a fixed 10 round magazine will render the firearm "California legal." In such a configuration, the user could add otherwise prohibited features such as a telescoping stock and pistol grip. The magazine is not detachable, so to load the rifle the shooter must pull the rear takedown pin, hinge the upper receiver on the front pivot pin, and load the now exposed magazine either with a stripper clip or by hand, then close. Popular lower receivers for this purpose are manufactured by Stag Arms, Fulton Armory, Dane Armory, Mega, and Ameetec. By California law if the magazine requires a tool to remove it, that changes the classification of the firearm. A tool called the "Bullet Button" is gaining in popularity: the bullet button works by replacing the magazine release button with a hollow shell that protrudes a short distance from the lower; the shooter must then push the inset pin to activate the mag release, doing so requires a tool e.g., a bullet, hence the name. Stag makes a lower receiver called the STAG-15 which is considered an "off-list" receiver by the CA DOJ and is legal. As of December 2006, Doublestar, Stag Arms, CMMG, Spikes Tactical, and MEGA all qualify as "off-list" lowers in the state of CA. There is also one model made by Colt, the CAR-A3 HBAR Elite, that was never banned by name, and thus still legal to own in California provided it has the correct configuration. This receiver can be made into a full rifle if the following requirements are met: the receiver has a fixed magazine with no more than 10 cartridges - in which case the rifle may have pistol grips, folding or collapsing stocks, etc.; or, the receiver may have a detachable magazine but may not possess any sort of attachment such as pistol grips, folding or collapsing stocks, etc.

[edit] Concerns

With the plethora of manufacturers of complete weapons and aftermarket barrels, there is a potential hazard associated with chamber specifications. Both civilian (SAAMI) specification .223 Remington and 5.56 mm NATO are available. Though both chambers typically accept both types of ammunition, the firing of military specification ammunition in civilian specification chambers can produce chamber pressures greater than the barrel is designed to handle. The most common result of firing military 5.56x45mm ammunition in a .223 Remington chamber is that the primer can be forced out of the case by chamber pressure, often resulting in the primer becoming lodged somewhere in the action of the rifle, and disassembly of the rifle is often necessary to remove the jammed primer. ^[16] Military specification chambers typically have a more open throat area producing less pressure and can handle both types of ammunition.

A few AR15 manufacturers incorporate the use of a hybrid chamber specification known as the Wylde chamber. Designed by and named after Bill Wylde, this chambering was created for High Power shooters after the 80 grain .224" bullets became popular. While the Wylde chamber allows for optimal seating depth of 80 grain bullets over .223 Remington and 5.56 NATO, it is capable of accepting both ammunition types. The Wylde chamber is used by a few manufacturers who sell "National Match" configuration AR-15 rifle, barrels, and upper receivers.

The type of chamber, manufacturer, and rifling twist in inches is typically found stamped into the barrel in front of the front sight assembly.

An additional point of concern in the design is the inertial firing pin. A lightweight firing pin rides in a channel inside the bolt unrestrained. When the bolt locks forward during loading, the firing pin typically rides forward and impacts the chambered round's primer. In military specification ammunition and quality civilian ammunition, this is not normally enough to fire the round and only leaves a small "ding" on the primer. With more sensitive primers or improperly seated primers, this can cause a slamfire during loading.^[17]

[edit] See also

[edit] Manufacturers

[edit] References

^ "M-16 Rifle also called AR-15". Retrieved on 2008-07-16.
^ "Infantry Weapons Used in Borneo". Retrieved on 2008-07-16.
^ "M-16/AR-15". Retrieved on 2008-07-16.
^ "Armalite AR-15". Retrieved on 2008-07-16.
^ "AR15 .223 NIB". Retrieved on 2008-07-16.
^ "Colt AR-15". Retrieved on 2008-07-16.
^ "ARMALITE AR-15". Retrieved on 2008-07-16.
^ "Colt Model AR6721". Retrieved on 2008-07-16.
^ Lou Dobbs (anchor); David Olofson (gun owner). (2008-07-02). Lou Dobbs Tonight: Freedom Under Fire (swf) [News]. CNN. Retrieved on 2008-07-03. Event occurs at 00:01:34. "That conviction has drawn attention among gun enthusiasts, because it centers around a rifle that is widely owned—the AR-15."
^ ^a ^b "A Historical Review of Armalite" (PDF). ArmaLite, Inc. (1999-04-23). Retrieved on 2008-07-16.
^ "AR-15 Olympic Arms". Retrieved on 2008-07-14.
^ "AR-15 Carbine". Retrieved on 2008-07-16.
^ "ATF Online - Firearms FAQs (section O, question 1)". ATF (2006-07-06). Retrieved on 2007-01-23.
^ "ATF Online - Firearms FAQs (section O, question 11)". ATF (2006-07-06). Retrieved on 2007-01-23.
^ "AR-15". Retrieved on 2008-07-14.
^ "ArmaLite, Inc. Technical Note - 5.56 NATO vs SAAMI .223 Chambers". ArmaLite, Inc. (2002-12-04). Retrieved on 2007-01-23.
^ "ArmaLite, Inc. Technical Note - Prevention of Slamfires". ArmaLite, Inc. (1998-12-26). Retrieved on 2007-01-23.

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

AR-15

[hide] v • d • e AR-15 variants

AR-10 • AR-15 • M16/A1/A2/A3/A4 • M4/A1 Carbine • Diemaco C7, C8 • Colt Commando, XM177, CAR-15 • MSSR rifle • Colt 9mm SMG • Bushmaster M4 • HK416 • HK417 • REC7 • M231 FPW • SDM-R • SAM-R • Mark 11 'SWS' / SR-25 • M110 SASS • Mark 12 'SPR' • SEAL Recon Rifle • Mark 18 'CQBR' • Ares Shrike • La France M16K • SR-47 • Colt Automatic Rifle / CAR • LWRC IAR • LWRC SRT •

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AR-15"

Categories: 5.56 mm firearms | Semi-automatic rifles

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Lee Enfield SMLE and Mauser K98k compared

2008-06-21T11:47:00.000-05:00

Post-'64 Winchester M94 .30/30

2008-06-06T00:18:00.000-05:00

1965 model. A lot of people put down the top-eject post '64s, but I've had several of them and they all worked great and had no problems. The last one I bought, I paid $125 for and then killed two deer with it a couple of weeks later. One ran about 10 yards, the other dropped right on the spot.
I do prefer a pre-'64, though.
The boy in the video needs to work on his muzzle control.

Marlin M94 .44 Mag

2008-06-05T23:49:00.000-05:00

These are great little rifles. I have one; I put off getting one for years because I have .30/30, .45/70 and .35 Remington leverguns and figured it would just be unnecessary duplication. Then one sang its siren song while I had money in my pocket, and that was the end of that. That money would've been gone now anyway.

SKS Disassembly and Reassembly

2008-06-04T11:57:00.000-05:00

Practical Survival Firearms

2008-05-30T00:47:00.001-05:00

PRACTICAL SURVIVAL FIREARMS

By Cope Reynolds
Suarez International Staff Instructor

In today’s troubled world, and with the threat of things becoming even more troubled, the subject of what firearms are best for particular situations comes up with monotonous regularity. In this article I will weigh the pros and cons of different weapons, ammunition, sighting devices, storage techniques, and a few miscellaneous subjects. This is not intended to be all-inclusive, or the “word of law.” My opinions and methods of doing things come from listening with an open mind, experimenting without fear of failure, and the experience of over 35 years of hunting, plinking, competition shooting, reloading, and living in the Southwest--where it is possible to do these things whenever the mood strikes. I hope to be able to save the new shooter/survivalist the expense and inconvenience of learning things the hard way, and maybe offer the experienced shooter an idea or two he hasn’t thought of.

WHAT IS SURVIVAL?

The subject of what is the best survival weapon has created some intense debates over the years, often resulting in fist fights, best friends splitting up, divorces, sabotage, or relocation. It really doesn’t have to be that way. One of the problems is that everyone has a different definition of “survival.” To some, it means an end-of-the-world scenario (as in the movie “Mad Max”) where things just can’t get any worse. For such an unlikely event, one would want to choose a gun that never needs repairs or spare parts, and for which there is an unlimited supply of ammo available. For others, survival means constant foraging for food while having to battle foreign troops of the New World Order on a regular basis. In such a case, one would want a gun of the same caliber and type as one’s opponents. This would make it easier to “liberate” needed ammo and magazines. Still others feel that survival entails avoiding detection, gathering food, and repelling unwanted guests.

The “Mad Max” scenario is unlikely (though not impossible) in our lifetime. And by the time we got to that point, you’d probably not have the same weapon you started with anyway. The “New World Order” scenario has less to do with survival than combat. A true survival situation would, in my opinion, require a somewhat different kind of rifle than that which would be used primarily for combat. The “avoiding/foraging/repelling” scenario is not only the most likely, but is already a way of life for some.

What I’d consider to be a true survival situation might be caused by such things as getting lost or injured in the wild, car wrecks or plane crashes in remote areas, or a social and/or financial collapse that forces us to hunt for food and protect our families from predators and looters. For purposes of this article, let’s assume that these possibilities are what we’re primarily concerned with.

RIFLES AND AMMUNITION

There’s no way we can discuss every scenario that may arise, but let’s try to cover some that are most likely, and the rifles and ammunition combinations that are best suited to them.

When someone has to survive an unscheduled stay in the wild, the three most important things that a rifle can accomplish for him (or her) are signaling, defense, and harvesting small-to-medium game for food. For food, you need to consider the areas you’ll most likely be traveling in, and what kind of game is around. A rifle chambered for the .22LR will probably do 90% of anything you will need to do in the U.S. This caliber has taken--and will continue to take--deer, though for this purpose it is a very poor choice. However, the lowly .22 is a fine choice for small game, requiring lightweight, inexpensive ammo and causing minimal damage to the meat. The sharp crack and high decibel level of the .22 also makes it fairly good for signaling.

While not the best choice for defense, the .22 makes a formidable weapon in the hands of a calm, cool, collected marksman. If you’re traveling and not really expecting trouble, but want to have something available “just in case,” you might consider one of the take-down models such as the Marlin 70SS, or a copy of the old Charter AR-7. They’re light, compact, and relatively inexpensive. Ruger, Marlin, Remington, and others all make fine .22 rifles in semi-auto, bolt, pump, lever, and single-shot actions. Another good choice that offers something for big and small game and defense is the Savage 24-F or 24-V. This combination gun offers the shooter the versatility of having a rifle and a shotgun in the same easy-to-carry package. The rifle barrel is on top and is either currently, or has been, offered in a number of different calibers, including .22LR, .22 Magnum, .22 Hornet, .222, .223 and .30-30. Depending on the model, the shotgun portion can be had in .410, 20, or 12 gauge. The newer 12 gauge version offers interchangeable choke tubes.

Another popular combination is the carbine and handgun that use the same cartridge. This is particularly appealing to those who carry both a sidearm and a rifle and wish to avoid the weight and confusion of carrying two kinds of ammunition. The semi-auto rifle versions that shoot 9mm, .40 S&W, or .45 ACP do not offer much of an advantage over their handgun counterparts in terms of velocity or energy, but do provide a longer sight radius, thus improving accuracy. However, the survivalist who is armed with one of the lever action carbines chambered for the .357, .41, or .44 Magnum, or the .45LC cartridges, paired with one of their handgun counterparts, is indeed very well armed and prepared for most anything he may get himself into. In my opinion, the .357 is the best option given the scenarios we’re considering here (unless you happen to be in big bear country) due to ammo availability, light recoil, and fairly mild muzzle blast--though a .357 Mag handgun still has an earcrushing blast. Since the .357 carbine will shoot most anything that the .357 revolver will, including .38 Special, you should never have any ammo-feed problems.

A good rifleman should rarely feel undergunned with a lever action in a firefight. It’s a very fast-handling weapon, and there are no magazines or stripper clips to lose or damage. The venerable .30-30, for example, is an outstanding rifle, though keep in mind that there is no conventional handgun chambered for that round. Unlike any of the military-style weapons, the levergun can be loaded without taking the gun out of battery. In other words, when there’s a lull in the action, or while you’re moving to another position, it’s simple to stuff more shells into the tubular magazine. If while doing this the enemy catches you by surprise, you simply drop the rounds still in your hand and resume firing. There’s no chance of dropping the magazine you were loading--thus being left with an “$800 single shot.”

For those of the military persuasion, or who are preparing for TEOTWAWKI, a whole new set of rules comes into play. Quite naturally, we’d still like a rifle that is easy to handle, but we also might want to consider a semi-auto built for sustained fire. The military (or military look-alike) weapons are the ones that really fill the bill. When it comes to these, there are a couple of things you need to consider before your purchase. First, of course, is ammo availability. Can you afford enough ammunition to last the duration of the hardships that may befall you? Also, if you’re forced out of your home and away from your supply cache, for whatever reason, you really don’t want to be shooting a “bastard caliber” (i.e., one that is rare and thus difficult to replenish). While you may not like to think about harming others, you need to consider choosing a caliber that is likely to be used by either looters or foreign troops. That way, you can more easily acquire additional ammo should you be fortunate enough to be the victor in a skirmish.

Another thing to think about with regard to military-style rifles is the detachable/fixed magazine dilemma. Sure, the detachable mags are faster to reload, but how many can you carry at once? Are you sure you’ll make it back to base tonight where there are more magazines awaiting you? And did you stash enough magazines to begin with to last you indefinitely in the event that manufacturing is disrupted? Also, what makes you think that, due to the stress and confusion of a real live gunfight, you’ll remember (or have time) to pick up your discarded mags? You are not in the military. There’s no resupply waiting in the rear. No air drops. This is one of the reasons I prefer the SKS over the AR-15. I know, I know. The AR-15 is what we’re all used to . . . and many of the parts will interchange with the M-16 . . . and it’s a NATO round . . . and yada, yada, yada.. But the .223 does not have the energy of the 7.62x39, the AR is not as reliable as the SKS, and although the Ruger Mini 14 is a very reliable weapon, it lacks a little in the accuracy department. The .223 runs out of energy at 300 meters or so, and the 7.62x39 generally runs out of accuracy at about the same distance. Each has virtually the same effective range. However, the 7.62x39 does have substantially more energy at longer ranges.

But back to the magazine debate. I prefer the fixed magazine of the SKS because I can't lose it. And I can also single-load it through the ejection port if I run out of stripper clips. As to size, I prefer the 20-round fixed mag over the ten-round. Now, I don't use the 20-round mag because it holds 20 rounds; I use it because it holds more than ten. That may sound stupid, but let me explain. With the standard ten-rounder, if you fire less than ten rounds, you will have a partially full mag that cannot be refilled except by loading one round at a time. This means you're either going to have a partially loaded gun, or a half-full stripper clip rattling around in your gear losing shells, or you'll have to take time to top off the mag by hand. Circumstance may only allow you to get one stripper load in the 20-round magazine to start with. If you start out with either ten or 20 rounds, you can then shoot anywhere from two to 11 rounds and still be able to easily insert a full stripper clip into it. (It is quite difficult to insert a ten-round stripper in a 20-round mag that already has ten rounds in it; they call it a 20-round magazine, but it works best with 18 or 19.) Since you will not be able to lock your bolt back to insert a stripper clip in an SKS with a partially loaded magazine, here is the procedure that works for me: place the butt of the rifle in the groin area, just below the opening of your right hand trouser pocket. Then reach across the top of the rifle with your left hand and pull the bolt handle fully to the rear. This will eject a live round out that you can either let fall or catch with your right hand (if you have time). Now let the bolt slide slightly forward to accept the clip and insert a loaded stripper clip with your right hand. Now grasp the rifle's forearm with your right hand and release the bolt handle with your left hand and you’re ready for action.

Ideally, we would all like to have either an M1A or FN-FAL (my personal favorite is the AK-47)and a couple hundred 20-round magazines, but for those who just recently started preparing, or who can’t afford the expense, that’s only a dream. Any good rifle chambered for the .30-06, .308 (7.62x51 NATO), the .223 (5.56 NATO), or the 7.62x39 will suffice. But do take the aforementioned suggestions into consideration before buying. Yet another consideration is the ability of your rifle to resist corrosion and weathering. It’s advisable to try to find a rifle with a protective finish, or that is made of stainless steel, and has either a laminated wood or synthetic stock.

There are a number of different sighting options for the survival rifle, all of which have their own calling in life. The open, iron sights that come on most commercial hunting rifles are suitable for most purposes, but are fragile and useless in low-light situations. A good quality scope, on the other hand, is no more fragile than open sights and offers far superior accuracy and low-light capabilities. A good compromise between the two is the aperture, or peep, sight. This sight is used on almost all military-style rifles and is rugged, easy to use, and highly accurate. Aperture sights are also significantly better than open sights in low light. The aperture sight is operated by centering the uppermost part of the front sight in a small aperture in the rear sight, while also holding the front sight on your target. Your eye naturally places the front sight in the center of the aperture with little or no conscious effort on your part. The rear aperture appears as a cloudy ring and is not distracting at all. Just focus on your front sight (which you should also do with open sights, of course, but it’s easier with peep sights), place it on your target, and shoot. These are also sometimes called “ghost ring” sights.

HANDGUNS

Handguns provide yet another platform for some very heated discussions as to what’s best for what purposes: revolver versus semi-auto; single-action or double-action; stainless steel or blued; short barrel versus long barrel; 9mm, .40, .45, .38, or .357. There are also arguments over whether it should be carried “strong side” (i.e., on the side corresponding to your predominant hand) versus “crossdraw,” and the shoulder holster versus the tactical (hip or thigh) holster. And there’s always the night sights issue. It seems the things people find to argue about are practically endless. Let’s try to address a few of them.

Whether you should carry a wheelgun (revolver) or a self-feeder (semi-auto) is a matter of personal preference. Both have their good and bad points. The revolver is somewhat slower to reload and, in most cases, has fewer shots to offer. But there are no magazines to lose and they are mechanically fairly simple. Another thing to consider is that revolvers are offered in much more powerful calibers than are most self-feeders, if that is of concern to you.

In order to reload the double-action revolver with any degree of rapidity, one must use speedloaders. These are nifty little cartridge-holding devices that can release a full load of cartridges into the cylinder of your double-action with the twist of a knob or the push of a button. They are not quite as fast as changing magazines in a semi-auto, but run a very close second with practice. The best speedloaders on the market, in my opinion, are those manufactured by HKS. They are incredibly rugged and reliable. In contrast, reloading the single-action revolver requires removing and replacing cartridges one at a time. An alternative to this would be to have another cylinder or two fitted at the factory for your gun. This will allow you to change cylinders for a more rapid reload, but is not really cost effective. When buying revolvers, stick with top name brands such as Ruger, Smith & Wesson, Colt, and Taurus. My personal favorite is Ruger. Their revolvers are extremely rugged, moderately priced, and more than adequately accurate.

Modern manufacturing techniques, advanced metallurgy, and the advent of space-age polymers have made the semi-auto pistol every bit as reliable as the revolver, and in many cases just as accurate. Modern semi’s are available in a number of different finishes, such as stainless steel, electroless nickel, Parkerized, and, of course, blued. Stay away from nickel or chrome plated guns. They are pretty durable, but once the plating chips, the chip increases in size until the gun must eventually be refinished. The last decade or two has also brought us pistols built on a polymer frame. The most notable of these is the Glock. The Glock was the one of the first of the “plastic” guns, and is virtually indestructible. The polymer that Glock uses is 17% stronger than steel and 83% lighter. In the standard Glock, there are a total of 36 parts, including the magazine, base plate and follower, 3 pins, and no screws. The Tennifer finish on the metal parts is more durable than stainless steel and nearly as hard as diamonds. Needless to say, Glock is also one of my personal favorites.

The debate over which handgun caliber is best is as old as the calibers themselves. The bottom line is shot placement. If you don’t hit your target in the right place, it doesn’t matter what you use. Two of the most popular calibers are 9mm and .45. The 9mm has more penetration than the .45, but the .45 has more energy. My personal favorite is the .40 S&W, as I think it has the attributes of both. But none of these has quite the power of the .357 magnum, let alone the .41 mag or .44 mag.

For carry, I prefer a crossdraw holster for my hunting revolvers, and a beltslide for my daily carry gun, which is a Glock. The crossdraw allows easy access to the gun when driving or riding a horse. The lighter, shorter semi-auto in the beltslide is not even noticeable and I can wear it in any situation.

Tritium night sights are definitely a plus in low-light operations. They offer a very clear, precise sight picture even in total darkness. Tritium is a radioactive substance that generates light--but don’t worry, you would have to ingest something like 30,000 sets of them in order receive as much radiation as one dental X-ray. Most of these sights offer a 12-year half-life, which means that they will be half as bright in 12 years as they were when they were manufactured.

The handgun’s role in the survival arsenal depends a lot on how proficient you are with it. Although a handgun shouldn’t be considered your primary weapon, you should be competent enough with yours that if it was all you had, you’d still be able to feed and/or defend yourself. Generally speaking, the average effective range of most handguns is about 50 yards. That being said, depending on caliber and type of gun, you can easily stretch that distance out past 100 yards with practice. A good, accurate .22LR handgun, such as the Ruger MK II or Single-Six, is indispensable for small game hunting. Most handgun calibers are also suitable for deer-sized game if you are close enough and place your shot well. I am not, however, advocating that an inexperienced handgunner go after deer, except in an emergency. Also, you would be well advised to buy a handgun with some kind of protective finish, or (with respect to self-loaders) a polymer frame.

Whatever sidearm you choose, use the right ammunition for the job. For defense from most animals (including two-legged varmints), and also for hunting medium-sized game, a good hollowpoint is the most effective--although there is considerable evidence that some of the flat-nosed, hard cast bullets are also very effective in the hunting field. For larger dangerous game, and for smaller edible game, a solid bullet such as some FMJ’s, and most hard cast bullets, are the better choice. They’re better for dangerous game because they offer more penetration, and for small game because they don’t destroy as much meat as a hollowpoint.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT SHOTGUNS

For personal protection, the shotgun has no peer. It is a graphically devastating weapon. For most of the purposes considered in this article, a pump-action 12 gauge is hard to beat. Although the 20 gauge is a very comfortable and effective gun to shoot, it’s best reserved for hunting. This is because you’ll have a hard time finding either buckshot or slugs for the 20. Wal-Mart, for example, rarely even carries the heavier 20 gauge stuff, simply because there’s not enough demand for it. And it’s hard to get them to special order things sometimes. A lot of men buy a 20 gauge for their kids or wives, but they mostly use them to hunt birds or rabbits, so most stores don’t see a need to carry anything but the smaller shot. There just aren’t very many people who hunt deer with a 20 gauge, or use it for defense.

Not that there’s anything wrong with the 20 gauge; we have two of them. But for a survival situation, the 12 gauge is a much better choice, simply because of ammo availability. Police, military, other survivalists, militia members, ranchers, etc., all use the 12. If you do insist on using the 20 gauge, and plan on storing a bunch of shells to make up for non-availability, what happens if you have to “bug-out”? You can only carry so much, and leaving the gun behind shouldn't be an option, as I think a shotgun is mandatory. When you use up what you can carry, you’ll just be out. You can’t carry all that reloading stuff with you, either. I personally am not really stocking up on any reloading supplies. Of course, I have a bunch anyway, just because it’s a serious hobby of mine, but I figure when things go bad, I would rather have all those components already assembled into something that I can use.

Something else to consider is power. While the velocities of the 20 gauge are comparable to the 12 gauge, the weight of any given shot charge or slug is much more with the 12. Granted, this generates a little more recoil, but my 5’5”, 140-lb. wife can handle a 12 just fine. (She also prefers a .44 mag to hunt with. It’s all in the training.) The 20 gauge usually shoots a slug that either weighs 273 grains or 328 grains. And I have one “recipe” for a 341-gr. slug. Compare that to a 12 gauge that shoots slugs weighing anywhere from 437 grs. to 575 grs. That’s a hell of an increase in delivered energy, which translates to penetration and longer range. Twelve gauge slugs are also good medicine for “hard” targets; i.e., cars, block or brick walls, and so on. Not as good as a .308 or 30.06 in some cases, but still very good.

As far as buckshot goes, #3 buck is the by far the most common for the 20 gauge. If you get much bigger than that, the 20’s little shell just doesn’t hold enough pellets to do any good. If the 12 gauge only holds between nine and 12 double-ought buckshot pellets (depending on manufacturer and type of wad used), you can safely assume that the 20 would hold only five to six of the same pellets. While you can put eight pellets of #1 buck in a 20 gauge shell, most 12 gauge loads will hold 16. In any case, you’re not looking at a very dense pattern from the 20 for defensive purposes.

A couple of the best choices for defensive shotguns are the Mossberg 590 or 500, and the Remington 870. While some will tell you that the 590 is far and away better than the 870, it really comes down to what you like. I’ll admit that the 590 has a slight edge over the 870, simply because it was designed solely as a combat shotgun. It really has no sporting purpose. There are plenty of after-market accessories available for both the Mossberg and the Remington. Also, Winchester makes a couple of suitable defensive-type shotguns, but I have no personal experience with them.

LONG-TERM GUN STORAGE

A question I get asked frequently is, “How do you suggest I store firearms and ammunition in such a way that I would not lose them in the event my house burned down or was broken into or Uncle Sugar wanted to come get them for one reason or another?”

One way is to buy one of the waterproof containers available almost everywhere (and cost too much), slide your gun into a rust-proof storage bag, put it in the container, then bury it somewhere. The method I recommend, however, works just as well and will protect your guns indefinitely.

Buy as much 8-inch PVC pipe as you need from a water/sewer materials distributor. Eight inches in diameter is larger than you will find at any hardware store. Get the kind of pipe designed for handling sewer water rather than fresh water (ask for SDR35). The water pipe works fine, but is unnecessarily heavy and expensive. There are three kinds of caps you can get to seal the ends. One kind is glued on and is permanent, but if you’ve never installed pipe before, it’s easy to miss a spot with your glue and thus allow for leakage. Another kind of cap is rubber gasketed. To use these, bevel the pipe back about 3/4 of an inch with a rasp or grinder, smear an even coat of lubricant on the pipe end (any kind of liquid soap will work), then slip the cap on. If done correctly, the seal will be absolutely 100% air and water tight. The third kind of cap uses a glue-on adaptor with a screw-type plug. You just glue the adaptor to the pipe end and the plug screws in to it. But these are unnecessarily expensive and just about impossible to remove without a BIG wrench. In my opinion, the gasketed caps are the best choice because to remove them, you can hold the pipe between your legs and kick them off or use a rock. No tools are required. To put them back on the pipe, just use a little liquid soap as you did the first time. You should have room for two long guns, a couple of handguns, and a little ammo for each in a 4-foot section of 8-inch pipe. Since scoped rifles, rifles with fixed mags, and even some open-sighted rifles with a lot of drop in the stock may not fit into a 6-inch pipe, spend just a little more and buy the bigger 8-inch stuff.

Now that you have your pipe prepared, clean your guns as you normally would, leaving a very light film of oil on them. Forget cosmoline or heavy grease; Break-Free is my preference. Slip each gun into a breathable case, then put it into your pipe. To make an effective dessicant, put some crushed sheetrock or kitty litter on a cookie sheet and bake it at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes. Fill a sock half full with your homemade dessicant, tie it off, and put it in the pipe. (If you don’t like the homemade method, you can always go spend a bunch of money on special dessicants that some people say you just can’t live without.) Before sealing, keep the pipe in the house for a day or two to make absolutely sure that the interior is as dry as it can be. This is especially important if you live in a humid climate.

Bury the sealed pipe somewhere away from your house, preferably half a mile or more depending on the population close at hand. If possible, bury it vertically in order to present a smaller target for metal detectors and ground penetrating radar. If you must bury it close to your home, try to place it parallel to metal pipelines, under the edge of a metal-reinforced concrete slab, under a fence post, etc.

SOUND ADVICE

In closing, I would like to offer my suggestions for a practical arsenal. For the individual that is solely concerned with wilderness survival and personal defense, I would suggest, at the very least, a .22 handgun and rifle, a centerfire handgun, and a shotgun. The .22s provide you with the means to practice a lot for the price of peanuts. As I noted at the beginning of this article, a .22 will do 90% percent of whatever needs done. The centerfire handgun or the shotgun will provide you with all the defensive capabilities that you’ll need for any dangerous game or bad guys you’re likely to run across in the woods.

For folks who are concerned with the state of the nation and the rough waters that lie ahead, I would suggest all the above, along with a centerfire rifle in one of the configurations we discussed earlier. Remember, you can’t have too much ammo. I would recommend you have a minimum of 1,000 rounds for each centerfire rifle, and 500 to 1,000 rounds for the shotgun, with about half of that being birdshot (such as #6 or #4) and the rest in heavy buckshot and slugs. The birdshot is just as deadly at close range as the bigger stuff and is also suitable for small game hunting. I’d also suggest 500 rounds for each centerfire handgun, and as many .22 shells as you have room to store. I truly believe that .22 ammunition may be the standard by which barter with, at least for a time. I think the time will come when a box of .22 shells will buy you a chicken or two or a set of flashlight batteries.

See that every person in your home who is old enough to shoot is properly trained in the use of all these guns, and that eye and ear protection is available.

There are many other things concerning the troubled times that await us that I’d like to share with you, but that’s another story.

Copyright 1999 by Cope Reynolds

This article may be freely copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, as long as it remains unedited as to content (which includes the title, the author’s name, and copyright information), and this notice is attached.
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.303 British cartridge drawing

2008-04-20T11:17:00.000-05:00

7.62x54R cartridge drawing

2008-04-20T11:10:00.000-05:00

.308 Winchester cartridge drawing

2008-04-20T01:29:00.000-05:00

.30/06 cartridge drawing

2008-04-20T01:15:00.001-05:00

.284 Winchester cartridge drawing

2008-04-20T01:10:00.001-05:00

7.5x55 Swiss GP11 Cartridge Drawing

2008-04-20T00:47:00.000-05:00

Another viewpoint on the Garand

2008-04-18T21:05:00.000-05:00

"I never really liked the design of a Garand. Back in the days when I thought a .223 rifle to have harsh recoil, the idea of firing a 30-06 cartridge seemed scary. The awkward-looking operating rod gave the Garand a lopsided appearance. The balance looked all wrong. Most importantly, the loading seemed unclear and perilous. The prospect of losing a thumb on loading and getting hit in the eye by an ejected clip assured that I was not planning to own a Garand anytime soon."

But... read more

The 2A HDR

2008-04-18T13:15:00.000-05:00

A short discourse on semi-auto Homeland Defense Rifles (HDR). Some term these MBRs, for "Main Battle Rifle" but I'm not in the Army and don't plan on getting in any battles at all; and certainly not so many that I need my main rifle to be a battle rifle! My rifle will be fed reloaded ammo, hunting ammo in most cases, and will be used for target practice, hunting and varmint control, as well as filling the role that Swiss people understand but most Americans have forgotten (which is exactly why we're more likely to need it).

Let's get a few things straight, right up front. This is is where I make some people mad, because I'm just gonna go ahead and step outside convention and tell it like I see it, rather than toeing the party line and wasting my time and yours. So if you can't take the truth, go somewhere else and read the consensus view (which I could quote off the top of my head, but again, there's that time-wasting thing).

First, caliber. The choices are intermediate power vs. full power rifle cartridges. If you place a high value on the ability to stop large bears, disable vehicles, shoot through trees, etc., then you need a full power rifle cartridge. The intermediates will do all of the above, but it may take a few more shots on target to finish the job.
Likewise, if you feel the local criminal gang is gonna show up at your place wearing body armor, the full-power jobs will get it done with perhaps fewer rounds fired, but the intermediates will still get it done. This means .223/5.56; and it also means 7.62x39. Anyone who tries to tell you the 7.62x39 is a full power rifle cartridge is an idiot, a liar, or both. Full power military rifle cartridges include .308 (aka 7.62x51 NATO), .30/06, 7.62x54R, .303 British, all the Mauser military cartridges (6.5x55, 7x57, 8x57 etc.), 7.5x55 Swiss, and many others.

Second, country of origin: who cares! We're looking at design and availability (of the rifles, parts and ammo) here.
If you wish to be pragmatic about it, give up any infatuation with American designs. Only two American military cartridge-firing rifle designs have ever really made the cut. Those two are the single-shot Remington Rolling Block and the AR-15.
But what about the 1903 and 03A3 Springfield? What about the M1 Garand? What about that holy grail, the M14? What about the AR-10?

I'll take those one at a time, briefly. I love the 1903 Springfield. I have one. Its quality is wonderful. It is a great deer rifle, and a great rifle with which to while away the hours at the range while not spending too much money, shooting cast-bullet handloads. But as a military rifle, it took the perfect bolt action military rifle (the Mauser 98) and added a few stupid "features" (magazine cutoff, two-piece striker, and a modification of the ejector to allow it to jump the cartridge rim: which it will also do in the other direction, under adverse conditions), all of which served only to make it LESS reliable and more complicated.
The Garand? It is fairly reliable and accurate, but feeds only with that stupid en-bloc clip which does not allow one to top-off the rifle, and announces when it is empty. Without the clips, the Garand is a single-shot, and not a very good one at that. It might would be a good rifle, if it had a stripper clip-fed box magazine.
If the Garand were so wonderful, it would be dirt common in South America.
The M14? The only military that has used it is the US, and that only on a very limited basis. It is considered a premium item, and costs two to three times what a basic G3 or FAL costs. Also, I have always heard of reliability issues in adverse conditions, and of safety issues when they get much wear on them (which they usually don't, because nobody uses them for front-line duty).
The AR-10? Well, it has the disadvantages of the AR-15, without enough of its advantages to make it, in my opinion, a good choice. It is becoming slightly more of a commodity item because of its similarity to the AR-15, but no major military uses it as a MBR.

The real reason the US has always kicked butt in the wars is because we are riflemen. Yes, even now to a large degree. Most of the guys who actually use rifles in the US military, love rifles and love getting paid to train fulltime at things they would likely do for fun otherwise, in the form of action shooting competition, long-range target shooting, paintball, etc, etc.
US soldiers in WWII turned the disadvantage of the Garand's announcement of its empty condition, into an advantage by flipping an empty clip into the air to similate an empty rifle, while holding their loaded rifle at the ready.
And because we love our rifles, we have no problem with the fact that American military rifles have always been maintenance-intensive. We just go ahead and do the required maintenance.
American troops could be issued Carcanos, and would still kick butt; while proclaiming how wonderful and superior the Carcano rifle is!

So, back to the main topic. What are some good HDR choices? Let's deal with the intermediate cartridges first. The "big three" here are the AR-15, the AK-47 pattern, and the SKS. Anything else is just too hard to get parts for. The AK is very reliable and parts and magazines are very readily available. They are not well known for accuracy, though. Actually they are well known for their lack thereof. Also, the safety, while positive, is not very ergonomic and is noisy in operation.

The SKS is a wonderful HDR. It used to be considered, by many people, an extreme budget alternative to the semiauto AK. Now that it costs as much as a SAAK, however, it is proving to STILL be popular. Why? Because it is a very good rifle. Good power level (same as the AK), more accurate than an AK, ergonomic and easy to shoot. It handles cast bullets very well for long hours of cheap target practice, not to mention deer hunting and smaller game. The 10-round, non-detachable magazine with a quick release catch for easy unloading, and topside loading via stripper clip or loose rounds, works very well for both utilitarian and defensive purposes. Overall, a very good homestead/defensive rifle.

The AR-15 has become also a good choice. They are used by many military forces worldwide, and parts and complete rifles are produced by many, many companies. They have been much-modified, and have become even more of a commodity rifle than the Mauser 98. Also, one can have one lower receiver (the serial numbered and hence regulated part), and multiple complete uppers set up for various purposes. Perhaps a carbine upper for defense, a heavy-barrel, free-floated, scoped, 6.5 Grendel upper for long range targets (and fulfilling the role of an expensive .308 HDR), and perhaps a .50 Beowulf (or .458 SOCOM, or .450 Bushmaster) upper for dealing with those pesky grizzlies in the garden, and a pistol-caliber upper for cheap plinking, indoor range use etc., and of course a .22 LR upper or conversion kit for ultra-cheap plinking and small game hunting.

In my opinion, the best overall way to go would be an intermediate caliber semi-auto military rifle, either an SKS, AR-15 or SAAK; and a good military bolt action full power rifle complete with plenty of ammo and stripper clips. A Mauser 98 in 8x57, .30/06 or .308 would be my first choice. My second choice would be a Mosin-Nagant in 7.62x54R, and my third choice would be a SMLE or #4 Enfield. A Springfield, or a P17 or P14 would also be good, albeit more expensive, choices.

If one is bent on going the .308 semi-auto route, there are really only 2 choices: a G3 type rifle, or an FAL/L1A1 type rifle. Both are very reliable, popular rifles which have been (and are) used by a great many military forces worldwide. Both have 20 round or larger magazines readily available at cheap prices (usually under $10, which is even cheaper than AR magazines!) and both may even be built from demilled parts kits coupled with an aftermarket receiver, if desired.

Of the two, the G3/CETME rifles are somewhat more reliable under extreme conditions; this is offset by the fact that its delayed-roller blowback (as opposed to gas operated) action and fluted chamber are hard on brass to the point that two or three loadings are probably the maximum you will get from each cartridge case. So if you are an avid reloader, you might be better off with the FAL.
Either of the two would be a good choice. The only good choices, really.

Here are some links to more information.

G3 stuff:
PTR-91
PTR-91 manufacturer link
Gunblast CETME article
G3 on Gunpedia

FAL stuff:
DSA Inc.
Wikipedia on the FAL

AK-47 Firing in Slow Motion

2008-04-12T20:45:00.001-05:00

Firearms Safety

2008-04-08T09:53:00.000-05:00

Basic AR-15 Operation

2008-04-08T09:26:00.000-05:00

Cute girl demonstrates operation of an AR-15 in Cavalry Arms instructional video.

2008-04-04T00:06:00.001-05:00

How to Calculate Distances With a Mil Dot Rifle Scope

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Mil Dot scopes are optics which allow users to easily calculate distances to a target without fancy equipment. Originally used by submarine periscopes, it has been scaled and reimplemented for military and recreational rifle marksmen to determine distance objects are to allow for bullet drop compensation. Once the basics are learned, calculating distances can be quick and painless using Mil Dots.

Background

Binocular and periscope Mil Dots are not the same as rifle scope Mil Dots. They measure the same type of angular distance, but is actually 10 Mils instead of only one, which is more suited for marksmen use.
A Mil is 1-6,175 of a circle. But to simplify calculations, the U.S. military calculates them as 1-6,400 of a circle. Russian-based scopes are set to 1-6,000 of a circle. This means there is up to a 3% error in distance calculations.
When looking at Mil Dots through a scope, one Mil is the distance from the center of one dot, to the center of the next dot (not the space between the dots).
Mil distances on rear-plane cross hairs on a variable-power scope usually are only accurate at the highest power.

Measuring Distance

Calculate the distance to the object by multiplying the height (or width) of the object by 1000 then dividing by the number of Mils that the object spans.
- For example: a six foot tall object (2-yards) which is eight Mils in size is 250-yards away. 2 x 1000 / 8 = 250.
Calculate as accurately as possible, and any "added error" (by yourself) is error in distance that may not be acceptable.
- Sub-divide the Mil Dots as much as possible, and be as accurate in estimating the size of the object as possible.
- The object is five feet (1.67-yards) wide and spans 2.8 Mils is 596-yards away.
- A guess that the object is 2-yards instead of 1.67 would mean the estimation of over 100 yards difference which could mean a hit, or a miss of over five inches with a standard .308.
- To be in the right mindset, calculate sizes of objects to the tenth of a yard (is that 3.4-yards or 3.5?). Calculate the span in Mils also to the tenth of a Mil. Both of these will take practice, but perfect estimations is the only way to get perfect range calculation.
Use a calculator if needed. Some equations might get pretty complex, and accuracy is key, but the speed of a calculator may also help in some situations.

Tips

If you calculate using the size of objects in meters, the distance to the object will be in meters (for that matter, any measurement system will calculate accurately — size of target in inches to inches to target, kilometers to kilometers, fathoms to fathoms).
The Mil Dots can also be used for bullet drop compensation or windage adjustment.
Being able to keep the scope steady will affect how accurately you can measure the span in Mils of the target.

Warnings

Firearms can be very dangerous and even lethal. They should only be used by experienced firearm users or under the direct supervision of an expert firearm instructor.
Be sure to follow all state and local laws while shooting. Note that many laws on firearms change drastically from state to state, and can even change between counties or even cities.
Sloppy range estimating comes of sloppy estimation of size of the target and span of Mils.

Related wikiHows

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Cavalry Arms

2008-03-01T13:58:00.000-06:00

The first video I ever posted here, about the basics of AR-15 operation (the one with the cute chick) is unfortunately no longer available. I wish I had downloaded it, instead of just linking to it.
The reason it isn't available is the BATFE has chosen Cavalry Arms, the producer of the video as well as of the injection-molded AR lowers featured in the video, as the newest victim of their campaign to ban military-style rifles tactically, by raiding and, if possible, bankrupting all the companies that produce them. That is assuming, of course, that they can't manage enough "evidence" for a conviction.
When asked the reason for the raid, their spokesman said "we allege that violations have occurred" but, as usual, they won't tell us what the charges are. They did throw us the tidbit that they are confiscating all inventory from the business.

Allow me to point out that this mostly happens to small, civilian-ownership-friendly companies like Cavarms; not so much to huge conglomerates like Colt, Smith & Wesson and Ruger who sell mostly to the REAL, LEGITIMATE users and are perfectly willing to sign agreements to work with them against us lowly serfs.
Ours is not to question, but merely to keep on working and spending, so as to keep the tax dollars rolling in.

Top 10 Combat Rifles comment

2008-02-21T00:26:00.000-06:00

I would like to point out that I don't entirely agree with the Top 10 as presented in the following video series. Not only would I arrange them in a different order (who wouldn't?), but more importantly, I would delete a couple and add a couple, to wit:
Delete Stg 44. It was really just a stepping stone to bigger and better things, and didn't have much of an impact beyond that.
Delete Steyr AUG. I mean really, what kind of impact has that thing made? It's an oddity. The only thing it has going for it is that it looks strange enough to cause people to remember it once they have seen it. If one really had to fill an unused slot in this series, the AR-180 would be a better choice. But there are no slots to fill, because two of the most important battle rifles of all time weren't even mentioned:
The Mosin-Nagant and the SMLE. OK, they were both designed in the 19th Century, but this is about use, and both of these rifles were heavily used throughout the 20th Century, and continue to be used into the 21st.
Yes, the Lee Enfield #4 was mentioned, but the #1 Smelly has seen enough action, far moreso than the #4, that it deserves its own recognition.
Actually, a lot of people will hate me for saying this, but I would have to bump the M14 too, and replace it with the SKS. I mean, come on: how much action has the M14 really seen? Not much, really; whereas the SKS has seen all kinds of action all over the world.

Top 10 Combat Rifles #10: M14

2008-02-21T00:21:00.000-06:00

Top ten combat rifles of the 20th Century.

Top 10 Combat Rifles #9: Stg 44

2008-02-21T00:19:00.000-06:00

Top ten combat rifles of the 20th Century.

Rifle Crank

"Arfcom"

AR-15 Weakness

Winchester Model 1894

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The AR-15

AR-15 · Guns

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Lee Enfield SMLE and Mauser K98k compared

Post-'64 Winchester M94 .30/30

Marlin M94 .44 Mag

SKS Disassembly and Reassembly

Practical Survival Firearms

.303 British cartridge drawing

7.62x54R cartridge drawing

.308 Winchester cartridge drawing

.30/06 cartridge drawing

.284 Winchester cartridge drawing

7.5x55 Swiss GP11 Cartridge Drawing

Another viewpoint on the Garand

The 2A HDR

AK-47 Firing in Slow Motion

Firearms Safety

Basic AR-15 Operation

How to Calculate Distances With a Mil Dot Rifle Scope

Background

Measuring Distance

Tips

Warnings

Related wikiHows

Cavalry Arms

Top 10 Combat Rifles comment

Top 10 Combat Rifles #10: M14

Top 10 Combat Rifles #9: Stg 44