OT: Gun Question

[kalos72]

I was thinking bout signing back up for the Army soon and I was wondering if you guys might know of a good rifle that I can buy in the states, hopefully as cheap as possible, that might give me some good practice.

I am looking for some thing as close to the feel/design of the M16 as possible to make it an easier transition. Last time round I was an average shot because I had never fired a gun before. I want to get some practice in this time around while I get back in the gym and shape up.

I live in FLA if that matters...

Suggestions?

[headquarters]

my advice - all imho - is to get the rifle that will be used the most .

cheap ammo
legal /allowed at most ranges
sturdy
fun to shoot.

1st suggestion is the ruger 10/22.I recommend it for plinking and target practice as well as small game

Other than that mauser type bolt action mechanisms are what I believe to be best .You can get good moisin nagants for less than 100 us.

but check ammo supply and availability of parts and GOOD mags before buying .

gunbroker.com can get you an overview of the market before buying .

[chico20854]

If you want the feel of a M-16, get a civilian AR-15. You can get them in thousands of variations (stocks, barrel length, sights, accessories, manufacturers, etc), but when you pick one up the muscle memory from your last time in will come right back, its an eerie feeling. Nothing else has the same feel.

Bad news is the expense. These days with all the Obama panic an AR-15 type rifle will cost you $1000 or more. See ar15.com for a bewildering array of info on the AR.

If you want to practice marksmanship, there are a variety of good rifles out there cheap. A basic 10/22 sells at Wal-Mart for about $200 and the ammo is a steep 3 cents a round (5.56 is now 35-40+ cents a round). Mosins can be had for under $100 and there are a lot of bolt-actions, both surplus and hunting-type, on the used gun market now as people clear out their safes due to unemployment or to stock up on guns they feel are in danger of being banned in the near future. But the ergonomics of the AR aren't there although the fundamentals of marksmanship are there and don't change with the platform.

[pmulcahy11b]

When I was in the Army, I bought an AR-15 just for that reason. When I first enlisted and got out Basic, I had marksmanship scores that were barely enough to graduate, but worked my way up to expert with the help of that rifle. These days, there are zillions of AR-15 clones out there, so there is a lot of choice; you'll be able to shop around that way and possibly find a deal. If possible, get an AR-15A2; if you can afford it, get an A3 (which has a MIL-STD-1913 rail atop the receiver instead of a carrying handle) and a Trijicon ACOG, since almost every soldier is issued on these days. Shoot with and without it; my nephew, who went to basic over last summer, says they didn't have ACOGs when they were shooting for record in Basic.

Another possibility, especially for BRM practice, is an AR-15 "Clone" that is chambered for .22 Long Rifle instead of .223/5.56mm. This will give you some of the "muscle memory" at a lesser cost, and let you practice basic marksmanship.

[kalos72]

I aint got a grand for this so...the .22 option will have to work. Any sites you would recommend for the "clones"? I have never really looked into this much,

[kcdusk]

Originally Posted by kalos72

Any sites you would recommend

Guns at this site seem cheap and plentyful.

www.pmulcahy.com/

(sorry paul, it was to hard to pass up)

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by kalos72

I aint got a grand for this so...the .22 option will have to work. Any sites you would recommend for the "clones"? I have never really looked into this much,

I don't know if they sell then new anymore, but the one that immediately springs to mind is the EMF AP-74. Looks just like an AR-15 (except that the flash suppressor is different) -- the magazine well is even mocked up to look a 20-round AR-15 magazine, the sights are basically the same, and the controls and operation are in the right place. It is about a pound lighter than an AR-15, however. My platoon leader in the National Guard a million years ago had one, and it really does shoot the same as an AR-15, except for shorter range.