Best .308 Battle Rifle?

[HKdrummer]

So I've always liked the .308 battle/ G3 type rifle and with SO many types and brands and "clones" I'm wondering which is the best to buy based on the price/quality ratio.

Any feedback would be great if any of you have any of these rifles!

 

[FalArAk]

AR15

 

[Tim94gt]

M1A Socom II

 

[Mass-diver]

I had a PTR-91 for a while. Was totally reliable and very accurate. Mags were (and still are) super cheap.

Hope you reload, because .308 is still pretty expensive.

In free states everyone seems to love those LMT ar10s

 

[FalArAk]

M1A Socom

I agree,a tried and true design that has seen many battles all over the world.

I take back my AR15 suggestion.

 

[HKdrummer]

AR15

Already have 2

 

[hbar26]

L1A1 or FN FAL. Proven in the Falklands, Middle East, South Africa and numerous other parts of the world.

 

[shanef]

FAL +1

 

[DickWanner]

PTR-91, but you should be able to find one for cheaper than $1200 if you keep your eye out.

 

[HKdrummer]

L1A1 or FN FAL. Proven in the Falklands, Middle East, South Africa and numerous other parts of the world.

I just looked these up on gunbroker, and I think if I were to buy one of these I'd sell a bunch of random shit and save for a year to buy the one on there in full auto! OH LA LA WHAT A SEXY GUN!!!

 

[USMA-82]

I just looked these up on gunbroker, and I think if I were to buy one of these I'd sell a bunch of random shit and save for a year to buy the one on there in full auto! OH LA LA WHAT A SEXY GUN!!!

Yeah, but the problem with full auto is that, with a full-size cartridge, the damn thing is nearly uncontrollable! That's why Germany came up with the mid-size "kurtz" round during WWII. Just too much recoil in automatic firearms.

If I recall correctly, the Argentines had full-auto FAL's during the Falklands War, and the Brits had semi.

The other thing, of course, is that the thing is a frickin' boat anchor - heavy as hell. You have to wonder why they put a carrying handle on the thing.

All that being said - I love my STG-58. It's accurate with the right ammo, easy to "accessorize" and easy to clean and maintain.

 

[Tim94gt]

I agree,a tried and true design that has seen many battles all over the world.

I take back my AR15 suggestion.

It truly is a great rifle(M1A) and has been proven for about 50 years. My next choice would be an AR-10 just because I'm familiar with AR's and it would be an easy transition from a 16" AR-15 to the AR-10 should I need some more range.

The FAL's and G3's are nice but they're not for me.

 

[oneswithfunes]

M1 in a Troy MCS.

 

[Blitz1]

M1A/M-14, combat tested and still in use now. It's what they use to reach out when an AR doesn't cut it.

 

[lupis42]

I'd go with an AR platform rifle in 308. You can get more accuracy for less $, and you've got the best range accessories of any platform out there.

 

[vellnueve]

I have an M1A and a .308 AR. The latter is still in the teething stages (new mags should solve the problem), the former is a classic.

 

[fubar]

Secondary and Important question :

Which .308 platform doesn't mangle brass beyond re-use -ability ?

 

[alohadoug]

L1A1 or FN FAL. Proven in the Falklands, Middle East, South Africa and numerous other parts of the world.

+1. Had an interesting conversation with a British Army Officer (Military Police) about the "training exercise in the Falklands" (that's how they describe it). He said that the British Soldiers would swap their semi-auto L1A1 for Argentine full-auto FN FAL. Most of them switched back b/c they realized that on full-auto the recoil was horrendous and most of the rounds fired would carry over the target. He said they were great fun ("Jolly good fun" were his words) for making noise and messing around with, but as a battle rifle the full-auto was just this side of worthless.

Doug

 

[namedpipes]

Secondary and Important question :

Which .308 platform doesn't mangle brass beyond re-use -ability ?

Well, an HK91 is kind of easy on the brass! And cheap!









OK, so the used brass looks like cheetos - I still like the 91!

 

[Madball13]

M1A

 

[calsdad]

Get an FAL if you want .308. Second choice would be an M1A version.

FAL mags are cheaper. FAL's (and M1A's) don't mangle brass like HK91/CETME/et al rifles do, etc.

Of all the .308 battle rifles - the FAL is the most "battle proven".

Unless of course you want to get a Garand in .308 (the M1A is a descendent of the Garand)

 

[flintoid]

you can build a FAL, too.

 

[Flyer007]

AR in 6.5 Grendel.........Shoots flatter then .308 and has more energy @1000yds.

I just recently shot one and am working on building funds to get one.

 

[kristo]

In this century: KAC SR-25 aka M110.

 

[Gadsden]

AR/FAL/M1x aside as he did not ask about them..
The '91 and clones are a damn good weapon... can take a ton of abuse and work GREAT. (The Mexican army used them for crying out loud... ). My only real gripes are they are a dirty pig to clean, I do not like the recoil (seems to "buck" as opposed to the much sweeter recoil of a M1x or AR), no adjustment on the sights, and the cocking handle sucks. I had a PTR break an extractor and still not malf. (Just tossed the brass oddly.. )

I can't see the HK-91 as an option unless you are wanting a "pre-ban" rifle. I have heard reliability issues due to design flaws with the CETME.. The PTR is pretty nice and they stand by their product. (no experience with the others).

As far as the brass, get a brass buffer for $30 and your problems go away:
http://www.robertrtg.com/g3.html

Throw in a spare parts kit from robertg, trigger job from Williams Trigger, and a STANAG Z24 Scope w/claw mount and you have one hell of a weapon. It may or may not be as nice as a M1x, FAL, or A/LR-10/308, but if TEOTWAWKI breaks out that would be the gun I would grab.

 

[Skald]

Mine isn't listed.


LMT MRP 308 which is about $2500

if I was going precision. KAC SR25 EMC (about $5k) or the LMT 308 MWS (about 3k or so, and currently filling the SDM role in Brit units)

Target @ 100yds


800m Target Data

If you have seen the Future Weapons Top CQB weapons and saw the man from KAC talking about the PDW, that's the man who posted that info.

 

[MassMark]

I have a SOCOM-16, but if a .308 was on my radar right now, I'd likely get a Scout. That being said, a friend of mine has a G3 mag AR-10 lower, with a Fulton Titan carbine upper and it's simply a stunning gun...

 

[PaulD]

I'm quite happy with my M1A. I've shot FALs and somehow they didn't do it for me. If I wanted another .308 battle rifle, I'd probably go for something like the LMT.

 

[william_munny]

M1A all the way. I like HKs, I like the G3 variants, and out of your options there, I would choose the PTR-91. But if I was spending money, it would be on an M1A.

 

[pheasant_killer]

I was looking at these too (waiting for my full salary to get reinstated again some day).

What about the POF 308-MRR > http://www.pof-usa.com/p308/p308.htm

or the LWRC .308 REPR > http://www.lwrci.com/p-120-repr.aspx

I was also looking at the Knights M110 SASS > http://www.knightarmco.com/m110.html
until I saw someone selling it as a "deployment package" for $20k.