# Assualt rifles for the homestead...



## Snuffy Smith (Dec 9, 2002)

For a long time I thought that if I got a large enough clip for my semi-auto .243 deer rifle that I would have an instant assault rifle. I was informed that it would probably get too hot with a lot of rounds going through the barrel and seize up. Deer rifles are made with more percise tolerances than assault rifles. The assault rifle is made a bit "looser" to handle multiple rounds, I learned... Therefore, I have decided to purchase the new M1-A assault rifle with camo stock and as many 20-30 round clips as I can get. It uses a .308 cartridge, which is more expensive than the .223 that everyone seems to use in their AR-15's, but the M1 has been tested and proven through WW1 and the Korean War, and has a reputation as a very reliable weapon, even through rain and mud, etc... I just was wondering if anyone else has used/own one of these rifles? Thanks, Jim


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

243 is a very high pressure round 60,000psi but Remington makes a AR10 clone in 243 so it can be done 

the ar15's ar as tight as any gun can be they have to be to be 1000yrd shooters , everything can have problems is they get to hot but honestly not many can afford the ammo needed to get that hot at today's prices 

not to mention you need a glove to hold onto them

the m1a is a great gun but i wouldn't discount a AR's shootability 

remember 1 hit is worth a 1000 misses how many targets could you really engage that your 243 could get hot 

all barrels heat up and can affect accuracy , some worse than others


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## crispin (Jun 30, 2010)

Nothing wrong with a $300 AK-47


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

Snuffy Smith said:


> For a long time I thought that if I got a large enough clip for my semi-auto .243 deer rifle that I would have an instant assault rifle. I was informed that it would probably get too hot with a lot of rounds going through the barrel and seize up. Deer rifles are made with more percise tolerances than assault rifles. The assault rifle is made a bit "looser" to handle multiple rounds, I learned... Therefore, I have decided to purchase the new M1-A assault rifle with camo stock and as many 20-30 round clips as I can get. It uses a .308 cartridge, which is more expensive than the .223 that everyone seems to use in their AR-15's, but the M1 has been tested and proven through WW1 and the Korean War, and has a reputation as a very reliable weapon, even through rain and mud, etc... I just was wondering if anyone else has used/own one of these rifles? Thanks, Jim


yes, w/ a large enough magazine you would have an instant "assault rifle." when buying a dedicated battle rifle you need to consider your needs. do you expect to need to stop vehicles? 308 or larger is best. do you expect to have to scavenge rounds? 223 or 308 are best followed by a 9mm, 40 or 45 carbine and then a 30-06 or 7.62 soviet. do you expect to need it in a rural environment w/ engagement ranges beyond 100M? 223, 308, 762 or 30-06 are top choices. do you live where engagement ranges could reasonably & commonly be 500M or farther? 308 & 30-06 are best. do you expect to engage hostiles in an urban environment w/ occasional engagements upto 800M? 223 AR platform would be ideal, shorter engagement ranges only 9, 40 or 45 carbine would be best.
where i am right now, an FN-49 or SVD in 8mm mauser would fill the bill perfectly (great range & penetration including destroying the block of a vehicle) IF i had a huge stock of ammo. expecting to need to scavenge a 308 would be best followed by a 30-06, all of which makes the highly accurate M-14 or M-1 Garand civillian rifles prefect.


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

what are you expecting? the unexpected? a target quality ar15 is about 1/2 the price of the fine m1a


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Deer rifles are made with *more percise tolerances* than assault rifles.


LOL

That's simply not true in most cases


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## Snuffy Smith (Dec 9, 2002)

The rifle would be used primarly to defend my homestead in remote West Texas, where I can see for miles in all directions....


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## DYngbld (Jun 16, 2009)

What ever you get you need to shoot often to maintain your skill. You will get rusty quickly, I don't care if you buy the most accurate rifle in the world, if you don't practice with it you not hit a long distance target (let alone one that is moving). 

I prefer my AR15 due to the ammo price. Not to expensive to put 28 rounds through it every couple of months. Ditto the 9mm, I like it for the ammo price.


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

We have both an M1 and an M21 (fancy M1A). The M1 is for me because unlike most guns, the length of pull is short enough for me to shoot it! I agree with you, these are time proven guns... and yes the ammo is expensive.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

If you can see for miles then so can "they"

And "they" are most likely to have 50's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


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## zant (Dec 1, 2005)

If you can see for "miles"...I would rather have an accurate bolt gun to deny access....and a cheap AK for if they get inside the envelope...but if you practice,a M1A will surely hit out to 750yds,pretty accurately..


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Congrats on the M1A. My M1A is my "go to" gun now and always will be. US-made 7.62 NATO ammo is coming down in price. I believe the lowest I've seen lately was $380 for 1000 rounds bulk.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

can we stop propagating the media term for a black gun with a magazine , the gun will assault no one you may , but not the rifle. 

your point that if you had a larger magazine for your 243 it would serve the same function , perhaps with less design around cooling , tolerances are really no different if you want an accurate rifle it has to be tight 

what you do gain is that the m1a was designed to feed from the 20rnd mag and your 243 was designed for a 4 or 5 and you could add a larger aftermarket magazine but aftermarket magazines are often lacking in function


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

zant said:


> If you can see for "miles"...I would rather have an accurate bolt gun to deny access....and a cheap AK for if they get inside the envelope...but if you practice,a M1A will surely hit out to 750yds,pretty accurately..


remember on people (unlike critters) a gut shot that takes days to kill is as good as a head shot. so with practice you can reasonably use a 308/30-06 out to 1000 yds on groups of people & start engaging individuals at around 800 especially if you put a mildot scope on it.


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## Snuffy Smith (Dec 9, 2002)

All good information. Thanks for your comments.


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## Dutch 106 (Feb 12, 2008)

Hmm as green county says the media is pushing the term assult rifle for any military looking rifle with a box magazine.
used correctly an assult rifle is like shooting an abreviated (low power)in a full automatic rifle. Not a semi auto ar or even ak (which in the full auto vertion is an assult rifle)
The better term for what you guys are discusing is battle rifle as was used by someone above. 
of course we have many neopyhtes using the term clips for magazines too!
also M1 usually means the M1 garand a relly good rifle but differant than an M1A which I'm with cabin fever in that its my go to rifle!
Dutch


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## Silvercreek Farmer (Oct 13, 2005)

What make/model is your 243? Rem 750? BAR? Either way, I don't think you went wrong with the M1A, it will certainly get the job done. Make sure you follow through on the mags, and test every single one of them out. Defective mags are probably the #1 cause of malfunctions. A poor fitting one may be fixable with a little careful filing. In a firefight, loose ammo isn't what you want!


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I took the nice cheap way out when it came to an "assault" rifle and sonsidering the prices and availabilty of ammo.. 

It's REALLY hard to beat the durability and reliability of my SKS I bought before the ban... 7.62x39 ammo prices are really hard to beat per 1000 rounds. Having 30 round mags laying filled is nice too... if you want, you can even pick up drums that hold 75 rounds for under $100 each..


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## Old John (May 27, 2004)

simi-steading said:


> I took the nice cheap way out when it came to an "assault" rifle and sonsidering the prices and availabilty of ammo..
> 
> It's REALLY hard to beat the durability and reliability of my SKS I bought before the ban... 7.62x39 ammo prices are really hard to beat per 1000 rounds. Having 30 round mags laying filled is nice too... if you want, you can even pick up drums that hold 75 rounds for under $100 each..


Aha! you must have one of the Norinco Model D or Model M, SKS's that will take the 30 round AK magazines. I've seen a couple of those. They're hard to find. And they run 2 or 3 times or more of the price you give for a regular old SKS with the fixed magazine.
They are definitely worth it though. I think Norinco only was allowed to import those for a year or two.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I have the D model I believe it is... 

I thought you could pull the fixed mag off any SKS and use the detachables? I have a 20 round fixed on mine at the moment, but I've also got a 5 round fixed, and I've got a hand full of 30 detachables.. 

I was really surprised at the last gun show I went to... I remember when you would see SKS's and AK's all over the place. This show I only saw one SKS for sale, and it was a guy that was walking around looking to sell his... I saw very few AK's, and parts for the SKS were also pretty sparse...

I used to be pretty heavily into guns and the shows, but since I moved to DC I got away from them quite a bit so I didn't realize what had happened to the market with all of them... 

I'm just now starting to get back into firearms since I'll finally once again have my own place to shoot...


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