Battle Rifles

[GrumpyOne]

What various Apocalypse movies have taught us:

"The Road": Nothing. Wandering around with a .38 and a couple of rounds is no way to go through life, son. Learn to reload. Battle Rifles: none.

"Book Of Eli": Get God on your side ASAP. If He talks to you and gives you a chore, do it. Learn to use a Kukri. Put a Beretta 92 in your pack; 70 yd one-handed shots are easy if He is on your side. Battle Rifles: Not needed.

"Resident Evil (series)": Get Milla on your side ASAP. Learn to use 2 Kukris. Post-apocalyptic Chic looks great on girls. Battle Rifles: all kinds, all you can get.

Just my $.02 (or can of tuna, or KFC wet wipe, or Star Wars collectable in Wrap)

ericm

You forgot the grandaddy of post apocalyptic films...The Mad Max movies. No battle rifles, but one bad a** sawed off shotgun.

[RangerTrace]

I voted .308 and M14 style as my SOCOM 16 is my "go-to" rifle when the shit hits the fan.

[jwfuhrman]

The new LMT MWS 308 is what Id get. 16in 308 AR. Put the Burris 1.5-6 XTR on it and your G2G

[Shadowrider]

Assault rifle?

Why not go with the ultimate?

OK OK, I digress, give me a M14....

Edited September 7, 2010 by Shadowrider

[DMS42]

I have one each HK 91, FN FAL and currently only 2 M1As. My rifle of choice would have to be the E2 stocked M1A.

[kellyn]

The problem I see with the FN FAL is the recoil. It is an awesome gun. for sure, but damn near completely uncontrollable on full auto (not that you would be using full auto). If I'm not mistaken, there also was some issues with them getting dirty and not working (this was along time ago, things may have changed).

Things have definitely changed, DS arms has made them bullet proof. As for full auto, I don't think he is going for a class 3. Where is Kelly on this? I know he is a DS fan.

Given that we are discussing the zombie apocalypse, I think ammo weight becomes a crucial factor which takes .308 out of the equation. Zombies have to be head shot so the power advantage of the .308 is mitigated. And when fighting off hordes of the undead, the ammo capacity of the AR will really start to shine. Did you guys see all the zombies in the parking lot in Dawn of the Dead? That is going to take a lot of ammo to clear up. 20 round M1A/FAL/HK/AR10 mag or 30-40-42-even 100 rd mags for the AR, easy choice.

So I would take JP VTAC carbine.

If I had to pack around a .308, I would roll with a DSA Tac carbine with a 16 in barrel.

[JimmyZip]

Apocolypse? I'm leaning to my SOCOM16. I've carried ammo before as a gunner. You do get used to it.

Zombies? Well, then I'm leaning towards the Stag M8 I shot at my Dad's a whle back. I really liked the way that it shot and felt. With the Comp M2 it seemed it would be able to get a head hit on a shuffling zombie at 50-60yds.

[DocMedic]

"Book Of Eli": Get God on your side ASAP. If He talks to you and gives you a chore, do it. Learn to use a Kukri. Put a Beretta 92 in your pack; 70 yd one-handed shots are easy if He is on your side. Battle Rifles: Not needed.

He shoots a Heckler & Koch HK45, not a beretta 92. The bad guy that missed him was shooting the 92

Edited September 7, 2010 by DocMedic

[Mickster]

For the human flesh eating Zombie hordes I would like to present the 11.5" .556 for your consideration. It comes equipped with a 4x optic and Harris bi-pod for when you can get far enough away to stop, take a breath and take a few out just for good measure. See through irons as needed just in case. Red Dot optic also just in case as needed.

Not one Surefire high intensity light, but two, for when there's really lots of them out in the dark milling around munching on each other. The red laser would work great at nite too when you just have to shoot from the hip and run backwards at the same time.

And lots and lots of 64 grain soft nosed Speer LE ammo.

The battle rifle in .308? FN-FAL.

Edited September 7, 2010 by Mickster

[mpeltier]

For Zombie's I would just use my 16" rifle gas, Adams Arms piston AR with Trijicon TR24 that I use for 3-gun. I would have to have the bed of my pick up truck as full of loaded p-mags as it will hold. If and when I run out of ammo, my back-up weapon of choice would be my 27" 250yr old Japanese Katana. It was designed for that sorta work, and will never run out of ammo.

For a battle rifle, take your pick, M1A, FN FAL, FN SCAR H, each will get the job done.

[Mark K]

Guess I will jump in on this one on a couple of levels - though I know many of the responses are tongue in cheek.

When It comes to The End of the World as We Know It, the primary factors in deciding on a weapon will be ammo availability (by hook or crook), and weapon maintainability.

To those ends I offer the following: Ammo for long guns, i.e. Battle/assault rifle you are pretty much limited to .308, .223, an 7.62x39. You can find them damned near anywhere on the planet, to some degree or another (pulling them off dead bodies, or whatever). (for Pistol, 9mm, 40SW and 45 are about it). No matter the pros and cons of other calibers, you have to be able to shoot what you have or can find. I have made my choices, and have .308 in a long range bolt gun, and .223 in the assault gun (I also have .300 whisper for quiet work - but that is another matter).

Now for maintainability, give me the AR or an AK every time. Every part of the gun is dumb-guy user maintainable/replaceable. In time of crisis, parts will be laying all over the battlefield.

I had the privilege of being with the USAMU 25 years ago when the unit made the move for it's service rifle team to transition from M14s to M16s. I was friends with the OIC of the Service Rifle Team, Maj Ed Schumacher. Ed was a long time International Rifle and Service Rifle shooter. I had shot some Service Rifle (I was then an International Rifle shooter), and did love my M14. When I asked him about the transition, he related to me that the M14 was capable if great accuracy all the way out to 1000yd, but to maintain that accuracy, it really needed a visit to a very capable gunsmith often. He also told me that OUT OF THE BOX, the M16A1 had better accuracy out to 350yds then the M14, with no special work.

All this to say - If I had to pick one platform and one caliber - nothing exotic - I would chose the AR15 platform in .223. Since I don't, I chose a .308 Bolt gun (Rem700, simple to maintain, and they are all over the place) for heavy/long hitting, and the AR15 for most work.

Like all of you, this is just my opinion.

Mark K.

[MarkCO]

And not a single metion of the Bushmaster ACR...interesting. The guys on TV sure like it...

Battle rifle, end of the world, bug-out, survival, etc., all have a slightly different focus. I guess I'd like to know if the OP is pikcing a "first" or "only" or "?" rifle.

I hear a lot of keyboard commandos really like the Hi-point 9mm carbines as well.

Edited September 7, 2010 by MarkCO

[jkatz44]

I think the OP is looking for ONE gun that would work well in a SHTF situation.

[GrumpyOne]

I'm telling you, it has got to be the M1, M14. 30 cal, so many choices for loads. Sure the ammo and rifle may be heavy, but it has extreme power compared to other rounds. Just think of all the 30 cals out there...30-30, 30-06, 308, 300 win mag, 300 whisper, 300 Weatherby, 300 savage, M1 carbine, AK47, you could possibly even say the 303 British, and, I'm sure there are others. Need components? Tear those other rounds apart, reload to whichever you need.

[2011BLDR]

I have 2 battle rifles already and would rank them:

1. POF P-308, 14.5” bbl with Surefire MB pined and welded for a 16.1” legal overall length. I run this with the stock 1 position closer than a 5.56mm carbine giving me the same overall length.

2. Springfield M1A “bush rifle” in a SAGE MOD1 EBR chassis stock with the new Vltor stock adapter that allows 1” of vertical adjustment.

I have shot .223 @ 600yrds and it is challenging to deal with the drop and wind drift. I have also shot the POF @ 968yrds and it is much easier to deal with .308 drop and wind drift.

Out,

2011BLDR

[mgood]

I want a Springfield M1A with iron sights that have no glass to break and no batteries to die.

I just haven't decided if I want the Standard, the Scout Squad, or the National Match.

on a 308 auto the m1a get another vote based simply on magazines that work, without fail.

however I'd also consider a battle rifle that has been around much longer than that johnny come lately 308,...........45-70.

I thought about the 45-70, but it's too slow to reload...Even the trapdoor model.

actually, i think a 45-70 guide gun (or any lever gun with a loading port on the right side) can actually be very fast to reload. carry your rounds loose in a side pocket or loading bag and whenever you've got a lull between strings/stages/zombie waves, you just stuff a few more down the side. loading a 405 gr hardcast lead bullet to around 1500 fps you get very manageable recoil and more then sufficient stopping power (for zombies or whitetail if you're harvesting dinner in between fighting off the hordes).

As soon as the .45-70 was mentioned I thought of that Marlin lever-action that they call a guide gun, not some old single-shot buffalo gun. I've wanted the Marlin since I first saw it, as sort of a "tactical" big-bore lever gun, for when the zombies get really big.

I wouldn't want that to be my only gun though. Cool concept, but ammo availability et cetera, as has been discussed, and I'll take a semi-auto .308. Wouldn't turn my nose up at a .223 AR, but given my choice, I'd take the .308.

[Alaskapopo]

I would take my Noveske in 5.56. Yes its not great for big game but in a pinch it can be used with neck and head shots. You can carry lots of ammo for it and you will find 5.56 and .223 ammo pretty much anywhere. These guns are easy to shoot well and carry.

Pat

[ClutchUSMC]

I'm reaching for the 7.5 in 6.8 spc.

[KentG]

Well I would still take the 223 since I have around 6K of Milsurp ammo and thats assuming I will have time after a long day of cleaning the Zombies off the streets to clean it I will take my JP with Meopta. Or my SBR with an Aimpoint.

IF I cant choose that platform Im going with the MIA Scout Squad. I had one and I liked it but I would hate to have to hump ammo and mags. If I could just carry a couple mags on me and have plenty in the vehicle I would be OK with that. ala Zombieland. If I had to hump it totally Id find a way to get the AR.

Another opinion in a senario thats less likely to happen than me winning the powerball unfortunatly.

[jaredr]

I'm reaching for the 7.5 in 6.8 spc.

LWRC?

[grkmec]

I would grab my Larue OBR 16" 7.62mm. I would hand my wife my 10.5" 5.56mm SBR I got a suppressor for both so I got all my bases covered...

[bunsen27]

post apocalyptic world with no Zombies = .308 M1A ; I want to engage targets at maximum distance and drop them with one shot.

post apocalyptic world with Zombies = AR platform with a supressor; noise, follow ups shots, and the amount of ammo you can carry are the deciding factors for me here.

One "reference" source nobody has mentioned yet is World War Z by Max Brooks. Great read BTW.

[Bear23]

I'm gonna call Gecko45 and see what he would use.

BRB

[RAZZ]

Snip

I choose .223 and AR10 because unlike some guys that need stopping power and can't make their rifles run I can shoot my .223 into 1" at 500 so who needs power with that kind of accuracy and my AR10 has never had a malfunction because I know how to "Smith It".

Snip

Snort.

Edited October 21, 2010 by RAZZ

[Don Springer]

The wife and I were watching Zombie Land the other night and she saiiiiiiiiiiiiiiid........

"Ya know, you're always joking about zombie rifles and stuff but what if it really happened? I don't mean hordes of the undead but what if a virus kinda like rabies was unleashed that simmulated what we're watching. Would we have enough ammo?"

I stared at her like "THIS IS WHY I LOVE YOU!"

She stared at the TV for a second and then said.....

"Pick up some more ammo when you go into town."

HECK YEAH!

Don