Michael Brown Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 What does everyone think? AR10, FAL, or M1A? Carbine or full size? Why? Other than its what you already have. Michael Brown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.E.Anglin Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 AR 10 mag, changes are a lot faster and if you already shoot an AR then all the controls are same Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucas Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 That new bushy that uses FAL mags looks good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cking Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 I have/had all three. The AR10 is great, I like carbine my shoots match federal into about 1.5" 5 shot groups at 200 yards. Put an Acog on top and JP trigger and norgon ambi safety. I'm a lefty, had to use heavier spring in norgon to keep it from dropping the mags occasionally. Noisy to those on left and right, soft shooting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 If you want a bargain alternative, you could snag one of those $300 CETMEs. They're not ideal for this game, but for the price (and mags are almost free too), you can't beat it. AR10 and all of the .308 AR-style rifles have inherent accuracy, better ergonomics, versatility, rock-solid scope mounting, and familiar controls on their side. The FAL is a timeless classic. It's good if you want to go "old school" and was a great choice before the demise of the "ban" because magazines were readily available and inexpensive. M1A is another classic and you can shoot it in NRA high power too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huck Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 If you know how to reload an M1A it gives up nothing to the Ar-10, and M1A sights are surperb, leaving nothing to be desired (long radius, good controls). The only place you may loose ground is on optics mounting, but isn't heavy metal supposed to be Irons only? I have and would recommend a standard full length gun. I feel that the conventional stock design is easier to shoot accurately than the pistol grip on an ar, it is closer to the axis of the barrel. By the way, ammoman has m14 mags 10 for $129. I just got 10 and they are awesome quality. These can be used for conversion for ar-10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 I shot an M1A in the last heavy metal match for the year at a local club; couple of points: 1) Reloads are rediculously slow unless you dedicate serious practice time. Even then, they are not as fast as an AR-10 2) Despite what you hear, these things can jam. I had 4 malf.s on one stage using mags from ammoman and Hirtenberger factory ammo. 3) 2 of us used a S.A. that was factory -shortened to 18". It worked very very well and it was quite accurate. It was a fun and nostalgic gun to shoot. Untimately the AR is more competitive for 3 gun (stock 100% in-line with bore, more options available, etc) but do not count out the M1a. Regards, D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Anderson Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 Might want to hold off on the Bushmaster for just a bit. I like the ability to use FAL mags. I really like the concept of getting rid of the charging handle latch, however, last I heard there were still some kinks with it. The plunger they use in the detent is steel and the receiver is aluminum. From talking to a couple guys that have them, after a few hundred rounds, this wears and the charging handle pops loose under recoil, popping the shooter in the face. If anyone heard if Bushmaster fixed this, let me know, this is the only thing holding me back from one of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK74 Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 For me it’s the FAL, wonderful ergonomics, I’ve used a half dozen different rifles over the last several years in 3-Gun the two that have worked best for me are the AR-15 and the FAL. My FAL recoils a lot like my Rem. 1100, a soft push, lean in to it and its very controllable. I can shoot it all day with zero discomfort; this is with out a muzzle brake. The 3-gun matches around here tend to be short range most > 100yards the farthest I have shot with a FAL (in a match) is 200 meters, keeping them in the A-Zone was no problem. If you’re likely to be shooting past 300 meters the AR-10’s superior accuracy and its ability to accepted a match trigger may make it the better choice. If your right handed you can use your trigger finger to release the mag as you reach for your reload, the FAL is much easer / faster to reload then the M1A1, G3, Mini 14 or AK at lest for me. I have no problem with the stock safety but if you have small hands or a short thumb a drop in extends safety is available. The stock barrel is too long, an 18 inch barrel gives up nothing and is much handler, mostly I shoot my 16-1/2 barreled FAL in 3-Gun. So for me the FAL works best. I have shot a few AR-10’s, if you are going to be shooting long stuff or are left handed the AR is the way to go, but to me the AR-10 just feels much clumsier bulkier then the AR-15 or the FAL. I have a G3, reliable, accurate, IMHO horrible sights, trigger, safety, charging handle. Slow to reload. M1A1 great sights and trigger its accurate but I prefer a pistol grip and it’s also slow to reload. Honestly their all-outstanding rifles, try them all and pick the one that fits you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 There's a lot of good feedback on the DPMS .308 Panther on AR15.com and they support our sport! The price is modest for a .308 AR and it uses the same mags as the AR10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 The DPMS .308 may be a good gun, but the barrel on it is *ridiculous*. It's totally unsuitable for unsupported shooting. What were they thinking when they decided to use a telephone pole as the model for a barrel?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Is that the only barrel available? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 I've been flirting with the idea of a Saiga .308. AK design 16" or 20" barrel for about $300 new. I want one just because but it might make a fun Heavy metal gun anyway. Vlad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airedale Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 I am also hunting for a heavy metal rifle. The DPMS looks like the ticket. Everthing I have read indicates it is a great rifle. DPMS offers shorter than 24" barrels-I think the 18" would be ideal.Hopefully, the cheap magazine problem will be resolved. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Vlad - AKs are fun to shoot; I won the 1st Heavy Metal match I shot with an AK. They may not be the most competitive rifles (reloads are slow & take practice) but if the ranges invloved are close in, they work. Around here, there are rarely shots over 120 yards. We just do not have the room back east. Do a search or try www.siaga-12.com for a forum that discusses the .308 Saiga; I believe that the 16" has proven to be more accurate than the 20 & with the lower Major limit, it should easily make it in .308. Plus, if you add enough USA made parts, you are allowed to convert it to pistol grip (this did NOT change with the AWB sunset) and soon 20 round magazines should be available from EAA. Regards, D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted December 7, 2004 Share Posted December 7, 2004 DPMS has some weird obsession with bull and super bull barrels. They do have one .308 in a HBAR profile, but it's only 16". No comp. I'm convinced that to get the ultimate three-gun .308 size AR rifle, you need to custom build it. That means starting with an Eagle Arms lower unless you can blow money on complete rifle with which you radically change or remove the top end. Otherwise, see if the 'smith who's going to thread your barrel for a comp can also turn down the bull diameter to something reasonable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wakal Posted December 7, 2004 Share Posted December 7, 2004 http://www.dreadnaught-industries.com/imag...ar10_open_1.JPG Start off with a Armalite AR10. Complain when it arrives with a tapered barrel (they STILL haven't updated their website or catalog to show the "new" contour barrels), and strip it down. Send the barrel back for shop credit, and wait for a AR10(T) barrel to show up. Give the barrel to your grizzled machinist friend and have him turn it down to .750, cut it back to 18", thread it 9/16-28, and fit a JP "Tank Brake" on it. While he is doing that, disassemble the lower and throw away the trigger, grip, and stock. Replace the stock with ACE Skeleton (since itself replaced with a ACE SOCOM folding stock). Replace the grip with a "duckbill." Replace the trigger with a JP. Replace the mag catch button with a knurled oversized button. Replace the bolt catch with a Badger. Put the whole thing together with a JP free-float handguard. Take it to the range and break the barrel in. Shoot it a while. Decide that it cycles too slowly, and conspire with a like-minded shooter to machine three full ounces out of the bolt carrier. http://www.dreadnaught-industries.com/imag...ar10_bolt_2.JPG All that...and it still doesn't shoot as fast as the AR15 laid out the same way. http://www.dreadnaught-industries.com/imag...pen_ARset_1.JPG Buy a takeoff 20" .740 barrel off eBay and start another upper Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted December 7, 2004 Share Posted December 7, 2004 The other thing that eludes me about the DPMS 308 is: why no shell deflector? Has weakhanded shooting gone by the wayside in every discipline but IPSC / 3-Gun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted December 7, 2004 Share Posted December 7, 2004 Funny, Saturday I shot part of a 3-gun stage weak-handed (damn you Monte!) with my DPMS Lo-Pro upper rifle (no deflector) and never even noticed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airedale Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 I just traded for a DPMS .308 18" flattop. Now the optic hunt begins. I think I'm going to put a dot on it. ACOG is great but very expensive. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now