Looking to buy a 308 Battle Rifle

[PopNFresh]

I was a fal guy forever, loved the ugly simple bastards. When the scar17 came out I got somewhat excited hoping it would be a more accurate replacement.
The ones I've shot have been pretty accurate. My big issue is parts availability, finding replacement carriers and such can be very difficult at times. From what I've heard but not dealt with suppressing it will nuke warranty as well, but no first hand on that.
you can buy replacement gas block screws to control the size of your gas port which is a handy thing to tune your gun to your load and suppressor so the thing doesn't beat itself apart.

When they first came out everyone claimed they destroyed lots of optics but that seems to not be a thing as much now.

I like the scar, it's light, quick, accurate and easy to field strip and clean. Even so if I had it all to do over again I'd probably build a really light 308 ar10

 

[ARlife4me]

I was a fal guy forever, loved the ugly simple bastards. When the scar17 came out I got somewhat excited hoping it would be a more accurate replacement.
The ones I've shot have been pretty accurate. My big issue is parts availability, finding replacement carriers and such can be very difficult at times. From what I've heard but not dealt with suppressing it will nuke warranty as well, but no first hand on that.
you can buy replacement gas block screws to control the size of your gas port which is a handy thing to tune your gun to your load and suppressor so the thing doesn't beat itself apart.

When they first came out everyone claimed they destroyed lots of optics but that seems to not be a thing as much now.

I like the scar, it's light, quick, accurate and easy to field strip and clean. Even so if I had it all to do over again I'd probably build a really light 308 ar10

For a WT guy, where are you? Would a 5# 14oz 20" AR10 without optic work?

 

[FireFlyFishing]

Seekins sp-10

I have a the "m" model which has a rock creek barrel , and hand fit by the seekins custom shop. Tack driver with bergers.

About same price as scar.

Ive had 1/2 a dozen m1a variants to include douglas barreled ones great guns, but cant stand scope height drives me nuts cleaning them is a pain vs seperating upper and lower on a AR.

Another one to consider is the scar 20s.

I got around the scope issue with a SAGE chassis. Works great with the adjustable cheek riser. My 18" is still irons an I intend to keep it that way.

 

[J-L]

On the fals i was building stg-58 austrian kits on
Imbel receivers 20 years ago when A grade kits were $120 bucks and south african 7.62 ammo was dirt cheap. Great guns. I shouldve bought 50 of those kits back then. Theyre big money now. My buddy has 2 original 50.63 fal paras he got years ago for 2k a pop, original belgian factory guns theyre 8k now.

Woulda shoulda coulda ….

A fal would be a great gun , another one to consider is going Die Hard and getting a HK-91 with a hensoldt scope.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

On the fals i was building stg-58 austrian kits on
Imbel receivers 20 years ago when A grade kits were $120 bucks and south african 7.62 ammo was dirt cheap. Great guns. I shouldve bought 50 of those kits back then. Theyre big money now. My buddy has 2 original 50.63 fal paras he got years ago for 2k a pop, original belgian factory guns theyre 8k now.

Woulda shoulda coulda ….

A fal would be a great gun , another one to consider is going Die Hard and getting a HK-91 with a hensoldt scope.

If I only had a pallet of LR mag primers bought say circa 2000…

I'd be doing a hostile take over on Amazon right now.

 

[budlight]

Intended use is Home defense, combat training and predator control/hunting

My advice is to just stay away from anything that only shoots low powered service rifle rounds.


I only know about the FN. Serious waste of my time and money. Nobody told me that it could only shoot low powered "Service Rifle" rounds. You can't even go buy a box of 308 rem. It blows the primers out and jams the gun. I had the 20 inch. It's heavy and well built for it's original military type use. Totally worthless to me. I attempted to reload service rifle low pressure rounds and decided that it was defeating the purpose. You just can't go into a ammo store and buy 308 real hunting rounds.


So I built my own AR 308 DPMS for a 1/3 of the cost. I bought 20 and 24 inch SS fluted barrels match grade. So I load 125 gr Speer TNT varmint rounds at near max loads. Chrono at 3200 fps out of my 24 inch and about 3100 out of my 20 inch. Definately a home defence round because I'm a pig hunter and it just takes them out.

Starting with a

https://www.aeroprecisionusa.com/m5-308-stripped-lower-receiver-anodized-black

20

This is a 20 inch 308 Win Heavy Profile AR 308 Premium Black Series Barrel. Shop more AR308 products at ballisticadvantage.com.

www.ballisticadvantage.com

This is a 24 inch with a 11 degree target crown

20 inch with a muzzle brake

 

[FireFlyFishing]

On the fals i was building stg-58 austrian kits on
Imbel receivers 20 years ago when A grade kits were $120 bucks and south african 7.62 ammo was dirt cheap. Great guns. I shouldve bought 50 of those kits back then. Theyre big money now. My buddy has 2 original 50.63 fal paras he got years ago for 2k a pop, original belgian factory guns theyre 8k now.

Woulda shoulda coulda ….

A fal would be a great gun , another one to consider is going Die Hard and getting a HK-91 with a hensoldt scope.

If I only had a pallet of LR mag primers bought say circa 2000…

I'd be doing a hostile take over on Amazon right now.

My advice is to just stay away from anything that only shoots low powered service rifle rounds.


I only know about the FN. Serious waste of my time and money. Nobody told me that it could only shoot low powered "Service Rifle" rounds. You can't even go buy a box of 308 rem. It blows the primers out and jams the gun. I had the 20 inch. It's heavy and well built for it's original military type use. Totally worthless to me. I attempted to reload service rifle low pressure rounds and decided that it was defeating the purpose. You just can't go into a ammo store and buy 308 real hunting rounds.


So I built my own AR 308 DPMS for a 1/3 of the cost. I bought 20 and 24 inch SS fluted barrels match grade. So I load 125 gr Speer TNT varmint rounds at near max loads. Chrono at 3200 fps out of my 24 inch and about 3100 out of my 20 inch. Definately a home defence round because I'm a pig hunter and it just takes them out.

Starting with a

https://www.aeroprecisionusa.com/m5-308-stripped-lower-receiver-anodized-black

20

This is a 20 inch 308 Win Heavy Profile AR 308 Premium Black Series Barrel. Shop more AR308 products at ballisticadvantage.com.

www.ballisticadvantage.com

This is a 24 inch with a 11 degree target crown

View attachment 527154

20 inch with a muzzle brake

View attachment 527149

Interesting. I won't be buying a SCAR either after reading this!

In this vein of conversation for the OP. If you decide on an M-14/M1A, you can buy and easily install an adjustable gas plug to run different types of hunting ammo through them. They work great! You'll will need one if you decide to install a suppressor.

 

[cajun]

The palmetto 308 is a great bargain. You can get upper and lower on sale now for around $ 800.

 

[budlight]

The palmetto 308 is a great bargain. You can get upper and lower on sale now for around $ 800.

You get what you pay for and I've made it point to stay away from them and their stuff because why buy junk that you are always going to wish that you didn't.

I buy a nice stocks because it works and I like it or a nice BCG or Forged uppers and lowers. Buy something once and keep it for life!

 

[cajun]

You get what you pay for and I've made it point to stay away from them and their stuff because why by junk that you are always going to wish that you didn't.

I buy a nice stocks because it works and I like it or a nice BCG or Forged uppers and lowers. Buy something once and keep it for life!

I have several palmettos. While it's not a seekins junk is a little harsh. All of them run good and have shot 1- 1 1/2 moa. Plenty good enough for the intended purpose. The money you save you can buy plenty ammo and spend more time behind the trigger which is the big thing.

 

[PopNFresh]

In this vein of conversation for the OP. If you decide on an M-14/M1A, you can buy and easily install an adjustable gas plug to run different types of hunting ammo through them. They work great! You'll will need one if you decide to install a suppressor.

as you can with a scar

 

[buzby]

Intended use is Home defense, combat training and predator control/hunting

This sounds specificity like .223/5.56 AR territory. I would choose one over 308 in every one of those uses

 

[Doom2]

I can't even remotely imagine a 308 as a home defense weapon. Even a 223/556 for in home or close range defense is ridiculous. It is usable for predator but is really overkill in most applications. I look at it this way, <20yd pistol, < 50 yds- shotgun, <300 yds 223, >300 yds just about any cartridge with a powder capacity of 40 grains or higher, personal pref is 308 Win.

You have to remember that it is possible/likely your target may not stop the round. Also ammunition selection is critical to the application.

 

[rpol98]

308? perps with body armor.