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Bob_thompson
| Posted on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 07:40 pm: |
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"In other words, if you LIKE the .308, get one. Ammo probably will be available more, and sooner, than most of the other rounds we've discussed here. .223 is likely to be a bit scarce because it's used in AR platform rifles, among others. I hope I'm wrong on that last bit." Pretty accurate Aesquire but only if our present administration stops buying up all the highly desirable ammo for their so called FBI "training purposes" and to keep it out of the hands of patriotic civilians. I'm pretty sure they will not want much of my 7mm-08. |
Swampy
| Posted on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 09:22 pm: |
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I have a 308, 243, and 22-250. I hand load for all three and the difference between handloaded ammo and store bought ammo is like night and day for accuracy. It is real rewarding finding the magic number and seeing the results down range. All great advice but what ever you do start hand loading, you can get into to for about the cost of 5 boxes of ammo. |
Swampy
| Posted on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 09:23 pm: |
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BTW a long range rifle IS a tactical rifle... |
Mtnmason
| Posted on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 09:54 pm: |
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"BTW a long range rifle IS a tactical rifle..." Ok, I guess I can go along with that. I suppose a lot has to do with its intended purpose. Moreover, it's about fooling the uninitiated. Dress up a basic A4 with some glossy wood furniture, slap on what 'looks' like a 'hunting' scope and suddenly it's not so scary anymore (i assume most of us have seen some varying example of such rifle). Likewise, put a bi-pod and a sling on a bolt action with a synthetic black or OD green stock and suddenly it becomes a man-killing sniper weapon. Aesquire - I see your point... somewhat. It's entirely probable that .308 will find its way onto shelves again en masse, at which point it may be prudent to hoard (thus perpetuating the current drought to some extent). But if I went out and picked up a Ruger American at the LGS tomorrow, chances are I would have to scrounge for ammo. The local walmart has what appears to be at least 20 boxes of 7mm-08 on the shelf now; not that I could buy more than three per day. One definite advantage of .308/7.62 is the fact that if I did go with 7mm - what will I have to run it through? A 7mm bolt-action rifle. Thats it. With the .308 I have more options in terms of platforms that fire the cartridge. Reloading will have to wait. Hopefully not for too much longer. Thanks again everyone for the input. These are the decisions that try men's souls. |
Ulyranger
| Posted on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 10:21 pm: |
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"Instead I would ask, what ammo is going to come back fastest?" +1. That's a winner right there. |
Blake
| Posted on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 10:22 pm: |
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>>> the difference between handloaded ammo and store bought ammo is like night and day for accuracy. First, I think you meant "consistency", the "accuracy" part is all on you. "Like night and day"??? I can't see that being true. Of course the particular type of store bought ammo may affect your results. I mean how much better at 200 yds can you get versus sub-one inch groups using factory ammo? Poor consistency with one brand/ model? Then try another. Better maybe. Like night and day? Not so much. |
Hybridmomentspass
| Posted on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 10:58 pm: |
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for those speaking of 223/556 - check your local guy stores, these are getting shipped out and ive bought several boxes almost every week for the past two months, and prices were still reasonable - 9 bucks a box for brass it is out there, the government isnt hogging it all...more than likely its just people grabbing up all they can get and posting it on armslist for a huge profit |
Blake
| Posted on Thursday, May 23, 2013 - 04:34 pm: |
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>>> One definite advantage of .308/7.62 is the fact that if I did go with 7mm - what will I have to run it through? A 7mm bolt-action rifle. Thats it. I don't think that's accurate. Try Remington and Browning. |
Spatten1
| Posted on Thursday, May 23, 2013 - 05:33 pm: |
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7mm mag is very expensive ammo, very good ballistics, but very expensive. |
Bob_thompson
| Posted on Thursday, May 23, 2013 - 06:17 pm: |
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I agree Blake, Remington, Winchester and Browning autos can be tactical rifles, especially a Remington with a 10 round magazine and they are in many calibers other then .308 or .223. Of course, most times not quite as accurate as a "good" bolt rifle but probably accurate enough....... |
Mtnmason
| Posted on Thursday, May 23, 2013 - 09:37 pm: |
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Oh wow! Okay, apparently RRA makes a 7mm-08 upper. News to me. Thanks, Blake. That may have sealed the deal. |
Loki
| Posted on Thursday, May 23, 2013 - 09:39 pm: |
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The 556/223 stuff is showing up more and more on the shelves. I just walked outta a Big Box store with normal priced AR and Mini 20rd mags. |
Bob_thompson
| Posted on Thursday, May 23, 2013 - 10:04 pm: |
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Mtnmason, Edward, that would be a great all around rifle. I have a RRA Operator 2 and it has the absolute best AR trigger I have ever seen in an AR. Two stage and it feels like its just a 2# pull and lets off like glass. It also shoots into an inch at 100M if I do my job. But I just checked RRA and all they show right now is a 6.8mm (.270) upper. It is a short version (6.8x43) with a 115 g. bullet at 2650 in a 16" barrel or 140 g. @ 2450. Real close to my 7mm08. Nice. It will also go directly on a .223 lower but fairly pricey at $1055.00. Still a great option. Time maybe, to rethink my SHTF weapons. Correction, rechecked and the uppers only are running $550-750. Now I am strongly considering one. YA! (Message edited by Bob_thompson on May 23, 2013) |
Aesquire
| Posted on Sunday, May 26, 2013 - 10:11 am: |
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"Tactical" means it's black. "hunting" means it's camo. "zombie" means it has some bilious green. That's the difference. Seriously. |
Aesquire
| Posted on Sunday, May 26, 2013 - 10:56 am: |
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http://wapsisquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ FanGirl-the-zombie-hunter.jpg wallpaper for the fanboys. http://wapsisquare.com/comic/09092001/ One of my fav webcomics. ( about a museum curator that releases the Aztec god of alcohol. Which is like saying "Band of Brothers" is about an Infantry unit. ) Like most of these things, it's a "soap" so begin at the beginning. For the coolest weapons, Steampunk style, Girl Genius. ( turning people on to this one may be evil. ) http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=200 21104 The .308 family, ( 7mm-08, etc. ) uses a longer, different, lower and upper to take the "short" .308 round, than a 5.56x45 AR. Early AR-10's had a bad rep as unreliable, ( often jamming at least once with a 20 rd mag ) but Armalite has made changes and current production is fine, the Other companies that make .308 variants of the AR platform vary in workmanship and reliability. Mostly decent, especially for Les Baer, RRA, and the Remington conglom. The 6.8 spc is a 5.56 length round, designed by an Army internal "unofficial" team with Remington to give better hard barrier performance and stopping power. I haven't tried one, but it's supposed to be a decent deer round, less powerful than a .270 Winchester, ( same diameter bullet, usually lighter to stay in length to fit the AR magazine ) but more than adequate. I Don't know who makes a bolt action chambered for the 6.8 spc, but it should be a snap to make and use a .223/5.56 size action. The 6.5 Grendel is a very different critter, based on a different base cartridge and philosophy. A long range round, based on the PPC family of target rifle rounds, it is less common than the 6.8 in stores. I like it, but others differ. good description of why the 6.5-7mm cartridges seem to be a "sweet spot". http://www.gdiengineering.com/wordpress/why-most-6 -5mm-cartridges-are-great-but-6-5-grendel-is-just- okay/ history from one of the developers http://www.6mmbr.com/65grendel.html A description of how the 6.5 Grendel and Les Baer 6.5 LBC-AR are not the same, but sort of are..... ( legal issues ) http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t= 103566 All of these "tactical" and "target" rounds should work fine in a bolt action, unlike a classic 30-30 which has a rim and takes some careful engineering to make work right. ( it's been done ) Also for light, east to carry, and classic lines, a Ruger #1 single shot is available in a wide variety of rounds from .17's up through serious Big Game rounds like the .458 Lott. I see them used all the time at gun shops, and they make a great project gun since you can have them reamed/rebarreled etc. to darn near every cartridge this side of a .50 BMG. ( which is a fine deer round, but a bit heavy for my old bones in any platform I want to actually shoot. ) Rugers are built like tanks, so longevity and strength are not an issue. Some, like the #1, are rather elegant classics. |
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