Buying a 308 WIN...help

[mckelveymx]

still trying to decide on which semi auto 308 WIN to get. im leaning towards DPMS or Armalite. i would like to get an out of the box accurate gun (best bang for the buck) i want the barrel to be as short as possible w/o sacrificing too much accuracy...and light is better as gun will be used for hunting and home defense battle rifle

is the 16" sportical accurate? or do i need a 18 or 20?

 

[mckelveymx]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

budget is around $2k with out optics

 

[malaga2]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

Get a bolt gun and spend the rest on optics/ammo...

 

[BULLITT1668]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Malaga2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Get a bolt gun and spend the rest on optics/ammo... </div></div>

Ammo will last you longer too!

 

[exhogflyer]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

Either is fine but you may get a DPMS for a lower price.Also take a look at the Remmy, built for them by DPMS but it already comes in camo war-paint.Short barrels are no less accurate they just give up some velocity, I think optimum for your use would be 18".

 

[Teleos]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: McKelvey</div><div class="ubbcode-body">still trying to decide on which semi auto 308 WIN to get. im leaning towards DPMS or Armalite. i would like to get an out of the box accurate gun (best bang for the buck) i want the barrel to be as short as possible w/o sacrificing too much accuracy...and light is better as gun will be used for hunting and home defense <span style="font-weight: bold">battle rifle</span>

is the 16" sportical accurate? or do i need a 18 or 20? </div></div>

I think a 22" M1A is what you're looking for.

Or a bolt action if you're looking for marksmanship.

 

[desertHK]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

I would vote for a bolt gun. If gas gun is a must, DPMS with a few mods.

 

[rwest309]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

+1 for a good bolt gun. You will develop more shooting ability this way as well as enjoy more accuracy.

 

[Ando]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

I don't think the question is really getting answered here.
Something like the DPMS LR-308L could serve your stated needs pretty well. Short barrels are not inaccurate. The LR-308L is free float and probably has better accuracy and hunting potential then the sportical. Though my friend's sportical is reasonably accurate with cheap ammo, (1-2 MOA)
.308 battle rifles are pretty demanding for Home defense weapons, excepting ranch rifle type situations.

 

[jdel]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

I second the M1A. If your looking for an AR platform my vote goes to Armalite. I don't have either but that's my pick. I also say go with a bolt for accuracy. You can make hotter ammo for a bolt too.

 

[mckelveymx]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

i have a bushmaster 6.8 spc...should i even buy a 308? or get a 5.56 upper for my 6.8?

 

[lroseen]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

My opinion would be to find a quality bolt gun leaving you at least 400 bucks for a different weapon for home defense. You can find a extremely nice bolt gun for under 1600 especially if your patient and look on gunbroker. I found a friend a custom hs presicion with only 200 through the tube for 1300 and it shoots like a gem(1/2 moa). The rifle costs alot more brand new so he got a hell of a deal.

Then go buy yourself a 16-18in barrelled shotgun that holds as many shells as possible probably about 6-8. Fill the shotgun with bird shot. The shotty will be a perfect home defense gun, with the bird shot you don't have to worry about going through walls and hitting someone else, ie family members or the next door neighbors. You will not have to worry about missing an intruder either.

Just my 2 cents but also realize what a man wants is what a man wants and if your set on a semi auto then go with the semi auto. I do have a DPMS in 223 with a 24" heavy barrel that shoots great, however I also have a friend who has a 223 dpms with a 20" heavy barrel that were having trouble with it shooting even 1moa, but were still trying to find a load it likes. I can't comment towards the armalite because i have never shot one, but I do enjoy my dpms.

 

[mattmcg]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

Go for a DPMS based LR-308 lower and have George at GA put together an upper for you. I've got this setup with a 24" Bartlein 5R barrel and it shoots consistently less than 1 MOA with respectable velocities.

 

[gszeto99]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: McKelvey</div><div class="ubbcode-body">still trying to decide on which semi auto 308 WIN to get. im leaning towards DPMS or Armalite. i would like to get an out of the box accurate gun (best bang for the buck) i want the barrel to be as short as possible w/o sacrificing too much accuracy...and light is better as gun will be used for hunting and home defense battle rifle

is the 16" sportical accurate? or do i need a 18 or 20? </div></div>

You are going to get a fireball at then end of your barrel when you shoot a 16" 308. I used to have a Rock River Varmint A4 in 16" and even that when it got a little darker you could see the fireball at the end of the barrel. You should get a bolt action 308. Just my suggestion.

 

[427Cobra]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: McKelvey</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i have a bushmaster 6.8 spc...should i even buy a 308? or get a 5.56 upper for my 6.8? </div></div>

everybody needs a 5.56 AR.

 

[rwest309]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

I am not sure a 16 inch .308 semi is what I would choose for hunting or home defense. Using the stated platform for those two purposes will mean significant compromises in both areas.

There are more specific tools available that are better suited to each situation.

Also if you are looking at the home defense issue please consider what a 16 inch 308 is going to mean when firing this weapon inside your domicile.

If you have neighbors this is a deal breaker. The rounds will not stay within the confines of your home (unless frangible) and can pose a significant threat to other innocents. just a thought. I would not want my neighbor shooting night time intruders with a 308.

Im gonna go ahead and say this is probably not the best choice for a house gun. In a pinch sure but not as a go to.

 

[scotharr]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

I have several AR's and they are great for 223/5.56. Get a good bolt gun for a 308... The recoil is substantially more, the 308 ARs are NOT as reliable as a standard AR. Get a bolt gun and be happy.

 

[Arthur Wesley Williams]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

I can appreciate the idea of one gun to do everyting but if you are talking hunting game larger than a deer you are also talking larger than .308 Win more like 300 win mag and if you hunt where shooting is ringing the dinner bell for Mr. Bear you would do well to consider a bolt gun in .338Win Mag or .375 H&H. None the less you can kill an elk with a .308 but select your load based on study of how much energy the bullet retains at 500 yds and bullet design like a Nosler Partition or Barnes . If I wanted a hunting rifle I'm thiking Tikka or Sako A7 300 Win Mag or Savage Model 116FLHSS http://www.savagearms.com/116flhss.htm or if you can afford it a Kimber Montana. I will suggest that since I have a very nice GAPrecision 300 Win Mag on AI stock with heavy fluted barrel and a DPMS LR308 24 in stainless that was cut down to 20 and fluted by White Oak Armory. I sure as hell would not want to carry either of them up and down the Rocky Mountains looking for an elk. On the other hand I have a .375 H&H barrel for my light weight TC Encore that has a fixed 6x Leupold FX3 which I would gladly tote up and down mountains. For home defense buy a 12 ga shotgun. If you must have a .308 buy a Remmington R5 Mil Spec for about $1050. and put a 3-9x42 Super Sniper on it and you will have a hunting and target capable tactical rifle probably a tad heavy for hunting but nowhere near the weight of some of this other stuff and if you cut the barrel back to 18 or 20 to take some weight off even better. If you have a 6.8 semi auto its time for a bolt gun so you can reach out and touch something or if you must have a real battle rifle --- M1a but that comes with a whole differnt set of issues like dont use heavy bullets or it bends the op rod, must grease the bolt roller etc etc and the ones I have have taken a year to get reliable, I just wish I could afford to take them to GAPrecision and let George work his magic. The DPMS based system has its own set of reliablility issues but tends to be more accurate out of the box none the less one that is worked over by GAPrecision is a fine rifle, (heavy as a tank but shoots like a lazer) Take your pick but you better consider the weight factor if you hunt it. My recomendation Remmington R5 Mil Spec but in 300 win mag with the 3-9x42 Super Sniper scope on it. It will be hard to find this rifle but it is the pick of the litter.

 

[Downzero]

Re: Buying a 308 WIN...help

Buy my friend's LR-308. $1200 and it'd be on the way to you immediately, and you'd have a gun that you can be sure shoots sub MOA with 175 SMKs.