[Wedrownik]

So for starters - I gots rifles trying to figure out if I was to have to move what would I grab if I had to bail and I ended up scratching my head because I don't have a single "all around" rifle..... For me, rifle that would be an all around battle/survival rifle would probably be M1A. M1A properly equipped (irons/scope) would be great for up close as well as distance, would take down most of the game and would only need a 22 to augment it to take down small game and birds.

So this means that I'd need three rifles - a bolt action 308, semi auto and a 22. The semi auto I left vague for the moment as I'd be trying to decide between M1Carbine - small, light weight, great for up close and personal or an ar15 in 5.56. I think that I like the simplicity of the M1Carbine but the availability of 5.56 would probably a point or two up for the AR......

Choices, choices... choices....

oh yeah... slow day.... don't feel like doing anything.... so I'm sitting in front of my computer

 

[Back Pack Hack]

Not having an M1A in my arsenal (but that will change in the future), the one I'd grab would be the AK.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

Get an M1 Garand.
Done!

I would grab my M1 before my Springfield Armory M1A, to tell the truth.

Ruger 10/22. Everyone should have one of these. It is my all around farm rifle, along with my other all around farm rifle, Mini14.

I'm probably the only guy here with a fairly large number of rifles who does not own an AR.

 

[Wedrownik]

Not having an M1A in my arsenal (but that will change in the future), the one I'd grab would be the AK.

For me AR and AK are in a similar boat. The caliber is nice for CQB, but it is not a hunting caliber nor is it a reach out and touch someone. I have to say that 308 is probably my favorite altogether rifle round.

 

[Wedrownik]

Get an M1 Garand.
Done!

I would grab my M1 before my Springfield Armory M1A, to tell the truth.

Ruger 10/22. Everyone should have one of these. It is my all around farm rifle, along with my other all around farm rifle, Mini14.

I'm probably the only guy here with a fairly large number of rifles who does not own an AR.

So why M1 over M1A? Very curious as I do have an M1. For a 22 I have a Marlin 795.

 

[Back Pack Hack]

For me AR and AK are in a similar boat. The caliber is nice for CQB, but it is not a hunting caliber nor is it a reach out and touch someone. I have to say that 308 is probably my favorite altogether rifle round.

I'd take the AK over the AR for the one I'd have to choose to take with me. Don't get me wrong, the AR is a great platform. But if I'm going to be limited to one shootin' iron, I'll take one that doesn't need a box full of specialized tools, gadgets and gizmos to work on. I have the tool kit in the buttstock, plus I can pocket the sight tool, and I'm good to go.

If I could take three boomsticks, then I'd add the .308 scout and the AR7.

 

[SOCOM42]

So why M1 over M1A? Very curious as I do have an M1. For a 22 I have a Marlin 795.

30AP M-2 for the M1.

In my younger years it would have been either between an M-1 or an M1A.

I have one M1A that has been built into a GI M25, good for a 1,000 yards with M-118 or M-852.

Another is slightly modified uses all M25 parts without the Mac stock or HB but has a standard SACO match grade tube on it.

That is good for 500 yds. hands down.

Have two M1D's good for 500 also with APM2.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

So why M1 over M1A? Very curious as I do have an M1. For a 22 I have a Marlin 795.

I have both, along with a couple of M1 Carbines, a Springfield M1903A3, several Mauser 98's, the prepper requisite Mosin Nagant (2 actually), AK, SKS, and more.
My truck rifle is a Winchester 94, which shows I'm an official Old Geezer.

Now, M1 versus M14. The M14 was my issue rifle in CONUS, I didn't get an M16 until the combat zone. I am VERY familiar with it, I lived with it constantly for the 8 weeks of Basic.
It is an excellent rifle.
The M1A I have is a Standard Model made in 1992 when there was still an abundance of USGI parts. Those are long gone, the late model M1A's use all in-house parts. The only accessories I added to mine were a USGI web sling and an M-6 bayonet. No optics, no super-duper plastic stock, no red-dot, no nothing.

I was trained in fire and movement. With the M1 there are no empty magazines laying around to worry about. Plus, frankly, I believe my 1945 M1 is a more robust rifle for extreme conditions, such as combat.
The basic operation is the same, field strip the same.

But, the biggest reason - my Garand went thru the Korean War and looks like it. My M1A however, only goes to the range on warm sunny days, and is as beautiful as Sophia Loren. I want to keep it that way.

For a 30 caliber woods running rifle, the Winchester 94 and Marlin 336 can not be beat.:vs_cool:

My biggest firearm fancy are old single shot and bolt action shotguns. Doesn't everyone have a 1940 H&R Model 120 Game Gun 16 ga, bolt action, tube magazine fed?:tango_face_smile:
My favorite is a 1941 Mossberg Model 85 bolt action 20 ga. I often take it for walks in the woods.:vs_coffee:

 

[User902]

Yeah man, it really depends on where you live and what your surroundings are like. But I'd generally say an ar-15 would be your best bet. Chamber it in 223 or get an ar-10 in 308 depending on your preference. The reason why I prepose and ar (and I'm an ak fan which says a lot) is because there is much more ammo, product support, supplies, replacement parts, and uppers chambered in different calibers for your gun. The ar is highly modular and allows for COMPLETE customization to the user and also allows for all sorts of upgrades and aftermarket parts to be installed. One thing that I will say however, is that you do need to clean the ar a bit more compared to the ak (the ar can simply be chambered in 7.62 x 39 if need be), but there is a lot more piston ar's that are coming to the market that are as reliable as the ak. The ak however is much easier to clear Jams and can still operate when the dust cover is off in a pinch (ar's can't do this since you have to break the gun down to clear a bad jam, whereas the ak you just throw off the dust cover and shake it down or scrape out material). The ar just has a lot more modularity and calibers to choose from. The m1 carbine isn't a bad choice, but you cannot mount a light to identify targets, there isn't the level of modularity when adding things such as rails and handgrips to maximize the controllability or ergonomics, there isn't the speed and ergonomics of the controls to the ar, the ar fires Spitzer bullets that can be used at 400 yards and 2 feet away in a carbine (unlike the round nosed bullets). An ar-15 carbine in .223 is the best choice possible, its the closest your getting to an "all around rifle" and you can switch the upper to a 22lr if you want to switch caliber. The ak would be a great choice also but you would have to change the caliber to .223 which is sac religious to the ak fans lol. But in the eyes of the practical prepper that could be a valid choice for the extra reliability (the reason for the change to .223 is the lack of Russian ammo in the US. If you run out then there's less a chance to find more 7.62x39)

 

[dwight55]

Well . . . Wedrownik . . . I own several rifles . . .

An M1A that I'm willing to go at a deer size target at 400 yds with . . . man size 300 with no problems.

Three AR's . . . one is a 'Nam combat replica . . . and is as reliable as any other instrument I own. The lego block one I built from a $49.95 lower . . . drops mil-spec ammo in 4 inch circles at 200 yds . . . and my "target" model is even better than that.

I'm 76 . . . live in central Ohio . . . if the stuff was dripping off the fan . . . my combat AR would probably be the one I'd take . . . but if it was a prolonged end of the world scenario . . . the M1A would be my choice . . . it is a defender and a big game hunter.

Personally . . . I wouldn't walk across the yard for a Garand . . . never did like em.

But . . . your situation has unique elements known only to you . . . and you will have to weigh them against your armory.

May God bless,
Dwight

 

[Back Pack Hack]

 

[Wedrownik]

So I'm in an urban area but I'm taking into account that when I have to move, I'll be leaving urban area behind.

I like my M1, but it's one heavy piece of artillery. Also the one I have, has no provisions for optics and it being 1943 (,iirc) vintage, I am keeping it original. It is in great shape and yes, when SHTF I would have no qualms about it getting used and abused as necessary, but for now I am keeping it unmodified.

Regarding the AK.... I see their value. I realized how reliable they are with limited maintenance but I also see the issue with ammo. Most ammo for them is imported and the supply will dry up sooner rather then later. Same goes sadly for M1 as military is no longer using 30.06 .

This takes me to 556 and 308 as currently used and issued ammunition. If the world falls apart, I see military surplus being available.

Yes, I have a Dillon 650, plenty brass, some bullets, fair amount of powder, but that only works if I stay put. If I have to move, it will probably be a need to rather then want to meaning that I will be limited as to what I can take with me. While I will take as much ammo as I can, other supplies will go with me, so the goal is to use calibers for which I can obtain ammo.

With regard to AR - I hear everyone's points. I like how modular it is and the ability to build it to be anything that I want. On the other hand, after taking mine apart I see how many potential issues it could have when it comes to servicing it. Yes, parts are interchangeable and yes I have a fair amount of spares, but those will run out at some point. The market is already showing issues when it comes to supplies and parts.

So this takes me to the thoughts of m1a. Unfortunately I don't have one at the moment but I see it being the universal all around rifle. It would be slightly heavier then ar, and slightly lighter then M1. Some of the stocks out there are really nice.

Also 308 can be used up to 1000m. I know, cause I successfully shot it at that distance from my remington 700 (sadly no longer have it - had to sell it due to funds issue over a decade ago). I figure the howa1500 I have can take it to that distance as soon as I upgrade the glass on it.
I could also use the ammo interchangibly between the bolt and the semi.

Yes I could go to the ar-10, but again that's the ar platform which inherently has the same issues that ar-15 does.

I don't know... Maybe to a degree I'm trying to talk myself into finding funds to fund an m1a...

 

[dwight55]

.....................I don't know... Maybe to a degree I'm trying to talk myself into finding funds to fund an m1a...

DO IT !!

May God bless,
Dwight

 

[Wedrownik]

Now... I just need to win the lottery

 

[stevekozak]

For me AR and AK are in a similar boat. The caliber is nice for CQB, but it is not a hunting caliber nor is it a reach out and touch someone. I have to say that 308 is probably my favorite altogether rifle round.

How far out do you think you (you personally) can reach out and touch someone on a regular basis?

 

[Wedrownik]

For me AR and AK are in a similar boat. The caliber is nice for CQB, but it is not a hunting caliber nor is it a reach out and touch someone. I have to say that 308 is probably my favorite altogether rifle round.

How far out do you think you (you personally) can reach out and touch someone on a regular basis?

With the Howa and current glass I'm pretty consistent at about 750 meters

 

[MisterMills357]

Uh, I feel intimidated, but if I live long enough, I will get an M4 Carbine, and mount a 2x scope on it. And a 12 guage riot shotgun.

PS: I am not really intimidated. Yeah that was false humility. OK, now back to my Boris Karloff movie.

 

[Weldman]

My wife doesn't know much of what I did in the service and nor does many others besides that my first MOS was 11B. Anywho one thing to tell the wife how far you can shoot which I only hinted, so one day I set a target up and with open sights and a range finder for her, took her to furthest hill across BLM land across longest part of our property and said watch this, 900+ meters with open sights K31 GP-11 military rounds plinking all 6 in 3 inch grouping. You could see the cold bore shot from the rest but not by much.
Rifle has original soldiers name it was issued to in the buttstock all matching numbers from 1938.
Guinness world record for the rifle is one mile open sights on a target, not consistent but can be had once one walks the rounds on target with a spotter.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

The 30-06 is known worldwide as "America's caliber" and can indeed be found worldwide.
You can walk into any bait & tackle shop in The South that sells ammo and find 30-30, 30-06, 12 ga, 38 Special.

Do not buy into the BS that ONLY M2 ball ammo must be used in a Garand.
Any SAAMI spec 30-06 up to 180 grain will work just fine and will not damage the operating rod.

 

[Slippy]

....
My truck rifle is a Winchester 94, which shows I'm an official Old Geezer....

(Slippy slowly eases out to the garage, unlocks the truck doors, and removes the Winchester 94 from the truck...:vs_lol