The 7.62 AR Question

The AR platform in a 308/7.62 is a sweet deal! Only have experience with DPMS, but I can watch the impact at 100 yards through the scope...that should answer your recoil question. I like to put 1" orange dots on the middle of the target, just for the contrast. My 19 year old picked the rifle up first time out and placed 3 each 180 grain Fusions into the dot. So thaere's the accuracy potential. I use it for everything from targets, moose to wolves and smaller critters. Easy to handle, and if you've ever been around the AR platform at all the controls are all in the same place. Makes it nice when you pick it up in the middle of the night because.........

 

I have a armalite 308 and love it. if your not dead set on an ar platform, I would check out M1a(socom) I am hopping to get one myself in the near future.

 

Those are so nice, I wish I can afford one right now. Maybe later on down the road.

Right now I'm looking to see if it's worth buying an AR-15 in cali, I'm really set on the Ruger Mini 30

 

You might want to think about the FNAR as well.

 

This is true, but one thing to keep in mind that some people dont understand is that there is a measurable and significant difference between .223 and 5.56 NATO rounds. You cannot (reliably) shoot a 5.56 NATO round out of a .223 chambered barrel. Where as you can shoot a .223 round out of a 5.56 chambered barrel. The casing on a 5.56 round is slightly larger and will expand slower on each reload due to its increased thickness. They will also tend to jam in a .223 chambered barrel.

 

I used to own a 7.62 AR and I had massive issues with cycling, extract, eject adn loose accuracy issues with it out of the box. I finally said F*** it and bought a M1A-A1 that I mounted into a Troy Ind. MCS stock, so its a "black" rifle and still able to hit at 800 meters. word of advice from one whos seen it, stay the hell away from KAC. They rip off or overprice everything they sell.

 

Good looking rifles.

 

My personal home defense weapon choice has always been a 12 gauge with #8 shot backed up by my Custom Caspian .45 with RCBS 90 grain frangible ammo (2000 fps at the muzzle).

The #8's won't go through 2 sheets of sheetrock but will stop anything out to 20 yards.
The .45 RCBS frangible will go through a standard ballistic vest but fragments upon contact with soft flesh negating over-penetration.

As for a 7.62 AR, there are some nice weapons available that are VERY accurate out to 300 meters. Many different bullet choices as well depending on what you want the round to do.

Good Luck!

 

Another rifle to consider in 7.62 is the venerable FN-FAL or a variant. Don't know what price/availability is these days, but may still be worth a look. Almost beat the M-14 (lost prob more due to politics...) to replace the M1 Garand, and was used by 60+ western countries, earning the name " The right arm of the free world". And in my opinion, a very nice looking rifle.

 

http://www.dpmsinc.com/store/products/?prod=5296

Been waiting on one of these since before the election? Don't know why it's so hard to get? Anyway only about $200 more than the M1A loaded rifles. 308 is an available and capable round. This particular version is less than 8 lbs with a compensator for less recoil. It is also free barrel floated and ought to be a .5 moa rifle in the accuracy department. Magpul is now making 20 round mags. running around $20. Just hold off on your order so maybe I can get mine first.

Don't kid yourself on the home defense comments on here. A shotgun with a cylinder choke and bird shot will only open up the pattern very little in a room size area and the shot will most times go completely through both sides of a refrigerator. In other words not much different than a rifle. A handgun in even 9mm and 38 special loaded with even hollow points over FMJ will do the same and maybe a wall as well. They had all this on the NRA channel awhile back and disproved a lot of folk lore legends you hear about. It was an interesting program.

Edit required: I guess it's been a long time since I looked at M1-A prices. I'd get an AR version in 308 Win. for the same $$$.

 

Saw a similar program about 2 weeks ago where the "testers" placed sheetrock on target frames and shot them with 9mm, .40, .45, 00 buck, slug, and #9 birdshot. 2 frames were in line so you could see if the rounds penetrated through both. ALL of the rounds with exception of the #9 consistently penetrated both sheets.

I know for a fact the #8 shot won't go through a standard pieces of sheetrock from 15 yards placed 4 inches apart. Neither will the 90gr frangible .45 rounds or my 40gr frangible .223 rounds. All of my other rounds will in 9, 38, 357, 40, and standard 185gr & 230gr .45.

Testing your own ammunition is the best way to go.