Hedging the election

[philip964]

In my mind Trump will win the election. But I could not imagine Obama would win a second term.

I feel I need to hedge the election and buy a semi automatic rifle before the election.

As I have stated I know nothing about rifles other than they are really what you want in a gun fight.

I tend to pick things on looks so my first choice is an FN Sar, or Scar. It is more than I want to spend. I've also thought sniper rifle, but they are probably even more expensive.

Radical Firearms is here in Houston they seem to have an AR for as little as $550. There website just created more questions, lots of number I am unfamiliar with. SCOM etc. etc.

Or I can find a gun show before the election and just by something pretty.

Any thoughts ?

BTW I asked my gun friend who taught me to shoot a pistol and he didn't like AR's something about an open piston.

[The Annoyed Man]

Go get yourself a basic M4 carbine in 5.56. I own a SCAR, they are wonderful guns, but they hugely expensive and they don't have the same kind of market support as the AR15. You can pick up a basic carbine for $500-$600, but it will be of marginal quality. For $800-$1000, you can get a pretty good one. Above that, you're buying bling. ARs can be had with or without piston actuation.

Anyway, get a basic M4, and you can always upgrade/customize it after the fact. They are like Legos for grownups. If your M4 haas a mil spec front sight post on the gas block, buy a rear iron sight. If it has a rail and no front sight, buy a set of sights. Also buy about 8 or 10 Magpul 30-round magazines, and a 1,000 rounds of XM193 55 grain FMJ or M855 62 grain FMJ.

If you have money after that, buy a red dot sight, or a variable power scope in the 1-4x or 1-6x power ranges.

[Jusme]

Go get yourself a basic M4 carbine in 5.56. I own a SCAR, they are wonderful guns, but they hugely expensive and they don't have the same kind of market support as the AR15. You can pick up a basic carbine for $500-$600, but it will be of marginal quality. For $800-$1000, you can get a pretty good one. Above that, you're buying bling. ARs can be had with or without piston actuation.

Anyway, get a basic M4, and you can always upgrade/customize it after the fact. They are like Legos for grownups. If your M4 haas a mil spec front sight post on the gas block, buy a rear iron sight. If it has a rail and no front sight, buy a set of sights. Also buy about 8 or 10 Magpul 30-round magazines, and a 1,000 rounds of XM193 55 grain FMJ or M855 62 grain FMJ.

If you have money after that, buy a red dot sight, or a variable power scope in the 1-4x or 1-6x power ranges.

What he said. Ruger AR 556, Smith and,Wesson M&P Sport II and several others are within the 5 to 7 hundred dollars range. All parts are interchangeable if you want to upgrade barrels, grips, stocks, optics etc..
Decide what your main use will be, HD, long range shooting, hunting etc. Aquire as many standard capacity mags as you can afford. Buy ammo every time it's on sale, and practice,practice,practice.
JMHO

[Alf]

If you have to ask, a base model AR/M4 is the way to go.

Radical Firearms has generally good but mixed reviews. If you live near Primary Arms you can buy one through them for local pickup and have them run interference if you get one of the subpar Radical Firearms. You can spend a little more and get an AR from an established company like Ruger or S&W and know you're paying for better quality control and warranty, in addition to the name. I don't think the premium for the Colt name is worth the difference on a shooter.

[Greybeard]

The Annoyed Man said it well. The first thing I added to mine was a detachable flashlight.

[ScottDLS]

I was considering "hedging my bets" and buying a few full autos in 1987, shortly after they stopped manufacturing them for "the masses", but I lived in states where you couldn't get them. Too bad. I could have retired on registered M-16 auto sears if I had the foresight.

[Smokey613]

I am in the same boat so I visited a LGS that I frequent and put a S&W M&P Sport II on layaway. I also picked up a Shield 45. Wanted a no safety version but got too good a deal to pass it up. I also just ordered 1000 rds of 5.56 to add to my cache.

[Skiprr]

I'm with TAM and Jusme.

The AR-15 is the most popular sporting rifle in the U.S., by far, and at least one belongs in everyone's safe. I wouldn't dis an AK-47, but I favor the AR.

A friend of mine, who owned only a Henry .22 WMR that he kept at his rural property, decided to get his LTC at the beginning of the year and asked me my opinion about, as an essentially new gun owner, what he should look at acquiring. Maybe I should edit and post that sometime, but the underlying message to him was that he first consider calibers and platforms that are most commonly available. That they're popular for a reason, and...they're commonly available.

NATO spec is a good place to start. Even though I prefer and carry a .45 ACP handgun, if asked I try to steer people toward a 9mm as a first defensive carry choice. Similarly, 5.56 is a great choice for a carbine. Not only is the 5.56x49 the most-produced rifle round in the U.S. (other than .22 LR), it's also produced internationally in several NATO countries. A lot of what I shoot is Prvi Partizan.

In the '70s, .303 ammo for the British Enfield was popular and inexpensive in the U.S., most of it manufactured elsewhere. Then the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan where, at the time, the iconic image was of a Pashtu fighter wielding his Enfield. Within a year or so, availability of .303 to an average citizen in the U.S. dried up, and now it's a "specialty" round: can be found, but ain't at your neighborhood Academy and ain't free.

The bulk of 7.62x39 ammo for AKs is manufactured in Russia (e.g., Wolf, Brown Bear). It's cheap, and it's readily available from a lot of sources (don't know about that neighborhood Academy, though). Currently, that is.

But if we start a new cold war with Russia? If Shrillary gets elected and starts levying importation embargoes on Russia, my bet is that their 7.62x39 ammo is among the first items to go. The ammo won't dry up, but the stuff cheap enough to plink away at the range probably will. And, supply and demand, the AK mags, parts, and the rifles themselves will likely become more and more scarce and pricey.

Not to say that Shrillary wouldn't go after all things AR-15. She absolutely would. But the ammo, guns, and parts are U.S.-centric in the manufacture. It will be a far more difficult sell through Congress and the Senate, and even then it will be slower to implement because multiple companies--like Federal Ammunition, Remington, Smith & Wesson, Winchester, etc.--are constituents of politicians in their states and they will not go gentle into that good night.

My humble advice: buy a quality milspec AR M4-type carbine with iron sights (they might be flip-up sights like, like Troy Manufacturing, and that's actually preferred...but don't let your rifle rely on an add-on optic). Learn it well. Buy ammo and Magpul magazines for it. Buy a relatively inexpensive lower parts kit (including trigger), an upgraded charging handle (install it and save the original as a backup), and a spare BCG. If money is tight, buy these things before going nuts on optics, lasers, lights, and what have you.

Do that, and you can repair your own rifle from all but catastrophic damage. If you buy a second carbine (and you should: one is none and two is one) make sure it is also milspec and that everything on your original rifle--lower, upper, barrel, buttstock, etc.--is interchangeable.

[Medley86]

I have been considering a new ar lately but can't decide between another 556 setup more for close range (my current ar is a heavy barrel model with a 3x9 mounted on it) or go ahead and get an ar10 in 308. I saw a really nice ruger sr762 but it was out of my current price range.

[der Teufel]

I have a Radical Arms in 300 Blackout. It's a basic, functional rifle. It shoots okay. It's not fancy, just your basic M4 stock, nitride bolt carrier, no sights or carry handle. It's not fancy, but it works. I've had no malfunctions to date. I got an better handguard.

In my case, my 'hedge' against the elections (I think Hillary will win — The Donald has shot himself in both feet and placed multiple rounds to the head IMHO) was to purchase a couple of stripped lower receivers a few months ago.

As for caliber, if you're not hunting with it then 5.56 is fine. If you're hunting, then you might want something larger.
--

[philip964]

So 5.56 is the cartridge for an AR also called an M4. Radical Firearms is ok but Ruger is better. I assume the Radical Firearm model is less accurate? or is it more prone to jam? Or are we talking name brand vs. just as good off brand?

If I buy Ruger will it be inter changeable with other parts that are "Milspec" ? Milspec means its inter changeable.

I need to buy two as they must break a lot?

I need flip up iron sights.

I thought I could buy optics later as I figured they could not outlaw optics. (probably I'm underestimating Hil)

Buy 30 round magazines as many as I can find and afford. Magpull?

Colt brand is very nice. but it is for collectors not really for shooting? Its like having a 20 year old Ferrari with 5000 miles. However I assume like a Ferrari it has a better resale value.

I really do not want another hobby. I tend to feel AR owners are real into it, since they are always tricking them out, talking about uppers and lowers. I can just have one and shoot it occasionally, it does not have to become a hobby?

Any thing I have missed?

I've also thought Ruger Ranch Rifle, an old, is it M1carbine, FN PS90, but with the ammo shortage staying with an AR, seems more prudent.

I've never hunted. But I all ways like larger. What is the next size cartridge for a rifle that works for hunting and works with a carbine that is available at stores? And what rifle would that be?

[Jusme]

So 5.56 is the cartridge for an AR also called an M4. Radical Firearms is ok but Ruger is better. I assume the Radical Firearm model is less accurate? or is it more prone to jam? Or are we talking name brand vs. just as good off brand?

If I buy Ruger will it be inter changeable with other parts that are "Milspec" ? Milspec means its inter changeable.

I need to buy two as they must break a lot?

I need flip up iron sights.

I thought I could buy optics later as I figured they could not outlaw optics. (probably I'm underestimating Hil)

Buy 30 round magazines as many as I can find and afford. Magpull?

Colt brand is very nice. but it is for collectors not really for shooting? Its like having a 20 year old Ferrari with 5000 miles. However I assume like a Ferrari it has a better resale value.

I really do not want another hobby. I tend to feel AR owners are real into it, since they are always tricking them out, talking about uppers and lowers. I can just have one and shoot it occasionally, it does not have to become a hobby?

Any thing I have missed?

I've also thought Ruger Ranch Rifle, an old, is it M1carbine, FN PS90, but with the ammo shortage staying with an AR, seems more prudent.

I've never hunted. But I all ways like larger. What is the next size cartridge for a rifle that works for hunting and works with a carbine that is available at stores? And what rifle would that be?

It does not "have" to become an obsession or full time hobby. I own the Ruger AR 556, it came with flip up rear sights, and a mil spec front sight.
It will all depend on what your main use will be. Mine will be for HD so I haven't added a lot of bling. I have a light and I installed a drop in handguard. I am looking at red dot sights, but I have just been using the iron sights for now. As far as spare parts, they can be purchased as funds allow, It will depend on how much use you put it through as to when and how often parts will need to be replaced.

[Soccerdad1995]

Great advice in this thread. The only thing I will add is that if you are looking to hedge against Queen Hillary's likely royal proclamations, then I would focus on those things most likely to be banned or heavily taxed, including the aforementioned AR(s), 30 round mags, ammo, and even pistols that can hold more than 10 rounds. Just assume that you will at least a 10 year supply of everything (8 years reign of HRH followed by 2 years for the next President to unwind things).