Thinking about an EBR...recommendations?

[Mike OTDP]

I'm thinking about getting an EBR. I've got an AR, so there is not much interest there.

What I'm trying to mull over is the choice between an MSAR-556, an M1A, a CMP Garand, and just buying ammo for what I have.

The MSAR is full-bore sexy. Love the looks. And a prime target for an EBR ban. Quite possibly a good investment. On the other hand, it's still a poodle-shooter.

An M1A is a sledgehammer of a rifle...with a price tag to match. And it adds a caliber that I don't currently use.

A Garand (technically, a second Garand) is cheaper, uses ammo that I have in stock. And an excellent investment. But lacking in sex appeal.

Or there is just buying ammunition...which might be a smart option.

[Darrell]

Get yourself an AK, a good one, and put the rest of the money in ammo.

[Joe ex PNG]

While stopping at the local corner gun shop (a good one, BTW) to buy a post debate AK mag& ammo, I happened upon a lovely R1A1 type FAL made by everyone's crack addled monkeys. Only $800, and sad to say, left behind at the shop with only my fingerprints.

How come all the really cool guns are at the gun shop right after I had an emergency expense which used up almost exactly that amount in my savings?

[Joe ex PNG]

Oh, right, EBR reccomendations... how's about a FAL- if you can find one.

[308Mike]

I think a Garand is not as likely a choice for gun banners as the other options, simply because it uses eight-round clips (not detachable magazines) AND it figured SIGNIFICANTLY in winning WWII (and there's a LOT in circulation). I would hazard a guess that even if many features would put it in a category of a potential banned gun, it would probably have an exception.

So, I would focus on the remaining choices (that and you said technically a second Garand). You've already got an AR, but no battle rifle in .30 cal? I'd think ammo first, what's easily and relatively cheaply available to feed it in your area? It's probably .308, unless you're looking at Ruskie caliber ammo. Then I'd consider how much I was willing to drop on the rifle itself, and how many goodies I can get for it.

Do you prefer wood stocks, or you'd rather have a pistol grip? Other than the Garand, just about all other battle rifles have pistol grip stocks available, but not all of them have wood stocks available (pieces perhaps - handguard, pistol grip, buttstock).

What do you want out of this rifle? Shooting up to 300 yards? 600 yards? How important is the accuracy to you? Are you considering competing with it?

Lots of things to consider.

[Battleriflefan]

The absolutely best choice I think, if you have the money, would be a Cobb MSR in 30-06. CDNN bought all of them out and has a few left. It is a truely modular AR style platform, although I'm not sure what caliber conversions are left, ot available.

I also like the ROMAK III, a fairly accurate rifle based on an AK in 7.62 x 54R. It is a bit hard to say. A President intent on banning guns has quite a few more options that just signing a law passed by CONgress, and actually, that may be the least most likely to occur, as politicians try to fool gunowners into thinking they support the 2nd Amendment. So as a little guide, I'll give a few pointers:

Anything imported is going to be the first to go. It takes a mere signing of an Executive Order, or a ruling on "a sporting purpose" to end importation. Some foreign firms, like Arsenal LV, have imported tooling to avoid this, and with many types of firearms, notably AK's, the parts have been already imported into the US, and then it is too late to do anything. With AK barrels being banned from import a year or so ago, nearly all parts of an AK are made here, so it would be fairly easy just to make them all here. I think the cost is the limit. New Romanian and Russian AK's are still being imported

Semiauto 12ga Shotguns and 50 BMG rifles, are also in jeapordy. I believe both can be effectively banned simply by reclassifying them as DD or AOW. Alliance Armament is making Saiga 12 receivers to be released soon, for that very reason. Likewise, If you EVER want a 50 BMG rifle, I mean ever! You might want to pick one up if you are able.

I would also grab surplus military ammunition or reloading componants, especially primers and powder, if you reload. Surplus ammunition that is imported, is quite easy to shut off, just like imported firearms. I would bet that Wolf, PRVI Partisan. Golden Tiger, and Barnual ammunition would already be banned from import, if a certain individual was in the Whitehouse.

If a ban passes again, they will again ban nearly all semiautomatic guns as well as high capacity magazines. If you do grap an EBR, grap plenty of full capacity magazines as well. While some, like AK magazines are going to be plentiful, some are not.

[rightisright]

That's some good advice, Battleriflefan.

Just the other day I was thinking about the imported ammo thing. If the communist prick (as opposed to the socialist-lite prick) manages to win in November, I'm going to buy a few thousand dollars worth of 7.62xcommie AK fodder before he steps foot into office.

I'm not particularly interested in a .50 BMG gun, but those who are might want to act sooner than later.

[Darrell]

You mean the Cobb MCR? I never knew such a critter existed, damn. Here's their website:

http://www.securityarms.com/20010315/ga ... 0/2993.htm

Holy cow, they even show one in 6.5x55! I finally got me a Ljungman earlier this year, but I've said many times I'd love an AR in 6.5x55. So, they're history now?

ETA: Sorry, that's not their website, it's just showing what they have/had, I guess.

[blackeagle603]

re: Cobb
That's a new site for me. Being in CA I've only recently started looking at AR platforms.


Oh. My. Goodness.

15 seconds on that site and my pulse is racing. I kid you not. Look at the calibers available and the modular mag well setup supporting various calibers.

Going back now to browse and see they say anything about CA legal OLL w/ "fixed mag" bullet button or wrench option... Don't tease me. Someone tell me these are available in CA.

[Darrell]

Cobb evidently sold out to Bushmaster. As said above, CDNN is liquidating what stock is leftover, in .30-06. Damn, I wish I'd known about them earlier. Surely I'd heard of them in the past, but it didn't stick...

I just downloaded CDNN's latest catalog, and am looking for it. While surfing the catalog, I do see that they have PTR91s in 16 and 18" match barrels made by Thompson Center, for $965.95, which is a good price nowadays. They come with the machined "tactical" handguards, too. That'd make someone a heckuva EBR. Does anyone know the skinny on the polymer trigger groups? I've heard of them but know nothing. I'll keep looking for the Cobb.

ETA: Ah, there it is. Geez, $2499 on closeout, too rich for me. Might make someone a heckuva toy, though. I wonder what they use for magazines? And hey, CDNN also has the Bushmaster bullpups! $799.99.