G3 > AR

[D5CAV]

I find it interesting that all of the 7.62 NATO rifles are quite good. FAL, M14, G3, CETME - I would use any one of them.

Agree. Although I have had an occasional FTF with the FAL and M14.

The CETME and G3 are identical except the G3 has improved sights.

The other 7.62 NATO Launcher that was used by some Armies was the AR-10, which also works fine.

A more recent addition to the 7.62 NATO launcher stable is the FN SCAR 17, which has the advantage of over 2 pounds lighter weight.

The 7.62 NATO has the power to overcome lots of fouling. The G33, which is the same action as the G3, but chambered in 5.56 NATO, is not as reliable as the G3. The Germans gave up trying to make the delayed roller blowback action work with the 5.56 NATO cartridge and came up with an entirely new design - the G36.

Eugene Stoner originally designed the AR10 around the 7.62 NATO cartridge. The M16 is our G33.

[Highspeed]

You do have the option of a 30 round mag if you have an inch pattern FAL ( assuming you can find the mags, which were made for the Bren )

[Netpackrat]

They also mangle brass due to that fluted chamber..3

Yeah, I thought of mentioning that as well. Since it shot steel cased okay, I didn't worry about it.

I've looked at plenty of G3 fired brass at the range, and mangled isn't really the word I would use, at least not in the way my .308 Saiga mangles brass. Discolored or marked by the flutes, maybe. With the Saiga I have to cull about 10% of my recovered brass at each firing, and what's left is scraggly enough that I will be surprised if any of it makes it to 3 reloadings. Can't bitch too much though, since due to handloading (and a barrel re-crown) I have an AK variant that will print the first 5 shots into less than a minute and a half, then it starts to heat up and the groups progressively open up.

[Vonz90]

They also mangle brass due to that fluted chamber..3

Yeah, I thought of mentioning that as well. Since it shot steel cased okay, I didn't worry about it.

I've looked at plenty of G3 fired brass at the range, and mangled isn't really the word I would use, at least not in the way my .308 Saiga mangles brass. Discolored or marked by the flutes, maybe. With the Saiga I have to cull about 10% of my recovered brass at each firing, and what's left is scraggly enough that I will be surprised if any of it makes it to 3 reloadings. Can't bitch too much though, since due to handloading (and a barrel re-crown) I have an AK variant that will print the first 5 shots into less than a minute and a half, then it starts to heat up and the groups progressively open up.

I've know people who reload brass out of their G3 variants. Supposedly it works fine.

I just buy once fired 7.62 brass, use it once and call it a day.

[HTRN]

Blame the Machinist and BR guy in me - something that maims brass, even a little set me off, mainly because alot of the brass I buy comes from Europe, with funny names, and not so funny price tags.

[Netpackrat]

Well, yeah. All of my handloading for the S-308 so far has been using PRVI and PMC brass. If I can accomplish my goals using less expensive brass, and not doing any of the "tricks" to it that BR and long range shooters use, then there's not a lot of point in getting upset when a certain percentage of it gets lost or beat up beyond re-use. This rifle is essentially a battle rifle that I can hunt with. I specifically used Sierra Gamekings (and tried several other hunting bullets before settling on them) instead of Matchkings because I wanted a good all-around load that could do pretty much everything, even if that meant I might be giving up a little bit of precision. The bigger issue is the rifle I am using to launch them. A simple barrel re-crown (and oh by the way suppressor accurate threading) made a huge difference. Ultimak is supposed to be coming out with a version of their railed gas tube, which I am hoping may help somewhat with the heat effects. At least, it is worth a try. I checked that the gas tube has enough float at the forward end, so it shouldn't be a factor like it is with many AKs.

[Vonz90]

Ultimak is supposed to be coming out with a version of their railed gas tube, which I am hoping may help somewhat with the heat effects.

One of the nice things about the G3 (and AR) design is that without a gas tube, no binding and thus no stringing as barrel heats up.

[JAG2955]

Re: Boat School

Eat a Bandwich for me at Dahlgren Hall.