What should I buy next?

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D5CAV
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Re: What should I buy next?

Post by D5CAV »

My comments assume you are on a budget and don't have "money to burn". I think the following advice will cost you the same money as you are proposing.

1. Get two (2 ea.) ARs of the exact same brand and configuration.

I'd lean to 20" because I like bayonets, but either way. Some "bargain" ARs skip the dust cover and forward bolt assist. Make sure they have those features. Also, some skip the pressed front sight. Make sure it has that as well.

Outside of those features, I've never gotten a "bad" AR that couldn't be made to work with no more than $200 worth of tweaking. Of course, I haven't tested any to destruction, either. My priciest AR is a pre-car-crash Noveske. It has great fit and finish, but I could buy 3 S&W ARs for the cost of that Noveske.

2. Skip the 1911.

I have 1911s for my carry guns. They are beautiful. However, outside of paying $2000+ for a Wilson, Les Baer, or USGI 1911, I've found them all to be finicky and require $500 to $1000 of smith-work to trust my life to them.

3. Buy two (2ea.) of those P35 Hi-Powers.

At that price, buy a third if you have the money. I need to check AIM Surplus. The P35 was the culmination of John Browning's designs. He "fixed" all the failings of the 1911 in that pistol. If you go with the P35, no need for a 1911, Glock or Beretta. It will do the job. The P35 also fits me very well in IWB holster, like the 1911. Fine choice.

4. Skip the M14.

You already have 2ea. M1 Garands. Also skip any other .308 semi-auto and spend the money on .30-06 ammo instead.

As an added bonus, you can still buy the M1 Garand clips for a fraction of the price of an M14 magazine (even figuring you need 3 clips to equal 1 mag).

Yes, the M14 is a better rifle than the Garand. It did improve some things. However, unless you spend lots of $$s (like $4000 for a LRB or JRA - both drop forged receivers and GI parts), you will be getting a made-in-Taiwan/PRC cast clone of an M14 (Springfield Armory), while most M1 Garands are still original USGI drop-forged rifles. If someone were to try to duplicate an M1 Garand today using modern steels, proper heat treating, drop-forging and CNC machines, they would be $5000 rifles.

Even in the US Army trials, there was no difference in the time it took a trained soldier to get 100rds off with an M14 vs. M1 Garand.

The only real difference is .308 vs. .30-06. Some will argue that .308 is more available, but the days of super-cheap surplus .308 are over. Of course, the days of super-cheap surplus .30-06 were over when I was a boy, but either round is readily available.
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Mike OTDP
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Re: What should I buy next?

Post by Mike OTDP »

I'd think ARs. Receivers, if not rifles. A centerfire pistol or two. Buy now, the prices are probably going to rise in the next 30 days or so. Presidential elections produce price spikes.
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Jered
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Re: What should I buy next?

Post by Jered »

D5CAV wrote:
You already have 2ea. M1 Garands. Also skip any other .308 semi-auto and spend the money on .30-06 ammo instead.

As an added bonus, you can still buy the M1 Garand clips for a fraction of the price of an M14 magazine (even figuring you need 3 clips to equal 1 mag).

The only real difference is .308 vs. .30-06. Some will argue that .308 is more available, but the days of super-cheap surplus .308 are over. Of course, the days of super-cheap surplus .30-06 were over when I was a boy, but either round is readily available.
If you're going to store .30-06 ammo for your Garands, you're best best is to buy components and learn to reload, because commercial ammo is out of the specs for the gas system.

When John Garand tested his rifle, it took 100k PSI in order to crack one of the bolt lugs.

Ammo for your Garand is not cheap.
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First Shirt
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Re: What should I buy next?

Post by First Shirt »

Or you could send your Garands to Tim Shufflin (http://shuffsparkerizing.com/) and have them converted to .308, which will still use the en-bloc clips. That's my plan, if The Minions ever leave enough in my toy fund.
But there ain't many troubles that a man caint fix, with seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."
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Jered
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Re: What should I buy next?

Post by Jered »

First Shirt wrote:Or you could send your Garands to Tim Shufflin (http://shuffsparkerizing.com/) and have them converted to .308, which will still use the en-bloc clips. That's my plan, if The Minions ever leave enough in my toy fund.
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D5CAV
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Re: What should I buy next?

Post by D5CAV »

I'm a purist. I figure it's best to shoot ammo in the rifle designed for it.

I shoot 7.62 NATO out of a M14 and .30-06 out of a M1 Garand.

These days, my M1 Garands could sell for over $1000 at any ELGS.

My M14s would command more like $3000 to $4000 - they are all GI parts guns, not made in Taiwan. The last time I looked, even the new made-in-Taiwan Springfield M1As were going for $1800.

Sure, if you have the money, M14s are great rifles.

However, the ammo is about the same:

Cheap .30-06 at $0.78 per round
http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/product_i ... r-fmj-ammo

Cheap 7.62 NATO at $0.64 per round
http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/product_i ... mj-bt-ammo

Last time I bought mags for my M14s - I always buy 1960s USGI mags - I paid about $50 for new in wrapper mags. If you are OK with made in Taiwan or Korea mags, they can be had for $25.

M1 Garand clips can be had for $1 each: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00657BYOI/ref ... CWKTE097KS

Performance is about the same. Both are accurate, reliable battle rifles. The downrange performance of the ammo is about the same. The weight and ergonomics are about the same.

Pick your platform and go with it.
None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
John_in_Longview
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Re: What should I buy next?

Post by John_in_Longview »

With respect to the Garands, I bought ones that have receiver dates from WWII. Since they killed Nazis in 30.06, they will stay in 30.06, just like [strike]John C. Garand intended[/strike] McArthur demanded. Prvi Partizan makes new 30.06 ammo in the M2 ball configuration for about $0.75 a round, so I am good in the future. I have a large supply of 30.06 from the CMP already. Plus, I plan to get the gas plugs for them which allow them to shoot commercial ammo without extra stress on the op rod.

In regard to the pistol suggestions, I used a full size Glock 9mm for both my Texas concealed carry qualifications and it was great. I would like a manual thumb safety though, just personal preference. I will check out the M&P and the Sigs. My father carried a 1911 in Vietnam and wants one again and I also enjoy shooting it, so I will probably pick one or two of those up as well as the 9mm pistols.

For those Browning Hi-Power fans, do you remove the magazine safety or leave them in?
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Vonz90
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Re: What should I buy next?

Post by Vonz90 »

PTR G3 or DSA FAL both run about $1k and a bit cheaper. Either of them or an M1A/M14 - all good choices depending on your tastes. I personally like the M1A or G3 designs better than the FAL, but plenty of people fall in line more with any one of them.
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randy
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Re: What should I buy next?

Post by randy »

John_in_Longview wrote:For those Browning Hi-Power fans, do you remove the magazine safety or leave them in?
I usually leave them as it does not bother me, probably because my first exposure to auto loading handguns, and my first handgun, were BHPs.

I've never noticed any of the trigger pull issues the disconnect supposedly cause, but again, probably because it's what I "grew up" with. Or maybe I just got lucky in my samples.

Not a big deal to me either way.
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John_in_Longview
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Re: What should I buy next? Update: 02 July

Post by John_in_Longview »

Finally bought an item off the list. I am now the proud owner of an AR in 5.56mm. One of my fellow Deacons has an FFL and builds AR style rifles. He test fired mine this week and I was able to pick it up today. I hope to put in an order on Tuesday for a Browning Hi-Power.
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