You just want to drool when you see Oleg Volk's photos and read his report on the Springfield M1A Scout all dolled up in a Rogue aluminum bullpup chassis. It looks like something out of "Starship Troopers", and seems fit to be gunning down superbugs on a foreign planet.
I demur.
I had an M14/M1A for a while, and although (at the time) I believed very strongly that JC Garand was the best rifle designer ever, I've lost all that enthusiasm, and I explain why in the comments to Oleg's post. A properly-fitted, properly-tuned and properly-maintained JC Garand rifle will work very well, but they have little tolerance for less-than-professional smithing and/or fitting, and require exacting field maintenance. Both of my JC Garand designs, the M14/M1A and a Mini-30, had fitting problems. I can't tell you how many hours I spent carefully maintaining those rifles (my skill level is maintaining, not smithing), only to take them to the range and have them fail in one way or another. After that happened a few times, I took the easy way out and sold/traded the rifles, and the next owner had them properly repaired and re-fitted by a competent gunsmith (for a tidy sum which I would have balked at paying).
My present requirements for an autoloading battle rifle are simply that it run reliably with very minor field maintenance, it performs EVERY SINGLE TIME without a hitch, and it shoots the battle-rifle caliber I want, preferably the 7.62 NATO. I have one such rifle. I have others that are also as reliable, but shoot slightly less-common calibers. I may get others as the mood strikes me, but they will not be by JC Garand. He and I have parted ways.
The Stoner (AR-series) designs are very reliable now (they weren't when they were first produced), as are Ludwig Vorgrimmler's post-WW2 designs (CETME B, H&K {PTR} 91, G-3, MP-5); and Kalashnikov's AK designs. I've shot a Steyr AUG, a bullpup design, and it ran flawlessly, and I'm sure the IMI offerings which are Kalashnikov variants would be fine, but there it ends for me. A lot of folks swear by the FN-FAL design, and it has seen almost as wide a military service as the AK or AR designs, but I've never shot one, and balk at a four-figure rifle, anyway. The FN SCAR is even more gelt.
That's just me and my preferences, YMMV, but keep fitting and maintenance in mind when YOU get that rifle in the next four days...
Why doesn't WA or OR have "primitive rifle" deer/elk seasons? Your single-shot would get you an extra 3 weeks of hunting in Louisiana.
Posted by: Rivrdog | November 04, 2012 at 09:08
I'm too old to be spending more money on rifles when I've got a wall full now. My protection rifle is my M1 Carbine, it is very dependable with the ammo I run in it. I also have some sidearms with good dependable ammo. The rest of my "battery" is for fun.
One of the most pleasant to shoot, fun rifles I have is an H&R Topper break action .30-30 that I got for $100. With its short reciever it has a 24" bbl and feels like a carbine. Very little felt recoil and weighs only 4 3/4 lbs. I have some 170 gr. 1900 fps cast loads that make good deer medicine at brushy terrain ranges. Lots of ribbing for hunting with a single shot, but it usually stops when we have braised liver for supper in camp that night. For bigger critters such as elk, I've got a Chilean '98 Mauser variant Short Rifle in 7.62X51mm and a Ruger #1 in .308 Win as well as a Krag M 1922 NRA Sporter in .30-40. I think this year the nod goes to the Krag. Fun Time coming.
Gerry N.
Posted by: Gerry N. | November 03, 2012 at 02:25