So I'm wanting to buy a quality 7.62x51 Semi-Auto Rifle. I want it to be around 8 pounds (this throws out the M1A), reliable, and capable of 1 MOA. Primary purpose will be hunting and range time.
*EDIT: Would also like for this gun to be piston operated*
Your light weight and piston operated requirements work against your accuracy requirement.
Kdunn,The SCAR 17 seems like it fits all of my criteria the best... except cost. While the SCAR 17 definitely intrigues me, and I could spend a little more to get a SCAR and just hold off on glass for a while, I want to see what my other options are before I drop about $2800 on a rifle.
Having not ventured far outside the realm of AR-15's, I'm still pretty new to semi-auto rifles chambered in anything other than 5.56 and 300 BLK.
Do you have any experience with the SCAR 17 that might convince me it is worth the extra cost?
Llama Bob,
Why would being piston operating work against my accuracy requirement? Does the piston system negatively effect accuracy on its own?
I think the SCAR is definitely worth looking into for my purposes then. I'll definitely need to do some more research and try to get my hands on one before I make a decision. If I went that route I would just have to live with the iron sights for a while until I can afford to get some quality glass mounted on top of it. Thanks for the input!Kdunn,
Unfortunately no first hand knowledge, just the positive reports of a few guys I know who stayed in the Corps longer than me who were a lot more motivated than I was. They made it to a certain secret squirrel unit that issued the SCAR H (7.62), and they loved them. Not as much love for the SCAR L (5.56) though, aside from a bit better reliability when insanely dirty they didn't feel it offered any capabilities their M4's or MK18's didn't already fulfill. One thing that impressed one of them in particular was how accurate the SCAR H could be, not bolt gun accurate, but close enough to the M110 that they would often not bother with the M110 since the SCAR was a lot lighter and more durable.
For a long time the SCAR's biggest drawback, aside from being priced as if made of solid gold, was the trigger. Geissele now makes a SCAR trigger so that is solved, and last time I looked FN will give you a coupon for a Geissele trigger when you purchase a SCAR. Problem solved!
kdun, if you want your semiauto to shoot inside 1 MOA (3 inches) at 300 yards all the time, you'll need to find one that'll average 2 inches (.67 MOA) or better. Unless its bolt face is squared up with the chamber axis, only new cases will probably be what you'll need to use. Reloaded cases from the US military teams never shot well in their semiauto match rifles because their bolt faces were never squared up.
For example, LaRue says none of their firearms can leave their facility unless it obtains accuracy of less than 1 MOA (1.047”) at 100 Yards and each firearm ships with a copy of a 3-round group obtained from that actual firearm. A single group fired with only 3 shots will be somewhere between near 3 times to 2/3rds its size. If their group shipped with the rifle is 3/4 inch, all the hundred yard groups of 3 shots will range from about 4/10ths to 2 inches. And they'll be 20 to 30 percent bigger at 300 yards. We don't know what accuracy with more than 3 shots will be. We don't know if they shoot 3-shot groups until one's under an inch, then ship that one with the rifle. All rifles will do that once in a while.
I've played with one a few times, just haven't shot one. I really like that rifle from an ergonomics standpoint, and they are surprisingly light. Very cool. Just expensive, no two ways about it.I think the SCAR is definitely worth looking into for my purposes then. I'll definitely need to do some more research and try to get my hands on one before I make a decision. If I wen that route I would just have to live with the iron sights for a while until I afford to get some quality glass mounted onto. Thanks for the input!
The M&P-10 fits most of my requirements, but doesn't it has a direct impingement system? Also do you know if it can it be had with a 16" barrel? I'll be using a suppressor so I like to shave length whenever I can
I believe you can pickup an FNAR for under $1K, even around the $900 mark. I think you will have a hard time (and $$$) finding a battle rifle to match the FNAR in accuracy. BUT I think the mags are proprietary and in the $60 range. To me this is still a good deal.I will definitely check out the FN-AR. Only problem I'm worried about here is magazine compatibility. What kind of mags does it take? Can it use SCAR mags? Not that I have a SCAR, but that just gives me another option
The SCAR 17 seems like it fits all of my criteria the best... except cost. While the SCAR 17 definitely intrigues me, and I could spend a little more to get a SCAR and just hold off on glass for a while, I want to see what my other options are before I drop about $2800 on a rifle.
Having not ventured far outside the realm of AR-15's, I'm still pretty new to semi-auto rifles chambered in anything other than 5.56 and 300 BLK.
Do you have any experience with the SCAR 17 that might convince me it is worth the extra cost?
$2,000 for a SCAR 17? Are you talking used? And where did you get your from for that price?Shop around. Harder to find lately but you can get a scar 17 for under $2000 if you are patient.
I paid $2800
Scar 17 like new
Brand new Eotech xps 2-0
11 unopened scar mags
Pelican 1750 case
Bore snake
Sling
Vertical fore grip
$2,000 for a SCAR 17? Are you talking used? And where did you get your from for that price?
I'm in no rush to buy so waiting and shopping around is fine with me. I've just never heard of a SCAR being that cheap
Okay that makes more sense. I'm not against buying used, but I do prefer to buy newYes used
The Sig 716 certainly looks like a viable candidate. But the specs on Sig's website have it at 9.3 lbs. That's a little heaver than I want to goSig 716
The Sig 716 certainly looks like a viable candidate. But the specs on Sig's website have it at 9.3 lbs. That's a little heaver than I want to go
I want it to be around 8 pounds, reliable, and capable of 1 MOA.