What primary factors determine your rifle?

[Eightball]

I'm just curious to see what is everyone's PRIMARY consideration when purchasing a rifle, and what platform you would seem to view as the best one for achieving YOUR goal (not "the goal" in general, but your application of said goal).

 

[Cosmoline]

My requirements:

--It should weigh over seven pounds
--It should be over 45" long
--The buttstock should be able to crack 2x4's
--It must be all hardwood and steel
--It must have good iron sights
--Nothing on it should be easily breakable
--If it's already fought in war that's a plus
--It should be able to mount a bayonet
--It should be well balanced
--The action should cycle freely and quickly
--It should be reasonably accurate (2MOA is fine)

and most of all, when I hold it in my hands I should be thinking "yes"

 

[xsquidgator]

I got interested in rifles (and other firearms) after seeing the post-Katrina zoo in Louisiana on tv. Not that I'd plan on using it but better to have and not need than to need and not have, etc usual caveats and so forth, I was interested in reasonable price, high capacity if desired, and accurate enough out to about 100 yds or so. Milsurp rifles ended up filling that niche for me, stuff like the SKS, Mauser K98, Mosin M44, AK-clone. They're cheap and fun to collect, fun to plink with, quite reliable, and would be fine as a "neighborhood defender" if things got to a crazy Mad Max kind of situation. As I practice and learn more, these rifles are still probably capable of better accuracy than I am, and with some tweaking can probably be improved further.

So, reliability, ruggedness, simplicity, and price rank pretty high on my list. For the warding off looters thing the intimidation value of a military or military style rifle (say an AK or an AR, everyone recognizes them as Serious Medicine from tv) is pretty worthwhile too.

 

[Hokkmike]

Quality..that is spelled S....A....K....O.

 

[ExSoldier]

When I was in college at the University of Alabama (ROLL TIDE!) and when I was on active duty, I used to hunt. Quite a bit. Since leaving active duty my emphasis hasn't been on that as a recreation. However, I still have rifles in calibers useful for downing both small and large game. Face it, with a 22LR and a .30-06 you've got enough (with all the many variation in bullet weights and loads) to down anything from Squirrel up to and including Grizzly Bear.

But my main emphasis is on staving off two legged varmits at nearly any range. I'm thinking Katrina situations or worse. TEOTWAWKI. Something like that. I keep whatever rifles I have with a minimum of 500rds in different bullet weights, just in case. My future rifle purchases will be with the same agenda in mind. I only have two rifles on my list for future purchase. I already have my two shotties that I want or need. I have five more handguns to purchase, each filling a specific niche.

 

[Eric F]

I have gone the black rifle rout in my younger days, then my bolt gun days, These days its black powder cartridge more specificaly 50-90 sharps reproduction.

 

[Samuraigg]

For me each one fills a specific role should I need it. The SKS is a good all around rifle since I really don't care about scratches or it getting beat up.

Garand is the rifle for power, and plus my favorite shooter.

 

[UnTainted]

Yup! +1 for Sako

 

[EdLaver]

Wow, very wide range of choices. I would say reliability,accuracy, semi-auto for me. Good ol' AR platform fits those 3 requirements on point.

 

[azredhawk44]

This has got to be one of the most confusing polls ever.

People buy different rifles for different reasons.

One guy will buy a .50-90 blackpowder smokepole because he wants to do old-fashioned buffalo sillhouette shooting and fit in with the other guys wearing period clothing.

Another guy will buy a .50BMG rifle just to irk Hillary and the libs.

Yet another guy will buy a bolt action .30-06 to hunt with.

The next guy will buy an M1A to compete in high power.

After him is the guy who bought an AR15 for home protection and zombies.

And each and every one of those rifles are very different. And each and every one of the purposes of those purchases is different. And none of them was a poll question. And none of them was the criteria for achieving that goal.

 

[chieftain]

If it ain't reliable.

It ain't.

Really kind of simple in the end.

Go figure.

Fred

 

[arthurcw]

Everything I have fills a specific role.








...that role may be, "for when the Zombies come," but hey, that's a role.

 

[10-Ring]

I buy rifles to do specific tasks and to perform them reliably whenever called upon

 

[07Lway]

I am cheap, and I like a little bit of accuracy. Savage.

 

[JesseL]

I think almost all of those are factors when I'm looking at a rifle, which ones weigh most heavily are determined by what niche I'm looking to fill, and which rifle screams loudest "BUY ME!" at the gun shop..

 

[308win]

I didn't vote but would have if "Fills a specific itch." had been a choice. My wife says I scratch too much.

 

[esq_stu]

There are too many choices in this survey to make sense of the answer. And though one factor may be most important, others can't be ignored. And it al depends on the purpose.

My purpose is personal defense under 100 yards. The SKS, the AR, and the AK (and other battle rifles with war experience, I'm sure) meet that application adequately. My preference is the AR M4 configuration with iron sights.

 

[MCgunner]

Well, it should fill a role or niche (usually hunting), but it absolutely HAS to be accurate to 1MOA for big game. I can accept a 2 MOA 22 for squirrel and small game, of course. I have no defensive uses for rifles. There are no brown bear in Texas and I carry handguns for defense in the concrete jungle. Shooting a man at 100 yards is NOT self defense and could not be made defenseable even by Matlock.

You have a duty to retreat, other than cases covered by the castle doctrine law which is only in your home or car. Outside of John Edwards, I don't know anyone with a 100 yard shot inside their home.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

The rifle must fit me and feel good. That said for a deer rifle the marlin is tops for me.