SWshooter

Your choices are between the ar-15 sized receiver and the ar-10 sized receiver. The ar-10 is a lot heavier than an ar-15. You can get an ar-15 in anything from .204 Ruger to 450 Bushmaster, the 6.8 SPC being the next popular cartridge for serious social purposes. In the ar-10 any of the 308 based cartridges, 260 Rem, 7mm-08, 308, 338 Fed, 358 Win. I definitely like the piston guns over the gas tube. To me it's worth it just for the ease of cleaning, but I think there is also less heat build-up in the receiver, and much increased round count between cleaning. I think you give up a little reliability with the piston, as there is more to go wrong. The gas tube system is very simple and reliable.

My experience with the 2lb Jard is that it is very liable to bump fire in a 308, I ended up with a 4lb trigger spring in mine. My gun is also lighter than a lot of other LR-308's, I had the barrel recontoured on mine, plus an ARFX stock, all of which lightened it up a couple pounds. If you can get in the habit of holding the trigger back, then allowing reset after the gun returns to battery it will eliminate the problem. I prefer a two stage on a field gun.

I put an ambi safety on my M-4 a couple weeks ago, not a BAD-ASS, but haven't decided if I'll keep it yet. It somewhat blocks my right trigger finger and is annoying when I shoot. The short lever may solve that problem on the BAD-ASS, I,m thinking of gringing mine down a little.

An AR-15 barrel wrench won't fit a 308 AR, the 308 barrel nut is bigger in diameter. The DPMS and KAC are different and there is at least one and maybe two others. IMSHUR can tell you all about barrel nut wrenches ;D

I think that's a better idea too. It makes it easier to service the rifle without the muzzle brake permanently attached. It ought to be easier on your ears too.

Don't believe your hand guards will work either as the 308's use a larger diameter delta ring (barrel nut). Also, there are at least two different barrel threads and two different barrel extensions. Generally things are either DPMS or Knights armament compatible. That includes upper and lower receivers. Before you start a build you have to decide which way your going and stick with it. Your upper receiver is your most critical part, make sure it, and the buffer tube, bolt carrier group, buffer, buffer spring, barrel, and barrel extension are all compatible. They must work properly together or you will never have a reliable rifle.

The generally excepted minimum energy levels for a clean kill on game call for 1,000 foot pounds energy (fpe) for deer sized game and 1500 fpe for game in the range of elk. I always thought people were a little easier than deer, so figure about 750 for people, especially since we're looking at a stop, not necessarily a kill. If I were keeping my shots within 300 yds I would feel confident with the 150 gr bullets, for ranges out to 600 I would like the 168-180 gr bullets better. The one unchanging variable in ballistics is bullet weight, no matter haw far it travels, it always arrives with the same weight. The bigger the caliber, and the heavier the bullet, the better the penetration will be.

There isn't enough difference between a 16 and 18 in. barrel to tell. You'll probably see more difference between loads, especially bullet weight. What are you planning to shoot and how far away do you want to shoot it?

It would be a lot funnier if it wasn't so true. :-[

Always nice when the shootin' proves the buildin'.

I have been wanting to test a new Weaver, the guys on the Marlin forum swear by 'em. I bought a 1-3x20 for a 30-30 carbine on sale at Midway for $149. Ended up putting it on a Marlin 99-M1 22 auto I picked up at a household sale. This is a really nice scope, glass is clear right to the edge, and the adjustments work perfectly. Would make a great brushbuster, the 1x setting has a really enormous field of view

Under $500 the Millett TRS-1 has given good service. I have one on my LR-308 with about 1,000 rds on it, and it has given no problems. Under $1000 any Leupold will give great service and their warranty is best in the business. I bought a Vari-X III 2.5-8x32 used and used it until I started having problems with it holding zero. I returned it to Leupold and received a phone call a couple weeks later, the lady said they weren't able to repair it because of the age. They were sending me a brand new VX-III 2.5-8x32 as a replacement free of charge, would I like the gloss or matt finish? Anybody have a better warranty than that? Under $2000 your out of my price range. I can't see spending over a $1000 on a scope for any reason. Under $200 if you want a good scope and are broke, look at the new Weaver's. They are made in japan, not china, and the optics are excellent. They may be the best deal in a scope out there. Probably a toss up between them and the new Redfields.

Or waiting for the November elections to see weather there will be another run on guns.

I just examined my lr-308 closely and my BCG pushes the buffer off the stop when the receiver is closed. The buffer stop is there only to retain the buffer and spring when the receiver is open. The buffer shouldn't touch the buffer stop when firing the rifle. This seems to indicate that the upper receiver and BCG are incompatible on your rifle.

I'm 55 and been a gun nut since I was a teenager. I have never heard of this problem, ever. I don't particularly like 700's either, don't own one in fact.

When I was 18 and just got my permit, I used to carry a 45 SAA 4 3/4's on a belt exposed any time I was hunting. Went into grocery stores and restaurants and lots of public places and nobody ever thought twice about it. When I was 16-18 I brought a rifle to school on a public bus every Monday for rifle club. This was in a town of 40,000 or so in Western New York. Almost everybody hunted, at least for deer. Now nobody hunts anymore and open carry is against the law. Times have sure changed, and certainly not for the better. I would sure like to live someplace where I could carry a large handgun on my belt without anyone taking any particular notice.

There is no single handgun that you can carry always, unless your satisfied with a 25 acp as your main armament. You need a range of guns, like a golfer has clubs. You need something really small, like a P-3AT, for really hot summer weather, when all you can wear is shorts and an A shirt, or no shirt. Also works well for fancy dress, when a chunk of iron in your suit pants pocket prints something awful, and you may have to remove your jacket in public. Then there's a medium sized general carry gun that you carry most of the time in an IWB under a shirt or jacket. Last but not least is your serious gun. When you can't bring a rifle but you want some serious fire power, like a full size 1911 or maybe a Glock 20, I prefer a Delta Gold Cup in 10mm. Then there are some nice to haves, I use a 4" 629 during hunting season, you never know what you might spot off the side of the road, and I don't like leaving my rifle and gear in the truck and being disarmed. Since I often hunt with a 44 mag carbine the 629 uses the same ammo. If I'm carrying another rifle I'll carry a 2 1/2" 66 357 mag, it's a little smaller and lighter, but still a deer killer if required. I also have a Keltec P-11 I carry into jurisdictions where my permit is not valid, if necessary I can ditch it and not be out a lot of money. I also have a couple coat pocket guns for really cold weather where drawing from an IWB or shoulder holster would be nearly impossible. I'm partial to an old Bulldog 44 Spec., not too heavy but has enough punch loaded with 240 gr SWC's to handle heavy clothing. Of course you need a bunch of holsters to cover the various situations. Picking the right handgun to go with the occasion should be a lot like picking which suit to wear. This tie or that, the vest or not, fancy shoes or plain. 380 with the pocket holster or the IWB, Maybe the CBOB in an IWB or the 357 snubby in the shoulder holster, possibly the LCP in the ankle holster. The well dressed gentleman should certainly have enough armament to match his wardrobe.

We're not really a support group, more like enablers? <dontknow> Welcome fellow gunjunkie.

You wonder why 380's are so popular? Do you know the rules of gun fighting? 1. You can't be in a gun fight if you don't have a gun. a. The gun you have in your pocket, when you need it, is the best gun to have in a gun fight. b. People who are involved in gun fights, who don't have guns, are called victims. c. Always cheat, try to start every gun fight with your gun in your hand, while your opponents gun is in his pocket, holster, glovebox, gun safe, etc. 2. A pistol is what you use to fight your way to your rifle. 3. If you know your going to be in a gun fight, you bring a rifle. a. If you have a friend who has a rifle, bring him with you. b. I f he has friends with rifles, bring them too. 4. The only thing that matters at the end of a gun fight is, who is still standing up, and who is lying on the ground bleeding. These are my rules for gun fighting. They have been refined from my 40 odd years of experience. They probably resemble other people's rules, as experience seems to teach the same lessons over and over. If you don't like them because they seem too harsh or unfair, you should think carefully about whether you should carry a gun or not.

It sure isn't going to be the next big hunting cartridge, a 170 gr 30-30 will blow its doors off. Lets see, they necked up the 5.56 to 30 and then pushed the shoulder back so it would be the same oal as the 5.56. It took how many years to figure this out. Anyone remember the 30 apache? I have to admit, I'm underwhelmed. Though I will concede it's probably a better cartridge than the 6.8 spc.

We should spread this around, might start a trend.

Now all we need are pictures of targets. ;D

Hey, at least they got back to you! In NY I like the tubular ARFX type stock. I use a full length one on the LR-308, and an entry length on the M4 clone piston gun I built. The entry stock on the M4 isn't much longer than a collapsible stock collapsed. I put the 1" pad one it and when I shoulder the rifle my nose is just short of the charging handle. This allows mounting the scope far enough forward to clear the charging handle. In fact there's enough room to put a fold down BUIS and use a real scope.

We don't seem to have much luck with those beef trout around here either.

I am a light stock advocate myself. I put an ARFX stock on my 24" bull gun and an ARFX entry stock on my M4 clone. I think I like the entry stock better than a collapsible.