Hey,

Just curious as to your favorite rifles. I just started and enjoy it. I would like to pick up an AR-15 with scope. I know you soldiers and law enforcement guys out there have fired a similar M-16, or even the M-21. I haven't seen a thread in here for a while, so please share folks! Thanks.
BTW, i heard in 2009 a bill will be passing hawaii legislature making serial #'s required on all handgun ammo, so basically only ammo purchased here locally can be fired. They will be checking all the gun ranges for this.

 

Checking gun ammo with serial Numbers now? Sheesh! If a ballistic test isnt good enough, now serial numbers,...Will they jot down your personal information when you purchase ammo?

 

My personal favorite is the 83mm shoulder launched multi purpose assault weapon aka SMAW, but i dont think they sell those locally and at 6grand per rocket, they arent cheap either. On a serious note shooting an AR is fun and all, but to be honest you will probably have just as much fun with a .22 or a 9mm handgun and the ammunition is sooooo much cheaper. .223 ammunition is pretty expensive not to mention all the stipulations that go with owning assault weapons. now if you have already been shooting those for along time and are looking for something a bit bigger than an AR-15 would be a good choice although a nice tactical 12 gauge might help you get your jollies off just as much. hope that helps a bit.

 

It depends on why you want one and what you want to do with it. If you want a cool-looking firearm, that has lots of accessories available (stocks, optical sights, illumination, handguards, etc, etc) and you will shoot infrequently, then an AR-15 would be a good choice. The reason that I say “infrequently” is twofold: one, because .223 ammo is hugely expensive (the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is sucking up all the .223) and two, the AR-15 is not all that accurate. If you shoot a lot it will get expensive very quickly and you will eventually get frustrated by the lack of accuracy.

Some will argue about my accuracy comment but, while the AR-15 can be made to shoot fairly accurately, that is not what it was designed to do.

If you are planning on shooting a lot, then options exist at both ends of the cost spectrum. If you are a beginner, then a .22 rifle, like the Ruger 10-22 is a good choice. It is light, accurate, fairly cheap and highly customizable. If you really get into it, you can swap on a match grade barrel and install the whole thing in a synthetic stock. All that, plus a nice scope and match trigger will probably cost less than $1,000 and will give you tack-driving accuracy in a caliber that you can shoot all day for a few bucks.

If you are more experienced, you might be better off with a long range precision rifle (aka sniper rifle for the non-politically correct) like the Remington 700 PSS. In .308, it won’t be pleasant to shoot all day, but will shoot sub-MOA groups out of the box. You can then explore hand loading, and push yourself to become a more accurate shooter.

In the end, if an AR-15 is the way you want to go, then be prepared to pay. A name-brand rifle, with the usual toys (flat-top upper with 16” barrel, railed handguard, optical sights, back up iron sights, illumination, name-brand lower and aftermarket stock) will be around $2,000. Young Guns in Mapunapuna always has a few in stock and ready to go (minus the optical sight and illumination) and Daniel at Kaneohe Gun Shop specializes in full house AR-15s.

I don’t want to dissuade you from purchasing an AR-15; I just want you to know what you are up against. It will really suck if you spend $2,500 on an all-out AR-15, only to realize that you have a $2,500 toy that you don’t have time to use. Since it is a firearm, you can’t just toss it up on the forum if/when you want to sell.

Anyhow, feel free to PM if you have any questions about what I wrote or any general questions about firearms puchasing and permits.

 

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fusea...ideoid=5995125

I will post some more up here shortly

 

Chris, I was into it alittle thanks to my cousin in law but this was awhile back... He had 9mm's and m16 that were pretty fun shooting at the hawaii kai shooting range.. if you wanna get all into guns, you should talk to my in-law.. A gun freek!!

 

For out here buy an AK-74. The major problem with an AR in Hawaii is that we have this FUBAR language in the law regarding magazines which states, "capable of being used in a handgun." Since there are commercially manufactured AR pistols most people hold that AR mags are also banned. The argument can be made that AR pistols are banned in HI so you could not use the magazines here.... But AFIK no one has bothered. Some of the shops sell them and nobody cares, so. But, you can't load up more than 5 rds at Koko without annoying the range masters.

Contrary to what was posted above, the AR is a superbly accurate platform. In fact, Eugene Stoner even accepted the increased maintenance requirements of a direct gas impingement operating system in exchange for reduced reciprocating mass. Hence, reduced recoil and increased accuracy. The AR is arguably the most accurate semi auto rifle made today.

Having said all that, the AK74 is a better choice out here. A large supply of cheap high cap mags, acceptable long range accuracy (the accuracy potential of the cartridge is actually better than most .223 loadings.) and it's fun to shoot.

 

Thanks everyone for their insight, these are all firearms that i have been considering for the past few months. AR's and the AK74. Also, my brother-in-law said I'd like the M1A Socom II. This will probably be my only rifle purchase, so i need to be sure it's going to be a weapon that accomplishes many things.
1. A firearm that i can enjoy firing out the box as a novice, but also a great weapon to fire 8-10 years down the road, as experience grows.
2. Cheap ammo, i don't want to spend $10 a box on ammo.
3. Lower recoil rate, so after a long firing session, my shoulder doesn't fall off.

 

Still the AK-74, not the 47. The 5.45x39 is a much more capable cartridge. The M1A is a superior weapon, but then you're dealing with .308. And, while surplus ammo can be found you're looking at $1.00 a round for .308 match. Also, the AK can be had well under $500 while the M1 is closer to $1200+. Look up the exact prices, but I think I'm in the ball park.

 

I say go with the M1, great rifle, suberbly accurate and you can still put all your little attachments on it depending on the model you buy. you will probably have less trouble with jonny law as well since it is more of a rifle than an AR. it will kick you a little, but not too bad.

 

^also good points Bush.

 

Springfield bolt action 30.06 WWI rifle still shoots 1/2" MOA at 400yards prone without optics. Its so old that the state did not require me to register it in 89 and only a back ground check with a waiting period.

 

Negative on that comment. I've been shooting M-4s/AR-15s for a decade now and in the right hands that weapon is down right surgical. If yours isn't "accurate" (i.e. consistent center mass on 250-300 meter target with a CCO or open sights, nevermind an ACOG) you either got a cheap rifle thats loose and/or has a poor quality barrel or you just plain can't shoot. I have and still will put my life against any target within 500 meters with that weapon all day and twice on Sunday. Out past that it severely lacks in knockdown and velocity but thats the nature of a .223 calibre shoot barrel weapon.

 

The M1A SOCOM is a fantastic rifle but it's even more expensive to shoot than 5.56 weapon. 7.62 ammo is more expensive by far. If you manage to find it for $10 a box for 20 rounds (decent ammo), that's about average. If the price of ammo enters the equation at all go AK, its a good weapon when done right and is a time test performer. Go here to get a weapon you won't regret http://www.ak-103.com/home.html

 

here's my 02..

i originally built an AR-15 with a 24" fluted varmit (sniper) style upper, all custom lower and parts kits.. and built it myself for around 700.. (on the mainland..) this gun was fun as hell to shoot, but as mentioned before.. it was accurate.. (center mass shots at 300 yards were no problem.. aka i could hit a dinner plate or a torso target at 300 all day.

but when i wanted to get into extreme accuracy with the .223 REM cartridge, i sold my AR-15 in pursuit of something alot more accurate..

i went with a Savage Arms 10FLP .223 this is Savage Arms' Law Enforcement model Sniper rifle, bolt action of course. though gas guns can be very accurate, very few come close to that of a bolt gun.

Savage Arms makes perhaps the most accurate bolt rifles straight out of the box. with decent ammo, i was shooting Sub-MOA groups at 200 yards my first day out.

when i added a Choate Stock, 6-18x Nikon Scope and Leupold rings, my gun became capable of some serious tac-driving work.

i found by testing different loads that with 52 grain Moly Coated Match rounds, i was shooting four-leaf clovers all day at 300 yards. This kind of accuracy is scary.

Knocking dimes off of targets at 300 yards was not a problem.


a few pictures of my projects:

My AR-15 Project.. 24"Fluted upper, PSG grip, ACOG style scope.. pretty decent stuff..




My Savage 10FLP with Choate and Nikon setup: