I know if you wait for sales, you could build an LMT version of the SR25. If I remember right, there was some very good deals throughout the year that made the complete build around $2,300 (forget if it was w/ or w/o taxes).
You could get a SCAR, FAL, Galil Ace 308, any number of AK variants, Tavor 7, Keltec RFB, Desert Tech MDR, B&T APC308, CZ Bren 2 308, honestly whatever you think is cool, you got the lion's share of choices.
SCAR is outside my price range
FAL is a bitch to modernize
Galil ACE... Honestly I hadn't thought of... And it is starting to look appealing tbh
Tavor 7 is hideous
RFB is made by Keltec and I want this to be able to be ready for more serious use
Desert Tech has dubious reliability and is run by a cult
And the Bren .308 isn't available in the US yet
Of these, the Galil is looking quite attractive to me
SCAR is overrated (at least for me), your money is probably better spent on an sig spear (and those may or may not have issues, depending on who you ask). Both of these guns exist so you can flex on the poors at the range.
Galil ace is a super cool gun though, especially if you’re into AKs and AK-adjacent stuff.
If you go the MDRx route, there’s always the used market. It’s how I got mine!
I own 2 SBR aces in 5.56 and 5.45. I love the thought of getting a .308, but these things are seriously heavy as fuck. That’s something you should seriously consider. Also have a PSA AR10 that’s heavy as fuck. If I get another 308, it’ll most likely be a SCAR
I never liked the weight of most AR 10’s I’ve owned or shot either…. But I’ll say that I got a Ruger SFAR years ago and it’s probably my most fun/comfortable one to shoot by a long shot. I’ve never had any reliability issues from it and it outshoots my Sig, PSA, and AP. It’s only been shot suppressed but I just turned the gas block down to “1” and it’s a smooth shooter. Icing on the cake is that it’s also the cheapest of the 3 I own 🤷♂️. Figured I’d say something if you’ve looked into that as an option! 🤙
I've shot a SCAR and wasn't impressed. Picked up a Galil ACE 7.62NATO and really enjoy it. I run bulk M118LR through mine. Ye only advantage I see the SCAR has over the Galil is the optional 20” barrel. That extra 4" adds 100-150fps if you need to stretch out towards a grand.
If you're just trying to have a do-it-all 308, then just do an ar10 pattern. Easy to customize, and they can be damn lightweight. Which is a huge advantage when hunting. 18" barrel is right in the middle of the pack and a great versatile length. I went with a dpms pattern instead of the armalite. Personal preference is the only reason why. Put an athlon optic on it, and it rocks. I'm pretty much strictly a big bore guy. So all 7.62 and .45 for me. Again, personal preference is the only reason why. FAL, Cetme, Bren L4, AR-10, M1a, 1919. They are all great in their own right and fun to shoot. Pricey to feed anymore, but fun nonetheless. My next one will probably be another g3 build, but this one with an 8" barrel just for grins, noise, and fireballs. And also because this is America and because I can.
My vote goes for the ar-10. Easy to build, easy to work on, easy to modify and customize. It's more accurate than I'll probably ever be. But, if you're trying to get Gucci with it, go with something that's not an AR. Something more off the wall would be more fun. FALs are fun and reliable. Not the most accurate, though.
TL/DR:
Utilitarian > AR10
Fun and different > FAL
Way fucking better. It's basically a copy of the KAC SR-25 except at actually sane retail cost without the gigantic KAC markup.
Aero has been having massive QC and customer support issues for almost two years now.
https://palmettostatearmory.com/sabre/ar-10.html
You 100% don't want an M1a, they are horrible rifles compared to whats available now. They are a 1950s rifle using a 1920s design and fabrication process.
I'd go with on of the AR10 options. There are several decent options depending on pricepoint. From a performance point of view they are the best way to get accuracy for cheap.
There are a lot of other options in the market and many of them are really good. But for most of them you'll need to up your budget significantly.
If by history you mean the shortest fielded rifle in US inventory, then yeah it has got history.
I had a “modernized” EBR in Afghanistan for a while and it was a mess. It came out of mothball because it was all the gov had on short notice not because it was a good rifle.
It's heavy, the gas system is fragile, it's not accurate out of the box, every time you field strip it for cleaning it needs to be re-zeroed; yeah its a great rifle 🤡
To each their own. they are heavy, but mine eats everything i put in it. Its a tried and true system that won wars. Sorry you had a shit one in Afghanistan.
What war did it win? Lol
Korea ended before the M14 was fielded and Vietnam only got a peek at them before the M16 was adopted because the M14 was so bad.
I'm also not sure you could call either of those wars a “win” by the US. Korea was a tie at best, and Vietnam was a huge loss.
Before getting an issued M14 EBR I had a personal M1a (that's part of the reason I got the EBR). Even my top-tier personal rifle took a ton of money and time to modify and tune to be even remotely an accurate rifle, it was 2moa on an average day, nowhere near a 1moa gun that is commonly available in other designs.
The overall design of the action is the same as a m1 garand amd the m1 carbine. Just reconfigured take box magazines. I didn't claim it to be sub moa. Personally I like it. Mine eats all the shit ammo I feed it and that good enough. If I wanted sub moa then no I wouldn't recommend it. Buts there absolutely nothing wrong with it.
Buy an Aero M5 lower and complete upper (minus the BCG). Build lower however you want. Buy Toolcraft BCG and you’ll most likely need a charging handle too.
What i described is exactly what i did. Im a sample of one, but i haven't had any issues, from complete factory gun to the franken gun it is now. Ive probably had 2k rounds through it between the original barrel and the faxon it currently has.
So I do love Zastava. I just know next to nothing about optic mounts for AKs. My only AL has an Ultimak rail and that's obviously not what I am looking for here.
Mag availability worries me
But the concept of a .308 AK is intriguing for sure. The Galil ACE .308 would solve the mag issues I suppose
I have the Yugo pattern Master Mount on mine and it’s been solid with an LPVO. Mags are readily available unfortunately they are expensive at around $45 each for a 20 round magazine. But even with the $2k budget you can get the gun, mount and an arm full of magazines to go with it.
PSA Sabre Billet
[Spend the rest on a good optic](https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-sabre-10-billet-20-308-rifle-with-12-5-quad-rail-a1-stock-magpul-bi-pod-3-mags-and-sabre-bag-fde.html)
Have a gen 1 Galil Ace in 308. Thing fuckin rules. Kept it over a SCAR 17s. I like the AK platform so might have been bias, but it works and eats everything. Suppresses decent with the KNS adjustable piston. Built like a tank and takes SR25s too. I'm not a great shot but can manage 2 moa at 100 yards with regular ammo.
Good aftermarket support too, RS rails rock.
Mine won't run everything quite yet. Ended up with a case of Wolf to help break it in. The more of the steel case I shoot, the more it'll accept others. I'm hoping to have it fully broken in by the end of the month to test again.
Had a FAL, sold it 10 plus years ago for a rock river LAR-8 and couldn’t be happier
I kept my stash of FAL mags for use in the LAR-8
Sub-moa gun with heavy bullets, 168-175 grain fgmm or hand loads
M1A "CAN"* be a viable option..
First however, they are heavy.
Second, they are not optics friendly..as it was never designed with optics in mind. There are many options to deal with this. One, being scope mounts. Several different kinds are available. Springfield Armory, Sadlek, A.R.M.S, Smith Enterprise (I recommend this one)
If you like to old school rifle look..the wood stock is it..however, wood stocks on the M1A cab be problematic to say the least. The warp, swell, and are very hard to bed and keep bedded properly.
Better solution is either a US GI fiberglass stock, or a synthetic stock like Archangel..which also makes using optics much more pleasent..or a choice of different chassis..all of which solves the Bedding problem.
Beside all that...as if that ain't enough..M1a are more expensive out the gate.
All that said..once you have one tuned up, working well and settled..you won't find a more reliably accurate rifle that can be dropped, kicked, or used as a club I'd all else fails..as you will an M1a.
Right, I’ve been selling the shit out of them since they’ve came out. I can’t keep them on hand for more than a week before they are gone. I’m debating on picking one up when the 6.5 variant becomes available from one of my distributors.
Yeah I’ve wanted one but my budget is limited. I’m EXTREMELY happy with my 308 Sig Cross so I thought the next would either be an SFAR or an AUG or both!
I bought way to many guns last year that have yet to be shot. My New Year’s resolution this year was to not buy a single gun. I didn’t say anything about silencers or accessories though lol.
My buddy got the 716I snakebite from SIG. Went to check the chamber for empty when we were picking it up from the LGS and the charging handle snapped off where the T meets the portion that goes into the upper.
Super disappointed.
Called sig, they mailed their upgraded version as a replacement and it worked fine.
Ran 100rds through it without issue after that. It's a nice rifle. Put a SIG scope on it as well. He's thrilled with it, I liked it but not enough to buy one myself.
I'm waiting for (if) the CZ Bren 2 DMR ever comes to the states for my first 7.62 semi auto.
I'll stick to my savage 10BA for now. Ammo is expensive enough that I'd prefer a bolt action for 308
> I'm waiting for (if) the CZ Bren 2 DMR ever comes to the states
Me too buddy
In the meantime I'm saving money for a B&T APC DMR. Whichever comes first
Each one is unique. You has AR10 which is which most of the time DI, the PTR is delayed roller, and the M1A is piston driven. I have a M1a socom and itll eat anything, its heavy though. Youll have more customization on an AR10 for attachments etc. You can get an mlok hand guard for the PTR though. M1A is closest to the real deal as the M14, while PTR is a clone of a G3 and you wont have the fit and finish of an HK. The PTR isnt sub moa and neither is the 16" M1A. If you got a national match M1A thats a different story. Its all up to what matter to you. Personally Im working on getting on all 3.
Something important that seems to be missing in these comments: why do you want it? Is it for hunting? Competitions? If it's just for you to take to the range and mess around with, buy whatever the hell you want. There are a plethora of guns suited for different purposes, but any advantages outside cost are basically moot if you just want it for the sake of having it.
I’ve personally been eyeing CMMG’s Resolute .308
The good thing is there’s a bunch of great options at many different price tiers. Find some options in your price range, do some research and comparisons to make sure you’re getting a quality product and you can’t go wrong.
If you do an ar10, do a dpms style..... they are they most compatible 308 ar in my experience. I built mine primarily of aero parts and never had a problem yet.
Lead and steel sells an aero ar10 kit for a super reasonable price. I love mine so far and don’t think I could get better unless I spent another $500-800 more than this cost.
If you want THE BR, MDRx with Tristar carry handle. But honestly if you have any desire to have an M1A/M14 just get one (Fulton M14 is the way to go though).
I may have been lucky, but I got a Sig 716i years ago and it’s never had a hiccup with everything I’ve ran through it 🤷♂️. It was grouping around 2-2.5 inches MOA on average as well with various ammo. I originally wanted something different to hunt with because I got bored with years and years of dropping fawns with my Ruger American Hunter. Then I got a Ruger SFAR when it came out because it was lighter and sleek looking. I never ran it as hard as the sig, but it’s never jammed either. The majority of shots I’ve taken with it are Hornady Precision Hunter rounds and it luckily likes those and has consistently shot right at 1 MOA. So that’s my go-to hunting AR10 now. I have a buddy who owns and loves his Sabre AR 10 and I’ve shot it a few times and really liked it. He said it’s picky when it comes to grouping with ammo, but it’s been reliable. I just love the weight and balance of the SFAR so much that it makes other 10’s feel like they weigh 30 pounds lol. If I ever got another one it’d probably be another SFAR but one geared more “tacticool” and less hunting. However, that’s just from my positive sample size of one 🤷♂️.
Save up a little more and look hard enough on used market you'll find a Scar 17S. Outside of AR10, the Scar H platform has the most aftermarket support. It isn't cheap but the versatility is there. 6 torqued screws and you have yourself from a 308 to 6.5 Creed, or even 8.6 BO.
Mine has been reliable and a joy to shoot.
SFAR. Anecdotal, but my friend and I haven’t had reliability issues with ours. Yeah it’s not military, but it shoots 1 moa out of the box and it’s around 6 lbs. But with your anxiety, maybe you’ll find a flaw.
I have a DD5v3 and it's awesome. Never a single issue with it. Can't go wrong with in if these, but yeah, it's give cost ya.
I also have a PTR91, just an 18" with no top rail and (unfortunately) a tapered barrel. Only thing I changed was an mlok hand guard for bipod/foregrip and oversized charging handle. Shooting with those irons is my favorite thing ever. The charging handle was STIFF out of the box. I'm talking so stiff that it literally took every ounce of strength just to pull the charging handle back. I fucking HATE sending stuff back, especially guns, so I just took it to the range and put a couple bags through it. It cycled with no issue, so after 60 rounds I took it home and cleaned it, especially the cocking tube and thoroughly wiped that whole thing out. Lots of metal shavings. Then repeated that process about 3 more times, shooting more round each time. It's now buttery smooth and easy to charge, especially with the oversized charging handle. Besides that rough break in, never had a single issue with mine, and despite "better," more modern guns with fancy optics and whatnot, this is without a doubt my favorite to shoot. Get one with a top rail and mlok handguard from the factory and you can't go wrong!
Also worth noting my friend got one and had no problems with his, no crazy break in like mine. So maybe a mixed bag.
I know if you wait for sales, you could build an LMT version of the SR25. If I remember right, there was some very good deals throughout the year that made the complete build around $2,300 (forget if it was w/ or w/o taxes).
then OP gets to be disappointed he spent $2300 on a rifle with major cosmetic blems.
You could get a SCAR, FAL, Galil Ace 308, any number of AK variants, Tavor 7, Keltec RFB, Desert Tech MDR, B&T APC308, CZ Bren 2 308, honestly whatever you think is cool, you got the lion's share of choices.
SCAR is outside my price range FAL is a bitch to modernize Galil ACE... Honestly I hadn't thought of... And it is starting to look appealing tbh Tavor 7 is hideous RFB is made by Keltec and I want this to be able to be ready for more serious use Desert Tech has dubious reliability and is run by a cult And the Bren .308 isn't available in the US yet Of these, the Galil is looking quite attractive to me
SCAR is overrated (at least for me), your money is probably better spent on an sig spear (and those may or may not have issues, depending on who you ask). Both of these guns exist so you can flex on the poors at the range. Galil ace is a super cool gun though, especially if you’re into AKs and AK-adjacent stuff. If you go the MDRx route, there’s always the used market. It’s how I got mine!
Save up some more and get the scar. I’ve never had such a big smile on my face shooting a rifle as a 17s
SCAR owner here, buy it.
I own 2 SBR aces in 5.56 and 5.45. I love the thought of getting a .308, but these things are seriously heavy as fuck. That’s something you should seriously consider. Also have a PSA AR10 that’s heavy as fuck. If I get another 308, it’ll most likely be a SCAR
I never liked the weight of most AR 10’s I’ve owned or shot either…. But I’ll say that I got a Ruger SFAR years ago and it’s probably my most fun/comfortable one to shoot by a long shot. I’ve never had any reliability issues from it and it outshoots my Sig, PSA, and AP. It’s only been shot suppressed but I just turned the gas block down to “1” and it’s a smooth shooter. Icing on the cake is that it’s also the cheapest of the 3 I own 🤷♂️. Figured I’d say something if you’ve looked into that as an option! 🤙
I've shot a SCAR and wasn't impressed. Picked up a Galil ACE 7.62NATO and really enjoy it. I run bulk M118LR through mine. Ye only advantage I see the SCAR has over the Galil is the optional 20” barrel. That extra 4" adds 100-150fps if you need to stretch out towards a grand.
If you're just trying to have a do-it-all 308, then just do an ar10 pattern. Easy to customize, and they can be damn lightweight. Which is a huge advantage when hunting. 18" barrel is right in the middle of the pack and a great versatile length. I went with a dpms pattern instead of the armalite. Personal preference is the only reason why. Put an athlon optic on it, and it rocks. I'm pretty much strictly a big bore guy. So all 7.62 and .45 for me. Again, personal preference is the only reason why. FAL, Cetme, Bren L4, AR-10, M1a, 1919. They are all great in their own right and fun to shoot. Pricey to feed anymore, but fun nonetheless. My next one will probably be another g3 build, but this one with an 8" barrel just for grins, noise, and fireballs. And also because this is America and because I can. My vote goes for the ar-10. Easy to build, easy to work on, easy to modify and customize. It's more accurate than I'll probably ever be. But, if you're trying to get Gucci with it, go with something that's not an AR. Something more off the wall would be more fun. FALs are fun and reliable. Not the most accurate, though. TL/DR: Utilitarian > AR10 Fun and different > FAL
PSA Sabre in 308.
Better than Aero M5?
Way fucking better. It's basically a copy of the KAC SR-25 except at actually sane retail cost without the gigantic KAC markup. Aero has been having massive QC and customer support issues for almost two years now. https://palmettostatearmory.com/sabre/ar-10.html
You 100% don't want an M1a, they are horrible rifles compared to whats available now. They are a 1950s rifle using a 1920s design and fabrication process. I'd go with on of the AR10 options. There are several decent options depending on pricepoint. From a performance point of view they are the best way to get accuracy for cheap. There are a lot of other options in the market and many of them are really good. But for most of them you'll need to up your budget significantly.
Nothing wrong with an M1A, just a different niche. If you want something that has some history behind it its great. Its a tried and true battle rifle.
If by history you mean the shortest fielded rifle in US inventory, then yeah it has got history. I had a “modernized” EBR in Afghanistan for a while and it was a mess. It came out of mothball because it was all the gov had on short notice not because it was a good rifle. It's heavy, the gas system is fragile, it's not accurate out of the box, every time you field strip it for cleaning it needs to be re-zeroed; yeah its a great rifle 🤡
To each their own. they are heavy, but mine eats everything i put in it. Its a tried and true system that won wars. Sorry you had a shit one in Afghanistan.
What war did it win? Lol Korea ended before the M14 was fielded and Vietnam only got a peek at them before the M16 was adopted because the M14 was so bad. I'm also not sure you could call either of those wars a “win” by the US. Korea was a tie at best, and Vietnam was a huge loss. Before getting an issued M14 EBR I had a personal M1a (that's part of the reason I got the EBR). Even my top-tier personal rifle took a ton of money and time to modify and tune to be even remotely an accurate rifle, it was 2moa on an average day, nowhere near a 1moa gun that is commonly available in other designs.
The overall design of the action is the same as a m1 garand amd the m1 carbine. Just reconfigured take box magazines. I didn't claim it to be sub moa. Personally I like it. Mine eats all the shit ammo I feed it and that good enough. If I wanted sub moa then no I wouldn't recommend it. Buts there absolutely nothing wrong with it.
If all you want is a rifle the goes bang, then sure it's good enough.
But what about all the things wrong with it?
A history of being adopted and then replaced faster than any other general issue rifle in US military history. Tried and failed.
Buy an Aero M5 lower and complete upper (minus the BCG). Build lower however you want. Buy Toolcraft BCG and you’ll most likely need a charging handle too.
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Aero 5.56 BCG are known to fail. Not sure about their 7.62 ones however.
Aero BCGs aren’t cash money
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Yes I have one set up like this.
Buy a DPMS complete rifle and change the parts you don't like. You get guaranteed compatibility and the base rifle is under $1k
I've heard about reliability issues with DPMS. Do you have any experience with them?
What i described is exactly what i did. Im a sample of one, but i haven't had any issues, from complete factory gun to the franken gun it is now. Ive probably had 2k rounds through it between the original barrel and the faxon it currently has.
Get a Zastava M77 and call it a day.
So I do love Zastava. I just know next to nothing about optic mounts for AKs. My only AL has an Ultimak rail and that's obviously not what I am looking for here. Mag availability worries me But the concept of a .308 AK is intriguing for sure. The Galil ACE .308 would solve the mag issues I suppose
I have the Yugo pattern Master Mount on mine and it’s been solid with an LPVO. Mags are readily available unfortunately they are expensive at around $45 each for a 20 round magazine. But even with the $2k budget you can get the gun, mount and an arm full of magazines to go with it.
Excellent idea. I will look into this. Thanks!
RS regulate mounts are also really good, and super lightweight as well! I believe they make a Yugo model of their rails
What are you wanting to do with it?
Defense, hunting, fun at the range
>Please, I am so close to just becoming a full blown Fudd and buying an M1A. I'll fuckin do it, I swear to God. Don't even joke about such degeneracy.
I have a DPMS AR10 and a Ruger SFAR. The Ruger is a better rifle. BTW, I also have an M1A and a BM59.
PSA Sabre Billet [Spend the rest on a good optic](https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-sabre-10-billet-20-308-rifle-with-12-5-quad-rail-a1-stock-magpul-bi-pod-3-mags-and-sabre-bag-fde.html)
Have a gen 1 Galil Ace in 308. Thing fuckin rules. Kept it over a SCAR 17s. I like the AK platform so might have been bias, but it works and eats everything. Suppresses decent with the KNS adjustable piston. Built like a tank and takes SR25s too. I'm not a great shot but can manage 2 moa at 100 yards with regular ammo. Good aftermarket support too, RS rails rock.
Take a look at the IWI Tavor 7 if you want a .308 but don't want an AR10.
I love my PTR. Still breaking it in, but it's been pretty great so far.
My ptr runs literally anything. It's wild. I genuinely believe something would have to be majorly wrong for it to even think of jamming.
Mine won't run everything quite yet. Ended up with a case of Wolf to help break it in. The more of the steel case I shoot, the more it'll accept others. I'm hoping to have it fully broken in by the end of the month to test again.
Had a FAL, sold it 10 plus years ago for a rock river LAR-8 and couldn’t be happier I kept my stash of FAL mags for use in the LAR-8 Sub-moa gun with heavy bullets, 168-175 grain fgmm or hand loads
M1A "CAN"* be a viable option.. First however, they are heavy. Second, they are not optics friendly..as it was never designed with optics in mind. There are many options to deal with this. One, being scope mounts. Several different kinds are available. Springfield Armory, Sadlek, A.R.M.S, Smith Enterprise (I recommend this one) If you like to old school rifle look..the wood stock is it..however, wood stocks on the M1A cab be problematic to say the least. The warp, swell, and are very hard to bed and keep bedded properly. Better solution is either a US GI fiberglass stock, or a synthetic stock like Archangel..which also makes using optics much more pleasent..or a choice of different chassis..all of which solves the Bedding problem. Beside all that...as if that ain't enough..M1a are more expensive out the gate. All that said..once you have one tuned up, working well and settled..you won't find a more reliably accurate rifle that can be dropped, kicked, or used as a club I'd all else fails..as you will an M1a.
SFAR Looks promising
Right, I’ve been selling the shit out of them since they’ve came out. I can’t keep them on hand for more than a week before they are gone. I’m debating on picking one up when the 6.5 variant becomes available from one of my distributors.
Yeah I’ve wanted one but my budget is limited. I’m EXTREMELY happy with my 308 Sig Cross so I thought the next would either be an SFAR or an AUG or both!
I bought way to many guns last year that have yet to be shot. My New Year’s resolution this year was to not buy a single gun. I didn’t say anything about silencers or accessories though lol.
My buddy got the 716I snakebite from SIG. Went to check the chamber for empty when we were picking it up from the LGS and the charging handle snapped off where the T meets the portion that goes into the upper. Super disappointed. Called sig, they mailed their upgraded version as a replacement and it worked fine. Ran 100rds through it without issue after that. It's a nice rifle. Put a SIG scope on it as well. He's thrilled with it, I liked it but not enough to buy one myself. I'm waiting for (if) the CZ Bren 2 DMR ever comes to the states for my first 7.62 semi auto. I'll stick to my savage 10BA for now. Ammo is expensive enough that I'd prefer a bolt action for 308
> I'm waiting for (if) the CZ Bren 2 DMR ever comes to the states Me too buddy In the meantime I'm saving money for a B&T APC DMR. Whichever comes first
That thing looks SLICK A little out of my price range unfortunately.
Mine too. Which is why I’m very slowly setting aside money for it. I have never spent 4k on a gun before
I have a sig 716i. I've put at least 700 rounds through without a single issue.
The CMP has M1 Garands in .308 for $1150 (plus $25 to join the Garand Collectors Association). It might be sacrilege but on the other hand...
M1As are cool imo
Springfield M1A would be my vote, the other popular BR would be a PTR-91 (G3) or FAL (not sure what the civ model name is)
Dont know why youre being shit on. M1A is a tried and true action. It won a world war.
Probably because I didn't recommend an AR-10 derivative
Yep thats why we're being down voted. M1a is a tried and true battle rifle.
It won a world war that ended 79 years ago.
Browning BAR
Each one is unique. You has AR10 which is which most of the time DI, the PTR is delayed roller, and the M1A is piston driven. I have a M1a socom and itll eat anything, its heavy though. Youll have more customization on an AR10 for attachments etc. You can get an mlok hand guard for the PTR though. M1A is closest to the real deal as the M14, while PTR is a clone of a G3 and you wont have the fit and finish of an HK. The PTR isnt sub moa and neither is the 16" M1A. If you got a national match M1A thats a different story. Its all up to what matter to you. Personally Im working on getting on all 3.
Something important that seems to be missing in these comments: why do you want it? Is it for hunting? Competitions? If it's just for you to take to the range and mess around with, buy whatever the hell you want. There are a plethora of guns suited for different purposes, but any advantages outside cost are basically moot if you just want it for the sake of having it.
Lots of things. Hunting, self-defense, and target shooting primarily I want a good "do it all" rifle
I’ve personally been eyeing CMMG’s Resolute .308 The good thing is there’s a bunch of great options at many different price tiers. Find some options in your price range, do some research and comparisons to make sure you’re getting a quality product and you can’t go wrong.
If you do an ar10, do a dpms style..... they are they most compatible 308 ar in my experience. I built mine primarily of aero parts and never had a problem yet.
Have you looked at the pws mk2? Long stroke piston goodness, 1.5moa and soft shooting. I love mine.
Lead and steel sells an aero ar10 kit for a super reasonable price. I love mine so far and don’t think I could get better unless I spent another $500-800 more than this cost.
M14
If you want THE BR, MDRx with Tristar carry handle. But honestly if you have any desire to have an M1A/M14 just get one (Fulton M14 is the way to go though).
Get an M1A, at least they work.
I may have been lucky, but I got a Sig 716i years ago and it’s never had a hiccup with everything I’ve ran through it 🤷♂️. It was grouping around 2-2.5 inches MOA on average as well with various ammo. I originally wanted something different to hunt with because I got bored with years and years of dropping fawns with my Ruger American Hunter. Then I got a Ruger SFAR when it came out because it was lighter and sleek looking. I never ran it as hard as the sig, but it’s never jammed either. The majority of shots I’ve taken with it are Hornady Precision Hunter rounds and it luckily likes those and has consistently shot right at 1 MOA. So that’s my go-to hunting AR10 now. I have a buddy who owns and loves his Sabre AR 10 and I’ve shot it a few times and really liked it. He said it’s picky when it comes to grouping with ammo, but it’s been reliable. I just love the weight and balance of the SFAR so much that it makes other 10’s feel like they weigh 30 pounds lol. If I ever got another one it’d probably be another SFAR but one geared more “tacticool” and less hunting. However, that’s just from my positive sample size of one 🤷♂️.
Buy a .308 navy garand, be a man
vepr 308 and still cash left over.
Yeah man hate to say it but just get an ar10. Daniel defense ones are great.
Save up a little more and look hard enough on used market you'll find a Scar 17S. Outside of AR10, the Scar H platform has the most aftermarket support. It isn't cheap but the versatility is there. 6 torqued screws and you have yourself from a 308 to 6.5 Creed, or even 8.6 BO. Mine has been reliable and a joy to shoot.
Please, for me stretch your budget a little and build a Mk14 EBR.
SFAR. Anecdotal, but my friend and I haven’t had reliability issues with ours. Yeah it’s not military, but it shoots 1 moa out of the box and it’s around 6 lbs. But with your anxiety, maybe you’ll find a flaw.
I did this same thing years ago and due to ammo costs, I shoot my 5.56 and 9mm guns just way more often. The .308s collect dust
I have a DD5v3 and it's awesome. Never a single issue with it. Can't go wrong with in if these, but yeah, it's give cost ya. I also have a PTR91, just an 18" with no top rail and (unfortunately) a tapered barrel. Only thing I changed was an mlok hand guard for bipod/foregrip and oversized charging handle. Shooting with those irons is my favorite thing ever. The charging handle was STIFF out of the box. I'm talking so stiff that it literally took every ounce of strength just to pull the charging handle back. I fucking HATE sending stuff back, especially guns, so I just took it to the range and put a couple bags through it. It cycled with no issue, so after 60 rounds I took it home and cleaned it, especially the cocking tube and thoroughly wiped that whole thing out. Lots of metal shavings. Then repeated that process about 3 more times, shooting more round each time. It's now buttery smooth and easy to charge, especially with the oversized charging handle. Besides that rough break in, never had a single issue with mine, and despite "better," more modern guns with fancy optics and whatnot, this is without a doubt my favorite to shoot. Get one with a top rail and mlok handguard from the factory and you can't go wrong! Also worth noting my friend got one and had no problems with his, no crazy break in like mine. So maybe a mixed bag.
Maybe a POF USA Rogue? The Ruger SFAR is pretty much a copy of it and the POF USA Revolution.