cool factor vrs practical

[Enfield47]

I enjoy shooting the semi autos a bit more than the bolt guns, but I still love my bolt guns! With my Garand, SKS or M1 carbine, I get the opportunity to just keep pulling the trigger until the magazine or clip is empty and the bolt locks back. Sure it's not very accurate shooting that way, but it's always a lot of fun. The bolt guns give you a chance to think between each shot which is a nice for accuracy and I go through less ammo.

Cleaning them however is a hands down winner for the bolt guns.

[Father Ted]

The flat helmets were designed to protect against shrapnel airbursts, not much thought was given to fragments flying around at shoulder height or lower! The U.S. fought at Bataan, Wake Island, Guam and at sea until after Midway with the 1917A1 helmet.

True. It was designed that way for a reason. So maybe not cool to some... But practical. Personally I like the design.
And I too wouldn't turn down a krag.

[Discogodfather]

True. It was designed that way for a reason. So maybe not cool to some... But practical. Personally I like the design.
And I too wouldn't turn down a krag.

+1 on Krag, they are amazing shooters. Getting expensive though. Check out the Krag speed shooter in this competition, he beats the Swedish mauser and the HK, then appears to have the same score as the Sauer 200 STR!!!

GO TO 4:43 to see Krag insanity:

[MeatyMac]

+1 on Krag, they are amazing shooters. Getting expensive though. Check out the Krag speed shooter in this competition, he beats the Swedish mauser and the HK, then appears to have the same score as the Sauer 200 STR!!!

That's cool, next time I go out to the range I'm taking my Krag. I'm not a Krag guy, I've got one good original/correct example, and that's the first time I've seen a stripper clip used in one, I didn't know stripper clips could be used in the Krag...

As for cleaning, bolt guns are the fastest, 5-10 mins and I'm done, but I don't strip down my Garands every time I shoot them, I clean the barrel, chamber, bolt face and wipe it down. I'll detail strip a service grade Garand after 500 rounds and when I was active in Highpower I'd go 1000+ rounds before I'd detail strip my match grade Garand, but I'd clean the barrel, chamber, bolt face after each day out.

[Anthracis]

***

[mls343]

I agree with 1/2 of your statement, Notabiker. I love the SKS over the AK due to the way it feels and handles. That coupled with the California 10 round neutering, just makes the the technology upgrade a push for me (even with standard magazines, I still would probably opt for he SKS). The SKS is an all around winner for me.

That said, I really do prefer the M1 Garand over the 03. Don't get me wrong, a finger stock 03 feels great, is accurate, and easy to maintain. For me, the M1 Garand not only feels great when shooting, but the technology upgrade puts it above the 03 for me. As was proven in actual combat, 8 semi auto shots beats 5 manual ones in most cases.

Further, the reliability for the Garand is pretty good, and maintaining one is not that big of a difference - at least for my shooting and activities.

I guess for me, the M1 is a package that is hard to beat especially when compared to it's predecessor.

Again, just my $0.02.

[Standard]

I know what you mean, but I agree with rdfact, the Garand, for me, is way more fun to shoot.

As far as SKS vs. AK, I agree, the SKS is more practical, especially where few have a featureless AK and 30 rounders. In a free state, AK is more fun, but in California, SKS seems more practical, cheaper and easier to get a good one.

I agree. I greatly prefer shooting the Garand over a C&R bolt gun. The Garand is just about perfect, IMO. Less punishing to shoot too.
I also agree about preferring the SKS over the AK for anything but mag dumps, which I don't do anyway.

[Dan_Eastvale]

If I am looking for a miltary configured rifle then I want 100% military configuration.

I love the sks because it retains 100% of its military configuration, plus it's nice, solid, machined and more accurate than an "AK" in semi auto.

To me, even the original AK's sold here like the polytech legend series with all the features still weren't "real" aks....Because they weren't miltary select fire.

Now if we could get a real 100% military configured AK that would not only be cool but practical as well!!

[NOTABIKER]

I agree with 1/2 of your statement, Notabiker. I love the SKS over the AK due to the way it feels and handles. That coupled with the California 10 round neutering, just makes the the technology upgrade a push for me (even with standard magazines, I still would probably opt for he SKS). The SKS is an all around winner for me.

That said, I really do prefer the M1 Garand over the 03. Don't get me wrong, a finger stock 03 feels great, is accurate, and easy to maintain. For me, the M1 Garand not only feels great when shooting, but the technology upgrade puts it above the 03 for me. As was proven in actual combat, 8 semi auto shots beats 5 manual ones in most cases.

Further, the reliability for the Garand is pretty good, and maintaining one is not that big of a difference - at least for my shooting and activities.

I guess for me, the M1 is a package that is hard to beat especially when compared to it's predecessor.

Again, just my $0.02.

i respect your opinion , but explain the need of simi auto and mag capacity when hunting or target shooting. i see no advantage except in the cool factor. being that my Garand and 1903A3 are both obsolete military rifles i find the speed or mag capacity meaningless. i blow threw ammo to fast in the M1 and working the bolt is fun for me.

[pitfighter]

If I am looking for a miltary configured rifle then I want 100% military configuration.

I love the sks because it retains 100% of its military configuration, plus it's nice, solid, machined and more accurate than an "AK" in semi auto.

To me, even the original AK's sold here like the polytech legend series with all the features still weren't "real" aks....Because they weren't miltary select fire.

Now if we could get a real 100% military configured AK that would not only be cool but practical as well!!

When you say ideal military configuration - this is what I think of (three position selector):
(photographed last night my shoes beneath them the deck of the SS Lane Victory.)

[db42]

some military rifles are clearly a improvement over the preceding design. nothing to argue about. But that does not mean it is a better design for us to shoot. I have 2 examples in mind.
In my opinion to just take out to the range and shoot my 1903A3 is better than my garand. The Springfield is simpler to maintain and is very accurate.
My other example is the SKS over the AK. for civilian use in simi auto i like the SKS better. yes the AK and the Garand exceed in the historic and cool factor.
what is your opinion.

The 1903A3 is a bolt action, the garand is a semi-auto - having a semi auto battle rifle is part of the reason we won the war. As Patton said, it was "the greatest battle implement ever devised" at the time.

More shots down range while maintaining accuraccy, that's what the garand offered - this isn't a "tactical vs practical" question. It was a practical solution that offered tactical superiority.

For SKS vs AK - I've seen SKS's jam numerous times, I've seen an AK twice - which is better.

[NOTABIKER]

If i was in a war i would pick the large cap simi auto every time. i think my war days [ 68-69 ] are over.

[Happyhappycamper]

like driving a stick shift, hot rods and sports cars should be a stick. I also enjoy shooting a bolt action much more than a simi auto.

Yea, but if cars in California were like the guns you guys have to use you would have to insert a special wrench into the gear shifter every time you wanted to shift into a different gear & you could only use 1st & 2nd gear at most.

Plus in a couple more years down the road (no pun intended) the only people that will be allowed to drive anything will be politicians and LEO's.

[Regula]

I prefer my oddball c&r rifles like my Hakim, Lux FN49, and swiss straight pulls....but then that's me.

[Discogodfather]

i respect your opinion , but explain the need of simi auto and mag capacity when hunting or target shooting. i see no advantage except in the cool factor. being that my Garand and 1903A3 are both obsolete military rifles i find the speed or mag capacity meaningless. i blow threw ammo to fast in the M1 and working the bolt is fun for me.

That's dangerous, when we start assigned "need" to the gun equation. That's what anti-gun people do routinely. I really don't see why we would not want a high accuracy semi-auto for hunting. Depends on the situation, but quick accurate follow up shots are very cool when hunting.

It's mostly a cultural stigma that you only "need" a bolt gun. And how is a Garand or 1903 obsolete? Because an M14 and a Remy 700 are slightly better? Obsolete to me is some blackpowder rig.