Looking for the best all around rifle for hunting/target shooting/defense. Any sugguestions??

I've been looking for awhile on different rifle/assault rifles. I'm more inclined to look for an "tactical" style rifle in which i can use pistol grip, along with front grip as well. 223/556 or 6.8 would be nice. Found many AR's ranging from 900-3500$, any direction would be appreciated!

John 12:45

What kind of critters you wanna hunt?

He will most likely be hunting just Whitetail and pigs and varmints. I showed him my AR and now he gets all excited. I suggest a 6.8 for better penetration.

On an AR Pistol a pistol grip up front is a NO NO.
Must be a rifle to have a front vertical grip.

Coach: who is the one best player for LB, OL, WR, and QB? And which is the one best club for driving, putting, and chipping out of the sand?

haha dont have have enough patience for golf....
as far as football, you talking past or preseent?

You can use that grip magpul makes though since its angled its in a different classification BATF put out a letter about that recently.

http://store.magpul.com/product/MAG411/117

6.8 would certainly fit the bill, my personal choice for that place in my safe though was a .308 AR.

Earl

I would always recommend your first AR should be a lightweight profile, 16" chambered in 5.56Nato. For around $1100, you can get a BCM, Spikes or a COLT. LMT, Larue,are another few. (I know I'm missing a few) Make sure the twist rate is either 1/7 or 1/8 so it can handle the heavy bullets for hunting. (You dont need it, but its nice).

Avoid DPMS, Bushmaster, Stag, RRA, et al in a serious gun. They aren't terrible guns, but for just a few dollars more, you get a quality weapon that you can stake your life on that is a better rifle.

I'm not sure where to put PSA.

5.56 is really good, in terms of cost, power, recoil, weight, and accessories. 6.8spc is probably the best for hunting in terms of power and ballistics, but it requires specialized magazines and bolt. The 5.56 works for hunting and has lots of really cheap ammo when your not in an election year.

As for a rail. I'd either spend $30 and get a magpul handguards, or $200+ and get a nice rail. A troy flip up back up iron sight to be followed by an aimpoint or an eotech. A scope can be added with either one of the AR mounts from ADM or Larue. or normal scope rings with a riser.

There is a lot of cheap, airosoft crap out there for AR's. Don't buy it.

Unless you're full on committed to a semi-auto, then to me what fits your bill is a nice tactual style bolt action chambered in 308. Something with a lighter 20" barrel so it's some what easier to carry. I hate to say it, but there are a few really good Remington 700's that fit this bill.

Just be aware that some guides do have rules about calibers when it comes to deer hunting. They thinking nothing smaller than 270. If you never plan on using a guide service then it's a mute point.

Regardless, I jet think u can get better accuracy for the cost in a bolt. Semis are mostly for fun when blasting around.
How many people here who have had the opportunity for a follow up shot couldn't get it down with a bolt action?

AK47

I would go with an AR in 308. Same great design as the AR15, has a huge accessory availability just like the AR15. Also you can find good surplus ammo for cheap if you just want to hammer some rounds down range. 308 is plenty for white tail and piggy’s.

That is what my next build will be. Have my 556 AR in a CQC config but I want an AR in 308 in a long range config.

For me, targets are just a fun with .22lr as they are with more powerful and expensive rounds. The ranges around here are not set up to let you run an AR or AK. They are mainly geared to shooting scoped rifles at 100 yds. The any gun plinking pit is only 20yds. Benefits of powerful cartiges are lost there.

Hunting throws in another wrinkle. I set up an AR for hunting and it just never made it in the stand with me. The calibers even 6.8 at the time seemed a bit light to me. Why gamble when I already had a 7 mag and .270 bolt action.

So, I can't answer your best all around gun question. I'm still looking for it. I think you need three guns Ruger 10/22, Daniel Defense M4, and Remington 700 in a powerful caliber.

I gotta go with KoreanRedneck on this one and get a bolt action.

Savage model 10 in .243 or Rem 700 in .243

After putting 1200 rounds through a .308 then getting into a little bit slimmer/ faster bullet (.260) I'm not as much of a fan of the .308 as I used to be.

.243 can be a high performance round in a factory chambering.

Man this is great input and suggestions guys! Thanks alot, I'm a big Ruger guy, I've been looking into their SR556. Very tactical and seems reliable. Quad rail, iron sights are all made by troy.

What ya think?

Is it really necessary to use terms created by the anti gun nuts? It's a rifle not an assault rifle.

Daniel Defense, BCM, Spike's, Noveske

I know it can be done, I hunt hogs with 223, but I'd never hunt deer with it. I would step up in cal if you are using it for deer hunting to atleast a 6.8, if not a 30 cal. Just my opinion.

This is only my opinion, so take it for what its worth, but I never liked the idea of using "deer cartridges" for home defense because I live in a neighborhood and ultra penetration would cause other problems; rural residents don't necessarily have that problem. If I had to pick a good defense gun that I could hunt deer and hogs with, I'd have to say something like a 12Ga. slug gun, but that limits your range when harvesting animals. My thoughts on tactical weapons, is that you pretty much have to be tactically trained to receive the full benefit of what the weapon offers. On the range, they sure are alot of fun though.

Let us know your results or if you come up with something else. You do ask an intriguing question: Deer and hogs are one thing, but throwing in defense and "one gun"...not alot of people consider that.

308 AR nice round and gun combo for animals, not so much for home defense!

I would get a quality M4 profile AR chambered in 5.56, A 12 ga. pump shotgun with both an 18.5" and 26" barrels, a Glock 17/19, a Ruger 10/22, a quality .308 bolt gun with a good 3-9x40 scope and maybe a Browning Buckmark or Ruger auto in .22 LR. Plenty of ammo, and mags for all.

That should get the basics covered.

Is if it is a horde of zombies or mutant bikers..or both (MBZ's)....I'm ready for them I tell ya!

From people I know that have handled it or bought, it appears to be reliable enough. But those same people point out it is heavy, has a crappy center of gravity/balance, and has a 1:9 twist.

Personally, I think piston guns are a fad. They aren't giving anyone extraordinary performqnce over DI guns, but people will flock to new stuff, because it is new. Nly the piston gun concept for the AR platform isn't new, is it? IE, the idea was put forward in the Vietnam war.

Anyway, whatever. I'd buy another solid option before this gun....