Preference is Shooting Assault Rifles

[LancerMc]

I know with the large amount of current and previous military personnel that write on the forum, that many over the years have had the professional or personal chance to shoot the many of the different types of the major assault rifles from around the world. Is there any preference that anyone in this forum have in shooting a particular type over others? I am not talking about the capabilities and ballistics's of each type of rifle, but overall how well an individual who shot a specific rifle felt about firing it. Did a specific rifle shoot better then another you have had a chance to use?

I currently own a Bushmaster .223 AR-15A3/M4 and Springfield Armory M1A, and I previously owned a AK-47. With me being a civilian all of my guns of course are semi-automatic.

My personal preference is the AR-15, the gun is light, accurate, and has a light recoil. The gun can also be better personalized for personal preferences with mine having a better recoil buffer and added a red dot sight among other things. The safety switch is easily reachable, and changing magazines is quick. The charging handle leaves something to be desired with having to pull it back close to your face. The M4's adjustable stock is handing depending on the amount of clothing a person is wearing.

The M1A is my second favorite with it's long range accuracy, ease of use, and stopping power. The rugged construction means if you wanted too you could beat the crap out of it and it would keep shooting. My personal drawbacks are the heavier recoil, the weight (especially in the standing position), and the slowness of magazine changes.

The AK-47 is my least favorite, because the one I owned had the standard stock which isn't good for a guy that stands over 6'4". The magazines are pain to change, the safety is out of reach of my fingers, and the iron sights are pretty basic. The gun's simple construction means its easy to maintain and clean. Plus from a civilian position its cheap to shoot.

I personally enjoy shooting all of them, but it my two cents on their shoot-ability.

 

[Tasman]

My personal preference is the AR-15, the gun is light, accurate, and has a light recoil. The gun can also be better personalized for personal preferences with mine having a better recoil buffer and added a red dot sight among other things. The safety switch is easily reachable, and changing magazines is quick. The charging handle leaves something to be desired with having to pull it back close to your face. The M4's adjustable stock is handing depending on the amount of clothing a person is wearing.


I personally enjoy shooting all of them, but it my two cents on their shoot-ability.

I left the army reserve before M16s or Steyrs were issued but I liked the firepower of the 7.62mm FN SLR, even though our rifles were only configured for semi auto fire.

Later, before the murder of 35 people in the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania led to tough new gun laws being imposed in Australia which forced me to surrender them, I owned two AR15s (like LancerMc's they were semi auto), one a standard rifle and the other a carbine with a collapsible stock. I enjoyed firing both, but I found the rifle seemed better balanced for me than the carbine. Frustratingly though, it grouped about 6 cm low and a bit to the right at 100m whereas the carbine was more or less spot on. When the sight was adjusted to correct this it was obviously well off centre which I found annoying. But a better .223 rifle to fire, IMO, was the Ruger Mini 14, although AFAIK this is only used by para military rather than military units. I still miss these rifles as I had a lot of fun with them. Sadly I am now restricted to a .22mag bolt action rifle and a shotgun which I use for hunting.

Cheers

 

[eckherl]

For me I became really fond of the United Kingdom`s L1A1, when I was over there on a temporary assignment, I had the honor of working with the
First Queens Dragoons Guards, yes - I was there when they still operated Scorpions and Scimitars to . For me this particular rifle model and myself just clicked together, anything that I aimed at I could not miss. I liked it so much that I picked up a civilian version of it and it is still my favorite Rifle.

 

[eckherl]

I left the army reserve before M16s or Steyrs were issued but I liked the firepower of the 7.62mm FN SLR, even though our rifles were only configured for semi auto fire.

Later, before the murder of 35 people in the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania led to tough new gun laws being imposed in Australia which forced me to surrender them, I owned two AR15s (like LancerMc's they were semi auto), one a standard rifle and the other a carbine with a collapsible stock. I enjoyed firing both, but I found the rifle seemed better balanced for me than the carbine. Frustratingly though, it grouped about 6 cm low and a bit to the right at 100m whereas the carbine was more or less spot on. at But a better .223 rifle to fire, IMO, was the Ruger Mini 14, although AFAIK this is only used by para military rather than military units. I still miss these rifles as I had a lot of fun with them. Sadly I am now restricted to a .22mag bolt action rifle and a shotgun which I use for hunting.

Cheers

Man - that had to really hurt to surrender such a investment, were you comphensated in any way.

 

[LancerMc]

Tasman

That sucks to loose your rifles especially ones as expensive as those. What were the reasons for the ban?

 

[Waylander]

I just had the opportunity to shoot G36, G36K and G3.

Out of this small amount the G36K is my favorite.
It is not that long and I felt no difference to the standard G36 in accuracy up to 400m.

The G3 comes last. The calibre is good if you need to penetrate structures but the rifle itself is just too heavy compared to a G36 and has just 20 rounds mags.

Quick target aquisition is much better with the red dot of the G36 (I especially like it that you have both eyes opened while aiming) and also distance fighting is better with the x3 optic.

And the 5.56mm allows better handling during rapid fire. It is not really easy to hold the G3 on a target during auto-fire.

Both rifles were accurate enough on normal firing distances and as long as I heard from our mech inf comrades the G3 with optic on it is still good as DMR due to the calibre's performance on longer ranges.


And the G36 just looks sexy.

 

[Tasman]

Man - that had to really hurt to surrender such a investment, were you comphensated in any way.

Yes, the federal government paid compensation and paid the market value of firearms as they stood prior to the new laws being raced through federal and state parliaments. I was also compensated for a .22 semi auto rifle and a 12G semi auto shotgun which were also banned. What was not compensated was when a shooter had to surrender something like a centre fire B/A rifle which remained a legal firearm but for which tough ownership restrictions were implemented. These had to be passed to licensed dealers to be sold on what had suddenly become, unsurprisingly, a buyers market. Private sales, incidentally, were prohibited. The hurt was not financial but (to me) it was certainly very emotional, especially knowing that the fate of a favourite gun was to be part of a mass destruction program often with the media present.

Tasman

That sucks to loose your rifles especially ones as expensive as those. What were the reasons for the ban?

There was a huge public outcry after the shootings and within days the prime minister called a conference with state premiers and pushed through the new laws. They had to be passed in each state parliament because the federal government controls export and import of firearms but the laws re their use come under state jurisdiction. Initially it was thought that only assault weapons would be targeted but when they were announced the new laws banned semi auto and pump action shotguns and rifles as well, catching hunting and shooting organisations by surprise. Popular public opinion, fanned by the media, carried the politicians and the protests of shooters achieved only minor amendments. I better stop because I could write a book on this! I'll just close by saying that the Port Arthur killer disarmed Australia far more effectively than the Japanese army was able to even get near in WW2.

Cheers

 

[eckherl]

I just had the opportunity to shoot G36, G36K and G3.

Out of this small amount the G36K is my favorite.
It is not that long and I felt no difference to the standard G36 in accuracy up to 400m.

The G3 comes last. The calibre is good if you need to penetrate structures but the rifle itself is just too heavy compared to a G36 and has just 20 rounds mags.

Quick target aquisition is much better with the red dot of the G36 (I especially like it that you have both eyes opened while aiming) and also distance fighting is better with the x3 optic.

And the 5.56mm allows better handling during rapid fire. It is not really easy to hold the G3 on a target during auto-fire.

Both rifles were accurate enough on normal firing distances and as long as I heard from our mech inf comrades the G3 with optic on it is still good as DMR due to the calibre's performance on longer ranges.


And the G36 just looks sexy.

Does it look sexier than this gal.

 

[lobbie111]

I recently had the chance to shoot the G36C, K and the LMG variant and I'm in love! Give me a G36C with an underbarrel grenade launcher, a variable power Schmidt & Benders CQB variale power sight and plenty of ammo and I'll sort out the Middle East and Africa

 

[DoC_FouALieR]

As a French military, I have shot many time with our assault rifle, the FAMAS.
While the initial ideas of the conceptors were pretty good, they did not manage to built a correct (IMHO) rifle with these. First this is a complex weapon, hence difficulties to dismount and clean it, second, it is a bullpup rifle and reloading is not smoothy, especially in prone position...
Third, the iron sights are located inside the large top carry handle, and that's my opinion but I don't like it, when aiming you have no side vision (rather a "tunnel like" effect).

But it has some advantages: it is a totally ambidextrous weapon, and the safety/firing selector is located just in front of the trigger, very easy to use. And so far, the weapon has never jammed while I was using it.


However, I find that m4 type weapons are easier to manipulate, with some sort of a natural effect to point the gun toward the target.

And the best assault rifle I have ever had in my hand was the FN F2000, a very user-friendly gun.

 

[Waylander]

@Eckherl
Ok, I agree wepaons, women and cars do match very well.


@lobbie111
The AG36 is just available for the G36 and G36K. You cannot put it onto a G36C as long as I know.
And are you sure that you fired the LMG? I thought the LMG was just an offer by H&K but not actually build in numbers due to no customers.

Maybe you fired a normal G36 with bipod and C-mag.
There is no visible difference to the LMG.

@DoC_FouALieR
Have you fired the FAMAS with an optic on it (red-dot, x3, etc.)?
On pictures the new optics on FAMAS look very high due to the big carry handle.
I wonder if this gives you problems.

 

[DoC_FouALieR]

@DoC_FouALieR
Have you fired the FAMAS with an optic on it (red-dot, x3, etc.)?
On pictures the new optics on FAMAS look very high due to the big carry handle.
I wonder if this gives you problems.

No, I have only shot with iron sight, reddots and other advanced optics are only mounted on FAMAS for the land Army, the Marine Nationale does not have these.

But at Eurosatory I took a look at the Felin modification of the Famas, and found it very.. uncomfortable to fight with. Optics are too high, seem too fragile, and this add a painfull weight to the gun...

 

[Waylander]

Thanks for the answer.

 

[lobbie111]

I have powerful friends so to speak and I was able to evaluate the weapon on the firing range and yes it is possible to put an AG36 on a G36C even an M203 for that matter.

 

[LancerMc]

I have heard and read the G36's built in optical sights are difficult to use and adjust. Does that really hold to, and what other sight options do they have on it?

 

[lobbie111]

I diddn't like the built in sight because it was too general purpose and yes it is difficult to adjust but adjustable, in the G36C it comes with a pictany rail whih comes in handy and I;m pretty sure you can get a variable power sight on the basic model.

 

[Waylander]

@lobbie111
Thanks for correction. I thought attaching the AG36 to a G36C causes problems to the hand protection.
You are lucky to have the opportunity to have such friends.
In Germany it is impossible to fire anything with auto-function and even semi-auto versions of military rifles are hard to find.

@LancerMC
Adjusting is no problem.
I did not find it hard to use but I agree that there are better reddots out there. But it is good enough.
With the two sights on it you have the advantage to have a sight for every circumstances be it close range or distance fighting.
Some training (As always) and you are quite fast familiar with the two optic system, especially when you start with the G36.

Many of the G36K of our infantry have Eotechs instead of the normal reddot. Higher price but also more comfortable to use.

 

[Waylander]

I diddn't like the built in sight because it was too general purpose and yes it is difficult to adjust but adjustable, in the G36C it comes with a pictany rail whih comes in handy and I;m pretty sure you can get a variable power sight on the basic model.

What do you mean with "too general purpose"?