Rifle or Carbine?

[Texas_Bryan]

He has spoken.   You can't keep from learning around this fellow.

[Timothy]

He has spoken.   You can't keep from learning around this fellow.

He IS a wonderful source for information and assureadly has forgotton more than most of us will ever learn....

 

[GUNS-R-US]

Well as you said cost ($250) was an issue I would stick with the carbine. The extra 4 inches of the rifle don't gain that much, but if your ever force to fight from within your home or inside some building if the SHTF the lack of those 4 inches could be much important. I would be sure to keep the iron sights on any weapon but I would also put some sort of low power optic like and ACOG (though that particular item  would bust your budget, it would be worth saving for) anything reliable 4X or less. With the BAC sighting method it will work for the most situations 0-300 yards or so. And I would add the light you can do it fairly inexpensively. Most crime happens at night so light is your usually your friend. I have at least 6 surefire light laying around the house. If theirs anything left in your budget buy more magazines you can never have enough! I would try to have at least a dozen good quality Mags like Brownells or P-Mag for each SHTF rifle I own. At least that's how my first AR is setup!

P.S. I also really like a collapsable stock for the adjustable length of pull it gives you!

[Kid Shelleen]

Rifle and carbine. Carbine for closer quarters. Rifle for distance.

Short, sweet and on the money.

For a holed up SHTF scenario.........Several of each please and all of the ammo that I have in stock, maybe, I mean I could have, not really, you can't have any.

[USSA-1]

If you're looking for a good, low-cost, do everything scope, I would consider a Weaver 1-3x20 classic variable.  I've used one for years in competition and I still use one on a back-up rifle.  It has true one power magnification, so you can shoot it with both eyes open just like an electronic scope and 3x on the upper end is plenty of magnification to get good hits out to 300-400 yards.

Best of all you can get them for about $160.

Look here...http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=183610

USSA-1

[Sponsor]

[GUNS-R-US]

Hey I was just watching this weeks episode of Sighting in w/Shooting USA on the DVR and in the product information portion they had a new reddot from BSA called the Stealth W/laser and light for under $160 looks cool . Even less if you leave off the light and laser!

http://www.bsaoptics.com/scope.aspx?product=302

Though I still like a low power ACOG optic for myself!