Hi guys...finally back at my main computer n stead of the iPad...this is a FASCINATING thread, and as my friend Andy Langlois emailed to me, it has been a long time since a rifle — especially a bolt-action rifle — has elicited such excitement.
I suspect the Scout will replace my FAL as the heavy caliber always available (HCA2) rifle in Chez Bunker, especially if my Sweetie agrees to go through the course Ed Head and I are putting together and can "double" on the rifle. The function of the HCA2 rifle is to, if necessary, allow me to push the fight — regardless of what that fight is — away from my front door. Assume my partner in the fight will have an AR. Yes, that is a lot of firepower. Yes, I will likely never need it. Yes, if I ever do need it, I will need it really really badly! BTW, local law enforcement is aware of my basic planning, and they heartily agree with it. In fact, the strategy was suggested by law enforcement.
What might that fight be? Beats me...I suspect that 2 dozen MS-13 gang members on my lawn, as happened last year in New York state, would be enough to trigger the maximum strategy as a precaution. I don't see this as all that much different than carrying a concealed handgun...I don't expect to need it daily (although I have needed it in the past); I have arranged my life to avoid intersecting with the criminal element of society, as I have chosen to live well outside of a major urban area. But if I do need it, it is not at home in safe. As I'e always said, you pays your money and you takes your chances.
An interesting note...people on the Internet (not just here) seem to have a lot more faith in AR-10s than I do. The only New-Gen (e.g. current development) semiauto MBR I would unconditionally recommend is the civilian SCAR Heavy, the 17S. Best shooting 7.62 carbine I've ever shot! Most expensive 7.62 carbine I've ever shot!
I spent some time with one of the Special Forces guys who had been wringing out the whole family of AR-10 style 7.62s, and his team found all of them wanting. Ditto for the eclectic, but exhaustive, "Boston T. Party" Gun Bible tests of several years back. If you have one that is 100%, cherish it. Especially cherish functional magazines! I've heard more good than bad about the Remington R-25 evolution of the DPMS platform, but I haven't yet seen it "wrung out" and I don't have any personal experience with it.
Old Skol battle rifles — Garand, M1A, FAL, etc — are what they are. Interestingly enough, I know a lot of self-defense trainer type guys who keep a Garand in the closet for as one told me, "the last fall-back." Pretty much what I'm talking about for a HCA2 strategy.
I would also recommend the FNAR as a HCA2...I've shot the gun in both prototype and production versions, and it shoots as well as any semiauto 7.62 around. Super accurate, not surprising since it's a militarized BAR hunting rifle. It has the issue of being heavy (8-plus pounds) and features true proprietary magazines (nobdoy to my knowledge makes them but FNH). Going to be a little pricier (street prices from $1300-1500), but in its 16-inch configuration I would rate it as excellent in the "sport/utility" role. I told FNH that I'd like to see it with a scout scope mount option, but no dice on that one. I get the sense that the FNAR hasn't been a huge success for FNH, which is a shame. If you buy into the concept of a sport-ute, but you want a semi, at least look at the FNAR [and, for the record, Ruger is a sponsor and FNH isn't...does that make me even?]
In a civilian context, I like the bolt gun for the same reason I like the lever action carbine as a go-to rifle...if I end up in court for, say, whacking one of our problem lions in my back yard (the most likely use of such a gun given our little "lion problem"), I'd rather my defense attorney hold up a (boring) bolt-action or a (boring) lever gun than a (scary) faux-battle rifle. Where I live, truck guns — usually lever guns, interestingly enough, but a lot of bolts and the occasional Mini-14 — are common as dirt. People see them a lot, which is good.
More thoughts later...
Michael B
MBTV
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