Survival rifle...

[warhawke]

If we are talking about a SHTF thing then picking your ammo is fine, till you run out, then it is catch as catch can. Just like the 9mm vs .40 vs .45 argument, sure with the best ammo there is little difference, but what about the surplus South American FMJ you might get stuck with? This is one huge strike against the 6.5, I can't find it at Walmart and people are not stockpiling it like 5.56, 7.62x39 or 7.62 NATO. As far as Modern Self Defense Rifles, I have an AK-47 for home defense and for the wife as she has issues with 7.62 NATO recoil and it is in 7.62x39 for good hitting power inside it's 300meter envelope. As for big game, what do you think a truck full of drug runners is? Likewise, if the SHTF, how close is a zoo from you? A circus? The jackass with a tiger for a pet? Planning for the unexpected is what we are talking about. 

[m25operator]

Another age old question, IMHO, the 556 is a great indoor rifle, and on open territory, will take down big animals, but when your target is concealed, or just behind substantial cover, will not deliver, that's when the .308 shines or even 762x39 does a much better job. Sometimes 1 is too much, another, not enough, but in the end, my .308 and my 762x39 will come with, probably my .556 as well, as it is next to me in the bedroom and easiest to grab.

[garand4life]

Another age old question, IMHO, the 556 is a great indoor rifle, and on open territory, will take down big animals, but when your target is concealed, or just behind substantial cover, will not deliver, that's when the .308 shines or even 762x39 does a much better job. Sometimes 1 is too much, another, not enough, but in the end, my .308 and my 762x39 will come with, probably my .556 as well, as it is next to me in the bedroom and easiest to grab.

M25, I was thinking much the same thing. I plan to use this very little against up armored enemies. More the paper kind. But when I had my AR last time it was my primary long gun for self defense and I anticipate this one will as well. This would mean being a bedside gun and I just don't trust .308 at close range not to be extremely over penetrating. In the unlikely event I am ambushed in the backwoods of the NM desert I would imagine a good 60 grain FMJ out of an AR will be sufficient. Plus I know coyote is plentiful where I'm going bas I said before I am only going for a few weeks at best and I will be carrying my G21. This is my oh $h1t gun so to speak.

[bafsu92]

M25, I was thinking much the same thing. I plan to use this very little against up armored enemies. More the paper kind. But when I had my AR last time it was my primary long gun for self defense and I anticipate this one will as well. This would mean being a bedside gun and I just don't trust .308 at close range not to be extremely over penetrating. In the unlikely event I am ambushed in the backwoods of the NM desert I would imagine a good 60 grain FMJ out of an AR will be sufficient. Plus I know coyote is plentiful where I'm going bas I said before I am only going for a few weeks at best and I will be carrying my G21. This is my oh $h1t gun so to speak.

The heaviest "armor" most of us will come upon is a vehicle. My employer recently did a study with 62gr M855 green tip / steel core round against vehicles. They took a pair of car doors and placed a recently killed hog, around 250 lbs. between them. From a firing position 25 yards away (14.5" barrel M4) the M855 penetrated the first door, the hog right through the shoulders, causing some major damage, through the next car door and then stopped right at the back of a Nashville phone book denting the 3/4" plywood behind it to the point you could feel the dent on the backside. I feel pretty good with this round out in the open and won't load it for a home defense scenario.

[fightingquaker13]

All snarkiness with tom aside, the diference between "the unmentionable word rifle" and the battle rifle comes down to ammo weight, recoil, range and penetration. Lets take recoil off the table as we are deailing with semi-auto. Lets also lose ammo weight as you probably won't be humping 500 rounds of either. So, range and pentration. If neighbors are an issue, go .556. If its knockdown power at 500 yards? 7.62x51 wins every time. For most of us, the AR/AK is probably enough gun.
 FQ13

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