The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Stuck wrote:

Blu wrote:I believe the best battle rifle is the one you never have to use in battle.

Blu

I hope I never have to learn how true that statement is.

I'm ok shooting paper targets but paper targets do not shoot back.

I hope you never have to either friend. It gets old really fast.

Blu

I think you have simple, rugged and reliable rolled up in to an expandable platform. Evolution baby...

meles meles wrote:Ah, we seem to differ in our definition of advantage, ooman. We were thinking of qualities such as simple, rugged and reliable. Being able to festoon it with baubles doesn't count

meles meles wrote:And what, pray tell, are its advantages over the venerable mechanical musket* ?

*Rifle, Self Loading, L1A1

I can think of 4 off hand.

Larger general issue magazine.
Front and rear iron sights do not have a hinge between them.
Optical sight mount is an integral part of the weapon system instead of something added as an afterthought to the dustcover.
Floating barrel.

That said, the L1A1 is probably the one of the best battle rifles of its era.

The SMLE was probably the best of its era.

And the Garand was probably the best of its era.

how about one of these I had never heard of them before

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUlNE ... detailpage


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mqo3Bwto ... detailpage

:flag5: zzzzom zzzzom zzzzom

The vast majority of us have not experienced battle and certainly not with some of the rifles mentioned, so who are we to decide what is the best ever?

So I would say that the best ever battle rifle is whichever one you like shooting the most - for me it's the Steyr M95/30. tongueout

L1A1 ! long range 20 rd mag , accurate enough to 600 , good stopping power , very reliable ( at least mine were ) , commonality of ammo . What more can a boy want ?

waterford103 wrote:L1A1 ! long range 20 rd mag , accurate enough to 600 , good stopping power , very reliable ( at least mine were ) , commonality of ammo . What more can a boy want ?

To be allowed to shoot it on the UK as a semi-auto.

Being devils advocate, what about the H&K G3? And are any of the swiss sigs (550?) in 308?

With the gradual proliferation of the 6.8 SPC cartridges etc, would we consider this a full power round?

Having used both the L1A1 and GPMG I too have a biase towards them, as others have said, battle planners and stratagists may love to play chess with soldiers lives, but I've never met a soldier hankering after a smaller calibre lower power round, hell I'm sure we would have all humfed a 50cal around if possible.

If I have to knock someone down I want them to stay there, like most battle rifles it was a bit long for CQB house to house, but this does give you backup weapon of the "Butt stroke to the kisser". As for ammo weight, being in the frugal British Army where we were not encouraged to waste ammo (never mind full auto) I never found it an issue.

L1A1 for me.

For a "small holes/do it all rifle", I'g go for a SIG 556 or an AR but equally I'd be happy with an AK.
For "bigger holes" I'd pick a MAS 49/56 and I need "very big holes" I'll use it to lob a grenade