I don't own a main battle rifle, what is on the market besides the m305?

I'm surprised that nobody has yet mentioned the one battle rifle that 1. meets any criteria you want to put in place and 2. can be purchased in an un-neutered form just like it was carried into battle. The rifle I speak of is, of course, the Garand - 8 rounds of 30-06, metal buttplate at one end and pigsticker at the other.
 
Ditto to Tomochan's comment. I think maybe a lot of folks consider Battle Rifles to be post-WW2, but I think that the Garand squeaks into the Battle Rifle category :)

It also would make a great addition to your M305/M14 platform, since it's the direct predecessor. I built 2 of them, following along on the garand build thread from this forum. While some folks built them pretty cheap, mine both ended up being slightly over 2k$, but they both have NOS barrels and NOS or very good quality parts. One of them was sent to Vulcan for refinishing and he did a great and high value job. The other will likely follow later this year.

It's a fantastic rifle, very well thought out and put together. Now is also a good time to get into them, because the prices will only continue to increase. They can be bought used on EE for anywhere from 1200-1800 commonly, with really shiny ones (NOS or Kreiger barrels and so on) being closer to 2k.

The exchange rate isn't helping people finishing up their builds, and parts are starting to get scarce, so buying a complete rifle may be the best option today.

As far as other rifles go... tbh I don't know that there's a ton of value in some of the alternate platforms. The 542 is pretty pricy, the SVT40 doesn't have a ton of aftermarket support. If you want something to hand down to the kids, a Springfield M1A or a Garand is the way to go.
 
Rbc648 said:
Aren't FAL's totally prohibited in canada?
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They're 12.3 (I think... 12.x at any rate). Those who have the correct license can possess and acquire new ones, but unlike 12.6 prohibited pistols they can't go to the range... So sad... I initially trained on the C1 25 years ago, and would give my eye teeth for one now

OP: I think the m305 is your only affordable option. Garands are sweet, but pricey.
 
walleyed99 said:
I have a Norc M305, and I picked up a Springfield M1a National Match, Not a Battle rifle, But a clone of a battle rifle.
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I do believe your definition may be incorrect about the Norc. It is made with all of the original milling machines and tool steel that the GI Springfield rifles were made. The US sold all of the machinery to China. Only dif is the Norc is made in Red China. In some ways the Norc is a better rifle in that the receiver is forged and not cast. Their quality control has improved quite a lot from the old days and it is right up there with Springfield.
 
eaglesnester said:
I do believe your definition may be incorrect about the Norc. It is made with all of the original milling machines and tool steel that the GI Springfield rifles were made. The US sold all of the machinery to China. Only dif is the Norc is made in Red China. In some ways the Norc is a better rifle in that the receiver is forged and not cast. Their quality control has improved quite a lot from the old days and it is right up there with Springfield.
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The US sold their Machines to Taiwan, The Norinco M305b was reverse engineered in Mainland China. I know all about the Cast/Forged argument. That said I will NOT be able to shoot it enough to wear it out in my lifetime, and its finish is FAR nicer than my Norcs.Just my 2 cents
 
burnt_servo said:
you guys missed 2 rifles the ag42 and the hakim rifle .

I also think no one mentioned the fn49 either
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Fn49 mentioned in post 6...

Ag42/Hakim is sort of in that "tweener" category like the SVT40 and even the Garand. Though they had a detachable magazine, they were really meant for using stripper clips (obviously en bloc for Garand). Troops issued these rifles were given stripper clips, not extra mags... By most definitions true "battle rifles" use a detachable magazine, so these don't quite fit.

Like others said, don't overthink it... Find one you like and shoot it!!
 
I missed post 6 ......

isn't the mag on a fn49 , only a 1/2 mag of sorts . meaning that when the mag is pulled out , your just pulling out the outside shell leaving the feed lips behind ( I'm going to google this as it is bugging me now )
 
Phat Eagle said:
Fn49 mentioned in post 6...

Ag42/Hakim is sort of in that "tweener" category like the SVT40 and even the Garand. Though they had a detachable magazine, they were really meant for using stripper clips (obviously en bloc for Garand). Troops issued these rifles were given stripper clips, not extra mags... By most definitions true "battle rifles" use a detachable magazine, so these don't quite fit.

Like others said, don't overthink it... Find one you like and shoot it!!
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The SVT was actually designed to use both stripper clips and detachable magazines for loading, much in the same way as the M14. The ideal "issue" of an SVT included two spare mags in a leather pouch, and the mag release is actually drop free - much easier, in fact, to swap mags on an SVT-40 than the rock-in, yank out mags on an M14.
 
M1 Rifle, if you've the time and budget. A No. 4 or No. 1 Lee-Enfield is a battle rifle. So is a Martini-Henry. Lot of it boils down to the era you're interested in.
An M305 SOCOM is a marketing thing. Never existed until SA Inc. came up with the idea.
An SKS is a stop gap carbine, not a rifle, in milspeak.
 
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