recommended semi auto center fire rifle for under $1500
- Thread starter hillbilly deluxe
- Start date
- Location
- Peace River, Alberta
You don't have a VZ already?
What are you waiting for. Buy one.
What are you waiting for. Buy one.
cant make up my mind. i always end up back to cz 858
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I have to admit it, the last 858 I personally shot (brother's) could shoot circles around any SKS. No problem banging the gong @200 meters from offhand shooting pos'n and my first time with it. Pretty darn good for 7.62 short!
+2. This is excellent advice. Will run circles around the Norinco or the 858, and you'll be able to hit stuff you're aiming at past 250 meters.
sadly i have to disagree based on real experiance. both the norc and 858 are fantastic rifles in respect to shooting.
I just got an 858 for my first, and have only been out with it once...but MAN, was that fun. Easy on the shoulder (about like a .223 bolt gun), quick to re-acquire target. Light, handles like a dream & points very well for me. Cheap ammo - took 100 rds to the range for some reason when I should have taken 250 LOL. Didn't fire it at long range but put 5 thru one hole @ 50 with elbows on the bench and a red dot (StrikeFire).
Easy to field strip and clean, 2 pins out and you are 90% of the way there.
Mags supplied with mine were very tight/sticky, but I worked on them watching NFL yesterday and have them cleaned up to feed much more quickly.
Easy to field strip and clean, 2 pins out and you are 90% of the way there.
Mags supplied with mine were very tight/sticky, but I worked on them watching NFL yesterday and have them cleaned up to feed much more quickly.
I will only speak to rifles I either own or have owned so:
Norc M14 - No - Great fun but expensive to feed and a bit of a money pit generally
Garand - No - While one of my personal faves the Old M1 isn't cheap to feed and maintain. Semi auto 30-06 isn't really idea for a starting out centerfire either
Ruger Mini 14 - No - While very reliable, accuracy problems abound with this rifle
SKS - Maybe - Very inexpensive, rugged and reliable and ammo is currently cheap and plentiful. Accuracy marginal.
US Made AR - Maybe - But that is pretty much your $1500 gone
CZ858 - Yes - All the positives of the SKS + cooler looking + much better accuracy. Get the Non Restricted version with the folding stock.
Norc M4 - Yes - Actually a very good AR that is well made and accurate, it allows you to get into the AR game and see if you like the platform. Some may say bad things about this rifle but I disagree.
CZ and Norc M4 together very close to your $1500
Norc M14 - No - Great fun but expensive to feed and a bit of a money pit generally
Garand - No - While one of my personal faves the Old M1 isn't cheap to feed and maintain. Semi auto 30-06 isn't really idea for a starting out centerfire either
Ruger Mini 14 - No - While very reliable, accuracy problems abound with this rifle
SKS - Maybe - Very inexpensive, rugged and reliable and ammo is currently cheap and plentiful. Accuracy marginal.
US Made AR - Maybe - But that is pretty much your $1500 gone
CZ858 - Yes - All the positives of the SKS + cooler looking + much better accuracy. Get the Non Restricted version with the folding stock.
Norc M4 - Yes - Actually a very good AR that is well made and accurate, it allows you to get into the AR game and see if you like the platform. Some may say bad things about this rifle but I disagree.
CZ and Norc M4 together very close to your $1500
Yep, I have the experience too.
Inside 75m, sure. Outside of that with equal shooters and you are going to have your ass handed to you (with the 858).
The Norc. will hold out a little further to around 250, but past that a Colt Hbar is going to clean house.
Sure the Hbar better, the barrel is longer, heavier etc. but if you compare 14.5" rifles you will likely find the norc to stand up pretty well to almost any base model AR. Which is inline with the question the OP asked. Frankly the increased capabilities of a full length AR are generally wasted as most ranges don't seem to go past 200m anyhow.
Sweet thing about the Norc is you can build it to suit any config you want and still be under $2k. Frankly your better off paying $700 for a gun and $800 on ammo then $1500 and letting it sit in the safe. Currently the norc is by far the best all around deal goin in the AR world.
Ooh and on the weekends tac carbine course I watched a guy outshoot us guys runnin ARs with an 858. 95% of the time its the user more then the tool.
Sweet thing about the Norc is you can build it to suit any config you want and still be under $2k. Frankly your better off paying $700 for a gun and $800 on ammo then $1500 and letting it sit in the safe. Currently the norc is by far the best all around deal goin in the AR world.
Ooh and on the weekends tac carbine course I watched a guy outshoot us guys runnin ARs with an 858. 95% of the time its the user more then the tool.
I hear what you are saying, however some of the older Colts are coming down in prices - to the tune of around a $1000 or even less (I think I saw one in the EE for $950? last week...) That is coming a lot closer considering the quality of the Colts, and some of those are not all 20 inchers.
Something else the OP should consider is if they plan on attending any shooting competitions down in states...if so the 'rinco is a no go (not sure about the VZs?).
I can't see the VZ being competitive in an action sport unless it limits all rifles to, or the stages are designed around 5 rounds. The advantage of 10 round capacity LAR mags is tough to make up ground on.
Guys with 858s beating out others with ARs in the mag change department is definately all shooter...
Something else the OP should consider is if they plan on attending any shooting competitions down in states...if so the 'rinco is a no go (not sure about the VZs?).
I can't see the VZ being competitive in an action sport unless it limits all rifles to, or the stages are designed around 5 rounds. The advantage of 10 round capacity LAR mags is tough to make up ground on.
Guys with 858s beating out others with ARs in the mag change department is definately all shooter...
For a rifle with any accuracy to whack 18X18 targets out to 500 yards, AR is the only ticket within the price range. A 14.5" will do the trick - if you cannot hit a target it is purely operator's issue. I shot the old service rifle match at 500 yards with a 12.5" AR.
A US AR is not that expensive, the Stag 16" M4 is just under 1500.
You can buy a CZ858......it shoots cheap ammo but it won't keep up with an AR in speed and accuracy once the target is beyond 100m. I have seen people shooting the VZ at Service match - they don't do good at all.
A US AR is not that expensive, the Stag 16" M4 is just under 1500.
You can buy a CZ858......it shoots cheap ammo but it won't keep up with an AR in speed and accuracy once the target is beyond 100m. I have seen people shooting the VZ at Service match - they don't do good at all.
