SG542 as first rifle?

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ngynaq

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Hello, I got my RPAL in December of last year but didn't have time to focus on this hobby until now. I have my heart set on the SG542 308win/7.62x51 semi-auto rifle (paid for deposit). I only want to buy one rifle for the next while and the combination of quality, non-restricted status, caliber and longevity have convinced me that this is my ideal rifle.

Of course, as a novice and beginner I might be setting myself up for a world of hurt so I was hoping to get some guidance from the great community at CGN!

1. Storage - I was planning on using a cable lock with the rifle stored in a hard case, kept in a locked closet. (Is this adequate? Humidity concerns, suggestions?)
2. Ammunition - 308 is expensive (suggestions?) - bulk, steel-cased cartridges seem the most economical options since my outdoor range will allow it. It seems like with good cleaning and just for target practice, this type of ammo is good enough and the money saved can be used to buy replacement parts due to wear. I don't have the time to spend on reloading (as rewarding as it may be).
3. Which brings me to cleaning and maintenance? Recommended products, kits, guides, books?
4. And of course shooting; I imagine this higher caliber is not ideal to learn with...any pearls given that I want to stick with this rifle?

Thoughts? Hopefully this is the right place for this.
 
Great that new people are getting into shooting!
1. that's perfectly legal if that's what your looking to get answered, for the humidity part, it should be fine, its not like your living in a rainforest.. or are you? but in the long run you should probably look into investing in a safe, maybe a Costco one you could pick up for around 350 bucks, or even better if you wait until it goes on sale.

2. that's probably the biggest problem here is that .308 ammo is expensive, your best bet is buying a s*** load of norinco ammo :), of course its not the best quality, but for shooting in your 542 it will be fine ( unless your plans are going to be using it for a DMR) and although you said you wont have time to reload, you should re-consider, if you get a hornady loading press for around 500 bucks, you could end up cranking out 400 to 500 rounds an hour, and you will save lots in the long run, especially if you plan to keep on shooting!

3. Youtube is your friend! and for the products, anything really is good, just go to your local shop and select the basics; oil, grease and a quality cleaning kit

4. it might be a good idea to invest in a ruger 10/22, as they are cheap, reliable, lots of accessories incase you decide to modify it in the future, and mainly for a beginner shooter, they have no recoil (so you don't develop a flinch )

best of luck! I heard those 542 are great guns, and if theres anything else I can help with just send a PM ( private message) my way.
 
thewolfchild said:
SG542 - nice gun. I hope it doesn't get banned like the SG550 line...
Click to expand...

Extremely unlikely. The SG550 is a named prohib, hence the lineage issues with the Classic Greens.

But the SG-542 is clearly from SG540 lineage. No issues whatsoever.

You'd need a new Order in Council naming the SG540 or SG542 as prohibited guns before they'd be reclassified.
 
1) Do not store your $2700 rifle in a case. Cases, hard or otherwise, tend to hold moisture inside. In your locked closet with the cable is good enough.
2) Steel cased ammo is not made for great accuracy. The only real good thing that can be said for it is the price. Kind of daft to use cheap ammo out of a $2700 rifle though. Not my money, of course. Anyway, it can't be reloaded either. When, not if, you get that far. The $500 will buy you an RCBS beginner's kit that will have everything you need less dies and shell holder. Time can be found. Doesn't take that much anyway.
3) Any cleaning kit for a .30 calibre will do. So will any commercial solvents etc. You will find that cleaning patches are pricey. Buy a yard or two of remnant cotton flannelette(winter sheets or PJ cloth) in a discount fabric shop(where you are makes a bit of difference, but any place will do.) like Fabricland and cut it into 4 x 2 inch patches. You get hundreds out of a yard for under $10.
4) Join a shooting club. Save you a lot of mucking around. Most shooters will bend over backwards to help a new shooter. Don't worry about the calibre. A semi-auto .308/7.62 has little felt recoil and are quite pleasant to shoot. You do need good ammo to get the most out of your rifle though. Steel cased stuff will do, but isn't high quality.
Orders in Council come from the Cabinet. The RCMP can't do them. The RCMP has reclassified stuff for no reason other than annoying everybody.
 
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