jeepnik wrote: ↑Wed Aug 19, 2020 2:30 pm
The biggest drawback to the Garand is the low magazine capacity. The biggest drawback to the AR is simply that it is a P.O.S. AR. My preference is.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/4Q3x2Kp.jpg?1)
I'm not a fan of non wood stocks, but for something that I may one day need in bad times synthetic is probably better.
I'm warming up to my AR 'pistol' in 300 Blk for in-house use (versus the standby 45 Colt 16" Rossi). It needs to pass the 1000-round-with-zero-malfunction test though. Also a handgun in-house is still hard to beat.
As for if I had to go 'out there' in bad times, again I have a 45 Colt levergun with light and laser and red-dot sight that is dandy when doing farm chores and mostly I see nothing, or a possum or rarely a coyote, but
could encounter a 2-leg.
If I knew there were 2-legs out there and didn't have the option to cower inside and call 911, I'd probably take either my M1A Scout like jeepnik posted, or the AR in 223 that has a good optic with 45 degree open sights (front is a crosshair globe made for the AR), laser, and 1,000 lumen Streamlight light. Took some practice getting used to but I really like it. I might fix up the M1A with a similar system - say an ACOG on the scope rail, and at 45 degrees irons, or another option I see people doing is a red-dot on the side with a scope on top.
Either gun would do - the AR holds more rounds and is lighter, but a hit with a 308 is a bigger thump.
Keep in mind that just like when hunting, SHOT PLACEMENT beats foot-pounds, every time.
Both shoot 'flat' enough for me to reach out as far as I'd be able, but the AR 'platform' has way more and better sighting options - a critical factor for many things.
Then there is the AR-10.....some would say the best of both ('AR' and '308') and some would say the worst of both ('heavy' and 'no piston').
Whatever a person gets for the 'bad times' gun, it NEEDS to be durable and more durable and even more durable, and shoot no matter how dirty or if dropped or gummy or whatever. AND it needs to have sights and lights and so on that fit YOUR needs - no 'mall ninja' stuff on the one hand, but also no 'pride in old-school-for-its-own-sake' nonsense. Get sights or whatever that YOU find practical and YOU can use for real-world results.
I find the 45 degree offset irons to be awesome fast and easy to use and transition to from a red-dot or scope primary. I intend to experiment with a red-dot or holo-sight at 45 degrees versus an optic primary. Maybe I'll set up the M1A that way.