7.62 NATO, Semi-Auto, "sniper" rifle

**jgalt** · 04-19-08, 20:44

Here's what I'm looking for:

- A semi-auto rifle, chambered for 7.62 NATO, that won't choke on .308 Winchester ammo
- Needs to accept 20 round magazines, & have 5 round magazines available
- I want to be able to have excellent accuracy out to at least 600 meters
- It has to be able to take down deer-sized animals at that same distance (assuming I am good enough to hit them, of course

)
- I need to be able to mount a scope that will allow me to be precise out to at least 600 meters
- Ideally, it will accept a suppressor
- It can't cost an arm and a leg...

I'm fairly new to the ins and outs of 7.62 / .308 rifles, so don't assume I know anything about anything. Having said that, I grew up hunting with my Dad, some of which was deer hunting. I used a semi-auto 308 Winchester for the few years that I hunted deer, so while I'm not a complete noob, please feel free to pretend I am...

Any and all suggestions will be much appreciated!

**Jeremy** · 04-20-08, 06:38

I'm running a DPMS with a 16 inch barrel as my precision rig at work and the department has two as well. Mine started life as an AP4 and if i was to do it over would've done some things a little different. Anyway, the final combination has a JP VTAC forearm, harris bipod, Burris Scope, and a Bill Springfield Trigger. I swapped out the collapsible stock for an A2.

I would have started with a DPMS with an A2 stock and an 18 inch barrel that I would have then had fluted to reduce weight, increase stiffness and surface area.

I just got back from MO school with it and was keeping up with the bolt guns in grouping exercises and in tactical exercises with multiple targets or center mass shots, the semi auto was easier to use quickly. There were some guys that could really work a bolt and match speed but they had to work a lot harder.

Unfortunately I had an issue with it and did not get to use it during the long range session on the last day in which we shot out to 700 yards.

The best thing I did to the gun was sending the trigger to Bill Springfield for a 3 lb job. His trigger job compared favorably with the Remington trigger with a little more takeup being the only difference. The gun would group before, but the trigger job made it much easier and consistent and all for $45.

Let me know if you have any questions.

**Derek_Connor** · 04-20-08, 06:40

Originally Posted by jgalt

Here's what I'm looking for:

- A semi-auto rifle, chambered for 7.62 NATO, that won't choke on .308 Winchester ammo
- Needs to accept 20 round magazines, & have 5 round magazines available
- I want to be able to have excellent accuracy out to at least 600 meters
- It has to be able to take down deer-sized animals at that same distance (assuming I am good enough to hit them, of course

)
- I need to be able to mount a scope that will allow me to be precise out to at least 600 meters
- Ideally, it will accept a suppressor
- It can't cost an arm and a leg...

I'm fairly new to the ins and outs of 7.62 / .308 rifles, so don't assume I know anything about anything. Having said that, I grew up hunting with my Dad, some of which was deer hunting. I used a semi-auto 308 Winchester for the few years that I hunted deer, so while I'm not a complete noob, please feel free to pretend I am...

Any and all suggestions will be much appreciated!

Define "arm and a leg" - AR10s/SR25/SASS guns are just expensive...unfortunately

**jgalt** · 04-20-08, 07:25

I suppose I should have been a bit more descriptive about what "an arm and a leg" means to me...

I'm considering getting a Springfield "Scout-Squad" or a "Loaded" and would have no problem spending the $1500-1700 it'll take to get one of them. Anything around $2000 is getting to be too much right now, and $2500 and up definitely qualifies as both an arm & a leg.

**Derek_Connor** · 04-20-08, 07:29

Originally Posted by jgalt

I suppose I should have been a bit more descriptive about what "an arm and a leg" means to me...

I'm considering getting a Springfield "Scout-Squad" or a "Loaded" and would have no problem spending the $1500-1700 it'll take to get one of them. Anything around $2000 is getting to be too much right now, and $2500 and up definitely qualifies as both an arm & a leg.

With your criterion above, I'd skip the Scout/Loaded all together and get an AR10. If thats too expensive, just save money for a longer period of time.

**jgalt** · 04-20-08, 07:38

Originally Posted by Derek_Connor

With your criterion above, I'd skip the Scout/Loaded all together and get an AR10. If thats too expensive, just save money for a longer period of time.

I am starting to think that I may end up with both, with the AR10 filling the bill for the above criteria, and the Springfield doing hunting duty. Do you know if the same magazines would work on both? I remember reading somewhere that some AR10 & M1A / M14 mags are interchangeable, but I've also read that they aren't. I need a definitive answer - anyone know?

Thanks.

**TOrrock** · 04-20-08, 08:46

No, mags are not interchangeable between an AR-10 or a M14.

Your above criteria is going to be extremely hard to fill, especially in that price range.

**USAFCATM** · 04-29-08, 13:02

Originally Posted by jgalt

Here's what I'm looking for:

- A semi-auto rifle, chambered for 7.62 NATO, that won't choke on .308 Winchester ammo
- Needs to accept 20 round magazines, & have 5 round magazines available
- I want to be able to have excellent accuracy out to at least 600 meters
- It has to be able to take down deer-sized animals at that same distance (assuming I am good enough to hit them, of course

)
- I need to be able to mount a scope that will allow me to be precise out to at least 600 meters
- Ideally, it will accept a suppressor
- It can't cost an arm and a leg...

I'm fairly new to the ins and outs of 7.62 / .308 rifles, so don't assume I know anything about anything. Having said that, I grew up hunting with my Dad, some of which was deer hunting. I used a semi-auto 308 Winchester for the few years that I hunted deer, so while I'm not a complete noob, please feel free to pretend I am...

Any and all suggestions will be much appreciated!

Well, here's mine. It will fill most of your requirements except it won't mount a suppressor in it's current configuration (never had a need for one and don't care to jump through the ATF hoops either) and it's probably a bit more than what you want to spend on it. I really don't have an accurate idea how much it cost me since I built it up over the years with parts I could find that fit my needs and some things like the McMillian stock are from the USMC DMR contract over-run bedded in Devcon that doesn't break down requiring re-bedding and the Brookfield mount isn't made anymore and going to be a LOT more expensive these days if you can even find one. However, it's 100% reliable with anything it is fed and DEADLY accurate! When I lived in North Daktoa, I used it to pick off deer in my sunflower fields out to 665 yards (verified with a Leica 1200 range finder) to date without any problems or a need for a second shot.