Budget battle rifle

[BigSon]

So I'm looking at 3 different guns right now vz2008,C308(G3 replica),possibly a wasr or AK I'm looking to stay under $800. I already have an AR and am looking for something with more punch that's reliable and can get beat up or dirtied up and not worry about it. Thoughts and opinions or better options are appreciated.

[ralfabco]

MAS 49/56 7.5mm French

Probably the cheapest reliable factory built battle rifle available.

If you want an AK, I would purchase an Arsenal.

7.62x39 does not have the range of the pure battle rifles.

[MountainRaven]

Two of your options aren't battle rifles, per se, and the third is a Century abomination. Actually, I think two of the three are, now that I'm looking at the list more closely.

Of those three... WASR. Or a DDI if canted sights and gas blocks bug you (assuming you can't hand select from a few guns).

Otherwise, I'd save my pennies up to buy a PTR-91 if you want a true battle rifle or an Arsenal if settling for the canted sights of the WASR and the "inferior" American barrel and receiver of the DDI bugs you (my chief issue with the DDI that I owned was actually due to a slight but significant overuse of their paint-on finish on the front trunnion causing an RD Fuller Mod rear sight to bind up and levitate over the trunnion instead of the slider resting directly on the trunnion like it's supposed to - that and I'm not a huge fan of the Hungarian handguard retainer that they get out of their parts kits their rifles are assembled from).

[JoshNC]

Agreed re: PTR. Pick up the GI model, which can be found for at/under $900. Mags are so cheap they may as well be free.

http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/comp....html?Itemid=0

[Moose-Knuckle]

Budget MBR in 7.62 NATO doesn't get any cheaper than the Spanish FR-8.

I've been wanting to pick up a few of these for years now and geocache them for a raining day.

[eodinert]

There are some decent deals around for FALs in the second hand market... for the price of an AK these days, I'd definitely go for an FAL variant.

[BigSon]

If I could find an FAL for the right price I'd be on it, I have considered the ptr-91, and yes the price on AKs is getting ridiculous. If I'm gonna spend a $1000 though I might as well spend a couple hundred more and get what I really want a DPMS recon G2 in .308. I hadn't really heard anything bad about the century C308 or VZ2008 so I was eyeing them and I don't know if I see myself spending the money on a VZ58, I've looked at arsenals as Well I think I'd buy a definitive arms built gun first, or save some money and get a DDI if I went that route.

[Auto426]

Agreed re: PTR. Pick up the GI model, which can be found for at/under $900. Mags are so cheap they may as well be free.

http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/comp....html?Itemid=0

I'll second this. The new PTR's are a pretty good deal for those looking for a semi auto .308 on a budget. They recently started adding paddle mag releases across most of their model lineup, which makes me want to sell my two and replace them with new models.

I would also recommend ordering from Atlantic Firearms. They have a few exclusive models with welded on picatinny rails that make mounting optics a much simpler affair and their customer service is top notch.

[BigSon]

So what's the difference between the PTR and C308 since they are built on PTR receivers, just who's assembling them? Or are the barrels and parts different as well?

[Auto426]

So what's the difference between the PTR and C308 since they are built on PTR receivers, just who's assembling them? Or are the barrels and parts different as well?

I'm not sure when Century is getting their receivers from, but they have a pretty proven record of poor quality control and bad assembly techniques when to comes to roller delayed blowback guns. Look up their past with the C93 rifles and the problems people have had with those.

PTR on the other hand builds their guns on original HK tooling and has a reputation for producing good quality guns. I'd take a PTR over a Century gun any day.