Which is the best forum to ask about Assault Weapons?

Yes, I know this isn't light related but I know there are a bunch of people here that know this so I wanted to ask and get some good directions.

I'm thinking of eventually getting some kind of assault weapon, like the AK or some AR version but I wanted to take the time and research my options and I wanted to find a forum that's equally knowledgeable as CPF is about flashlights. Is there ONE that's recognized as the biggest and the best or not?

I know this is for lights and DPReview is for cameras and so on but don't know about the guns.

Links would be helpful

Thanks

George

why are you calling it by that? Are you looking for a semi auto target rifle, hunting rifle, plinking rifle, or home-defense rifle?

"Assault Weapon" was a name made up by people who wanted to exert more control over the citizens of this country by using scare tactics via an evil sounding name. There is no point to that phrase.

Millions of ARs and AKs are owned by law-abiding people in the USA with nothing to do with "assault".

I'd suggest AR15.com

Be warned it is completely different from CPF, but there is some good info over there.

Well, didn't mean to insult anyone but that's all I knew to call it. I guess I though by saying AK and AR it would be obvious but ok, semi automatic for home defense I guess.

Mind you, I've shot other semi automatic rifles that had nothing in common with what I'm looking for so I tried to clarify.

Yes, I'm law abiding too and I have the licenses to go with this.

Fabricata, thanks. I'm guessing they will be PRO AR in there but that's ok. Any other sites?

George

ar15.com has a link to their sister site that covers AKs.

Another site is m4carbine.net

For other semiauto rifles, try hkpro.com, hk91.com, sigforum.com, thehighroad.org, and http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php

There is good print information out there as well. For example, the carbine instruction book by Jim Crews is excellent if you can find a copy. Basically, it covers the Gunsite 223 curriculum. Brian Felter's book on shotguns and carbines is another. John Farnam has his text on shotgun and rifle.

Good carbine courses, which IMO will far exceed any information you'll find on the Internet, include Gunsite 223 and 556, Thunder Ranch Urban Rifle 1 and 2, InSights General Defensive Rifle, and EAG (Pat Rogers) Carbine Course (2, 3, or 4 day).

A carbine class that includes low-light instruction is probably a good idea at some point.

Thanks Justin. Do you mean carbine class as in person to person? I wonder if they have anything like that in my area? Mind you, I'm in NC so I'm guess there is. They are gun crazy here so I'm thinking they have these kinds of guns too.

By the way, what the hell am I supposed to call them as a category?

George

Yes, please erase the liberals' erroneous phrase 'assult weapon' from your vocabulary, and use the proper phrase, semi-auto rifle or carbine... or soon enough you will find that even the decorative quartzite stone in your yard are assult weapons.

Ok, so carbine is the accurate term and would that be mistaken for something else or not?

You may also use the nomenclature EBR (Evil Black Rifle).

Seriously though, AR15.com is the site for all of your gun-related info.

EBR

Yeah, AR15 seemed to have a lot of posts and that's usually the sign of a good forum or at least one with lots of info.

Thanks

get-lit said:

Yes, please erase the liberals' erroneous phrase 'assult weapon' from your vocabulary, and use the proper phrase, semi-auto rifle or carbine... or soon enough you will find that even the decorative quartzite stone in your yard are assult weapons.

Click to expand...

Well, the name originates from the original MP44, "Sturmgewehr 44", which literally means "assult rifle". The term is not a "modern" invention.

Alright, so let's a have a vote, what can I call them?

Boomsticks

Actual terminology wise, there are a lot of jargons in the rifle world, and it varies with what you are talking about. But my one pet peeve is clips vs magazines. No one uses clips anymore, but people just use that term willy nilly. Clips are simple pieces of metal that are like a strip or ring of bullets. Magazines spring feed bullets into your weapon. Either way, read up, it never hurts to be well informed.

Marduke said:

Well, the name originates from the original MP44, "Sturmgewehr 44", which literally means "assult rifle". The term is not a "modern" invention.

Click to expand...

The term is not a modern invention but the redefining of it is. The STG44 was a fully automatic or machine gun just like the full auto AK47 or M16 of today. The leftist politicians and media have often come to label any "EBR" an assault rifle regardless of its mechanical function. While private ownership of fully automatics is allowed, they're expensive and rare due to the fact that since May of 1986 ownership of newly manufactured full auto's has been outlawed. The popular AR-15 type semi-auto rifles are not assault rifles by technical classification. The name evil black rifle works...lol...or you can call them military style semi-autos.









guiri, there's no biggest or best. Most are good and even the relatively inexpensive WASR AK is a respected weapon in the hands of a proficient shooter. Obviously there are deferent levels of refinement between different makers and types but it's pretty hard to go wrong with any battle proven designs. Being a flashlight fan you might consider something with a mounting rails as you'll likely want to install a weaponlight at some point.

+3 for AR15.com

First, I agree on the clips comment, I think it's stupid too.

Second, the carbine site lists them under Assault weapons

Third, I know they're all good but I want the pros and cons before I decide and I have some time before I get money so I'll read up on it. I always do before making a more substantial purchase like when I bought my Ford Excursion and people would freak standing next to me in line at the gas station when gas was 4 bucks and I'd fill up the whole tank at $170. I was the ONLY one not freaked out 'cause I had researched it and I knew what the deal was and yes, I would get something with rails for a light

ar-15 is more accurate
AK-47 is more reliable (unless you get the new short throw piston uppers)
Ar-15 is lighter (and ammo is lighter)
AK47 is cheaper.

That about sums it up.

guiri said:

Second, the carbine site lists them under Assault weapons

Third, I know they're all good but I want the pros and cons before I decide and I have some time before I get money so I'll read up on it.

Click to expand...

It has certainly become a generic term.

AR15's are generally easier to accessorize/customize. This isn't some kind of prerequisite but because it's easy and people have so many varied tastes, it's popular to do. As Carbine15 stated, the AR has about double the base price but it is a very refined nicely fit and finished. Even with the stock iron sights they're very accurate.

Patriot said:

The term is not a modern invention but the redefining of it is. The STG44 was a fully automatic or machine gun just like the full auto AK47 or M16 of today. The leftist politicians and media have often come to label any "EBR" an assault rifle regardless of its mechanical function. While private ownership of fully automatics is allowed, they're expensive and rare due to the fact that since May of 1986 ownership of newly manufactured full auto's has been outlawed. The popular AR-15 type semi-auto rifles are not assault rifles by technical classification. The name evil black rifle works...lol...or you can call them military style semi-autos.









guiri, there's no biggest or best. Most are good and even the relatively inexpensive WASR AK is a respected weapon in the hands of a proficient shooter. Obviously there are deferent levels of refinement between different makers and types but it's pretty hard to go wrong with any battle proven designs. Being a flashlight fan you might consider something with a mounting rails as you'll likely want to install a weaponlight at some point.

+3 for AR15.com

Click to expand...

Even the issue M16's aren't full auto...(i.e. A2), but enough complaints, to have it "JIC", brought it back in full force...

carbine15 said:

ar-15 is more accurate
AK-47 is more reliable (unless you get the new short throw piston uppers)
Ar-15 is lighter (and ammo is lighter)
AK47 is cheaper.

That about sums it up.

Click to expand...

M16/AR15-More "confirmed" kills due to the enemy bleeding out from the smaller (and complete) holes left by the 5.56mm rounds...plus the ammo is lighter...

Well, my concerns are what you have just mentioned.

Price
Available options
Reliability
Ammo and whether I should go with the AK ammo

See, the whole point of this is to buy a guy for when the end of the world comes and all that. Sure it sounds stupid but I have no need for one so this is purely in case some poop happens and poop stays that way and IF that happens and I personally think that if we leave Osama be, he'll take us there and NO, I'm not talking about Osama, I'm talking about our prez (but that's just my opinion).

Also, I think if enough people get tired of him, he might get shot and then we'll have riots and that's another reason but ultimately, it's for when and if poop hits the fan and if it does, which caliber will be the easiest to find. Surely not the Russki?

Also, I want more killing power in case I have to shoot animals for survival or plain just shoot something that wants to kill or eat me.
.223 does damage but the .308 really does damage.