Top 5 Tactical Rifles That AREN’T AR-15s

Top 5 Tactical Rifles That AREN’T AR-15s

Top 5 Tactical Rifles That AREN’T AR-15s: The most widely used rifle available for purchase in the US right now is the AR-15. It may even be referr to as America’s rifle. Although the AR can be purchase or made in almost any configuration for any use, its greatest use is as a tactical rifle for self-defense. The AR is user-friendly, ergonomic, and adaptable to different types of shooters. When you add in regular capacity 30-round magazines, the AR-wielding defender stands tall against the criminal element. However, the AR wasn’t the first or the last tactical rifle available for purchase. If the AR isn’t to your taste, there are alternative tried-and-true, dependable solutions out there.

The Ruger Mini-14

For many years, the Ruger Mini-14 has served as the anti-AR-15. When the Mini was first released in 1973, it was promoted as a more compact version of the well-known M14 military rifle. Its.223 Remington/5.56mm NATO chambering matches that of the AR-15 and the then-new M16 rifle, which took the place of the M14 in service at the time. In order to reduce manufacturing time and expenses, the Mini was equipped with a beechwood stock and employed investment cast receiver and action parts.

Similar to the M1 Garand and M14, the Mini is a semi-automatic rifle with a revolving bolt and a fixed piston gas system. The Mini and its larger relative share the same trigger guard safety, paddle magazine release, and right-side charging handle. The Mini was intende to run on in-house 20-round magazines, however there are now additional options available.

From the 1970s until the Clinton Assault Weapons Ban expired in 2004, people thought that the Mini was a more affordable option than the inflated AR-15. It was also exempt from other ban features, such as a collapsing buttstock, which allowed it to continue production and distribution throughout the prohibition. Since then, several businesses have started mass producing the AR, and the Mini is typically more expensive than an AR that would be classified as affordable. Although the Mini can use a wide range of aftermarket accessories, such as scope mounts and folding stocks, the AR’s selection is far greater. However, if you’re a sucker for nostalgia or reside in a state where bans are in place, it’s still a solid choice.

The Springfield Armory M1A

Springfield Armory has been making a full-sized semi-automatic variant of the M14 since 1974, while Ruger busied itself with a trimmed-down version. The M1A is a combat rifle built to fire the powerful NATO 7.62×51 round. The same GI peep front and rear National Match sights are use, along with the same piston and charging handle configuration. Although a composite stock is available, the rifle came with a walnut stock by default. A 22-inch barrel is use in the standard model. Springfield introduced the M1A Squad and SOCOM rifles more recently. These rifles are railed straight out of the factory and have 16.25-inch modern barrels.

Compared to the AR-15, the M1A is more costly and heavier. However, the NATO 7.62 bullet is more resistant to barriers and continues to fire for up to three hundred yards. The M1A gives you more options for those situations where a stronger round is require.

The M1 Carbine

The early 1960s saw the release of the first AR-15s for sale. The M1 Carbine served the same purpose as a tactical rifle in those days as the AR does now. The M1 Carbine was first introduced in 1942 as a lightweight rifle for use by support workers in World War II. It weighed only 5.2 pounds and had detachable magazines that held fifteen rounds of ammunition. It fired the intermediate.30 Carbine bullet, but otherwise had the same rotating bolt system as the M1 Garand and eventually the M14. While it was not as potent as the 30-06 that was in use at the time, it was more potent and had a greater stopping power than modern handgun cartridges like the.45 ACP.

Following the Korean War, M1 Carbines with GI magazines with rounds of 15 and 30 started to make their way onto the commercial market. Soon after the first GI guns were develope, commercial firearms and a thriving aftermarket for accessories followed. Among these more recent guns are some really good ones, such as those made by Fulton Armory. Most others struggle with teething. The finest guns cost more than the current AR-15s that are affordable. The M1 Carbine, however, is still a good option if you already have one or can find one for a reasonable price, despite being less versatile.

The Ruger LC Carbine

A few high-quality non-AR rifles with a 5.56mm NATO chambering are available. Though more versatile than the AR, the Ruger LC Carbine is a wild card designe with the same goals as the former M1 Carbine. Blowing back-operated, the LC Carbine chambered for the 5.7×28 FN cartridge. A cartridge from the school of light and rapid power is the 5.7. A notional 40-grain spitzer cartridge is use in this bottleneck round, which shoots at nearly 1600 feet per second from a pistol and a few hundred feet per second faster from a carbine. Unlike traditional handgun cartridges like the 9mm Luger, the round has a flatter trajectory and may be used in both pistols and rifles.

The LC Carbine has a 16-inch barrel with an ample M-Lock handguard for accessories, along with a foldable buttstock. The rifle is power by detachable Ruger Five-Seven magazines that hold 20 or 30 rounds, and weighs under six pounds. The LC and its 5.7x28mm cartridge is a great lightweight alternative inside 150 yards, but it won’t have the same range as the 5.56 or 7.62 NATO.

The AK

During the Vietnam War in the late 1960s, Americans using Armalite rifles had been engaged in combat with opponents using Soviet-made AKs. Produced and supplied to socialist governments like as Candy, tens of millions of AK rifles were employe in perhaps of the most extreme warfare situations. The AK is quite easy to use and forgiving of misuse. Not to mention that it is the evil guys’ gun on and off the TV and game system. It makes sense why American marksmen developed a fondness for the AK. Although it’s still possible to find kit weapons made from pieces of the Warsaw Pact, American manufacturers are leading the charge to provide modern rifles to the generation of shooters who came of age after the Cold War.

There are two main varieties of AKs that are commonly available: the 7.62x39mm AK-47/AKM and the 5.45x39mm AK-74, which both use standard magazines holding 30 to 40 rounds each. Both, like the 5.56mm NATO, are great intermediate cartridges. As a matter of fact, certain American AKs are currently chambered in the 5.56 and.300 Blackout cartridges. There are many different AK models available, making it difficult to determine which is superior or which spare parts and magazines work best with particular weapons. American-made magazines could work with an AK-74 Soviet component kit. However, Polish WASR-10 or modern PSA American AK mags might not fit Bulgarian AK-47 magazines. One advantage of the AK is that it is easier to personalize than it was a few years ago in the US market. Though it’s not the first or last to be test, the AK is arguably the most practical substitute for the AR-15.