Hey good stuff fellas, I use an old .303 british with scope(still got the old sliding open sights on it though) And it works greeeeaaaat for deer hunting, might have to look at some of these other ones though, I would like to find a semi-auto of some sort!

 

ACHTUNG!!, No one has mentioned the Germanic .308. The HK 91 is a incredible rifle, heavy but controlable, 20rnd mag, accurate to a fault and flawlessly reliable if maintained well.................Unfortunately, price is stratospheric for most of us. I had the pleasure of firing one, and it truly is a "Mercedes" of .308s!

 

You can't go wrong with the old Brit either, but the purpose of his search narrowed the search to defense and unless your limited to $150 rifles(for defense you should probably allocate as much money as you can, its a one time purchase that could save your life someday) there are better options. But for the record I think they're great rifles, and anything with a firing pin beats the hell out of sitting in the corner with a cell phone waiting for Barney Phife.

 

Your right and on the subject of foreign autos the FAL ranks right up at the top but like the 91 expensive. What steered me away from the 91's was the fluted chambers, near impossible to reload for.

 

Dan..... I don't know about everyone else but unfortunately that's the way I'm starting to feel. I already find myself grabbing a box of ammo everytime I see one..maybe I'm becoming a lunatic Thanks for the input guys keep it coming

 

Dan, we are NOT fringe lunatics, in spite of what some think.
The 2A to the Constitution is there for a reason. It protects every other Amendment.

Now, with that said, your 'trifecta' sounds good. Real good.
I would suggest changing the order that you purchase, though.

I too, love the M14 platform rifle. These are starting to get a little scarce, in 'normal' channels, like local gunshops, etc.
I think that I'd go after it, first.
Don't forget magazines. CheckMate Industries (CMI) are the current supplier to the military and they produce some fantastic magazines.
They are 'true blue' USGI!
http://www.44mag.com/default.asp normally carries them. (They might be out-of-stock at the moment, though.)

The Springfield (SAI) XD pistols are good and get good reviews, except for one thing.
Replacement parts. Since the pistol is made in Croatia, right now, parts are available from SAI only, and the pistol has to go back to them for repair.
I would suggest either the Glock or the Smith & Wesson M&P series, instead.
Don't get me wrong. . . the XD is a really good pistol. It's just the 'parts' that concern me.
Caliber. . . .40 S&W or .45 acp.
I've neglected the .40 S&W for a long time, now, because of ammo costs and reloading components.
The .40 is more expensive to feed than the 9mm by a lonnnnnnng shot and nearly as expensive as the .45 acp for factory ammo.
I'm picking up a Glock G23 in .40, because I'm loading the caliber for a friend and I wound up buying the stuff to load. . . so. . .why not?
Plus, I couldn't pass up the deal.
To repeat, when you join Glock Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF) for $35.00, you can request a "Purchase Certificate" and get a Glock for a (very much) reduced cost.
For example. . . today. . . Bass Pro has the 9mm and .40 pistols for $619.00. With the purchase certificate, the price through a Glock LE Dealer, the price is $398.20! GSSF has a list of LE Dealers on their website - http://www.gssfonline.com/
The .45 acp pistols are $629-$659 at Bass Pro, $460.00 through Glock.
(Substantial savings! Enough to pay for a shotgun!)
The .45 acp . . well. . . I currently own three. One 1911 platform and two Glocks. (They're addicting!)

Scatterguns. . .
Remington 870 Marine Magnum!
Excellent choice!
I recently saw 5 of 'em at a gunshow, going for $379.00, each, used.
The finish on each was 'well' worn.
The Remington 870 Express HD is a 7 shot matte finish shotgun with the same appearance as the marine mag, except the electroless nickel look.

So, in my not-so-humble opinion, I'd buy in this order:
M14/M1A - most expensive
Pistol - second most expensive
Shotgun - least expensive

 

Remington Wingmaster baby, 12 gauge pump, that'll kick butt if butt needs kickin, but seriously very reliable and problem free.

 

I took a look at these posts out of curiousity and I can't help but think....Man you guys must have some seriously bad neighbourhoods. That said, with all the suggestions on what to get, I'd say help out your economy and buy American baby.....

btw....my own favorite is my Mossberg 500A pump with 6 round mag and I keep a box of 00 buck handy.

 

Not bad neighborhoods at all, some like I, live in rural areas. We just know down here in the states, that law enforcement can be a LONG way off and take a very long time to appear......Sometimes theres no time to dial 911, just use 9mm!........ The current "climate" has sure brought life into firearms sales to life as of late. BTW, you cant go wrong with that Mossberg............Good choice!

 

While my neighborhood is not as good as it once was (some say because I moved in) , most of the conversation in this thread has been because of the person(s) in 'higher offices' not being friendly to the 2A of the Constitution of The United States and the want, need and desire to own a firearm.
For some, this will be their first firearm.

Plus, the added benefit of buying a firearm is that we are 'stimulating' the economy!

 

From the small segment I saw on Fox news and NBC news, I would say that Iggybobs stimulus bill is the only one working. Firearms sales and accessories are one of the few commodities that are gaining ground in these uncertain times. And with very few exceptions every firearm I own has appreciated in value over the years..........Yeah, I would say go out and buy that M1A before the price skyrockets out of reach. A good investment and piece of mind.

 

I hear ya.

I've lived in the city for about the last twelve years. Cops aren't too far off if needed. But like many services they are stretched thin these days and over worked. I used to live in a small town about 40min out side of Edmonton and the RCMP were spread very thin.
I'll be the first to admit that with gang activity and the drug dealers these days; I do sleep a little better at night knowing my friend "Mr Mossberg" is just a few feet away.
I do think anyone considering firearms should get some good training to go with it.

 

I always thought, especially in Canada that most of the gun laws that are proposed are thought up by people who are out of touch with regular people. You know "Joe 6 pack" and the like. Of which I'm one. Most of what is in place takes guns out of the hands of responsible citizens and does nothing to keep them out of the hands of criminals. Mostly a big waste of my tax paying dollar. No one has yet been able to tell me how register guns stops the crooks from committing gun crimes.

 

You are dead on target with that statement!.....I see theres not much difference between the way the average Canadian and American gun owner feel on this subject.

 

Ditto.

I went to Canada (Ontario) for a black bear hunt, many years ago.
I took one afternoon and drove to North Bay, to 'sight-see', and went into a hunting/fishing/gunshop to pick up a 'bug jacket'. (LaFavre's, I think it was.)
I was amazed at how the gunshop owner wouldn't let me touch a firearm without a Firearms Acquisition Card (FAC), I believe he called it.
When I told him that I was from 'The States', he was very cordial and explained some of Canada's laws to me.

It seems to me that freedoms are the same, no matter where you're from.