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I want a new gun. Im thinking about getting another AR15 but I havent decided. Palmetto State Armory is a pretty new American made, veteran owned gun company that actually makes good rifles. A new AR15 is only $499 to order from their site and alot of reviews on youtube say they're awesome. They also make AKs and AR10s.
What gun should i get
The choice is up to you. I've purchased from Palmetto State Armory before. Nice place to shop.
That was before I lost all my guns in a boating accident.
Why not a shotgun? Great for home defense if you arent afraid to get out the spackle later for cleanup.
Plus shotguns are fun to shoot.
I have a shotgun but they arent as versatile. They arent a good end of the world gun. The capacity is very low, the recoil is stronger than it needs to be, its not good at long ranges. It doesnt pierce armor. If you ever ran for the hills because ppl wanna kill your family (unlikely) you're gonna want a AR15. Hell even if someone is breaking in my house I'm picking my AR15. And ontop of that ARs are very cheap! Every American thats of sound mind should have one.
If I were to run to the hills expecting to protect my family I'd want a 308, 30-06, or larger. I want to be able to shoot people from a distance and have it count. Not just a fairly minor wound.
The AR-15 cartridge was designed for close in combat situations. There are international rules in war and there is the strategy that its best to wound a person (even a minor wound) instead of killing them (on average every solder wounded takes out 3 people from the battle as it takes on average 2 people to recover and care for them).
I want something that can put them down now or for a long time; which starts at 30 caliber and then enough powder to do long distance shooting. Again, look at the 45-70 for that - including light armor piercing (enough to shoot at people hiding in and behind cars and trucks).
Of course with any gun. You have to have the right ammo for the task you are facing. Big game cartridges work well for shooting people. You can get more robust rounds that can penetrate normal construction and light armor.
Maybe you'd like a AR-10. Its semi automatic and shoots 308. You get 20 rounds per magazine. In Afghanistan a lot of troops started using them because it was better at a distance and more stopping power.
Actually it shoots 7.62 NATO which is a light loaded 308 cartridge. The hot loaded big game 308 cartridges cannot be safely shot in any version of the M14 or later developments.
I used to have a version of that, with a bi-pod (and one side of the firing selector pin was welded to prevent full auto which made it legal for me to purchase without registering it and having a heavy metal class 3 safe to store it in).
I enjoyed it for years; and in a time between jobs decades ago sold it and the ammo can I had full of magazines.
But, that is the kind of weapon you are looking for if you have to protect your family from any distance.
The 308 (7.62 NATO) isn't actually that old. The 308 was the cartridge that military went to from the 30-06 (adopted in 1906)in about 1957 with the adoption of the M14, and many variants after that.
LloydAsher makes a valid point about the 22 in being that is what he would prefer to be shot with as it most of the times just wounds. Note that the standard AR-15 cartridge is a high velocity 22 (223 Remington or 5.56 NATO is the formal designation).
I'm not saying that you cannot shoot deer with it - just that you have to be a really good shot to not just wound the deer (I know people who shoot deer with a 22 long rifle - with permits from the DNR to remove deer from within cities: If they miss its unlikely to penetrate a wall or kill a person unless it hits a critical spot).
So perhaps you should consider a semi-auto version of an AR-10.
No, they do sell .308 models of AR10. Ive shot one before at the range and the military used them in Afghanistan recently. Here's a link to one I was considering buying.
https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-gen3-pa10-18-mid-length-308-win-1-10-stainless-steel-15-lightweight-m-lok-str-2-stage-rifle6.html
I understand why people dont like 5.56 because its not super powerful. But it will one shot kill easily. I personally like the 5.56 because there is almost no recoil to me. Its easy to put several rounds down range on something because its like shooting a paintball gun. If they survive the first shot I got another 39 more for him as I keep 40rd mags in mine.
Kyle Rittenhouse used it to good affect without much training. I would rather give up some power to have more capacity.
If it's designed to kill a deer it can totally kill a human.
In fact the deadliest caliber you can own is the humble 22. Not because it has the stopping power. It's because it has *just* enough power to penetrate your body and bounce around. That being said I'd rather be shot with a 22 then a 45.
You just made my point. A 22 caliber bullet wounds far more often than it kills. You have to hit a critical spot with it to kill. That's why you would prefer to be shot with it.
The standard AR-15 round is the 223 Remington (5.56 NATO) which is nothing more than a high velocity 22 bullet. It was designed to wound, not stop or kill and attacker intent on getting to you.
That does not mean that it cannot be used for hunting deer. You just have to be a better shot. I know people who take deer with a 22 Long Rifle (DNR permitted to take deer inside cities; if they miss the round is not likely to penetrate a wall or kill a person).
Im not into larger big game hunting calibers. A nitro 500 is overkill. I perfer efficency and versatility. A shotgun handles both well. Sure the range isnt great, but the conical spread of the weapon maximizes the chance for a singular killshot. If I had to go against getting shot with an 45. Or 00 buckshot I'll take my chances with the 45. Sure the 45 is going to pulp whatever it hits but the buckshot will pulverize a larger area.
Overpenetration wastes the overall energy of the projectile. If shooting through car doors or thin cover is a need for you, shotguns do just fine in that regard. Concealment is the friend of the person behind thin cover. The spread minimizes the amount of safe concealment space.
45-70 isn't ideal for long range. After like 300 yards it looses alot of efficacy. But within that it huts like a train full of dildos
You should look at some of the high performance 45-70 cartridges out there. You cannot shoot those in a historic 45-70 gun though as they cannot handle the pressures created by the modern ammo. But modern guns have no issues with those cartridges.
When younger I had a friend who dear hunted with his great grandpa's rolling block 45-70 with iron sites. He got a lot of deer with it.
Why do you need armor penetration? What kind of robber has body armor? In that case a shotgun still wins, sure if you aim center mass they will get a bad bruise. But aim slightly higher and you will catch their neck in the shotgun blast, theres no armor avalible to protect against a shotgun blast to the neck.
Hmmmm actually thank you for mentioning this because I think I might buy armor instead!
But like I said its not only good for robbers its a good gun if civil unrest breaks out. If you look at the BLM riots of 2020 alot of ppl wore body armor, same with the capitol riots. Americans in my opinion are dysfunctionally optimistic about the future.
I'm not stopping you from buying armor instead I just think it's a bit stupid quite frankly. Not going to get overconfident wearing armor? Concealment and suprise suits average Joe's better than armor does.
That being said shotguns are the superior versatile weapon. Someone is packing armor? Shotgun slug will help. Not by penetrating the armor, rather busting what's behind the armor. Dont have to riddle a man with holes to stop them. Sending a rib into their lung will do the job.
The decreased ammo isnt as much of a problem as loading in order different shells for differing effects. For example: Birdshot, buckshot, slug, slug, buckshot.
Warning, meaning it, precise, precise, back up buckshot.
How you lined up the comment makes you seem like you are after larger game than some gangsters. In that case you are still fucked.
Just saying its dumb shit statements like that, that give gun owners a bad rap.
easy to hand load the shells too
very versatile as you can load everythin from slugs to buckshot to light heavy & mixed buckshot or stcksa dimes or rocksalt or wooden dowels or fuckin silly putty and everythin from a grandmas shootin skeet lightweight to a shoulder smokin full choke long range goose round
also very forgivin to not bein precise unlike a rifle thatll blow up in your face if you get it wrong
Magnesium is a good choice too. Want a flamethrower? Use dragonbreath shot. Will it set them on fire? Unless they are already dosed in gasoline no. Will it scare the shit out of them? Fuck yeah.
Range isnt even a problem. Cant imagine a self defense situation where they are further than 35 yards and where a rifle needs to be used for range advantage. Does a bad guy really have the balls to stand their ground with a rifle against a guy with a shotgun even if one pellet hits him? No hes gonna run scared.
If I were to have to chose only 1 gun I believe that the best choice would be a lever action 45-70. Between the different loads available that pretty much covers everything from varmints to elephants, to unarmored vehicles; and at a distance.
I see little use for the AR-15. Too expensive to plink or target shoot with (get a 22 rifle for that), and too small to shoot anything other than small game (unless you are an excellent shot - in which case a 22 will do).
But, it's your choice... Have fun with the options.
If its black powder muzzle loader it can be any caliber.
Legally it isnt even a destructive device. The only thing that would be a burden is keeping black powder. You are only allowed 25 pounds. Which if you go by the 25% of the projectile weight to powder ratio you could fire a 100 pound projectile with one go!
The reason why it's not a loophole is no one who seriously builds a legal black powder muzzle loading cannon for mass murder anymore. Way easier to get a bump stock and an ar15.
I like the historic destructive wrath of a cannon, thus I want to own one in the future. Plus side to using modern metallurgy is that you are far less likely to have the cannon just explode killing yourself and any poor sap nearby.
It looks like the NFA will be abolished in the next few years and they will no longer be banned if that happens. No one will be able to afford them anyway.