Remember when the SCAR from FN was gonna be the new standard by which all other ‘battle rifles/carbines’ would be judged? Maybe not so much. And while FN makes excellent stuff and parts breakage may not be as big an issue as with some brands, if youre gonna drop several grand on one rifle youd like to have the expectation its going to be able to live a long life of parts support from the OEM. To be fair, there is some third-party representation out there for the SCAR, but with the discontinuation of the model it seems those third parties are going to have to pivot to other things to take up the revenue loss. In short, if you love your SCAR perhaps it is the time to stockpile parts and mags. Or, trade it in for something a bit more plebian that is well-supported.
As Friend Of The BLog(tm), Tam over at View From The Porch sagely notes about FN: They’re still making ARs.
I ceratinly go off the reservation once in a while when it comes to picking up a less-than-common boomtoy. I have a few Mini-14s here which are notoriously difficult to source spare parts for, for example. But for ‘run out the door’ guns for when things suddenly become PvP, it’s the boring-and-predictable trio of AR, Glock, and 870/500. Guns that are rather ‘unsexy’ but will have logistical support until youre on life support.
This doesnt mean those are the ‘best’ guns. It just means that theyre the ones likely to have the biggest, broadest, most robust logisitcal support. Just because something is popular or numerous doesnt always equate to ‘best’. Sometimes the not-the-best is the smarter choice simply because the logistics support is stronger. I love me some HiPower, but I carry a Glock. I shoot better with the HiPower, but finding parts and mags is not nealy as easy as for the Glock. And since I usually buy guns, for preparedness purposes, with the attitude of “what if I can’t get any more of these tomorrow?” I tend to trend towards stuff that is going to have easy logistics.
In reality, if you have a SCAR it is highly likely, almost to the point of certainty, that you will never use it enough to have a parts breakage issue come to the point that the rifle is shut down. But I don’t like to play the odds if I can avoid it. Sure, the likelihood of tomorrow bringing the apocalypse and me spending the next twenty years living, running, hiding, fighting, guarding, and shooting with one rifle is virtually zero. But it isn’t zero. Survivalism is about resilience….min-max’ing things to give yourself every possible percentage point in your favor. And life has a habit of throwing some wild curve balls.
Doesn’t mean the AR is the ‘best’ rifle, it simply means that it is the best supported rifle. And long-term support is a very highly desired quality to have when picking something to run out the door with.
Invariably, someone in comments will chime in with ‘amateurs talk tactics, professionals talk logistics’. I’m not a professional, but I don’t think I’m an amateur either. What I definitely am is a guy who tries to set dogma aside (“Hurrr hurr…back-to-back World War champions!”) and look at the choices from a particular viewpoint. That viewpoint is the one of “If what I have today is all I can have for the rest of my life, would I be okay?” If tomorrow the pipeline were shut off for the AR…no new guns, no new mags, etc., would I have the logistics in place to keep them going for the long-term? Absolutely. The market has provided unlimited resources that make getting squared away for a scenario like that a piece of cake. Compare against, say, the SCAR…or the G36….or the Mini-14…or the Beretta AR70…or any ’boutique’ or niche carbine.
All this to say that when you’re picking your next boomtoy with an eye towards the apocalypse, it might serve you well to pick something with an already established logistics train. At the moment, the AR platform is probably the most heavily supported platform of anything with a shoulder stock on it in the US. AK, HK, M1A, whatever….all fine bullet thowers but all way down on the ladder when compared to the logistical all-you-can-eat buffet that the AR brings.
I know it sounds like I’m stroking the AR here, but its simply that it is the most relatable and prevalent example of a wildly robustly supported platform. It’s subjective, but here’s my thinking on what platforms have the most robust support:
Rifle/carbine – The AR by miles. After that probably the AK. Everything after those two are more distant on the list. Plenty of support out there for the M1A and the AR10, but not like those first two choices.
Shotgun – Remington and Mossberg. Even with Remington’s reduced role these days there are literally tons and tons of parts, barrels, stocks, etc out there waiting to be had. Same for Mossberg. That Turkish M4 Benelli-clone you bought is cool, but when you need a new recoil spring or shell lifter you might have a problem.
Pistol – Glock wins hands down. One of the few guns you can build from scratch using only aftermarket parts. Maybe tied with 1911 for ubiquity, but as I’ve said, a Glock repair uses, at most, a punch and a hammer. A 1911 repair uses a mill and a lathe. VP9, Beretta 92, Sig 226, Smith M&P, all fine guns but not nearly the same level of support….close though.
.22 Rifle – The 10/22 is the hands-down logistics champ. Nothing else comes close.
Im sure SCAR owners will be fine, and FN says they’ll have parts for years, but that doesn’t change the fact that when you adopt a new platform you are at the mercy of the logistics needed to support it. Something to think about on your next preparedness gun purchase.
Agree fully on that. Also, I stick to long term common calibers and avoid the boutique rounds that are the fad of the month. If you are walking thru the apocalypse and find ammo. The best bet is the common calibers give you the best odds of finding, 9,40,45,5.56 and good ol 308.
If you want the newest boutiques better be searching a Guns and Ammo writers house.
One point in favor of the AR-10 (or -308) vs. the M1A – many parts in common with the AR-15.
There are a lot of points in favor over the M1A.
For all the M14 fanboys….America’s biggest MBR mistake. Almost like a FAL. But pre-AR10, the best MBR was the G3/PTR-91. Sure, it’s heavy, parts are uncommon, etc…but they shot better than either the M14 or the FAL. I have two of each in my safe: Decent builds, too, not Springfield Arms or Century.
But the PTR-91? Almost as good as the AR-10, and since I bought a couple of cases of mags when CTD was selling them for under a buck each, brand new in the wrap a decade or so ago, the biggest problem with both the FAL and M14 was ….nonexistent.
Glad to see another PTR91 fan. I’ve got two of them and milk crates full of mags for them. I still see the mags on Gunbroker pretty cheap.
I think the PTR91 is probably the best value in a 7.62×51 battle rifle. Especially when it comes to parts and magazines. I’ve only found two downsides to them:
1) They aren’t left hand friendly. That’s one of the reasons my youngest son likes the AK so much.
2) Lack of a good optics mounting platform. Using the rail on the PTR results in everything sitting higher than I like.
The M14 and by default the M1A are garbage rods. It’s peak Boomer Fudd idiocy to think otherwise.
I agree. But theres always someone who thinks that walnut-and-steel somehow trumps 70 years of innovation in materials, design, and ergonomics. But they have fantasies about being the ‘cool old dude’ who is living in the past.
The M14 (M1A is a trademarked, marketing term of Springfield Armories) is closer to a 90 year old design – what the M1 Garand was supposed to be, only with a slightly more powerful round (7.62 vs .276 Pedersen). Basically the significant difference was select fire (mostly uncontrollable in the M14) and a box magazine. The magazine was at least plausible for the Garand.
The .276 (7×51) was more suited to a self-loader than the .30-06, but Douglas McArthur rejected the idea – the US had millions of .30-06 rounds.
Other than that, not much difference.
We were Solders:
Lt. Colonel Hal Moore: I think you oughta get yourself an M-16.
Sergeant Major Basil Plumley: Sir, if the time comes I need one, there’ll be plenty lying on the ground.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0277434/quotes/?item=qt0408947&ref_=ext_shr_lnk
I use that line every time someone asks me why I dont buy a machinegun.
For the same reasons, when it comes to vehicles, the Ford F-150 comes to mind. Lots of parts because there are lots of trucks. And a lot of part commonality over the years and across the derivatives like the Expedition/ Explorer. If things get shitty post spicy times, I’m confident there will be plenty of F-150 donor vehicles around.
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I have a Daewoo Dr-200. I love the thing. It shoots awesome.
I don’t use it very often as it is exceedingly hard to source parts for.
Got it. A Buggati Veyron is a very nice car, but I wouldn’t have one to drive around Flathead Lake.
There was an AR-18 (or 180, whichever) at that Garage Guns shop between Stevii and Hamilton a month ago.
No kidding? Hmmm. I already have two, but I really like the gun.
Yeah last time I was out there it was on that table to the left rear as you walk in.
Also, those Mac-Gar Glock mags have been working great. Nice alternative to factory Glock mags, and a few bucks cheaper.
For non-glock mags, I go with thee Magpul. They dealer out at around $9-10 each. I read somewhere that metal mags in guns with a plastic magazine catch (like the glock) is a recipe for accelerated wear of your mag release as the metal-on-plastic situation will cause the metal mag to shave some plastic off the mag catch as it transits the metal magazines notch.
These catches are stamped into the mag body, so no sharp edges like one that is stamped. Plus they hold 18 instead of 17. I’ve got a pile of the Magpul mags, and they’ve all worked fine (except they don’t all seem to last round hold open), but the Mec Gars just feel like next level. Frontier had them last time I was in. I’ll never replace all of my factory mags. These are a good addition to the pile, though!
Meant to say “No sharp edges like one that is notched.”
I halfway agree.
A survivalist/ preparedness type should certainly have 2x AR’s, 2x Glock 17/18, 2x Remington/ Mossberg pump shotguns.
Have those with a reasonable stash of mags, ammo, and some spare parts. An then your core gun bases are covered.
Does that mean you can’t own/ use/ carry other guns? Definitely not.
I prefer the Beretta 92FS to my Glock. I shoot it better. I am quite familiar with it thanks to my longtime Army service.
If I was going to only own one duty sized center fire handgun it would be a Glock 9mm but thankfully I can afford to have more than one.
Not sure a spare shotgun is that valuable – keep a few spare parts, sure…but how often does one need a new barrel or receiver?
And two ARs is fine – one with a long barrel, one shorter. I carry a Glock 30 (.45 ACP) and have a Glock 21 (.45 ACP) as an option – the 30 will use the 21 mags just fine (10 rounds in the 30, 13 in the 12).
But I also have AR-10s, AK-47s, a few SKSs that were dirt cheap, some SMLEs, hunting rifles (bolt action) in most of the combat calibers I have, and others…for fun
Spare shotgun – Probably more useful as a second shotgun than to replace the first shotgun breaking. On one hand you could skip it (or even skip shotguns entirely) but the savings of $300-400 is nominal. A second shotgun is a pretty good loaner. Most red blooded rural/ small town males can use them well enough.
Different setup AR’s. I could see the argument here. Have a standard carbine and a 11.5 in “pistol”. Or a standard carbine and a 20” M16A4 with a 2-8 ish optic as a DMR gun. Both fine approaches.
I could also make a case for having a well set up 16” carbine and another just like it.
They still make FALs. I wouldn’t buy into them now, but I got set up when parts kits and magazines were cheap.
Maybe I am remembering it wrong, but I thought our tier 1 boys tested the scars in the field and were not happy with them being “finicky” or “delicate”. They gave them excellent reviews on accuracy in garrison conditions and seemed to really want them to work in the real world as well, but weren’t okay with how they did.
Koreans have a saying, even monkeys fall out of trees.
FN is a great company, but you don’t hit a home run with every product. I am interested in getting one of their DMR’s. 1/8 twist and everything seems perfect.
I have one of the FN AR-15’s and I like it very much. Very high quality.
Harsh reality has me thinking that in a real-life full-blown military conflict (i.e. Gaza, Ukraine, etc.) my little .22 cal AR15 popgun isn’t going to do diddly squat.
Depends on what you’re doing.
But my go-to MBR will fire 7.62×51, not 5.56 NATO.
Which will be an M-14 civilianized aka M1A.
Not some POS Springfield cheapy from back in the day when “quality” was a chance.
AMU built…..may he rest in peace, wherever he is.
300 yards, tight sling, 3 shots in a playing card.
Yep, the AR/Variant is plentiful. (Sounds like a virus?)
Ass in the grass? M-14.
No, my 7.62×51 MBR go-tos are AR-10 variants. The last year or so, it’s been a Tavor-7, just because it’s more convenient to carry around.
My two M14? One is a Fulton Arms NM, the other is LMR. Had a M1A from Springfield Arms, it spent more time on a UPS truck going back and forth for ‘free service on the lifetime guarantee’ than it did in my safe. I finally sold it to a friend who thought he could fix it.
But then I got a few PTR-91s, two long ones (my son and I), two collapsable stock for my wife and daughter. Those became the go-to.
A bunch of dead brown dudes would disagree…
5.56 does the trick.
B-52’s
When you get one, let me know. I’ve always wanted to ride in one.
They’re not terribly comfortable. Noisy and they all have a strange odor, too. 60 years of sweat, flatulence and JP-4 (or -8 now)
The only ‘comfortable’ military aircraft I’ve ever been in was a VC-25A.
I don’t want to ride in one for the comfort factor.
Kevin Owens at the 5:15 mark on this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84KBHdpKB1c
Just after making the point that for distance you need a larger caliber like 6.5 or 7.62, he then clarifies:
“Now the argument that 5.56 doesn’t kill people, I beg to differ. I’ve killed a lot of guys with 5.56”
More people have been killed with a .22LR than everything else put together, not including actual wars.
A .22LR will kill everything that walks, slithers, flies, or swims. It just might take awhile.
But when you want to end your social event and go home to put on some slippers, the right caliber helps.
Every gun Zero mentions has been around for more than a generation: Glock, 1911, Remington and Mossberg pump action shotguns and even the AK. The AR15 didn’t become “America’s Gun” until after the Clinton ban expired 20 years ago. That was when civilian ownership exploded, thanks to the surge in third party manufacturers and veterans returning from the Middle East.
I think the 10/22 fits the list, and probably has support from third-party parts and accessory suppliers second only to the AR. You can even buy a receiver and build your own from the ground up. It’s not my primary or even secondary rifle, but it is part of my prepper armory for multiple reasons.
Pepsi!
Coke!
Pepsi!
Coke!
Platform preference really brings ‘em out of the woodwork.
Can I get a shout-out for my three Mosin Nagant beauties? Just give me a couple of hours to get the cosmoline off and I’ll handle any barns coming our way…
My late wife’s favorite rifle was her Finnish arsenal rebuild M39 Mosin. I think that was her Finnish heritage more than anything.
But, when they were cheap and available, I bought some of everything. SKS’s were 3 for $100 at one point, and if you caught the right guy at the end of the day at a gunshow he just might toss in a case of ammo too, so he didn’t have to carry it home. AK’s? Under $100/each. Tokarevs? $50, and a spam can of ammo came with each. Ishapore SMLE’s? Enfield SMLEs? A couple of Dragunov’s (hard to find the specific ammo for them, which is needed). M1 Carbines? Brand new for $100.
That was the old-time though.
The good old days! Wish I’d bought more cans to go with them, but I was young and broke.
We’re in the good new days too, as a Sig 516 sits proudly right next to them. And new interpretations of the NFA right around the corner following the tax fallout.
Even Conan might change his answer now…
https://youtu.be/Oo9buo9Mtos?si=A6jcHwtkJ15QZfmL
You have a Finnish wife? I have a Finnish wife!
Had – unfortunately she passed away
I sold an Enfield SMLE for $180 that was supposed to have been found in an Irish Armory, unissued, unfired and still in the factory cosmoline. Put the money towards an M1A. Wish I had that one back.
Still no body armor rated for 7.62x54R even at 500+yrds