k_day64

What is the greatest rifle of all time and why?

My vote is for the M1 Garand. It is a well balanced weapon that provides an excellent effective range of a larger caliber round.

The M1 Garand saw service for over 40yrs and is still the cerimonial weapon of choice for the United States Armed Services.

~k_day64

WarWagon

I'm going to have to say the m14. A history comparable to that of the garand, but with greater accuracy, reliability, and is still being used both in service and competitively today.

Asuka{eve}

M-16 and AK47

MooseMan3000

That depends a lot on qualifications (are we going for accuracy? longevity? cost effectiveness? etc), but for an all around best rifle, I would also say the M14. Superior accuracy and range to the M16 and M1, more durable than many rifles, and a good deal of history to it. It's got a lot of things going for it.

It is relatively effective as both an assault weapon and a sharpshooter weapon (when it needs to be), in addition to its standard mid range applications. All around, a very good rifle.

Moonduck

Best rifle? At what? That is like asking "What is the best tool?". A carpenter may say a hammer while a mechanic may say a wrench. There are so many types of rifles and so many applications that it is apples, oranges, and kumquats.

CannibalSurfer

Lee Enfield - used by the British in 2 World Wars - Its probably better than the SA80 they are using now !

Unleashed

Anything is better than an SA80 - belive me.

And I love my Lee Enfield:



Its just dying to go for a nice hunt, havent had a good one since leaving South Africa.

thunder

As for white tails I myself am partial to my Remington 700 30-06

__________________
Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.

TheKak

M-14's are great rifles, good accuracy, and uses a larger round than the M-16. But it is also much heavier, and the ammunition weighs more which makes it even more of a pain to carry extra ammo. If I had a choice I would take the M-4 over it.

__________________
Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm a schizophrenic and so am I.

icy_ca

Thanks Cannibal and Unleashed, it's nice to know that Lee Endfield is well represented. My dad's is a beaut.

__________________
After all is said and done,
more is said than done.

tropple

M-14 and variants.

__________________
+++++++++++Boom!

gibingus

maybe not be the greatest of all time, but it has left a soft place in my heart and bruise on my shoulder:

Winchester Model 1886 rifle

not only the rifle that tamed the west, but it looks great wheeling around in john wayne's hands when he crosses the field in 'true grit'

__________________
if everyone is thinking alike, chances are no one is thinking.

Asuka{eve}

I'm gonna add the Brown Bess.

roadkill

I don't think that the MP5 could fit in here but it would have my vote.... but since i cant say it i would say the M16

Fremen

Amen, brother! I concur.

__________________
Google

whocarz

I vote for the AK-47 and its variants. Cheap, easy to clean, and can take a beating and still work. Plus it's got that badass look.

__________________
If there exists anything mightier than destiny, then it is the courage to face destiny unflinchingly. -Geibel

Despise not death, but welcome it, for nature wills it like all else. -Marcus Aurelius

Come on, you sons of bitches! Do you want to live forever? -GySgt. Daniel J. "Dan" Daly

gibingus

if only for us two, i gotta quote it:

Robert Duvall: "Rooster Cogburn, that's bold talk for a one-eyed fat man!

The Duke: "Fill your hand you sonofabitch!"

easily one of the greatest moments ever captured on film.

__________________
if everyone is thinking alike, chances are no one is thinking.

tropple

A true classic. The Western Channel runs True Grit quite a bit. It's almost to the point of being like Rocky Horror in my house where we say the lines somtimes ;-)

__________________
+++++++++++Boom!

timalkin

M14 gets my vote. A close second would be the AR15 with the pink furniture.

Exodus

I would have to say the M14. Superior accuracy, great range, and shoots a helluva round. I love my M16, but I would take an M14 for all general purpose rifle shooting.

choskins

I am not an expert, but I would say the M1 Garand or Winchester Model 64.

__________________
"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."
- Sigmund Freud

Fremen

I can just picture him in my mind, riding across the field with the reins in his teeth, rifle in one hand, revolver in the other, and blowing the hell out of the bad guys.

Thanks for the quote, gibingus.

__________________
Google

Jackmo

I have a soft spot for the garand (where my collar bone use to be). It's in my mind the last true rifle before everything became portable machine guns

sheaux_down

personally, I have a fondness of the Heckler-Koch G36 if for no other reason than it's versatility. It's got more options and forms for specific tasks that you'd be hard pressed to be in a situation where this gun couldn't be suited. Whether you're in the field or are in CBQ, this rifle can adapt to ensure the advantage. Or at least that's my opinion on it.

__________________
Love is another word for regret

desal75

The M1 is called my many the greatest weapon man has ever known.

__________________
The Man in Black fled across the desert and the Gunslinger followed.

John Falcon

Ak-47....that thing will be around forever.

whocarz

The AK, including variants, and the SKS impress the hell out of me. I've seen a video where a guy pours gatorade into the chamber of an SKS, then with the bolt open, buries it in dirt and lets it sit for a few. He then picked it up, wedged a round into the chamber, slammed the bolt closed and actually fired the damn thing.

In another video I saw where the Russians were testing the durability of either the AK103 or AK107 (I forget which), they dropped it from the roof of a three story building onto a street, and then a UAZ (Russian jeep) runs over it. Seconds later, a soldier picks up the weapon and fires it full auto. Now that, friends, is a reliable weapon.

Also, I have found in my experiances, that the AK47 is not much less accurate than the M16. I think the popular idea that the AK47 can't hit the broad side of a barn is because it is such a prolific weapon, and sees heavy use in third-world armies and militias. With proper care, mantinence and training, it's not too shabby.

__________________
If there exists anything mightier than destiny, then it is the courage to face destiny unflinchingly. -Geibel

Despise not death, but welcome it, for nature wills it like all else. -Marcus Aurelius

Come on, you sons of bitches! Do you want to live forever? -GySgt. Daniel J. "Dan" Daly

Strange Famous

Israeli Military Industries Galil Assault Rifle

Yeah, thats the best

__________________
"Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate,
for all things are plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing
hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain
without being uncovered."

The Gospel of Thomas

whocarz

If the Galil is so great, then why do the majority of the IDF use m16s and m4s?

__________________
If there exists anything mightier than destiny, then it is the courage to face destiny unflinchingly. -Geibel

Despise not death, but welcome it, for nature wills it like all else. -Marcus Aurelius

Come on, you sons of bitches! Do you want to live forever? -GySgt. Daniel J. "Dan" Daly

kel

Becuase they get them for free from the US government.

__________________
"It better be funny"

moonpie

Hands down, it's gotta be the Wincchester Model 1894. The 30-30 lever action rifle is deadly accurate and the best damn deer rifle of all time...
'nuff said

Jay You Dee

In the words of Samuel L. Jackson:

"AK-47, when you've absolutely gotta kill every muthafucka in the room - Accept no substitutes."

whocarz

Where did you see this? Do you have a link?

__________________
If there exists anything mightier than destiny, then it is the courage to face destiny unflinchingly. -Geibel

Despise not death, but welcome it, for nature wills it like all else. -Marcus Aurelius

Come on, you sons of bitches! Do you want to live forever? -GySgt. Daniel J. "Dan" Daly

pocon1

AK-47 What other gun has made it onto nations flags?

Tab

I don't know why anyone would ever vote for the m-16, the guns jams like a sob, its unreliable. . . To name off a few very good rifles Id like the start with the AK-47- A beautiful weapon, may not be the most accurate, but this baby packs a punch. You can take this gun underwater, cover it in mud and it will still fire. (hold the m-16 the wrong way and it will jam). So for its reliability and stomping power I vote AK.

My second gun of choice, would probably have to be the garand. Ok Ok, its not accurate. . . .a bitch to reload. But DAMN this gun is fun to shoot. So comming up in second is the Garand.

My 3rd place vote has to go to the. . . .umm. . . .. im gonna go out on a limb here and vote for the M-14, this gun is a semi-automatic badass. Accurate and imo think that the m-14 should have never been replaced during vietnam. So for its accuracy and power, the m-14 gets my third place choice.


A worthy mention of EVERY single Heckler-Koch gun also.



PS: Im Canadian, but our army has a contract with our arms dealer. I HIGHLY doubt you get the rifles for free. Colt is the supplys most of your rifles doesnt it? I would think that the army has some type of deal with them. I dont think they come from the government

Diamond

Gotta say, the Garand proved itself in the hardest conditions possible. And on the opposite end, the m-16 proved it can jam easy and is useless with the wrong ammo. Given the right ammo and heavy barrel, its a pleasure to shoot and accurate as hell.

speed123

Heckler & Koch G3, has been the standard weapon in the german army for about 40 years. Unfortunately, i had to use its succeeding model, the G36 when i had my basic training in the Bundeswehr. Not a bad rifle either, but the G3 was just a real rifle, made of steel, not like the G36 which is of a carbon material.

Chupes

Duh... the Garand

Zeld2.0

Was split between 3...

M1 Garand for obvious reasons

AK47 and variants for being one of the most reliable automatic rifles ever and may be in use years from now

Mauser 98 - because among bolt actions, this is simply one of the most beautiful ever made and reliable as well

Dostoevsky

Yup....The Garand. It's record speaks for itself.