I think the best all around weapon that I have would be:


the larger caliber can punch through cover and really reach out when necessary.  plus, it ahs a 17" bbl and folding stock for CQB.  The catch is, it gets really heavy after carrying/shooting it for a while.   Which is why my second chioce would be:



In a best case scenario, I'd be in a team of at least 2 and both of these would be used.

Quoted: home.nc.rr.com/blueshockey77/m4.jpg

wow, how did that happen?

Quoted: AR pistol 62 grain Olympic 5.56 mm ammo Tasco Red Dot sight for optics no iron sights USA 40 round mags

+1

haha  thanks stickman, you fixed it before I did.

Quoted: "Homeland Defense"? What do they say about gunfights?  "Rule 1: have a gun."  If we're talking about a weapon for responding to a terrorist attack that means a rifle that's with you _all_ of the time, never more than a "short sprint to the car" away.   Not a top-pf-the-line safe queen with all your favorite expensive toys mounted (unless you actually _are_ carrying it in the trunk 24/7). Currently that means a $90 SKS and a fistful of stripper-clipped M43 in the truck.  Far from ideal, but  much better than a sharp stick.  And much better than any rifle that's locked in a safe at home. Eventually it will be replaced.  Probably by a no-frills M16A1-clone (the lazy/cheap option) or a lightweight carbine (16" LW barrel, 'A1 upper or flat-top upper with LaRue BUIS, M4 stock or something like the YHM skeleton stock; the more work/more fun/more money option).  Said rifle to be tested with at least 500 rounds of M193, cleaned, lightly lubed, and vacuum-sealed in a plastic bag with 4 or 5 loaded magazines, to be pulled out and PMCS'd once every couple of years... And, it should go without saying, a pistol on my belt all of the time, no matter where I am. I don't have any illusions or fantasies about taking out an al Qaeda terrorist team, but in the extremely unlikely event I'm there when something happens I may have the chance to disrupt and delay their plans long enough for some civilians to escape and some responders to arrive.  Hey, if I survive that I should never have to pay for a beer again, right?  And if not, it beats 25 years parked in the rest home waiting for the minimum-wage flunk to change my Depends...

I agree, there is very little chance of coming face to face with any terrorist while they are engaging in their dirty deeds. Odds are they will have blown themselves up long before I could get to my rifle. The exception being the Russian school attack where parents with rifles did assist Russian soldiers, but it still ended ugly...

On the other hand, there is far greater chance to encounter massive civil unrest and riots, like the LA riots for example where Korean store owners protected their businesses with rifles.  Whenever the WTO comes to town riots are almost a sure thing and god forbid your local sports team wins a championship

There is also the N. Hollywood shootout. If California wasn’t so commie, a regular citizen armed with any "assault rifle" could have ended that situation once the robbers entered a residential area. Even an Average shooter could pick off a machine gun wielding maniac at 50 yards from their living room window.

Though, if there were an Al Qaeda cell fighting their way down main street USA and I could some how help and not hinder Emergency response units, yeah I'd grab the rifle and do my part