I'm thinking about getting a Wilson Combat Recon Tactical in 308. I think I would like it with a 16" barrel as it would host my Surefire Socom suppressor most of the time. The 16" barrel has a mid length gas system, where as the 18" has a rifle length gas system. Which do you feel would be better? Was thinking about a fluted barrel to cut down weight, any issues with fluting?  Do you think I would need an adjustable gas block for this set up? I'm looking for a light weight, jack of all trades rifle. I would like to hunt with it and ring steel out to 1000 yards. Do you think the Recon Tactical fits my wants? Does anyone have any experience with Wilsons .308 Whisper Suppressor? Looking for input from anyone who has experience with Wilson rifles. Also thinking about putting a Leupold Mark 6, 3-18 in a Geissele mount on it to keep it light. Any input is welcome!!!

Thanks!

Can't help with the Wilson part but I do have a Larue 16" and it's my jack of all trades rifle.  I've only had it out to 770m and it's boring accurate on a propane tank at that range.  

Not sure that fluting a 16" barrel would save all that much weight, why not just go to a lighter profile?  Unless you plan to get it hot there typically isn't much advantage to a heavier profile barrel when using quality manufacturers.

I do like an adjustable gas block, even just using hotter loads without a suppressor it's nice to be able to reduce the wear on the action a bit.  

AR platform is 762 is a bit of a slippery slope

I really appreciate the feedback.  What scope do you have on your Larue? Wilson only makes a lighter profile in their 14.7" barrel, do you think this is too short? I have heard stories of adjustable gas blocks wearing out faster, have you had any problems with yours? Thanks again for your help!

I've got a VX-III on one that just died (got it in the mid '90's and it's been around so wasn't surprised) and a CQBSS on one, I'm not a huge fan of the CQBSS as it's really heavy but I got a great deal on it so that's what it wears.  I'm looking at a USO or Nightforce to replace my VX-III.  Token crappy pic


I've heard of 14.5" taking game elk past 600, I'd have to look at ballistics to see if I'd be comfortable with that but I'm pretty well limited to 250 or less where I'm currently at so haven't done much long range hunting homework. I haven't heard of adjustable gas blocks wearing out faster, if you did that's not a super expensive part to replace.  I've got two barrels for my tOBR with about 500 through one and about 1,200 through the other and never had any issues, OBR has less than 100 so it's not even broken in yet.

Mine are also Jack of all trades rifles:
Heli hogs
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284m off the back porch last place we lived


Impromptu range

Very impressive! That is so great that you get your daughter involved, mine don't want to hunt. That must be amazing to hunt from a little bird! Now your making me reconsider the Larue, I don't know what to do! I'm in the same boat with scopes, I'm looking at the leupold mark 6 3-18 & the nightforce atacr 4-16. I'm not sure which way to go.

When you get to the high end stuff you're really just choosing which color cool aid you like

I will say if you're looking for the ability to change barrels the Larue is the best out there right now, you just need to source your own alternate barrels.

I cant help with the Wilson but I would second the Larue OBR.  I have OBR .308 in 16" and it is crazy accurate.  The OBR comes with a suppressed and non-suppressed setting.  Works best with the surefire socom suppressor.  I run a sniper team and my agency just purchased a few GAP 10 rifles with 18" barrels and Seekin precision adjustable gas blocks (strongly recommend a quality adjustable gas block).  We also run those with the Surefire Socom supressor.  All the rifles run the surefire socom muzzle break.  The Gap 10s are super nice and we went with those over the Larue due to the ability to customize. (when Georgia Precison says 8 month wait they mean it)  The which is more accurate battle continues everyday we shoot.  We send Federal 168 grain bthp Gold Medal match through both the GAP10 and the Larue.    Look at the Nightforce ATACR 4-16x42 scope or the Nightforce 2.5-10x42 scope.  We run the Nightfore 3.5-15 F1 on all the rifles I mentioned.  I run the ATACR 4-16 on another rifle and the ATACR 5-25x56 on a 6.5.  The lower end for all my uses is more important than the higher magnification.

Nightforce ATACR 4-16 without question.  Look through both.

I also have the GAP10 with a 20" barrel and it's a heavy beast when suppressed! I am impressed with the Larues, I am just trying to keep the weight down. The Wilson is over a pound lighter then the Larue. The weight issue is another reason I am considering the Leupold 3-18x44mm M5C2, but I have no experience with this scope. I have heard horror storys about the leupold M5B2 turrets not tracking. I have heard the M5C2 turrets are better, anyone have experience with these models? I have shot the Nightforce 4-16 and liked it, but would like a little more magnification and a little less weight. To throw a complete monkey wrench in my exploration I have really fallen in love with the Vortex HD Gen 2, 4.5-27x56mm, but it weights 48.5 ounces!!!!

Sounds like you want two different rifles.  Keep your Gap10 for ringing steel and buy a 16" Larue Predatar with the nightforce 2.5-10x44 for hunting. As you save a ton of weight not only on the rifle but on your optics. Or buy the .260 Larue Predatobr and two different optics and swap to a 14.5" or 16" barrel to hunt with in .308 and again run a lighter low end magnification scope for hunting and put whatever beast you want on top for ringing steel.

I got to play with the Nightforce ATACR today. It was a nice scope that tracked really well. It had a tremor 3 reticle that I really liked. The only issue I had was that the reticle doesn't illuminate. We where shooting while the sun was going down and I had a tough time seeing the reticle at lower power.

I run the MiL-R Reticle. Solves that issue.  We run the velocity 1000 reticle on our agency scopes. Either way sounds like you have lots of choices good luck with your decision.

Thanks! I appreciate all the help guys, more research to do on my part.

Anyone heard about this?

Wilson Combat Strong Favorite To Supply SEAL Sniper Rifles
Posted by Hugh Nguyenin News, Wilson Combat
January 25, 2017
Wilson Combat Strong Favorite To Supply SEAL Sniper Rifles
Well placed sources at SHOT have informed us that in a competition to supply Navy SEALs with 7.62x51mm semi-auto precision rifles, Wilson Combat’s entry has emerged as the leader in both accuracy and reliability.

Although scant details can be found on even the existence of a competition, our sources say that Wilson Combat built a lightweight and highly functional AR-10 type rifle which beat out entries which undoubtedly included FN Herstal, HK, LaRue, Sig Sauer, and others.

When asked for comment, a Wilson Combat representative responded, “I can’t comment at this time on any potential or pending military contracts.”

The US Army recently selected the HK G28E as its new CSASS (Compact Semi-Auto Sniper System), supplanting the Knight’s Armament M110 but not replacing it. With a weight exceeding 15lbs fully outfitted, the M110 certainly caused problems for the men who had to carry it – in fact, weight and size were the primary reasons the Army mentioned for buying new rifles. The Navy is likely following suit, and Wilson Combat mentions that one of its two 7.62×51 rifles, the Recon Tactical 308, weighs as little as 7.5 lbs empty. We don’t know which one was submitted, only that it is the leader and likely to be the winner of the competition.