I've been looking for a 5.56mm rifle as a range piece that could also double duty in an SHTF situation. I don't really want an AR; what I've read about break-in periods and the need for cleaning kind of turns me away from them. I do clean my firearms on a regular basis, generally after every range trip, but I'd rather not have to in order to be confident that it will go bang when I pull the trigger.
I was looking at the VEPR II, which is just about ideal; 20-inch barrel, high capacity magazines, better ergonomics than a regular AK, reliable and highly accurate. Downside of the VEPR is that you can't find them anywhere, and might not be able to for some time.
So, what are some other options? I'm looking for a semiauto rifle that can accept high-capacity magazines, in 5.56mm, with a barrel of approximately 20 inches in length (so that the bullet will reach a decent muzzle velocity), that is decently accurate (I'm not a particularly great shooter, I don't get anywhere near sub-MoA, so my rifle doesn't need to, but I don't want a Mini-14 either), and that is reliable without meticulous cleaning. Price isn't so important; I'm not in a great rush, so if it's out of my reach right now I'll just wait a bit until I have some disposable cash saved up.
I looked at an Arsenal SA-M5, but the 16-inch barrel kills that one for me. I really do want the long barrel, just in case. I guess if there aren't any other rifles that fit what I'm looking for, I'll just wait until the VEPRs are shipped again. Do any other rifles come to mind?