I am in the market for a new gun, and ran across the bushmaster 308 page which advertizes it uses FAL mags.  I am also looking most seriously at a Fulton armory M14 service grade with chrome barrel and chamber.  The bushmaster does not feature chrome in the barrel just yet.  For about the same money can anyone tell me why other than the chrome lining I would want to buy the Fulton M14 over the new 308 bushmaster?  It is a lot of money for me $1800.00, and I am leaning toward the Fulton gun, but I want to be sure there is nothing I am missing. Jimmyp

Do have an AR15 style rifle already? If you do I'd say an M14 style rifle would be a nice change. You should try one first though. I think you'll be impressed with how much you can do with the iron sights.

The Fulton rifles are supposed to be excellent. If was to buy one I think I would save my pennies for the FA Peerless though. Be prepared for a long wait time to build your rifle (read: months). My suggestion is to look around for a Pre-ban standard M1A/M14. If you keep looking you can find one cheaper than a NIB Standard Springfield Armory post ban (~1400.00). This way can sell it if you don't like and incase the ban does clear you still saved money any way.

DSA SA58

groups.msn.com/WestTexasOrdnance/m1garand.msnw

Best .308 deal on the planet, IMHO...

With the FAL, there are plenty of spare parts available.  M-14 parts were in pretty good supply until the war.

I don't know what parts, if any, will interchange between the SR-25, AR-10 and Bushmaster.  That might be something to look into before you buy.

Chuck, thanks for the reply regards Fulton, can you advise a better source?  Jimmyp

Jimmy,

This board has kinda been over this lots before.  But no problem, we can start the battle again.

Look, this really boils down to what are you gonna DO with the rifle.  Hunting?  Plinking? Hipower competition shooting? Blasting stuff for funsies?  Benchrest?   SHTF?

There is no perfect rifle.  They all have trade offs to achieve what they do best.  Personally, I believe the M1A/M14 family is lots of fun as a learner rifle for iron sites to properly learn rifleman skills.  It is worthless with scopes (my opinion but shared by many) and is the most difficult to get to achieve real match grade accuracy without tuning and gunsmithing.

I am unfamiliar with Bushmasters new 308 offering, but, all AR style 308s will share some things in common.  Foremost is if you intend to do bench shooting with a scope it is probably the easiest to make highly accurate and simplest (in the flattop version) to mount a scope to.  The only drawbacks to these rifles is their relative lack of track record compared to the FAL and M14.  I have an Aramlite AR10 and it is a fine rifle that can outshoot me any day of the week.

If you want something that will stand up to abuse and is the simplest to repair and get parts for get the FAL.  IMO the  US made a huge mistake selecting the M14 over the FAL.  The only disadvantage I see to the FAL is I have never seen one achieve really tack driver accuracy.  Maybe it can be done but typically these are 2 MOA rifles at best.  Which is fine for blasting stuff in t he desert or SHTF.

While it is nice that the BM uses FAL magazines, the importance of this is fading with the end of the AWB.  Armalite should be able to make new mags for less than $30 a pop soon and you don't really need more than 5 mags anyway unless you are a reall blaster or worrier of future supplies like another ban.

I am a fan of Bushmaster, but until I hear others brag about how sweet and reliable these are I think I'll stick to Armalitre for the AR version, and FAL for blasting, and I'll keep my one M1A just cause I already got it.  

Quoted: With the FAL, there are plenty of spare parts available.  M-14 parts were in pretty good supply until the war. .

There were plenty more prior to the [Hillary] Clintons. Isn't it just wonderful that Hillary still has enough support to raise her head above the grass line with a smile on her face?

Quoted: Quoted: Every boy needs a M14.  But Fulton isn't the place to buy one. -- Chuck Hmmn, mine works just fine thanks.

Sure if you ever get out to shoot the damn thing!

^He's just jealous. Don't mind him^

As I have just learned that the new Bushmaster 308 does not have a chrome lined barrel, and as someone said it will not matter regards the FAL mag compatability soon, so with a chromed barrel being important to me then I hope the Fulton rack grade with chrome barrel lives up to my expectation! Jimmyp

I just picked up a standard SA M1A and love it. I get 1.5 to 20 inch groupings with cheep M118 reloaded ammo and I love it.  I took off the flash suppressor and front sight. I ordered a front gas tube sight from Smith Ent. to replace it. Plus the M1A or M14 is a better rifle then the AR10.
I would rate tactical 308s in this order of reliability and accuracy;
M14 first, FAL or HK91 second then AR10
...but thats only my 02.  

M14 is very nice. And, Fulton does a good job using USGI parts. Chech out www.Battlerifles.com and do a search.

Quoted: I get 1.5 to 20 inch groupings with cheep M118 reloaded ammo and I love it.

I have an H&R M-14 in full auto.  Gotta love it.  This boy has his M14.  I'm not at fault...the govermnent made me do it.  Class III is the only way to own a M-14.
Draftee

 I like Fulton myself and though I have never shot one of their "M1A" styled guns I have fired a couple of  the FAR 15 rifles and they were REALLY nice.

 What I would do ( assuming the word on the street about LRB is true, and I believe that it is considering the sources ) is purchase an LRB barreled receiver and then have Fulton put it together.  As far as the tooling and components for my Garand, my M1A's and my AR's goes Fulton has always done me right. The folks there are VERY nice and a great pleasure to deal with.  Make sure to have any projects done by them AFTER the match season when they aren't so loaded down.  Just give 'em a call to find out how their turnaround time is.

I can tell you one thing that is for sure.  It is REALLY nice to buy mags for $5 each as opposed to $40 each!
Figure that if you buy 20 mags, with BM, $100.  With the M14 type rifle, 20 mags=$800.
You figure it out.....

Hopefully I'll have to make that choice sometime in the near future...I'm giving some real consideration to a Fulton, as for the Bushy, love mine....My cheap Millet mil-dot does not like the .308 at all, it is falling apart from recoil....

I've been dealing with Fulton Armory for several years now, and I have nothing but praise for the people and their products.

Quoted: Every boy needs a M14.  But Fulton isn't the place to buy one. -- Chuck

Why not? I have a friend that competes with one and he swears by it. I have little or no exp with Fulton myself personally I'd go with a Sprinfield Armory if it was me.

After checking with my friend I realized I was wrong he has a Fulton match grade AR15 not an M14. Sorry about the mix up. Dumb Ass me sometimes.