Right choice?

[elmojo]

Greetings. I'm a newbie who is considering my first AR-ish weapon. I have been leaning toward a Kel Tec SU16-C or the PLR-16. I live in S.W. Florida and frequent the swamps and backwaters. My regular firepower is a Taurus 608 which is an 8 shot revolver in 357 mag. I also carry a Marlin 1894C lever gun from time to time , same caliber as the pistol. They make a nice pair. I have been feeling under gunned lately for no particular reason. Feel that I should step into "Black Riflehood" at some point and because of price, weight and a lot of testimony as to durability and reliability Kel Tec could be the way. I welcome commentary and advice. (Oh, the last time I fired a real semi-auto was the early 70's. It was an M-14 and it wasn't a great experience. The thing was a mess. Glad that my life never depended on that pc. of *&%&*. Later was issued an M-16 and it was a much improved weapon. Been leary of semi-autos ever since though.)

[garebel]

If you're going to have just one of that type rifle I'd go with an AR.
Accuracy, dependability, parts and magazines availability....

[banana380]

i'd go w/ the Saiga-12 AK style shotgun, w/ a 10 rd mag... and 10 rds of 00 buckshot.

i doubt anyone could feel undergunned with that thing... cheaper than an AR as well... tho mags are somewhat harder to find, for the shotgun as well as AKs in general, but not impossible. the actual AK guns tend to run cheaper than ARs as well.

[garebel]

I assumed he was talking about an AR or AK style rifle since he posted in the SU Forum.

I suppose it is all about application.
Home defense, close quarters I would take a 12 ga.
I actually prefer a Remington 870, Mossberg 500, or Winchester 1200 or 1300 Defender pump action....something along that line. Simple, and time well tested.

For a SHTF rifle, I would definitely have an AR.
I like AK's too. I own a couple. They are durable as hell, lot of guys swear by the 7.62 rd in urban combat situations compared to the 5.56, and yep they are cheaper than an AR. And they will handle the cheap, steel cased ammo that I wouldn't feed my AR.

Under a couple of hundred yards, take your pick.....But if you want to "reach out and touch someone" there is a big difference in accuracy between the two.

[elmojo]

Thanks for all the imput. I am surprised that there aren't more in favor of the Kel Tecs, especially on this forum. I am considring one for carrying around when in the swamps. Its pretty much a jungle environment. On top of looking for a weapon with a little more firepower than my 357 revolver. I also have to consider that this gun will get wet and dirty between cleanings. It has to be light weight but still rugged enough to take a little abuse, ie. getting banged around while climbing over trees etc. The price is also a factor since I don't want to spend big bucks on a weapon that will get this abused. That said, it still has to function when I need it to or what's the point.
Another factor will be range requirement. You seldom have a 100 yard shot in dense brush. I have several shotties but they are cumbersome even with a fold over stock and hitting anything using a shotty with a pistol grip is a joke. Still, they are probably the most versatile weapon you can have.

[Dillypwacker]

You are comparing apples to oranges. A 9mm and a .40cal compared to a .223. The 9mm ammo is meant for a pistol and it shoots just like a pistol the AR .223 ammo is far more accurate and more expensive to buy. If you are looking for a gun you can throw around and beat the shit out of I personally wouldn't want to ruin a good AR for that. The KT is a far better gun to throw around. IMO. I'm not so sure about the 12ga either I don't really see the point in owning a shot gun unless you are a duck hunter. Yeah you can blow the shit out of anything at 25 yards but lets face it anything over that is pointless. Either way its your choice. You buy what you feel you need. There are many different guns out there and IMO there is one for every job. You need to figure out what that guns duty will be and then you can decide on whats right.

[garebel]

Thanks for all the imput. I am surprised that there aren't more in favor of the Kel Tecs, especially on this forum. I am considring one for carrying around when in the swamps. Its pretty much a jungle environment. On top of looking for a weapon with a little more firepower than my 357 revolver. I also have to consider that this gun will get wet and dirty between cleanings. It has to be light weight but still rugged enough to take a little abuse, ie. getting banged around while climbing over trees etc. The price is also a factor since I don't want to spend big bucks on a weapon that will get this abused. That said, it still has to function when I need it to or what's the point.
Another factor will be range requirement. You seldom have a 100 yard shot in dense brush. I have several shotties but they are cumbersome even with a fold over stock and hitting anything using a shotty with a pistol grip is a joke. Still, they are probably the most versatile weapon you can have.

Thought about an SKS? That might be what you're looking for.
You can still find an SKS for around two to three hundred bucks...even less if you're lucky.
The Paratrooper model is 4" shorter and a little less cumbersome but they are getting hard to find.
The SKS is chambered for the AK round (7.62x39) and has a reputation for being tough as hell in a jungle/dirty as hell environment. You can hunt deer with it and not worry about it gettin beat to hell either.
The only negative is that it is not designed for a detachable magazine. There are certainly some aftermarket detachables available but most are not worth a shit.....stripper clips work fine though.

[elmojo]

I like the SKS. Shot a couple. Seems a little clunky somehow. I have also been considering a Golani AK style in 5.56. I can get one local for under $700. It has a lot of nice features and is very comfortable . Weighs in at about 9 pounds which is heavier than I wanted. I could still handle it though. Got a couple of decent years left I hope.

[garebel]

Good luck in your choice whatever you choose!

"Shopping" for a new gun is damn fun...I can almost see how my wife and daughter enjoy spending so much time shopping. Almost

You probably already know this but .......now is the time to get whatever you are gonna get or you'll be spending more for it later.

Let us know how you make out!

[MadDogJohn]

If money is no problem, get the AR. You stated that you like the M-16 back in the day.

If money is tight, look into the AK47, AK74, or Mini-14/30-- despite your bad experience of the M-14. (love mine with the Tapco stock) The Auto-Ordnance M-1 is still a damn fine gun for .30 cal. The AR guys will laugh at you.... but who gives a shit. 85% of all shots fired in real gunfights miss anyway.

Can't vouch for the Kel-Tec .223's or the .762 but only because they are new.

Just remember... It's not the gun. It's the man behind the gun. There's some tough-ass motherfuckers with WWII Mosin-Nagants still giving our guys some serious shit in Iraq and Afghanistan . A well trained man with a mediocre gun can be just as dangerous a weapon as a well trained man with a state of the art gun. If we get to SHTF stuff in this country, how much will it really matter??? It will be an endurance and numbers game, not a weapons game.