Survival Trial 2012 (or 2013) Equipment choices.

[Ken Kowalski]

I've lately become very interested in competing in this race/shooting competition.
I have competed in a few adventure races and obviously love to shoot so it seems like a good match.
My interest in the race which can be found here http://www.survivaltrial.com/index.php has me rethinking my choices in what I will buy when I return to the US (firearms wise).
The packing list for the race can be found here: http://www.survivaltrial.com/packlist.php.
For the race (which requires a partner for a team of two) requires a 5.56 AR per person, 9mm Handgun per person, and one 308 precision rifle per team. Now before I got really interested in this race I had been planning either building a 6.5 Grendel SPR type AR or buying a 308 AR.
My first thought on the race was, well, I better get a 308 bolt gun instead, but I'm not so sure now. Could the 308 AR do just as good of a job?
Would the 308 AR be too much weight compared to the bolt gun? I have a little bit of a budget to play with when I get back but it is not a fortune.
What would your thoughts on the equipment list be?
I may also have to reconsider a new 9mm as all I have available are a Glock 19 and a XD SC 9mm. Perhaps a full sized 9mm would be better for the competition, but perhaps not. I'd like to keep weight down to a minimum since I'd be covering about 35 miles in 24 hours with everything on the packing list on my back. Weight vs Competitive worthy equipment.

Thanks for your time and thoughts.

Ken

[Mudcat]

That looks so cool! I wish I was younger or/& in better shape. I got plenty of time humping a ruck in the Army but I always liked to do it. Combine it with shooting with others and it would be a blast.

As far as rifle choice I would probably see what others are shooting and having good luck with. I have had 2 .308 ARs and was not impressed with either one.  An M1a on the other hand... But neither will be as accurate as a precision bolt action. Just depends on how far and how big the targets are as to which would be a better choice.


Sent from my evil black iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ken Kowalski]

That looks so cool! I wish I was younger or/& in better shape. I got plenty of time humping a ruck in the Army but I always liked to do it. Combine it with shooting with others and it would be a blast.

As far as rifle choice I would probably see what others are shooting and having good luck with. I have had 2 .308 ARs and was not impressed with either one.  An M1a on the other hand... But neither will be as accurate as a precision bolt action. Just depends on how far and how big the targets are as to which would be a better choice.


Sent from my evil black iPhone using Tapatalk

Not to hijack my own thread but I wanted to comment.
Granted I have not shot m1A's or 308 AR's extensively but I have done so enough to know that I have grown to never want an M1A,
but I was REALLY impressed with the M110 I shot about a week ago.
Quite a few 308 AR's are MOA or (usually) more accurate these days.
However, I am really considering a R700 AAC SD : http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-700/model-700-sps-tactical-aac-sd.aspx.

[Rob Kroupa]

Unless you just really want the AR-10 I'd go with the bolt gun.  For equally accurate guns the bolt gun will be lighter and cheaper.  Pistol wise I'd also stick with the 19 as long as you are comfortable with it.  You won't be gaining much by going up to a fullsize gun (except more weight...)  You'd probably do better spending the 400-500 dollars you would spend on a new pistol on practice ammo.

[Devereaux]

I like Rob's thinking. Bolt guns are lighter, and less likely to malfxn. You can certainly make them as accurate as you want - it's mostly a question of bedding the action and free-floating the barrel. Good break-in is also essential. Any production barrel actually take X hundred rounds to attain its full accuracy.

Target guns in 9mm are few and far between - and a LOT of money. All else doesn't make all that much difference, so sticking with a G19 is as reasonable as going to a G17 - or a Sig steel gun. It won't necessarily be much more accurate, and your accuracy requirement probably isn't that high. This won't be shooting X-rings with a handgun.

[BikerRN]

Ken,

I'll agree with the bolt gun for the .308 rifle. That, in my opinion, is the only way to go in this scenario from a weight, reliability, and durability factor. As for the handgun, the Glock 19 is fine but I might be inclined to have one of you armed with a Glock 34 as it is a target handgun, :snicker:, and you can use the Glock 34 magazines in the Glock 19. Outside of the magazine in the Glock 19 being stock Glock 19 magazine I'd have all the other magazines be of the 17/34 variety.

[Mudcat]

Yep I would go straight for the G34 over the G17 if I was going to get  pistol for competition or a full size carry gun. You can also find deals on G17L from time to time. Really though the only thing you are gaining over capacity is the longer sight radius. Some it really seems to help and others not so much. But I would probably try the G19 until a deal came walking by.
I am interested in how long a shots are  being taken and the COF. Shooting man size targets at 500-600 the Ruger scout with the iron sights would be great for this application I would think. I really like those little guns and the irons are pretty darn good, plus the lighter weight would be a good thing.

[Chemsoldier]

Ditto on the G34, they dont weigh a lot more and give you some nice sight radius if you have to take a long shot.

Hard call on the AR-10 vs. bolt gun.  I guess cost comes into it a lot.  Too bad you dont know any of the COF for the precision rifle.

Good luck man, sounds awesome!

[haskovez]

I would like to get a 17L.  I think that is a good gun, it is so ridiculously huge.  I hope they do a gen 4 version of it (even if it is too big for the IDPA box).