Which in your opinion is a better rifle the AR-15 or the semi-auto M-14?

The M-14 and the M-16 are both nice rifles.

Since you want to purchase a civilian version of them, you're actually comparing the AR-15 with the Springfield Armory M1A or the Fulton Armory M14M1A.

There are variants of the AR-15 that chamber the 7.62x51mmNATO cartridge. Selecting one of these may please you.

They're all going to cost you some money.

The M1A and M14M1A are more expensive to purchase than a typical AR-15.

The 7.62NATO/.308Winchester ammunition is also more expensive than 5.56NATO/.223Remington ammunition.

They should all function well and shoot decent groups.

They each require proper maintenance, cleaning and lubrication.

The M1A's and M14M1A's will generate more recoil and more muzzle energy.

But they typically hold fewer cartridges per magazine (20 vs. 30) and a quantity of 7.62NATO ammuntion weighs more than an identical quantity of 5.56NATO ammuntion.

If you were to hunt deer, some states do not allow the use of .223 Remington ammunition (it's considered too small). But I think all states consider .308 Winchester to be powerfull enough for hunting.

The civilian equivalent of the M-14 is going to cost more to purchase and operate. But it delivers enough to justify the costs.

The civilian equivalent of the M-16 will cost less, recoil less and provide a pleasant shooting experience in many situations.

They're both effective. It's going to be a question of which which one meets your needs and preferences best.

The Springfield Armory M1A is the civilian equivalent of the M-14. The M1A costs more than an AR-15, but it's a better all around weapon.

A new M1A will probably run around $1400-1500. A new entry level AR-15 will probably run about $800, depending on the manufacturer and dealer. However, most people aren't interested in an entry level weapon. They want a rifle that comes from the factory with some nice features already included.

So if you're looking for something better than entry level, you're probably looking at spending around 1100-1200 for an AR-15. Which isn't that much less than an M1A. Depending on the brand and the dealer, you may pay a little more or a little less. The prices I'm giving are intended as ball park estimates, so don't expect them to be exact.

The M1A is a little more solid and reliable, and has superior stopping power. It is also more accurate and has a greater maximum effective range.

It's a little heavier and longer than the AR-15. However, with one of the shortened versions like the M1A Scout Squad with fiberglass stock, there's not that much difference. The Scout Squad is a full 4" shorter and a little lighter than the standard M1A. It weighs 9 lbs. with an empty magazine.

Carrying the Scout Squad for hours in the field is no problem for an average sized individual. Just make sure you buy a comfortable sling.

I believe it all comes down to your personal financial situation when deciding which one you want. If you can afford it, buy an M1A. It's the better all around weapon. However, if you can't afford the M1A, don't sweat it. There are several brands of AR-15 which will serve you reasonably well, and you'll have a nice selection of different models to choose from.

Here are links to the three best Springfield Armory M1A's for defensive purposes (any bipods and scopes pictured are optional):

http://www.springfield-armory.com/armory.php?versi...

http://www.springfield-armory.com/armory.php?versi...

http://www.springfield-armory.com/armory.php?versi...

Here are some links to several of the more reputable AR-15 manufacturers (this list is not intended to be all inclusive):

Armalite

http://www.armalite.com/

Bushmaster

http://www.bushmaster.com/

Colt

http://www.coltsmfg.com/

DPMS

http://www.dpmsinc.com/

Olympic

http://www.olyarms.com/

Rock River

http://www.rockriverarms.com/

Smith & Wesson

http://www.smith-wesson.com/

Stag

http://www.stagarms.com/

For hunting use, the AR-15 is limited to coyotes in most states, and rightly so, while the 30 Cal will do for elk. For hunting with ANY semi-auto in 7.62NATO/ 308 Winchester, the reduction difference in recoil from a bolt action has to be experienced to be believed! The bolt action has enough kick to bedevil most shooter's aim a little or a lot, while the semi-auto action eats up recoil so well that folks have to come up with other excuses for blown shots! An M-14 in any incarnation will run twice the price of a semi-auto 308, purely because of collector value, if that's what you want. And because of that, it is twice as likely to be stolen. Add in the politics, and double that. If you reload, avoid rifles like the H&K which have fluted chambers, full length re-size the cases, and ream the necks. Regards, Larry.

I like the AR-15 in Variant calibers. I have a 6.8SPC. Which is a 115 gr .277 bullet out of a modified .30 Winchester case.

My requirements are only from 0-250 yards. I like the pistol grip and ergonomics of the AR. And being in an urban environment, mobility was another consideration.

The M1A is great for knocking someone down at longer distances. Which is compromised by a much heavier rifle.

Each has it's place, it depends on what you need/want the rifle for.

In most cases I would recommend buying the M1A first then picking up the AR-15 when you save up a few $$.

In your case, go with what you know best first, then buy an M1A before Obama or Hillary can make that difficult or impossible.

The Springfield M1A runs "around" $1500

My favorite the Colt AR-15 SP1 runs around $1200 - but you can buy some very nice variants for much less.

http://www.gunbroker.com/

http://www.gunsamerica.com/

It all depends on what you what your purpose is. If you want it just for fun, and don't need the extra power, the AR-15 is a better choice. If you are also thinking about defensive uses, blasting things for the fun of seeing them blow up, or extreme long range shooting, then the M-14 is a far better choice.

The cost of ammo is another consideration. The AR-15 ammo is a lot cheaper, so you can shoot more without hurting your budget. I have rifles that shoot both calibers, and reload for them both. I recommend that you reload to save money and also to customize your rounds to your rifle. It gives me a whole new level of fun and a bit of pride to know that I loaded the ammo I'm shooting, especially when the holes in the target are closer together than what other people are shooting with their factory loaded ammo. That happens most of the time I shoot with other people, and the smart ones know why...

Its sorta like comparing apples to oranges..... The M14 is a better rifle. Its more reliable, easier to clean, easier to unjamb in a gun fight, the ammunition is way more powerful..... The down side is its to heavy (11 pounds), the ammos expensive, bulky, and I dont know about you but I sure wouldnt want to carry one around for any length of time...... On the other hand the AR15 is lighter, the recoil from the .223/.556 is less and for me is a pleasure to shoot... You didnt mention why you wanted either of these rifles? Farm gun? target shooting? other???.... If your doing bench rest target shooting then its a toss-up... Both are nice and the ammo each rifles use have there strengths and weaknesses..... An M14 type rifle can be $1500 on up.... A regular run of the mill AR15 can be had for $800 on up...... I like AR15's and own them.... I also like the M14 but do not own one. I do happen to have a Ruger Mini 14 which is basicaly a scaled down M14 and its chambered in .223. The Ruger uses the same Garand locking mechanism as the M14 and shares the same reliability as the M14. Consider it -------- Of your 2 choices I prefer the AR15 and would suggest the purchase of that instead of an M14...

The Springfield M1A1 (the legal m-14) costs around $1500, or maybe more, depending on if you get the Scout or Socom-16 version. Personally, I'd go with the M1A1. It has better knock-down power, and you can use it for hunting large game. Now, since 5.56mm ammo is as expensive as any other centerfire ammo, you might be able to get the 7.62 surplus ammo cheaper.

I think both have their place.

The AR15 is more of a tactical firearm for combat.. or fun.

I've got a stainless Ruger M-14 with the wood stock.. looks fantastic and much more traditional. More of a back woods type of gun.

I've got both and I couldnt decide. Considering that your in the military, the AR might be the right one for you. I dont have much experiance with the more tactical M-14's so I couldnt say for certain

For a personal battle rifle, I believe the M14 is a better choice than an M16. You have to look at the intended uses of the M14 and the M16 to see why.

The M16, in full-auto configuration was intended to deliver a high volume of fire at relatively short distances, as in Vietnam. This was made effective by the fact that it was used by squads of soldiers all firing at the same time, often at targets that could not actually be SEEN. Thus, a couple dozen guys emptying magazines into the jungle on full-auto could lay down a SUPRESSING fire pattern in the general direction of the enemy.

The M16's 5.56/.223 round was primarally designed to wound it's target, hopefully tying up at least two other enemy combatants presumably attempting to fetch and tend to their wounded comrade. There's nothing wrong with the accuracy of the M16, but it's effective range is only about half that of the M14, and its small caliber bullet has far less terminal impact than the much heavier 7.62/.308 round of the M14.

The M14 was designed as a MBR, or Main Battle Rifle. It's effectiveness is not dependant upon having an entire squad emptying magazines in the general direction of the enemy. Rather, it was intended to allow a single soldier to engage a VISABLE target at ranges hundreds of yards farther than the effective range of the M16(400Yards). In the hands of a seasoned shooter, the M14 can make hits out to 1000yards, and kill the target in doing so. Although the Military M14 had full-auto capibility, it was not controllable in full-auto mode, but this was not a problem except in dense jungle enviornments such as those found in SouthEast Asia.

As an example of this, and of the M14's continued viability as a modern combat rifle, the M14 has recently been brought out of retirement and returned to service in Afghanistan, for the reason that targets are often far beyond the 400Yard effective range of the M16. The M14 is a target-grade-accuracy weapon. A single person with an M14 can engage multiple targets armed with AK47's or AK74's at distances farther than either of these com-bloc weapons are effective. The M14 is also every bit as much a reliable and rugged weapon as modern M16's, and was far MORE reliable than the Vietnam era M16's that replaced it. The primary reason it WAS replaced was that a lighter recoiling round in a full auto platform intended for use by squads of soldiers was found to be desirable in the dense Vietnamese undergrowth. Due to heavy recoil in full-auto, the M14 wasn't suitable for this type of combat.

All that being said, I believe as an individual, you would be much better off with the long-range accuracy and superior killing power of the M14. Unless you have a squad of riflemen armed with full-auto M16's and can guarantee that all combat situations will occur at distances of 400Yards or less, your chances of effectively defending yourself and engaging distant targets are greatly enhanced by the M14's extended range and heavier bullet. Unless you are quite wealthy, a full-auto version of either of these guns is likely beyond your economic reach, so semi-auto fire is what you will have to satisfy yourself with. This makes the M14 even MORE desirable, as much of the M16's effectiveness was dependant upon it's ability to spray full-auto with minimal recoil, preferably alongside many other M16's.

When limited to semi-auto fire the M14 becomes a far more deadly and effective weapon for a lone combatant.

An M1A (semi-auto M14) can be found for between 1000.00 and 1500.00$, depending on the features requested. That's not a lot more than the cost of a premium AR15 (semi-autoM16)The more expensive M14/M1A models are referred to as "National Match" guns, used in target competition, and are highly tuned for extreme M.O.A. accuracy without sacrificing reliability or ruggedness, - but even the "service grade" M1A is still a HIGHLY accurate weapon.

For an individual battle rifle, choose the M1A/M14. You'll be in a much better position to defend yourself with it.