Best Lightweight Semi Auto 308?

[PredatorSlayer]

I am wanting a lightweight semi auto 308 for pig hunting and the annual AK moose hunt. I have it narrowed down to 2 options, but am open to others:

1. Browning BAR 308 DBM
2. Christensen CA10 DMR

I thought the ruger SFAR was going to be the ticket, bought one and hated it. I own a few CA bolt action rifles and have had great luck and experiences with them. They also offer an accuracy guarantee, so that is appealing for the CA10. I am not a huge AR platform guy, so the browning is appealing.

Any experience with these two, or others I should be considering?

 

[KenLee]

I have a now discontinued BAR MKII lightweight stalker 308.
Been happy with it, but it's limited to 5 rounds.
It shoots the cheap 150 gr blue box Federal Power Shok and Hornady Whitetail ammo good enough that I've never tried anything else in it.

 

[_S_R_]

What’s wrong with your SFAR?
My SFAR with Vortex Spitfire gen II topped Vortex Venom rds rifle weight 7.7 lbs and with scope pushed 8.3lb. Rifle ran no problem during 250rd break in period, 4 boxes for accuracy testing and 2 local gun matches. Only FTF was caused by magpul 10rd mags.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

M1A guy here. I love them, but light…they are not.

 

[JRS3]

A buddy got one of these last year for his daughter to use and loves it. He wanted the FN version but they are tough to find but he has been very pleased with this.

BAR MK 3 DBM Wood - Semi-Auto Rifle - Browning

The BAR MK 3 is a multipurpose semi-automatic rifle with an 18" fluted barrel and oil finish Grade II Turkish walnut stock. Detachable box magazine, lightweight alloy receiver with Picatinny rail scope bases and a proven reliable gas piston system.

www.browning.com

 

[ropeup79]

If you’re open to older rifles a Winchester Model 100 might fit the bill. Or a Remington 742 variant

 

[burbank]

Browning BAR IMO

 

[SDHNTR]

BAR

 

[SloppyJ]

If you’re open to older rifles a Winchester Model 100 might fit the bill. Or a Remington 742 variant

I have a mid 1960s model 100 in .243 and it's a really nice rifle. My grandpa gave it to me as my first rifle. I wouldn't mind finding the 308 and 284 versions to round out the set. I think the. 243 is the harder one to find.

If you go down this road, make sure it's had the recall completed for the firing pin. You can call winchester and they will run the serial and tell you. Also, make sure it can extract a case. They're notorious for breaking. One last thing, keep locktite on the action screws. If they get loose and the bolt goes over them, the trigger traps the bolt and it can't go back. Had to have mine split in half to get fixed.

 

[RockAndSage]

OP, if money's no object and you want light, F4 makes small-frame .308s (and .22CM, 7mm-08), etc, that are under 6 lbs, sub-MOA:

F4 Night Hawk - Ultralight Small Frame AR10 - F4 Defense

Common Use: Hunting & Precision Shooting * SUB 1/2 MOA Guarantee * The F4 NightHawk is the latest release from a dominate line of Small Frame AR10's. F4 already had the lightest AR10 rifle on the market and we've now beat that by almost a full pound! Not only does the Night Hawk dominate...

www.f4defense.com

 

[KenLee]

A buddy got one of these last year for his daughter to use and loves it.

Did he chop the stock for her?
LOP is crazy long on the DBM

 

[PredatorSlayer]

OP, if money's no object and you want light, F4 makes small-frame .308s (and .22CM, 7mm-08), etc, that are under 6 lbs, sub-MOA:

F4 Night Hawk - Ultralight Small Frame AR10 - F4 Defense

Common Use: Hunting & Precision Shooting * SUB 1/2 MOA Guarantee * The F4 NightHawk is the latest release from a dominate line of Small Frame AR10's. F4 already had the lightest AR10 rifle on the market and we've now beat that by almost a full pound! Not only does the Night Hawk dominate...

www.f4defense.com

These weren’t even on my radar and 1/2 moa guarantee is pretty nuts on an AR10

 

[elkivory]

I have a mid 1960s model 100 in .243 and it's a really nice rifle. My grandpa gave it to me as my first rifle. I wouldn't mind finding the 308 and 284 versions to round out the set. I think the. 243 is the harder one to find.

If you go down this road, make sure it's had the recall completed for the firing pin. You can call winchester and they will run the serial and tell you. Also, make sure it can extract a case. They're notorious for breaking. One last thing, keep locktite on the action screws. If they get loose and the bolt goes over them, the trigger traps the bolt and it can't go back. Had to have mine split in half to get fixed.

I have one in 308 I bought earlier this year. Love the gun, but I have had a few failure to feed rounds. I've only fired the cheap federal blue box ammo.I did the minimal take down and cleaned and lubed. What are you talking about on extracting a case and something breaking. What breaks. I will check screws and call winchester about recall. Thanks for posting.

 

[SloppyJ]

I have one in 308 I bought earlier this year. Love the gun, but I have had a few failure to feed rounds. I've only fired the cheap federal blue box ammo.I did the minimal take down and cleaned and lubed. What are you talking about on extracting a case and something breaking. What breaks. I will check screws and call winchester about recall. Thanks for posting.

No problem man. I found out last year mine hadn't been fixed. I need to send the firing pin back and they will send a new one. I took mine completely apart and liked to not get it back together. Thanks to some youtube videos I got it. It's hands down the most complicated rifle assembly I've ever had.

I'm not really sure what's wrong with it. The extractor doesn't work at all. Not even on an unfired case. It won't pull one out of the chamber. My guess is that there's some pitting in the chamber and when fired, it flows into those areas and makes it hard on the extractor. However that's just a guess and if you google a bit, it's a common problem. There's plenty of people out there who got it fixed and it continued to happen to them. I think it could be a bad design. There are only two companies that I know of that have parts.

I shot a buck with it about 10yrs ago and it jammed. Turns out the fired case was stuck in the chamber and it shoved the new round into the back of it and jammed up. Took my knife out and had to pry the case out. It's been broke since then. It's a sentimental gun to me for obvious reasons but I haven't found anyone local I trust to work on it. Most don't have any experience with that rifle and if you've taken it down, I think you'll agree that you want someone who knows what they're doing to work on it.

You might try a different mag. I've read about people solving feeding issues with new mags. Not sure if it'd help, just a thought. Mine has been fed a steady diet of 100gr corelokts that I was given with the rifle. I've never tried anything else.

 

[KenLee]

No problem man. I found out last year mine hadn't been fixed. I need to send the firing pin back and they will send a new one. I took mine completely apart and liked to not get it back together. Thanks to some youtube videos I got it. It's hands down the most complicated rifle assembly I've ever had.

I'm not really sure what's wrong with it. The extractor doesn't work at all. Not even on an unfired case. It won't pull one out of the chamber. My guess is that there's some pitting in the chamber and when fired, it flows into those areas and makes it hard on the extractor. However that's just a guess and if you google a bit, it's a common problem. There's plenty of people out there who got it fixed and it continued to happen to them. I think it could be a bad design. There are only two companies that I know of that have parts.

I shot a buck with it about 10yrs ago and it jammed. Turns out the fired case was stuck in the chamber and it shoved the new round into the back of it and jammed up. Took my knife out and had to pry the case out. It's been broke since then. It's a sentimental gun to me for obvious reasons but I haven't found anyone local I trust to work on it. Most don't have any experience with that rifle and if you've taken it down, I think you'll agree that you want someone who knows what they're doing to work on it.

You might try a different mag. I've read about people solving feeding issues with new mags. Not sure if it'd help, just a thought. Mine has been fed a steady diet of 100gr corelokts that I was given with the rifle. I've never tried anything else.

May need an extractor, but definitely needs the chamber honed.

 

[ARK_Ginger]

I've wanted to handle one of these ROAM RIFLES

But really for the money, you could modify a Ruger SFAR to get it to run properly. I would start with a better ar15 handguard and a riflespeed gas block.

 

[SloppyJ]

May need an extractor, but definitely needs the chamber honed.

It needs both for sure. Since you know what I'm talking about, I assume you have one or are familiar with them. Do you happen to know of a gunsmith who is well versed in them? That rifle means a lot to me and I'd like to get it in working order so my boys can take a deer with it. Hell, I'd like to reload for it too.

 

[KenLee]

It needs both for sure. Since you know what I'm talking about, I assume you have one or are familiar with them. Do you happen to know of a gunsmith who is well versed in them? That rifle means a lot to me and I'd like to get it in working order so my boys can take a deer with it. Hell, I'd like to reload for it too.

Yes I have one in 308. Unfortunately the gunsmith who worked on mine passed away about 5 years ago.

 

[yfarm]

This is a thread about building an AR 308 as light as possible. 4.5 lbs

Lightest AR 308 @ 71.75 ounces or 4.48 pounds

www.68forums.com