CM> can anyone give me advice?...I want to buy a rifle and am confused about
What is the intended primary and secondary use for the gun?
CM>caliber etc and I don't know what is a good deal and what is too much to 
pay
CM>for what I am looking for...I'd like to find something that fires a pretty 
bi
CM>round...I'd like something with a detachable magazine...hmmm //i saw an 
FN/FA
CM>.308 and I was told that with the right optics they are capable of making
CM>1000yd shots is this true?...are there any good sniper type rifles in the
Not really.  400-600 yards more probable, also depends on the skill of 
the shooter.  Famed marine sniper Carlos Hathcock, might very well be 
able to do that with the FAL, you or I might only get 400 yards.
CM>$600-$700 dollar price range?...uhhhh oh can anyone tell me where I can 
get t
Longer shots generally dictate a bolt action, and the savage 110 or 112 
series in a factory heavy barrel are reputed to be _very_ _very_ 
accurate.  And in longer shots, where you spend more time aiming, the 
time difference between a semi-auto and a bolt action is insignificant.
I'm assuming you want semi-auto because you intend to also have the gun 
perform as a medium range assault weapon.  Semi-auto definately helps in 
this case, but at a cost of limited longer range performance.  With $700 
to spend, I'd get a $400 Savage with a $200 scope, and a $100 chinese SKS
carbine.  You might spend an additional $100 on a synthetic stock and a
few 30 round mags for the SKS, but you will better acheive both optimum
long and medium range performance.
CM>best price on a rifle in S.A.?....I am really that knowledgible about 
rifles
CM>and could really REALLY use some sound advice about a rifle...to tell you 
the
CM>truth all the different calibers confuse the hell out of me so if anyone 
can
.308 winchester is good for long range, and ahs about 2500 ft-lbs muzzle
energy.  A 30.06 has about 3000 ft-lbs.  The SKS will give around
1300-1500 ft-lbs, quite formadable for close range especially with HP
ammo.  SKS is a great buy and if used appropriately, is every bit as
useful as a 30-30, the standard hunting caliber for the midwest farmer
types.
The FAL will do better at both long and medium as one gun, but still is
not a real long range shooter.  I stand by my reccomendations.  I'm
planning on getting a savage 110 in .25-06 (similar energy to the .308,
but smaller diameter bullet) for an all-around bolt action rifle.  And
the SKS is a great medium range carbine, good for deer up to 200 yards if
your eyes are up to it, whereas a 30-30 is a little more limited in
range, and costs twice as much.
The two-gun route is not as convenient, but will better suit your needs.  
I'd get the SKS first, it's cheaper, and will allow you to begin learning 
to shoot well as you will very much need to do so if you intend to make 
500+ yard shots, even if you have the most accurate gun in the world.
If you have $5000 to spend, a Barrett Light 50 is a semi-auto .50bmg, 
firing a .50cal BMG round, generally considered the most powerful small 
arms chambering available.  This is the preferred round for 1000+ yard 
shots, and in semi-auto mode, will destroy the engines of large trucks 
bearing down on you.  :-)
Hope some of this helps, also, grab a few gun magazines, look for the 
survival/military types based on the types of shooting you are 
describing.  It may take a few months, but you can glean a world of info 
from magazines.
þ SLMR 2.0 þ "Blessed be the pessimists, for they carry extra ammo!"
 * LAKOTA v1.5
--- Alexi/Mail 2.02 (#10000)
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