Re: Best Cypherpunk long gun (fwd)

Forwarded message:

> Date: Mon, 22 Dec 1997 23:34:51 -0700
> From: Tim May <tcmay@got.net>
> Subject: Re: Best Cypherpunk long gun

> Were I to recommend one rifle to meet most needs, it would be some variant
> of the AR-15, from Colt or Bushmaster or Olympic Arms, etc. About $800 for
> a common variant. No need for a collapsible stock.  This will handle social
> needs from short range, to a few hundred yards (maybe more).
> 
> There are those who recommend a cheaper SKS or AK-47 variant. I've never
> owned one, so can't honestly comment. The concensus in rec.guns and
> misc.survivalism seems to be that the AR shoots better and more accurately,
> but the AK-47 is more forgiving of bad conditions, dirt, etc. Inasmuch as I
> don't expect to be in the desert, or even any mud, I'll take the more
> accurate piece.

I would go for a HK 93 or G3 model myself w/ Zeiss 3x9 scope w/ some sort of
laser designator for long range (> 200 yds.). Chambered in .308 and will give
about a 4 to 6-in. group at 600 yds. from what I have seen - very handy for
shooting throug 4 in. brick walls as well. Very accurate (a very popular
sniper weapon) and more than forgiving with the environment. It's little
brother the MP-5 pretty much owns the SWAT and similar sorts of jobs.

A Desert Eagle chambered in .357 (you just *think* those .223 go through
vests) would be my close in choice.

Course you ain't gonna touch the HK for less than a few $k and the Desert
Eagles are over $1k.

> (The notion that the AR-15/M-16 "jams" is based on 35-year-old early
> experiences in Viet Nam, using an early design and early ammo. The jamming
> problems were fixed quickly, by changing the forward assist, changing the
> ammo a little, and teaching soldiers how to properly clean the weapon.)

Don't worry about it - go with a HK and you can fill the chamber with gunk
and the next cycle of the blowback bolt system will clear it. Excellent all
weather weapon. It'll even fire if un-oiled - not something you should do
with a M16/AR15.


    ____________________________________________________________________
   |                                                                    |
   |      Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make       |
   |      violent revolution inevitable.                                |
   |                                                                    |
   |                                          John F. Kennedy           |
   |                                                                    |
   |                                                                    | 
   |            _____                             The Armadillo Group   |
   |         ,::////;::-.                           Austin, Tx. USA     |
   |        /:'///// ``::>/|/                     http://www.ssz.com/   |
   |      .',  ||||    `/( e\                                           |
   |  -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'-                         Jim Choate       |
   |                                                 ravage@ssz.com     |
   |                                                  512-451-7087      |
   |____________________________________________________________________|

At 1:29 AM -0700 12/23/97, Jim Choate wrote:

>I would go for a HK 93 or G3 model myself w/ Zeiss 3x9 scope w/ some sort of
>laser designator for long range (> 200 yds.). Chambered in .308 and will give
>about a 4 to 6-in. group at 600 yds. from what I have seen - very handy for
>shooting throug 4 in. brick walls as well. Very accurate (a very popular
>sniper weapon) and more than forgiving with the environment. It's little

 I can't agree that the HK 91 (the .308 version) is a popular sniper
weapon. Very few are in use in the U.S. (Heckler and Koch does have the
PSG-1, but at $10K it's too steep for U.S. departments).

For sniper work, a bolt-action is by far the most popular piece. The
Remington PSS (Police Sniper Special, as I recall) is common. (I almost got
this model, but like the Varmint Synthetic--Stainless Fluted (VS-SF) a bit
more.)

Check out Plaster's "The Ultimate Sniper" for more on current sniper
weapons, current as of 1994-5.

I'm also skeptical about lasers, for daylight use. The three lasers I have
owned have been good for indoor use, but visibility outdoors during the day
is very poor.

(IR lasers with IR night vision gear is another matter, but also another
price matter, too.)


>brother the MP-5 pretty much owns the SWAT and similar sorts of jobs.


>Course you ain't gonna touch the HK for less than a few $k and the Desert
>Eagles are over $1k.
>

Speaking of the MP-5, I had the civilian model, the SP-89, for a few years.
This had a laser on it. Fun to shoot, but the 9mm rounds are too wimpy for
my taste. (Considering the targets I'm preparing to defend myself against
are wearing body armor.)

I sold the SP-89 for $2400, well over twice what I paid for it. BTW,
getting a functioning, legal MP-5 will cost more like $5K. Hardly worth it.


--Tim May

The Feds have shown their hand: they want a ban on domestic cryptography
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
ComSec 3DES:   408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^2,976,221   | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."