Looking to buy a MG, need expertise

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  • GeorgeSSR

    Active Member
    Jan 31, 2009
    196
    Guys, thanks for all the responses and private messages. I really appreciate the help you guys have given me.

    Not to be a dick (OK, maybe a little on the last one), but just to clarify:
    • If I'm buying something my preference is to have something that I can suppress as well. I still don't have a 9mm can, whereas I do have a .22 in hand and other four cans of various rifle calibers in NFA jail. Maybe in the future, but not right now.
    • A .22 conversion of some kind (being an upper or bolt replacement) is a must for me. I might buy a MAC for the next one for the pure bullet hose .22 so thanks Alpha and rob.
    • I said that my budget is under 20k. That Colt factory MG for 32k? Still out of my budget.
    • To the gentleman (I assume) who's offering the killer deal on the MP5: thanks for the offer, and while the "9mm is better in every way" since I declined in my response please stop sending me a message every hour to see if I have changed my mind. I haven't.
     

    ericoak

    don't drop Aboma on me
    Feb 20, 2010
    6,806
    Howard County
    Given the cost of anything in .223, and of ammo, I'd tend toward a 9mm subgun.

    The price difference really isn't that big is it? I'm getting steel 9mm for like $190 shipped and steel .223 for $230 shipped.

    Buying from a MD dealer you are going to pay a couple thousand more than you would from private sale.
     

    ar15dave

    AR15Dave
    Jun 10, 2008
    2,226
    Monrovia, MD
    Guys, thanks for all the responses and private messages. I really appreciate the help you guys have given me.

    Not to be a dick (OK, maybe a little on the last one), but just to clarify:
    • If I'm buying something my preference is to have something that I can suppress as well. I still don't have a 9mm can, whereas I do have a .22 in hand and other four cans of various rifle calibers in NFA jail. Maybe in the future, but not right now.
    • A .22 conversion of some kind (being an upper or bolt replacement) is a must for me. I might buy a MAC for the next one for the pure bullet hose .22 so thanks Alpha and rob.
    • I said that my budget is under 20k. That Colt factory MG for 32k? Still out of my budget.
    • To the gentleman (I assume) who's offering the killer deal on the MP5: thanks for the offer, and while the "9mm is better in every way" since I declined in my response please stop sending me a message every hour to see if I have changed my mind. I haven't.


    You can find Sendra M16s for about $16K-$18K. I see them all the time. You can run a 9MM upper on it very easily as well as a 22 upper.

    Just thinking versatility.

    Dave
     

    IMBLITZVT

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 20, 2009
    3,799
    Catonsville, MD
    You can find Sendra M16s for about $16K-$18K. I see them all the time. You can run a 9MM upper on it very easily as well as a 22 upper.

    Just thinking versatility.

    Dave

    I agree with Dave, Sendra or SP1 AR15 Conversion is the way to go. In budget and the most flexible gun out there. I had to come up with a bit more money for mine... it was well worth it. The biggest problem with the M16 is there is to much out there! A lot of it cheap chinese junk too, really made for Airsoft. That will not be the case with a Ruger. Few upgrades and accessories. No 100 different uppers to pick from. Macs are great to have too but no sold 223 option there yet. While I am not super happy with the 9mm options on the M16, it does work and fairly well.

    Make sure those 22 suppressors are FA rated too. To be frank, I have seen few suppressed MGs that don't gas you out when you shoot. I might not give that as much importance in my decision. I see people shooting MGs all the time and few run suppressors consistently on them.
     

    GeorgeSSR

    Active Member
    Jan 31, 2009
    196
    You can find Sendra M16s for about $16K-$18K. I see them all the time. You can run a 9MM upper on it very easily as well as a 22 upper.

    Just thinking versatility.

    Dave

    Yeah, agreed. I was referencing the PM where the offer was for a factory Colt MG. A MAC and an M16 are on my shortlist for my next purchase next year.
     

    IMBLITZVT

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 20, 2009
    3,799
    Catonsville, MD
    Yeah, agreed. I was referencing the PM where the offer was for a factory Colt MG. A MAC and an M16 are on my shortlist for my next purchase next year.

    If you wanted to cover the most types of MG shooting with the least number of MGs... I would suggest a AR15 conversion, a 1919a4 and a M11.

    The AR15 conversion is the best deal with the most versatility in the Assault rifle category. Its the gun of the future with new and different uppers coming out every day with no end in sight. No other assault rifle offers this with such a wide range of caliber options. You also have the option of turning it into a fairly good SMG.

    The 1919a4 is the most versatile belt fed. Its the best value with only the MG08/15 being cheaper. It can go on a bipod, tripod... watercooled or air cooled. Its not super modern but anything more modern is 3 times the price. It can shoot almost any rifle caliber.

    The M11 I think has the edge on the Mac 10 and M11A1 in that its the most common Mac used for conversions. The Mac 10 is a brick and why shoot 45 ACP when you can shoot 9mm for 2/3rds the price. The price of the Mac beats out any other modern SMG. Its also the platform for the future. Much like the M16, new uppers are coming out all the time. You can turn the M11 into a SMG thats easy to put optics on, which the MP5 and Uzi have much more difficulty with. While the MP5 shoots better and the Uzi has a better double stack mag... with recent steel mags coming out for the M11 and lage uppers/Tungsten bolts you can have a gun that shoots as well as an Uzi for half the price.

    So if you are a shooter, these are the guns to get. I own 2 of the 3. I have two Maxims which take the place of the 1919a4 but otherwise I would have added that by now too. The Maxims are great but a little harder to get running and only watercooled which is to much for most shooters.

    I have given this advice to a lot of people over the years. Many have taken me up on it and I have never had someone regret it. I have had those who did not come back and say they wish they had taken it.

    So if you are serious, and not to sound to arrogant, go buy one or all of the above. I feel like I have done the research, have the experience to make those suggestions and the confidence to know that you will be happy if you take it! If you want a gun to shoot and not an historic piece and are not made of money, they are very safe bets!

    P.S. in the year or year and a half it took me to save for a M16, I paid around a third more for the gun! I have a feeling all the gun listed above will be at least $1k or so more expensive in a year.
     

    Kingjamez

    Gun Builder
    Oct 22, 2009
    2,042
    Fairfax, VA
    Sadly I have not shot either my M11 or M16 for some time. :(

    But I do prefer the M16 over the M11 for fun factor. Less blowback to face from M16 also.

    Dave

    Having shot both many many times, there is zero doubt that the M16 is more fun than an M11. I only own an M11 though, but I'll be the first to say that an M16 is more versatile, more ergonomic, and can be "blinged" with literally thousands of accessories.

    For a budget of <$20K then a M16 is the clear choice, don't even look at anything else. Buy now, don't hesitate if you have the budget.

    Only if your budget is less than $15K should you consider anything else. In that case you should think carefully about the M11/9. It is still an enormous amount of fun, and new uppers and accessories are continually being developed for it. Because of that, add at least $1.5K to the price of an M11/9 for accessories to turn it into a viable shooter. Once you spend that money, you'll have one heck of a little SMG. The Lage .22 kit is a hoot to shoot.

    I'd steer you away from a AC556, it's a fine MG, I'd like to own one. IMO it's a MG for someone who already has other MG's, not a "first/one shot" MG.

    -Jim
     

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