R1 gone - The Panther Has Landed!

[tucker301]

Here's what the funds from the sale of my R1 brought me yesterday.

It weighs about twice what the R1 weighed, but I don't do a lot of long-range walking anyway, so that's no biggie.

Mostly, I just wanted a more accurate and more durable semi-auto deer rifle.

Nothing wrong with the R1. It just wasn't for me.

[sdkidaho]

What is it? Besides some type of cat, I mean.

[tucker301]

DPMS Panther Arms .308 Long Range.
24" bull barrel, free float handguard, 2 20 round clips.
3-9 X 40 Leupold on QR rings.

I'm a southpaw, so I've got an ambidexterious safety and brass defelctor on the way.

These babies are known for shooting sub 1/2 MOA groups pretty consistently, so I am hopeful.

She's a bit heavy at 12 lbs., so I may do some tweaking to take the weight down a bit.
Got a friend who has just recently opened a machine shop with all kinds of new toys, so it's no telling where this thing will end up by deer season

I'm already thinking that I'd like to cut the barrel down by an inch or two in length, maybe trim her girth down by about .20 and give her a slight taper with flutes.

A carbon fiber handguard will look nicer and feel warmer too.

[sdkidaho]

Cool - look forward to seeing your mods.

[alakso]

Nice rifle Tucker301,

I'm also very interested in the AR10 and it's clones for hunting here in Maine. But I can't find one anywhere near 7 lbs.. Thought about building one on an Eagle Arms lower, add a nice fluted 20" tube, and maybe I could get it down under 8lbs.? Where I hunt here in Maine I do a lot of tracking and need a light weight semi auto for hunting the mountains and cedar swamps. I've seriously considered the R1. I've been checking them out at some local shops and they are nice. The trigger on the ones I've handled were decent so maybe Benelli is getting their act together on the R1 trigger? But all things being considered, trigger, accuracy, price, etc.. I'm going to go with a Browning BAR .308 ShortTrac Stalker. At only 6 lbs., 10 oz. it's the lightest semi auto out there. Also has a nice trigger and from the people I know who own BAR's they are real shooters. Plus it's over $400 cheaper then an R1. alakso

[tucker301]

From what I hear, the new BARs with the redesigned synthetic stock and forearm will be shipping in late Aug. to early Sept.

By then, I may even decide that I need one of those too

[alakso]

Tucker, are the redesigned stocks on the ShortTrac and LongTrac BAR Stalkers the same as on the wood stocked models. i.e., euro styling?

Will the BAR S/T and L/T Mossy Oak Break-up model be available then also? alakso

[tucker301]

Yes, they are the new designs.



The camo models are supposed to be available in August.

[Cornish]

Tucker, Have just swapped my BAR for the R 1 and am alarmed about your durability comment and wondered if you could expand on same.

Must say that I have only fired about 20 rds so far but its accuracy does not compare. The BAR at 100yds found all 5 rds in basic contact.
However the jury is out until I have tried some more makes of ammo.

The Winchester supreme groups very badly compared to the Federal Shok.
Incidentally its a 300WSW.

[garren]

Originally posted by tucker301:
Here's what the funds from the sale of my R1 brought me yesterday.

Beautiful! It looks very compact, but compared to ammo boxes, it must be at least… 42”? If not the state laws, I probably would like to have one too, but not instead. Hope this one will meet your expectations, traitor . I’ll be waiting for your target posts.

[ 08-01-2006, 06:08 PM: Message edited by: garren ]