[QUOTE=ou1954;139188635]No intent to disagree or offend anyone, but as a simple hobby and self-defense shooter, I wonder why the AR-15 and similar rifles have such attraction.

I grew up using a rifle from age 12 or so but no longer hunt, and now at age 84 will probably not go hunting again. If I did I would choose what I call a "conventional" rifle style.

I was on the University of Oklahoma NROTC Rifle Team* and we won most of our matches, even beating the Texas schools. It was fun at the time but I have no desire to take a rifle to a gun range.

Why are those AR and similar style rifles so popular or attractive?

Well I can not speak for everyone but in my case I was in the army. I joined when the M16A1 was the issued weapon. I learned how to take them apart and clean them and shoot them. The Rifle I own is the M-4 civilian version of the M-16. I bought a Mini 30 and taking it apart was foreign. Putting it back together was a nightmare because I did not understand a couple of not so well know tricks to getting the bolt back in and had to watch youtube videos and zoom in to note that the video maker was pushing on the firing pin. No place in the manual or the video did it tell me to do that.. So I traded that in for the more familiar AR that I spent years with as it was my best friend and get me out of trouble go to device. I just think that many of us grew up with the AR in the military or thought our kids to use one because that is what we knew. Its kind of like your Dad bought a Chevy or a Ford or a Dodge and you because a Chevy, Ford or Dodge guy. Venturing into the waters of the import was a scary thing. well thats my take on it!