Do I need an AR15?

[Grayfox]

I've never cared for the AR-15. But a few years back when they were screaming to ban 'em again, I finally broke down and bought one just because. I doubt I've put 100 rounds through it. But I have one.

 

[sigp220.45]

I never had any desire for one since I’ve had one assigned to me since 1983. Before I retired I bought a DOC trade-in because it was a Colt and only $475. I shot it once and put it away. I may sell it and get something I like.

 

[Eric300]

I just don't get all of this, "I don't need an AR", "I don't like AR's", "AR's are evil weapons of war", etc. It's just stupid. Regardless of caliber, color, or, the amount of rounds the magazine holds. It's just another rifle....albeit a very customizable rifle for whatever one chooses to use it for.

 

[torizus]

That caliber may be the only ammo your neighbor or adversary has when or if its needed in dire straits.

Ironically. you could look at it as a backup.

 

[Xfuzz]

Sip...not sure of your age....
But, say you spent the dough on a shiny new AR.
If things go really south. How long could/would you last
against a 19-25 year old combat trained trooper ?

As advise, get a good lever action....If you survive any involved
altercations an AR and ammo will likely be on the ground...

 

[rwsmith]

I wasn't interested in them at all........

I my gun collection grew it came to have many types of rifles. Bolt, lever, semi..........

I shot an AK at the range. Didn't like it. Big deal.

I shot an AR at the range. I really liked it!

I decided maybe I wanted one, I knew my son did. So I bought two lowers and started getting parts and putting them together, but it was SLOW going.

Late last year I decided that I'd better finish them off, so I got the remaining parts from Palmetto Armory and finished them off. Now I have two. One for me, one for son.

They are fun to work and and shoot. They are fairly low powered, I can make them any of a dozen calibers. What's not to llke.

I did have a thread posted where I was having learn the manual of arms for the AR platform and had a few bugs in my handling which are fixed with some special help, like a penlight to help me see that the chamber's empty.

 

[austintexas]

I had no need, I have a 30-06 I bought in 1962 that still does one shot kills on deer. But, I decided I'd like to get an AR as close as the one I had in Vietnam. Picked up an SP 1 on the cheap just before that last gun crisis. It's easy to shoot, same as my M-16 just not full auto. Ammo was cheap until lately, still comparatively cheap. I just use it to kill paper. One thing that got me to buy one was when a female SSgt waxed me at a Highpower match with her AR, I was shooting my good old M1 Garand. Plus they can be accurized, ammo is cheap and there is no recoil.
SWCA892

 

[dsf]

After doing my time with what USAF called a GAU I pretty much stayed way from anything that looked like an M16. Until CA told me I shouldn't have one. I think I have about 5 now, with a dozen uppers in everything from 22 lr to 458 SOCOM and the usual 5.56. They're the gun version of potato chips.

One thing to consider, should an AW come. Add an upper to whateve AR lower you have and it becomes a different gun.

If one doesn't like the AR set up there's a"conventional" rifle out there called Flightlite SCR that uses AR uppers.

 

[squidsix]

I am an M14 guy all the way.
But I have several ARs.
Because: screw em

 

[p8riot]

Everyone should evaluate their own position. Here is a little something to chew on.
The Top 10 Reasons You Should Own An AR-15 Rifle

 

[Telecaster]

Sip...not sure of your age....
But, say you spent the dough on a shiny new AR.
If things go really south. How long could/would you last
against a 19-25 year old combat trained trooper ?

As advise, get a good lever action....If you survive any involved
altercations an AR and ammo will likely be on the ground...

Wise old man with nothing left to lose vs. young know-it-alls who just want to finish their work day, go drinking and chase women?

 

[Bozz10mm]

Yes, you need one, if only because a certain group hates them. I think I bought mine mostly as an act of defiance. But once I had it, I wondered why I waited so long.

 

[washerman]

I my gun collection grew it came to have many types of rifles. Bolt, lever, semi..........

I shot an AK at the range. Didn't like it. Big deal.

I shot an AR at the range. I really liked it!

I decided maybe I wanted one, I knew my son did. So I bought two lowers and started getting parts and putting them together, but it was SLOW going.

Late last year I decided that I'd better finish them off, so I got the remaining parts from Palmetto Armory and finished them off. Now I have two. One for me, one for son.

They are fun to work and and shoot. They are fairly low powered, I can make them any of a dozen calibers. What's not to llke.

I did have a thread posted where I was having learn the manual of arms for the AR platform and had a few bugs in my handling which are fixed with some special help, like a penlight to help me see that the chamber's empty.

I know nothing about rifles. This maybe a really dumb question but whats the difference between an AR and an AK?

 

[Bozz10mm]

The AR is an American design, chambered mostly in 5.56mm. The AK is a Russian design, chambered mostly in 7.62 x 39mm.

 

[double-dipper]

BigBill, I'm with you on "I never had an interest in an AR-15" even after serving 21 years active duty army. I now own two! My story is on the way to vote in the 2016 election I stopped at a LSG and purchased one. I enjoyed shooting it and decided to build one. So I did and now have two.
Disclaimer; if someone from the current administration is reading this I sold both of them to some guy I don't know and cannot remember.

 

[rockquarry]

I've enjoyed all sorts of firearms since the 1960s. After about fifty years of handloading for a variety of rifles and handguns, I became curious about ARs. All this curiosity was from a shooting, accuracy, and handloading perspective and not for the reasons already cited in this thread, though I've been an NRA Life member for decades.

I tried several ARs, all Colts, because I figured if I lost interest, these would hold value best and be the easiest to dispose of. These guns have functioned perfectly and have been accurate, right out of the boxes. They've been fired considerably, always in the pursuit of load development and accuracy, never to see how fast I could heat up the barrel or empty a magazine.

I question the perceived practical value of features like rapidity of fire, a large magazine capacity, and a barrel that is too short vs. a good quality bolt-action rifle. The possibility of metropolitan civilian front porch warfare is pretty unlikely even though many seem to enjoy fantasizing about such matters as they dress in their desert camouflage costumes. Reasonable preparedness and paranoia aren't the same thing.

I've become disinterested in ARs; they don't offer the allure for me that they do for many, but I'll not criticize those that enjoy these guns. Our tastes vary and I'm certainly appreciative for the choices we have.

 

[ladder13]

I was in the “why does anyone want one of those things” frame of mind.
Then one day at the range I picked up a Colt from the guy next to me. That was it, off to the races.
I use a 300 BLK SBR for deer hunting in the thick NC woods. My shotgun and long guns relegated to the safe.

 

[jjmIII_Ruger]

There was a time you could get a base S&W or Ruger for about $500. I saw no reason not to buy one of each.

 

[gwpercle]

If Joe believes you and I shouldn't have one ... then
YES we both need to get one !
Gary

 

[Huski92]

I would get one. Get it broken and sighted in. If it sits in you safe, at least you have it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk