My son says I need an AR. My question...why?

[Krogen]

Your son has a point. All sorts of restrictions could come our way. It would be timely to buy anything you figure may be prohibited at some point in the future. Of course, there's risk in that prohibited may in fact become confiscation. I'm willing to confront that risk with my purchases.

So recently, I bought a PTR-91. It's a clone of the HK-91 made on HK equipment. Essentially a G3 battle rifle without that pesky 3rd position on the selector. I'm not a huge fan of these rifles just yet, but it will interesting to play with. And, above all, I may not be able to get one one day when I am more interested. The correct 20 round mags are cheap, so I bought a bunch of those too. They're German surplus with 1960's date codes, so I can foresee our government deciding we can't import those one day.

No time like the present. These >are< the good old days of the future.

 

[Rick_A]

These are my only centerfire long guns.
20141202_115642 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

They serve any purpose I may have and are more than adequately accurate.

My first gun was a thumbhole stocked target style airgun. The M16A2 was an easy transition. The PSL actually has similar ergonomics to that comfy biathlon trainer. They feel like home and are extremely easy to operate and maintain.

Despite having access to cool things my kid chose this as a rifle:
20151215_130347 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

Absolutely nothing wrong with that either.

Fearing a ban my FIL got a Bushmaster AR-15. I'm the only one that's fired it and it sits in a safe. If it makes him feel better, that's all that matters.

I don't care much what others think of them. If you like it and can use it well, what other justification is there?

 

[Mule Packer]

Thanks for the replies, folks. Some great information and I really appreciate it.

I brought the question to the forum for a couple of reasons. First, neither my son nor I have had any experience with the AR. And second, over the years, I've come to realize that this forum is packed with a lot of knowledgeable people whose opinions I've come to respect.

You've given me a lot of information to weigh on the subject. Again, thanks for your help.

Chip

 

[gdogs]

If you don't need a 5.56, then you might not need an AR. But if you are going to buy a 5.56 then there are endless reasons to buy an AR over a Mini-14 (and I like and have owned several Mini's). Number one being caliber conversions. I've got AR uppers in 5.56, 7.62x39, 6.8spc, and 22lr - and there are several other rounds available. After that, it is just the simple modularity of the AR platform. Endlessly customizable for just about any use. They aren't perfect, and for a single caliber platform there are better choices available for some calibers. But for a multi caliber platform it stands alone. Just my two cents.

 

[bigggbbruce]

Your son brings up a good point,Now that Ct. has basically banned the
AR platform from the average citizen I really would like to have
one.

Given the chance the grabbers will have the entire nation with these rules. It is the next step. Buy them now and hope you can keep them.

 

[A10]

Buying guns for me has never been out of "need". But I has lotsa wants!

I have owned a bunch of ARs over the years. They are fun and cheap to shoot, and every single one (including the light barrel ones) have been accurate as all gitout. 200 yard bounce the beercan offhand accurate, which for me is purty darn good.

I have traded or sold most off (they are always good trade stock, kinda like a Glock). The one I have now sits in the bedroom with a red dot and a flashlight on it. It is my current "Git the Hell Outta My House" weapon. I like it better than my 870 because, with the light soft point bullets in it, it is less likely to punch through both the miscreant and multiple walls into the neighbors air space, would result in smaller patching of the wallboard, and holds a buncha bullits.

Truth is though, ya gotta use what you like.

 

[F75gunslinger]

I always thought the Garand was the ONLY rifle anybody ever needed. I never wanted an AR. Then, in 1994 Bill Clinton convinced me that I not only wanted one, but I NEEDED one.

Never got a round tuit. Now, here in NY they are illegal.

Don't wait like I did.

An AR is NOT illegal in NY. Certain "accessories" make it an " assault weapon " and you can't have them unless registered, but if you build the gun right it doesn't qualify and doesn't have to be registered. You can still go to almost any gun shop and buy a NY compliant AR that doesn't have to be registered.And as far as I know, after the deadline passed to register, you can no longer do so anyway.

Wish I could help you, but I can't. Sure as shootin', if I say you don't need one, dozens of other fellers'll come along wondering how dare I suggest that people don't need one of the things. They'll tell you how wonderful they are for this, that, and the other.

I had one. Bought a S&W M&P-15 back right at the start of the Big Panic of 2012. Even tricked it out with new quad rail forearm, new combo front vertical grip w/light. Bought four or five 30-round magazines for it...can't remember if it was four or five. Bought a bunch of .223 ammo, too.

So I brought my wonderful new rifle home. And except for showing it to a couple of friends and making a few photographs of the thing, it sat in the safe for a couple of years or however long it was. I never fired it , and after the initial sort of fascination with it, hardly even took it out to look at it.

Finally sold the thing and everything I'd bought for it to a fellow forum member from up in Wisconsin. Threw in all the ammo for free, didn't even charge for shipping it up there.

So did I need it? No. Did I want it? Yeah, briefly. Or I thought I wanted it.

If I ever buy another rifle, I'm pretty sure it'll be made of steel and wood and will shoot something like a .30-06 or even .30-30.

So like I said, I can't help you. If you can justify it, great. All I can say is, don't buy one just cause everyone else has one, don't buy it just to be buying it.

Good luck.

Doesn't sound to me like you really gave the gun much of a chance to like it at all.


They ARE like a Glock in the sense that they aren't necessarily pretty to look at. But if it functions all the time, and can shoot well ( my AR shoots better than I ever will ) then it has some merit. I can go out and shoot and go through a few boxes of ammo and not get tired doing it like a big bore rifle ( talking a few hundred rounds or more in one sitting ). I can build an upper to do whatever it is I want to do, and then set it aside and build another for a completely different task. There are very few rifles that i would compare to the small block Chevy of the auto world, but this is one of them. You can customize and adapt the gun to just about any purpose that you like, from a .22 version for small game or plinking to a full on large rifle caliber for taking game or distance shooting. It's really a unique option for customizing and making it your own.

 

[shawn mccarver]

My son says I need an AR. My question...why?

Answer: Why not?

 

[Heyman]

Not liking an AR-15 is like not liking a fine looking woman who can cook, clean, and get the job done.

 

[Comrad]

Good enough reason to leave. I moved here 36 years ago. I remember sitting around the kitchen table in Paterson saying "I'll probably live here til I die." First year or so was tough, culture shock. Now it's just like NJ was 36 years ago except nobody speaks English and everybody is armed to the teeth. Joe

I left Paterson 33 years ago but leaving NJ is a lot tougher. Three grown children and 7 grandchildren all in the area.
And everybody is Paterson is armed to the teeth, well at least the bad guys are.

 

[Harkrader]

*I* think the BEST reason is to have yet another way to play with your son at the range.
Our sons hounded me for several years to get one. They each had more than one in various formats.

Sooo, I finally relented and bought a Smith & Wesson. A S&W M&P 15-22P.
They won't let me take it to the range if they are with me. Can't understand why . . ..

 

[BAM-BAM]

You can't hunt with a semi in Pa........ so ARs and Mini's are "just" Range and Personal/Home Defense/SHTF/TEOTWAWKI guns.........

For years my "utility" rifle was a Winchester Trapper in .357.... more recently a Ruger 77/357 w/ a Weaver 1-3x20 scope....

If I'm going to shoot .223/5.56 more than likely it will be with my CZ 527FS/mannlicher with it's 5rd magazine and 1-5x20 Leupold scope...... which will shoot moa.

I've had 3 Mini-14s over the years..... the first two were pretty mediocre in the accuracy department ...and were soon traded....the current one a new "NRA" model with a 16" heavy barrel ..... is a whole lot better. Mine wears a Hogue Gillie Green stock, 1-3x20 Weaver scope and is low profile with a 10/rd factory magazine.

That said.........if personal finance isn't an issue.... like the Swiss.... every American home should have a AR-15, half a case of ammo and a dozen or so mags.

IMO.....99.9% of the time an AR/Mini-14 is good to go with a low profile 10 round magazine.......OK,OK.... a couple of backup 20 round mags are nice to have along.

 

[Xfuzz]

Why ?
Check this Country's current status.
Just get ya one and 1000 rds and stick it away.
As Ol' Woodrow said...
"Better to have and not need it..than need it and
not have it".

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

From a 15b bench gun to a suppressed SBR, hog gun... on and on... the AR is the rifle you want it to be. Think of the AR as the 1911 of long guns for those who like to customize. Ruger Mini... eh...

Here's mine.

 

[Bat Guano]

As a footnote, the S&W 15-22 is a dandy understudy for the AR. Granted, .22 ammo is still too hard to get, but that seems to be improving. I've shot mine a LOT, and that's quite a bit of good practice, and a lot less centerfire ammo expended.

Plus the 15-22 is very grandchild-friendly to boot.

 

[s&wbest]

I own an AR-7. Great pack rifle. Why would anyone ban or question it's use. ARphobia is for small minds. My capacity is 8rnds. My 522 is 30rnds. Still a .22. Fun range rifle. Ban small minds.

 

[JaPes]

Give me some reasons why you think a person should have an AR. I think if I were prone to get a semi-automatic rifle of that nature, I'd probably opt for something more like the Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle. But, that's just me.

I don't think a person who does not like an AR-15 pattern rifle should get an AR-15 pattern rifle. I had two. I tried my best to like them. I outfitted them both with aftermarket parts and furniture to get the AR-15 to fit me and fit my preferences. I learned the expensive way that the AR-15 pattern rifle isn't for everyone. No matter what I did to it, the AR-15 never satisfied me.

If you're drawn to the rifles that evolved from the M1 Garand design, I say you go for it. Since Ruger re-tooled the Mini-14 manufacturing line, they are excellent firearms. I also suggest taking a look at the Springfield Armory M1A.

I'll be honest. The only reason I'd buy an AR-15 today is because it's an Election Year. Election Years usually cause firearms and ammunition panic runs. I'd buy one for purely speculative reasons. A M&P 15-Sport II that has a perceived value of $600 today can have a perceived value of $1200+ during an election year cycle firearms/ammo panic.

 

[DR505]

Let us know what you decide.

I have two and use them for my LE job. My wife is on the same department, so we both qualify with the AR platform.

Bottom line: they just plain work.

 

[gwpercle]

Come on dad, don't you see what's going on ?
It's not that You need an AR , son WANTS an AR and he wants you to buy it for him, notice he said "WE" need an AR , as in buy two and give me one ? I used to try stuff like this on my old man , but he seldom fell for it, his answer was you need/want it, then you buy it with your own money. That boy's playing you like a fiddle .
Gary

 

[Dandecoteau]

Because this is why