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

Chuck24 said:
The only reason I have one is that there are people who think I shouldn't be allowed to have one.:mad:
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^^^^^^^^^

This!

Owned several and was issued as many throughout my career. Always thought it was a poor design and cartridge - but better than the mini 14. Will likely get another just because some folks don't want me to have it.
 
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This is third significant black rifle scare that I can recall in my lifetime. Each event resulted in scarcity of rifles and magazines, with the accompanying expected price gouging. The scares lasted a year or two each time, after which the free market returned prices and supply to normal levels. I think I have all the black rifles I need, but I would like to grab a Ranch Rifle at some point, because I had one and traded it years ago. That may have been the trade that made me realize I have regretted every gun that I ever sold or traded.
 
If you think that, at some time in the future, you might want an AR, that's a good enough reason to buy one.

But just because they might ban it? Getting one because they say I can't have it? That's the reason kids smoke cigarettes and teenagers drink beer. It's not a reason to do anything.

Now, I don't like ARs. I don't like their look. I don't like how they feel. I really don't like the spring noise in the stock when it's fired. So I don't have an AR. I've got a Mini. Will it shoot into an inch at 100 yards? Don't know. Never tried. If I feel the need to shoot tight groups at long distances, I'm get my M1A. I know it will do it.

If you're happy with the guns you have, and you don't see a need for an AR, I'd advise not getting one.
 
Mule Packer said:
My son says I need an AR. My question...why?

Okay...I'm ready. Educate me. Thanks.
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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.
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First off, most police departments have not had good luck with the ruger mini. That said, should you opt for an AR15, make sure it's a mil-spec weapon. Yes, the 5.56/223 Calibers threaten the left and may be banned if the election tilts left. You say you do not like black guns. I'd be more concerned with quality and accuracy than color.
Lastly, if you can only buy one. Get an AR-10 larger caliber and easier Ammo availability. Otherwise, by a couple.
These weapons will only go up in value. Your son is thinking ahead. I'm from the Viet Nam era and never thought I would see our country with this level of low information voters with such disdain for our military,
Our military is the reason these kids have their freedoms which most of them, and the millennial Group never fought for. Freedom is not free.
 
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The other thing I forgot to mention but others didn't. ....you can change caliber with a switch of the upper. As long as the mag fits into a standard AR magwell. If you don't like 223 you can get a 7.62x39, 300 BLK, 6.8, 6.5 Grendel, and a host of others. If you still think those suck there is also 458socom and 50 beawolf. And lest not forget the pistol calibers as well....9/45. And for the ultimate. ....an upper that feeds a single shot (cause the mag well is to small) 50 BMG
 
I think if the bad guys have them the good guys should have them too.

I haven't purchased yet but it's on my short list, trouble is NJ, choices are limited.

Look at what NY did, register, sell, move or become an instant class A misdemeanor criminal. Not sure I want to go down that path.
 
I had 2 ARs (a Colt and a Bushmaster) and 2 Mini 14s. I sold the ARs ($$$$) and kept the Mini 14s.

I like the AR platform and have nothing against it. It is more accurate and the Mini is coming up in price while the AR is currently going down. However, I can hit the black at 100 yards all day long with either of my Mini 14s and that's all I can ask of such a rifle.

Having said all of that, I think you have time to think about it. The current administration is not going to get an "Assault Weapons Ban", and I think it's a stretch to think it will happen at all anytime soon. If politicians ever get any smarter there may be something to worry about. I found it amusing, during the last AWB, that none of them even knew the Mini 14 existed.
 
I'm not so concerned about the ending of civilization as much as I worry about the end of "assault weapon" sales in the US. ( At least in the short term.) IF your on the fence about whether you want an AR or not, consider buying a stripped lower receiver for $65 or so. This is the only part of an AR that you need to buy through a FFL. Once you have the receiver, the rest is just parts that can be mail order purchased at your leisure.

All that said, AR's are like potato chips. If try one get one, it's hard not to like it too much :-)
 
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Comrad said:
trouble is NJ, choices are limited.
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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
 
Well, in 1835 'our' government wanted to disarm Texans. In 1836 about 200 men held up in an old church in San Antonio and held off Government Troops for 13 days. If I ever get in a similar situation then I want something better than my squirrel gun. I hate to think it could happen except that it has happened before.
 
Well, my son bought an AR and said that I should get one too. Me, I'm a contrary old ******* and like my mini 14. Minute of 6" at 100 yards offhand is pretty much good enough for me. The mini is kinda like the "american AK" bullet proof.
So I did what any understanding father would do.
I bought a real AK :D
Every time I get the itch to buy an AR, I just heft one and put it to my shoulder and the urge passes. Kinda like the PPK.
I just gotta think that if the AR pisses off so many people than the AK had gotta be DA BOMB when it comes to pissing off the lefties. Now I'm just waiting for my shemagh to come in. :eek:
 
shotgun693 said:
Well, in 1835 'our' government wanted to disarm Texans. In 1836 about 200 men held up in an old church in San Antonio and held off Government Troops for 13 days. If I ever get in a similar situation then I want something better than my squirrel gun. I hate to think it could happen except that it has happened before.
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Mexico is now "our?"
 
Convince me that there's not a strong comparison. A popular charismatic is elected, circumvents the Constitution, begins to rule by edict, is openly prejudiced against white people and wants to disarm them. Maybe you don't read/know history?
 
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