Why do so many love and/or want the AR-15?

[OC Freedom]

I guess I'm the oddball in the group. From the day I fired my first M16, back in 1973, I took a dislike to the weapon. I still remember pulling the trigger and hearing, "Bang! Sproing!" and thinking, "What the Hell is this; a Daisy BB gun?"

Bear in mind that I was, up until that time, far better acquainted with the M1 and the M14. As I used the M16 more, I found that it required far more cleaning and was less reliable than either the M1 or the M14. It also did not have the range of either of the other weapons. I understand that many of the problems with the early M16/AR15 platforms have been corrected but I am still strongly influenced by those early experiences.

Another thing that bothered me back then was that the drill sergeants seemed to be pushing "spray and pray" over aimed, accurate rifle fire. I never could buy into that. Granted, it is not an issue with a semiautomatic rifle like it is with one that is fully automatic, but it added to my bias.

Given my choice of rifles, I'd go with M1, M1A, or M14 in semiautomatic rifles and '03 Springfield, Remington 700, Ruger American All-Weather, or one of the Weatherby series. My preferred calibers are 30-06, .308, 7.62NATO.

Yeah, guys, I know I'm a dinosaur!:lol:

You are not alone. I will take a 1873 or 1876 winchester repeater over any other rifle that exist today. BTW the M1 is better than a AR-15. Thats just my opinion and it should be yours too.

 

[acmariner99]

This has been a question for me for a long time.

The almighty AR-15; IMO the AR-15 is one of the most versatile firearm platforms in existence. You can use it for just about any situation imaginable and they are infinitely customizable. Heck, I've even heard that you can swap an AR upper for a platform that fires 50 BMG. The basic AR is fairly lightweight, low recoil, and simple to use.The cartridge and magazines are also fairly common and are usually a reasonable price.

 

[johnfenter]

New term!

"And we are like mormons with them .. must have more than one."

Congratulations! You have invented a new word - "Polygunamy".

 

[davidmcbeth]

"And we are like mormons with them .. must have more than one."

Congratulations! You have invented a new word - "Polygunamy".

I tip my hat to the true inventor --

 

[Wolfgang1952]

I guess I'm the oddball in the group. From the day I fired my first M16, back in 1973, I took a dislike to the weapon. I still remember pulling the trigger and hearing, "Bang! Sproing!" and thinking, "What the Hell is this; a Daisy BB gun?"

Bear in mind that I was, up until that time, far better acquainted with the M1 and the M14. As I used the M16 more, I found that it required far more cleaning and was less reliable than either the M1 or the M14. It also did not have the range of either of the other weapons. I understand that many of the problems with the early M16/AR15 platforms have been corrected but I am still strongly influenced by those early experiences.

Another thing that bothered me back then was that the drill sergeants seemed to be pushing "spray and pray" over aimed, accurate rifle fire. I never could buy into that. Granted, it is not an issue with a semiautomatic rifle like it is with one that is fully automatic, but it added to my bias.

Given my choice of rifles, I'd go with M1, M1A, or M14 in semiautomatic rifles and '03 Springfield, Remington 700, Ruger American All-Weather, or one of the Weatherby series. My preferred calibers are 30-06, .308, 7.62NATO.

Yeah, guys, I know I'm a dinosaur!:lol:

I must be a dinosaur to. I would prefer my M1A, or FAL in 7.62 NATO over any one of my AR15’s. And I have quite a few AR15’s (18). I have switched to AR10 / LR308’s 7.62 NATO. Same basic AR design but just a lithe heaver. Just another Barbie Doll for men.

Wolf

 

[Gil223]

The almighty AR-15; IMO the AR-15 is one of the most versatile firearm platforms in existence. You can use it for just about any situation imaginable and they are infinitely customizable. Heck, I've even heard that you can swap an AR upper for a platform that fires 50 BMG. The basic AR is fairly lightweight, low recoil, and simple to use.The cartridge and magazines are also fairly common and are usually a reasonable price.

An upper for 50BMG? And how do you get the cartridges into the chamber with an AR-15 lower? The 50BMG projectile as about as long as a complete 5.56NATO round. The basic AR weighs about 6 pounds, the basic shoulder-fired (prone) 50BMG weighs anywhere from 18 pounds to almost 30 pounds. Why? RECOIL! You are right about the versatility (personalization) of the AR platform though. Pax...

 

[MAC702]

An upper for 50BMG? And how do you get the cartridges into the chamber with an AR-15 lower? The 50BMG projectile as about as long as a complete 5.56NATO round. The basic AR weighs about 6 pounds, the basic shoulder-fired 50BMG wieghs anywhere from 18 pounds to almost 30 pounds. Why? RECOIL! You are right about the versatility (personalization) of the AR platform though. Pax...

Not all AR uppers use the magwell of the lower. The AR57 upper uses it for bottom ejection of the 5.7mm cases. It is fed from a top magazine like the FN P90.

There are AR uppers that fire arrows. How do they fit in the mag well?

The .50 BMG upper that I have seen is a single shot. It only uses the lower as the "firearm" and fire control group.

Here's another one with a side-loading magazine: http://www.tactilite.com/Tactilite-T2-Upper-Receiver-p/t2.htm

 

[SFCRetired]

You are not alone. I will take a 1873 or 1876 winchester repeater over any other rifle that exist today. BTW the M1 is better than a AR-15. Thats just my opinion and it should be yours too.

Oh, it is, believe me! With a tuned-up M1 (trigger smoothed and a few other touches), 500 yards was no problem with iron sights and I have heard of shots made from much longer distances with iron sights. All I'll say is that they had far better eyesight than mine ever was. Maximum effective range on the M16 was 460 meters, slightly over 500 yards, but I never saw anyone consistently hit at that range with it.

I was told a long time ago that rifles like the Springfield, the Garand, and quite a few others, were tools made for craftsmen. I still believe that. Dunno what the Corps teaches now, but the Marines I knew many years ago told me that accurate, aimed, rifle fire was the bread and butter of the Marine Corps. That used to be what the Army taught in Basic Combat Training.

 

[CDT COX]

Oh, it is, believe me! With a tuned-up M1 (trigger smoothed and a few other touches), 500 yards was no problem with iron sights and I have heard of shots made from much longer distances with iron sights. All I'll say is that they had far better eyesight than mine ever was. Maximum effective range on the M16 was 460 meters, slightly over 500 yards, but I never saw anyone consistently hit at that range with it.

I was told a long time ago that rifles like the Springfield, the Garand, and quite a few others, were tools made for craftsmen. I still believe that. Dunno what the Corps teaches now, but the Marines I knew many years ago told me that accurate, aimed, rifle fire was the bread and butter of the Marine Corps. That used to be what the Army taught in Basic Combat Training.

Sounds like operator error to me. I nail 600m targets with my M4 like its child's play.

 

[SFCRetired]

Sounds like operator error to me. I nail 600m targets with my M4 like its child's play.

With what kind of sights? With the gee-whiz optical sights now, I don't doubt it. With iron sights, I'd have to see it.

 

[MAC702]

AR's compete with iron sights at 600 yards all the time. But it's a good thing the only thing that needs a hole is a piece of paper. "Effective range" takes more into account.

 

[Gil223]

Not all AR uppers use the magwell of the lower. The AR57 upper uses it for bottom ejection of the 5.7mm cases. It is fed from a top magazine like the FN P90.

The 5.7x28 sounds nice, but it's a relativity puny (379 ft-lbs of energy @ the muzzle w/27 & 30gr bullets) round. It was designed mainly to penetrate body armor and car doors, and doesn't have much "reach" compared to the 5.56NATO round or the 7.62X49 or X54. It does what it does well, especially when the projectile begins to rotate 180º right after impact. One could put a LOT of of lead downrange, but it's primarily a CQB round.

There are AR uppers that fire arrows. How do they fit in the mag well?

WOW! I need one of those to go with my trebuchet and ballista!

The .50 BMG upper that I have seen is a single shot. It only uses the lower as the "firearm" and fire control group.

I haven't seen a single shot .50BMG around here. I suppose it's not totally impractical, because by the time the projectile reaches the target area you could possibly have reloaded.

Here's another one with a side-loading magazine: http://www.tactilite.com/Tactilite-T2-Upper-Receiver-p/t2.htm

Now we're talkin'! But, from the sound of things, they aren't in full production yet (based upon their wait times of up to 12 months). You also have to compensate for about 1.5-2lbs of ammo hanging off to the left side. Sounds a bit too awkward for me.

Thanks for the info, Mac! Today, I did learn a few things I of which had no prior knowledge. Pax...

 

[davidmcbeth]

There are AR uppers that fire arrows. How do they fit in the mag well?

They don't of course .. they are propelled by a cross-bow action, not by gunpowder.

The lower just activates the release of the string ....

Nice bows though .. 100-150 yd range .... I can hit 100yd with my compound bow ... and put more arrows down to target v. cross-bow

Another AR-like toy for your collection !

pew (ratchet) pew lol

 

[Lord Sega]

 

[Gil223]

View attachment 11710

LOL!!:monkey

 

[JustaShooter]

With what kind of sights? With the gee-whiz optical sights now, I don't doubt it. With iron sights, I'd have to see it.

Guess it depends on what you mean by "nail 600m targets" as well. The 600 yard NRA High Power target is 60" diameter - for the 5 ring. Even I could probably "nail" that target all day long - after all, it is roughly the same as hitting a 10" target at 100 yards (yeah, I know - wind, yadda, yadda. I said "roughly").

But there are those who with tremendous amounts of skill, practice (and serious equipment to match) can find that 12" 10-ring and even that 6" X-ring at 600 yards often enough to be scary. And yes, that's with military (match-grade) rifles and standard military sights. It's shot prone, with a sling, but still impressive to see someone hit the 10-ring shot after shot at 600 yards.

Me, I've never had opportunity to go beyond 300 with mine, but standing, off-hand, no sling, I ring the 36" steel gong nearly every time. And the times I don't, I know I won't the instant I break the shot. Sitting/kneeling or prone the gong isn't challenging at all (but my "groups" look like shotgun patterns when I try on paper at that distance). Some day I'd like to get some training in positional shooting with a sling and see what I can do.

 

[jfrey123]

Just curious because it seems like 9/10 times, people who own rifles are the AR-15.

I avoided the evil black rifle bug until I won a lower in a raffle. So I put the lower together, bought a cheap 16" upper, shot it and fell in love. They're fun to build, they're fun to shoot, they can be built in a plethora of modular configurations to suit various needs. They're damned near perfect as a "jack of all trades" gun. Even the comical "boing boing" of the buffer spring when you shoot them grows on you.

 

[Perkins]

Well, aside from what's been mentioned (interchangable parts, modularity, et cetera), the recoil reducing, adjustible stock is one of the major features that makes it nice. My family got a chance to try one out; my short sister-in-law could adjust down the length of the stock to fit her, while the same rifle with the stock extended fits me or my brothers. It's a great choice for people on a budget, since it's something that anyone in the family can use, reducing the need to buy multiple firearms.

 

[davidmcbeth]

I avoided the evil black rifle bug until I won a lower in a raffle. So I put the lower together, bought a cheap 16" upper, shot it and fell in love. They're fun to build, they're fun to shoot, they can be built in a plethora of modular configurations to suit various needs. They're damned near perfect as a "jack of all trades" gun. Even the comical "boing boing" of the buffer spring when you shoot them grows on you.

A true love story .. write a sceenplay and make a movie out of your experience ... "AR Lov'in"

 

[Firearms Iinstuctor]

Because a good light semi auto carbine is very handy and works well for many things.