Would an AR be your only rifle?

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Yes.

ETA: I generally use rifles for work, plinking/fun, 3-gun or multigun type competitions, and small game hunting. An AR with a spare .22 upper covers all of these needs.

A also enjoy long range paper punching and about every 3 years or so someone invites me to go shoot something larger than a rabbit, but these are an extremely small percentage of rounds fired (and to be fair with the size of the deer and ranges around here an AR in 5.56 would probably be fine, and something in 6.8 would probably be perfect.)

If I had to choose one, not only could, but it probably would be an AR.
 
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There are different tools for different tasks, but a good bolt-action in the .308-.300 Winchester Magnum power range is as close to the "one rifle" as you can get.
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John nailed it, for me at least.

To me, a rifle needs to be useful across a range of problems and the AR is too focused on addressing the small critters and two-legged vermin end of things. And yes, I've walked thru the scrub and hunted deer with a 7.62x39 and 6.8SPC AR for more than a decade now - I have a decent understanding of the capabilities of the platform. I've also built a number of 308-class ARs, and getting them in the same weight class as a bolt gun (light enough for all-day carry, day after day) is quite a feat.

The AR is a nice-to-have when you don't want too much gun and you feel the need for a number of potential fast follow-up shots. But I can handload most 30-cal chamberings and use them in a short handy bolt gun and get a far broader performance envelope out of that package than I can from an AR in general, and I can use my shotgun for repelling boarders if needed.

A body would be well served for most any need with a single 30-cal bolt gun, a 12ga shotgun, and a double-stack pistol. Everything else is preference and specialization.
 
JShirley said:
There are different tools for different tasks, but a good bolt-action in the .308-.300 Winchester Magnum power range is as close to the "one rifle" as you can get.
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That sounds like my Ruger GSR. ;)

I still think the question was poorly asked, and that many of the responses are more on the "would" an AR15 be your only weapon than "could" the AR15 be your only weapon. Again, given a choice between an AR15 and nothing, how can the answer be anything but "yes"? And if that's not the question the OP was really asking, we're just back to the "if you could only have one rifle, what would it be?" question. And we know a lot of people, maybe even a majority, are going to say "no" to that, if limited to the AR15.
 
baz said:
That sounds like my Ruger GSR. ;)

I still think the question was poorly asked, and that many of the responses are more on the "would" an AR15 be your only weapon than "could" the AR15 be your only weapon. Again, given a choice between an AR15 and nothing, how can the answer be anything but "yes"? And if that's not the question the OP was really asking, we're just back to the "if you could only have one rifle, what would it be?" question. And we know a lot of people, maybe even a majority, are going to say "no" to that, if limited to the AR15.
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I agree. The word "would" in the title is much different than the word "could" used in the body of post

For me it happens to be would and could, but the difference between the two is significant, and I think a lot of people 'could' but that doesn't mean they 'would', given a choice.
 
I was just wondering how many of you gentleman and ladies would choose an AR15 as your only rifle.
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Nothing un-clear about the question!

Answer is still No. (for a lot of reasons.)

Jim
 
I still think the question was poorly asked, and that many of the responses are more on the "would" an AR15 be your only weapon than "could" the AR15 be your only weapon. Again, given a choice between an AR15 and nothing, how can the answer be anything but "yes"? And if that's not the question the OP was really asking, we're just back to the "if you could only have one rifle, what would it be?" question. And we know a lot of people, maybe even a majority, are going to say "no" to that, if limited to the AR15.
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Pretty much...

Yes, I could live with it being the only one.. Would I want to by choice? Heck no.
 
In the only world I could see myself having to choose just one rifle it could easily be an AR and probably would be. Obviously in a world like that most of the AR's attributes will be shining.
 
If I could only have one rifle, it would be a lightly sporterized US Model 1917.
 
I haven't had an "only rifle" since I got my 2nd at age 11.

I just don't get the "only" questions.
 
Purely rhetorical, yes. Years ago that would not be my opinion. However, the past 3.5 years have seen mostly AR shooting and hunting with either my 6.8 SPC or 5.56. The only bolt gun trigger-time has been bench work load development.

If all my rifles disappeared today, an AR would be the first to begin replacing them.
 
It would be my last choice for my only rifle and I have multiple uppers in different calibers for it.
 
it would be my first choice.

i enjoy shooting precision, long range bolt guns more than any other type of shooting and have a number of surgeon, GAP and other custom builds. yes, i can hit targets from 5 - 1400 yards with them. and yes i can hike quite a ways with these 17-20 lb guns and 100+ rnds of ammo. and yes i can shoot them "quickly".

but...

quick... week before last i had the fastest time in the PRS match for shooting six 6" plates from 368 yards 11.42 seconds. but i could probably do it in half that time with an AR. and if you're talking IPSCs at 15 yards, which is a far more likely scenario, you could put 6 rounds in the A zone in 1-2 seconds. it's faster to get on target and multiple targets. split times will always be faster. follow up shots are faster.

weight... the AR is half the weight, and i can carry twice the ammo.

size.... it's easy to pack, easier to conceal, easier to travel with

holds 30 rounds in the mags

is just as reliable if not more so (if you think bolt guns are some how magically reliable, you should watch people at sniper matches. i'll bet money you will see more malfunctions than you will at a 3gun match)

and the caliber is good enough. it's an obvious compromise.

so while i still enjoy bolt gun shooting more, if i had to pick a single tool, it would be the AR in 556. the real question is, would i take my SBR or SPR.
 
I just don't get the "only" questions.
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i think the unstated assumption is (unstated because we do not allow SHTF/zombie threads around here with wildly implausible hollywood scenarios, so people just leave out the scenario altogether) if you are out and about for whatever reason and it's not feasible to carry your entire rifle collection with you, what are the pros and cons of the various compromises in action types and calibers. alternately, you could be limited by laws, finances or maybe just a very small living space. it wouldn't surprise me if we had members here who through unfortunate economic circumstances have lived out of their cars for extended periods of time and maybe just don't have room.
 
I think that it would serve multiple uses, but it would not make it as my only rifle. If I had a choice of two rifles, it would certainly fill the nitch for a small caliber, but not for a "one and only" rifle. Too small for me.
 
Could it be-i guess so.

would it be. Never. It would be my last choice. Anything referred to as a platform is just not for me.
 
I guess it could, if it was in .308. I sure wouldn't want it to be though.

I do like them, but there's just something about walnut and blued steel.
 
Only rifle? - no, not for me. At least up until now the primary function of a rifle in my life is chasing deer and elk. I do think a .308 is adequate for deer - but is a little limited as an elk round. I'll stick with my .300 win mag for elk. Besides power, the other thing I've noticed about AR's is that they are heavy.

I am in the process of building my first AR though. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it - but it is an interesting platform. I'm hoping to achieve a 1 moa rifle with decent weight and MV- so something along the lines of a med profile 18 or 20 bbl. I'm not real worried about zombies, so I have no desire to build a 14.5" battle rifle.
 
After owning hundreds of guns, I have never found a better combination of a
reliability, accurcy, fire power, light weight, and weather resistance.

The only living things I may ever shoot are rattle snakes, and bad men if necessary.

I shoot a lot, so ammo cost is a factor.

Given these things, an AR is the logical choice.
 
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