Would an AR be your only rifle?

[H&Hhunter]

AR as my only rifle? No way Jose'!

I don't like the way they carry, I don't like the calibers they shoot, and I have had multiple problems with them when it comes to function issues.

If I had to have only one rifle for everything on this planet it would be a .375H&H on a bolt CRF platform. You are seldom under gunned never over gunned and it is a capable game swatter as far out as you can reliably hit.

Second choice is the same platform in .30-06 as long as I wasn't spending much time in thick alder country in South central AK or the jesse bush of Southern Africa.

Come to think of it I do own both and not any AR rifles. Every time I get an AR 15 I play with it for a while then it sits in the safe and eventually I sell it. I just don't have much need for a 9 LB .22 CRF that is a PITA to carry in the field. About the only thing I find them useful for is volume prairie dog popping and for that they are fun. But the little .223 doesn't have the poop to get it done reliably past about 300 yards on a windy day that's when you find out how limited that little pip squeak round really is. No BC no SD and the wind carries it like a feather.

No offense to you AR dudes at all. It's just not the best tool in the chest for my style of shooting and hunting.

 

[Warp]

I think this discussion would be a lot more interesting if we could identify the respondents whose only rifle would primarily be used for hunting.

I may just make a thread with a poll to link in here to get a visual on this

 

[CoyoteSix]

Might have a good one there ^^^

 

[HoosierQ]

I wish we lived in a world where I'd be comfortable with an AR-15 as my only rifle because if we did...I would. To me, politics asside, the AR-15 is the Kentucky Rifle or the Winchester 73 of the 21st century.

 

[Warp]

POLL

http://www.thehighroad.org/forumdisplay.php?f=6

 

[chicharrones]

Do you mean, POLL? http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=726464

 

[Warp]

lol crap I messed that up.

Thanks for the link postage

 

[savanahsdad]

It seems many forget that an AR15 is NOT limited to 5.56/223 only...

OP never mentioned the caliber restriction, so you could have an AR in 6.5, 6.8, 7.62x39, 300BLK, 50Beowulf, etc etc.

Yes, it could be my only rifle if I was limited to one. I would probably choose a different caliber though to suit an all-purpose need, and granted you could have other firearms (shotgun and pistols).

right , ^^^^^ if it was only a 5.56/223, I would have said ,"could NO , would NO" the only reason I even bought an AR15 was because I thought a semi-auto WSSM would be a blast , and boy was I right !!!

 

[Inebriated]

Not for me. AK would take that spot.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Still not a single caliber that would suit my needs. Now stepping up to an AR10 maybe but it's still a clunky chunky non ergonomic rifle with function issues IMO.

 

[Art Eatman]

Aw, an AR is a good truck gun for the occasional varmint, and it would work as a home defense gun. But, same for a Mini-14. And you can carry a Mini at the balance point, which is a big plus for a hunter.

 

[jon_in_wv]

Short answer, no.

If I could only have one rifle it would be my Stevens 200 in .308. or similar.

 

[browningguy]

Sure, if I was poor and could only afford 1 rifle there is no reason an AR in 6.5 Grendel couldn't do about everything I use them for.

 

[Warp]

Sure, if I was poor and could only afford 1 rifle there is no reason an AR in 6.5 Grendel couldn't do about everything I use them for.

That seems like a rather expensive round for somebody who is poor

 

[68wj]

That seems like a rather expensive round for somebody who is poor

Most of the AR variant calibers are labeled expensive, but that seems relative only to FMJ type range fodder .223. Mag dumps and carbine courses add up if that's your thing, but compare hunting type ammo the price is very close. Compared to the larger cartridges, they start to look like a value. Once again it depends on the end use.

However, if wanting to take an economic arguement, the AR itself is the pricey option. The value is relative.

 

[Devilfrog]

Yes, the AR would work just fine for my needs, but the thought of only one gun? Ugh!

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Not mine for sure! Too many other options that I actually like to choose something that I don't.

 

[HexHead]

Not likely since I've never owned one and currently have no desire to change that.

 

[asia331]

AR in the M4 variant makes a great home defense carbine.....but as my one and only? Not even close; for anything beyond close home defense I'll need a true battle rifle in 7.62x51.

 

[FiremanJim]

Answer no.
I love my new M4 build.
But I really love my M24 replica for more precise shots.

 

[AlexanderA]

If I had to pick just one gun (and that includes handguns), the AR-15 would be it. Fortunately, I'm not in that position.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

The answer to the O.P. is not only no, but hell no.

900F

 

[taliv]

nice rifle fireman jim

 

[Warp]

Fella's;

The answer to the O.P. is not only no, but hell no.

900F

Your answer is not my answer and may not be anybody else's answer, same as my answer is not your answer and may not be anybody else's answer.

 

[PhotoBiker]

Most certainly not. In fact, i dont even own an AR (Uncle Sam let me use his a little over twenty years ago and i haven't seen the need to get another).

So far, the new Ruger Gunsite Stainless would be my "if i could only have one". But since i can have more than one, i will keep my other ones)