Am I the only long-time shooter here who's never shot an AR?

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George P said:
They're the same ones who have never held, shot or owned a revolver either.......;)
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or driven a stick shift. or used a buggy whip. time marches on...

someguy2800 said:
For bench shooting at paper I find them rather unsatisfying. The triggers are terrible and I don't really care for the ergonomics on a bench. However where an AR is really good for alot of fun is if you have a range where you can set out various hard targets, jugs, cans, steel plates, ect... Where an AR is really proficient and where a bolt action just can't compete is hitting small targets at range in succession while transitioning from one to the next. Another fun game with an AR is to set a single hard target out at distance, say a cinder block or 8" steel plate at 200 yards and play how quickly can I hit it 5 out of 5 shots. Once I discovered these two games I suddenly realized what an AR is good for up and above anything else I've ever shot. I was about to sell mine until I figured out it isn't a benchrest gun. If you get the opportunity to do this type of shooting give it a try. I bet it will give you a new perspective on the gun even if your not inclined to actually own one. Once I tried doing this I suddenly started respecting them as rifles because it can do something none of my other guns are capable of.
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yeah, they suck for bench work and the triggers are NOT in the same league as bolt gun triggers (or the entire ignition system)

but yeah, shooting BIG targets FAST is what they're made for. If you want to know what an AR is good at, look at the games it dominates.
-NRA High Power. Dang near every rifle on the line at the national match is an AR15.
-3gun. Dang near everyone uses an AR15 or derivative. No other rifle comes close.

but you also have to look at what it DOESN'T dominate.
-PRS. for SMALL targets, the bolt gun will over take it. prone, 8" @ 200y, goes to the AR. 2" @ 200y goes to the bolt. 4" would be close but I'd probably take the bolt gun.

Varminterror said:
There are guys who are fast with a bolt gun, but it's just flat out lying to say a bolt can be as fast as an AR in the field, and that distinction CAN make a difference.
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on a coyote, for sure.
run a plate rack at 500 yards? i'll take the bolt gun. and probably average 12 seconds or so if the wind doesn't change :)

there's a PRS skills stage i call the meatball stage
PRS Skills Stage 1 consists of three targets, 12” x 12” placed at a distance of 400 yards and will have a spacing of 25 yards between targets 1 and 2 and 50 yards of spacing between targets 2 and 3. Start position is 10 yards behind the shooter’s box on level terrain with the rifle staged on the firing line. At the sound of the beep the shooter will move to the shooter’s box, assume a prone position and engage the targets from left to right and may only advance to the next target once the previous target has been hit. Once the shooter has successfully engaged all three targets from left to right, they will then reengage in the same fashion from right to left starting with the far right target. Par time is 90 seconds and round count is unlimited.
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realistically, you want to do that in 20 seconds with a bolt gun. i'd bet you could do it 4-5 seconds faster with an ar15.
but if you made those 4-6" plates, i bet i could do it faster with a bolt gun.
 
I have never driven a Corvette Stingray.

I shoot about anything I get a chance to from, 4mm rimfire to eight inch howitzer,......and at least I can honestly say I HAVE shot a .45-70 Deringer......twice.......but I don't plan to again.

-kBob
 
I had a 40 year hiatus from that platform after my Army service - I had zero desire to look at anything like it after I was discharged; I got interested again and purchased a WC Recon in 6.8 SPC - it is an extremely accurate rifle and the round is a deer dropper. I still favor the quintessential levers, bolts and single shots but my AR has a place. I can say that I no longer “own” (or maybe the word should be “control”) this AR because “The Boss” has adopted it for her deer hunting needs. With that said, it is a platform that I find more pragmatic than classy but, it is a very fine shooter.
 
Nature Boy said:
I have an M4-type AR and bought it mainly for nostalgia. It’s the first rifle I bought that was just for the fun of shooting (i.e. not hunting)

It got me making trips to the range and eventually lead me to buy an M1A. That led me to reloading which led to buying more accurate bolt action rifles which led to buying more accurate custom rifles which led me to competitions, etc........

Don’t buy an AR. Don’t start reloading. They are gateway drugs
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You put it much more clearly than I did! It took me places I may not have gone otherwise indeed.

Russellc
 
NatureBoy wrote:
Don’t buy an AR. ... They are gateway drugs
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I can stop buying ARs any time I want!

[/QUOTE]
Don’t start reloading. They are gateway drugs
[/QUOTE]

Okay. You got me here. I'm addicted. If I go more than a few weeks without preparing some brass, setting primers, measuring powder, sorting bullets, or something, I start to get antsy. I can recognize the smell Hornady Unique more readily than my wife's cologne!

Unfortunately, I don't think there are any 12 step programs for reloaders and its not something Naltrexone is any good at helping control.

In all seriousness, people with a drinking or narcotics addition for whom 12 step programs don't work well should ask their doctor about using Naltrexone and the Sinclair Method.
 
I have followed the Sinclair Method. I now own several concentricity gauges, numerous indicators and a few very nice bi-pod rigs. I also have more than enough cleaning rods and handloading dies, but seem to run out of targets and bullets often. I am not sure Sinclair International is working for me, but others should try it for themselves. In fact they have a sale on uppers and pin gauges as we speak. I going to go check it out, I could use some more brass too...:)
 
"Okay. You got me here. I'm addicted. If I go more than a few weeks without preparing some brass, setting primers, measuring powder, sorting bullets, or something, I start to get antsy. I can recognize the smell Hornady Unique more readily than my wife's cologne!"



I thought I might be the only one who liked the way powder smells! Varget is a favorite...Not that I cant stop anytime I want!

Russellc
 
ARs are completely ubiquitous now. Those who have not shot them are becoming a very small minority of the shooting public. 40 and under you are just as likely to see this one design at the bench as all others combined.
 
jmr40 said:
You shouldn't be allowed to call yourself a shooter unless you own a Winchester 94, a 1911, a quality bolt rifle, pump shotgun, a S&W revolver and an AR.
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Lol. :D

Let's see, what do I own?

Winchester 94 = Fired, never owned. Tend to prefer Marlins.
1911 = Fired, never owned but want to.
Quality bolt rifle = What I own may qualify.
Pump shotgun = Fired, never owned. Have a SxS instead.
S&W revolver = Fired several, never owned. Have other brands.
AR = Yep. Got one. Just one.

:p
 
Never shot one, and no desire to do so.
It is great though that so many enjoy our shooting sport in that way.
 
I was late to the party but I built one last year.

It's okay, but it sits in the closet for the most part. I mainly got one because right now is the golden age for them.
It doesn't make me feel warm and fuzzy inside like a big bore revolver does.

I like it okay I guess. I'll keep it just to have one, but I don't see myself buying another one.
I've been jonesing for a new gun lately and kicked around the idea of an AR10, but not for long. It will be another single action sixgun.

Nobody is wrong or right.
Different strokes for different folks.
 
Can't honestly say I "never fired" one. I thought prices had reached rock-bottom about 2 years ago and bought a used S&W Sport (original config) for cheap.

Took it down home for a range session one day. Would not cycle. Effectively a single shot.

Gave it to my vendor, who is a stand-up guy. He gave it to an employee to test, who claims it did fine. Was also told to "run it wet". I trust my vendor, but have never really trusted the employee designated to test. Haven't fired it again yet to verify one way or the other.

This was a range toy at the end of the day, so no big deal. I have another semi-auto rifle platform I trust for reliability and (semi-)serious business. But suffice it to say I was underwhelmed.



Even with my experience I don't condemn the AR out of hand. I can write it off to one bad specimen. But I will say that I am much happier with my .223 bolt gun. The AR sits around as trade bait for when the price pendulum swings the other way someday.
 
There are a great number of people who don't perceive a need or want for any firearm, why should it be surprising or impressive when someone hasn't perceived a need or want for a specific model? I've never had a falafel... The overwhelming majority of Americans have never been to China, never have had a compulsion to do so, and harbor no animosity towards the idea, just never had the compulsion... However 1 in 5 humans LIVE in China...
 
Varminterror said:
Orville and Wilbur never flew in a B747 either...
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Since Wilbur died in 1913 and Orville in 1948, that wouldn't have been their choice to make.

FWIW, in 1944 Orville did ride in, and possibly took the controls, of a Lockheed Constellation, a slower but more complex airplane than a 747.
 
I've been shooting since 1969. I just purchased my first AR last year. I do own a couple of other semiauto centerfire rifles that I've had for years. My purchase was really about price. They've become so affordable now, why not. It's actually more fun and more versatile than I had imagined.
 
I bought a Sig MCX a couple years ago. I still have not shot it either. Main reason is I have only been to indoor pistol ranges and don’t see the point of shooting it at 25 yards. Eventually I will join an outdoor range again, I hope.
 
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