Owen Sparks
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Buy a 6.8 upper and a few magazines. That will make your rifle suitable for "dangerous game" in the 200 pound class.
A Non-AR Shooter's Views On The AR-15
- Thread starter Cosmoline
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Bartholomew Roberts
Member
I was trained to tuck it under the weak arm and shoot the pistol with one hand. This lets you use any light that is mounted on the rifle and from the range instructor's perspective, keeps the muzzle pointed downrange. However, it is really only practical with either no sling or a single point sling.
If you need both hands free, then a quick-adjust two-point sling is the way to go (with the VTAC and VCAS being the most popular examples). Magpul had the innovative idea of sewing an extra ring into the sling and using a snap-shackle on one end of the sling so that you can go from 2-point quick adjust to single point sling very easily. I think it was a brilliant idea, though I'd like to see that on a VTAC or VCAS sling rather than Magpul's MS2.
jad0110
Member
Cosmoline,
Great thread ... great enough for a sticky, IMO.
And a very nice choice for a first AR as well. As someone else mentioned, a nice KISS AR carbine is a great place to start. And with a lightweight barrel no less. That was my mistake when I purchased my first AR. 16" barrel, adjustable stock, full HBAR. Rifles like these aren't intended for all out accuracy, so though we do give up a hair of accuracy potential and steadiness with the pencil barrel, we gain so much in handling and speed. I eventually replaced my HBAR upper with a pencil barrel 1x7 flattop from BCM, and I've never looked back. In short, a HBAR on a fighting carbine doesn't make a lot of sense, unless you have a happy switch. But that is just my opinion.
And that is the beauty of the AR platform. The only limit seems to be how much room is in your safe and the size of your budget. And the "retro" ARs, oh my, they are a whole world unto themselves.
People forget that the "lowly" 5.56 M193 ball cartridge was capable of inflicting some pretty horrific wounds inside 200 to 300 yards in Vietnam, do to violent yaw and fragmentation. I wish I still had the link, but there is evidence out there that the 5.56 M193 had greater wounding capability at short range than the 7.62 NATO.
Great thread ... great enough for a sticky, IMO.
And a very nice choice for a first AR as well. As someone else mentioned, a nice KISS AR carbine is a great place to start. And with a lightweight barrel no less. That was my mistake when I purchased my first AR. 16" barrel, adjustable stock, full HBAR. Rifles like these aren't intended for all out accuracy, so though we do give up a hair of accuracy potential and steadiness with the pencil barrel, we gain so much in handling and speed. I eventually replaced my HBAR upper with a pencil barrel 1x7 flattop from BCM, and I've never looked back. In short, a HBAR on a fighting carbine doesn't make a lot of sense, unless you have a happy switch. But that is just my opinion.
And that is the beauty of the AR platform. The only limit seems to be how much room is in your safe and the size of your budget. And the "retro" ARs, oh my, they are a whole world unto themselves.
People forget that the "lowly" 5.56 M193 ball cartridge was capable of inflicting some pretty horrific wounds inside 200 to 300 yards in Vietnam, do to violent yaw and fragmentation. I wish I still had the link, but there is evidence out there that the 5.56 M193 had greater wounding capability at short range than the 7.62 NATO.
Cosmoline
Member
Thanks! THR is great for getting up steep learning curves.
I don't doubt the 5.56 esp. HP or SP inside 100 yards against medium thin-skinned targets. I don't expect to take it on any hunting trips here but I have other rifles for that purpose and I never have time to go hunting anymore anyway.
The only drawback to this chambering is it leaves me with a pretty weak bear gun if I do one of my bike-hike-shoot-bike-athalons. But I was so exhausted after the last one that I expect I'll just choose to do either the bike/hike OR the bike/shoot. Ammo and water and rifles and boots is too much to man haul at my advancing age.
I don't doubt the 5.56 esp. HP or SP inside 100 yards against medium thin-skinned targets. I don't expect to take it on any hunting trips here but I have other rifles for that purpose and I never have time to go hunting anymore anyway.
The only drawback to this chambering is it leaves me with a pretty weak bear gun if I do one of my bike-hike-shoot-bike-athalons. But I was so exhausted after the last one that I expect I'll just choose to do either the bike/hike OR the bike/shoot. Ammo and water and rifles and boots is too much to man haul at my advancing age.
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Justin
Moderator Emeritus
I wouldn't use 5.56 for hunting anything larger than deer, frankly. it's a great cartridge, but if you intend to hunt elk, moose, or defend yourself from a bear, it wouldn't be a cartridge I'd consider.
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