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

[SamT1]

I had no interest in them at all for years. Then I became a little more serious about coyote hunting and decided the short, light, AR would make an ideal gun for that and bought one. Fortunately this all came about before the huge price jump caused by the political climate. I have been quite pleased with it and it's performance but I have never developed a bug for another. One and done for me.

If you have spare cash, I’d say they are the best investment a man can make right now.
The $500 ones though. Anything 1000+ isn’t going to double or triple.

 

[Skylerbone]

Picher, I didn’t exactly catch the bug, but I had an interest, particularly with several local companies producing them. My (then) brother-in-law knew a group of guys working at Rock River Arms so he made a few calls and invited me to the range one day.

IIRC, temp was minus 8, I was confused on why we were shooting in crazy weather though I typically shoot 12 months, until guys started showing up with AR after AR. We spent the next several hours plowing through ammo and having a blast. I ordered one the following Monday.

I confess I grew up KNOWING that every pull of the trigger MUST be carefully considered for surgically precise results. I confess that’s not how things went. This was art class, gym, recess if you will; liberating from what I otherwise knew.

I still reload for precision. I reload for my AR. And Picher, like you, I worked on a number of 10/22s without owning one for my use. That too changed a month ago with a basic carbine model and RDS. As you can see from the picture it’s not my only rimfire option (and this isn’t all of them by a long shot) but I know I’ll find an enjoyable purpose for it, perhaps as a quick follow-up rabbit gun. Never be afraid to embrace the unnecessary because it might just become what you forgot you needed.


A few of my rimfires.

 

[JD Pinardi]

I built a semi custom AK 47 back in the 90's and picked up 16000 rounds of Russian ammo for $39 per 1000, never had the need for an AR and I'm still working on the ammo, down to about 5000 rounds. When I run out maybe I'll try an AR.
Happy Shootin' JD

 

[Mn Fats]

Final edit:
You shouldn't be allowed to call yourself a shooter unless you own a Marlin 336, a 1911, a quality bolt rifle, semi-auto shotgun, a Colt revolver and an AR.

Got all those too except for the last one and I still cant call myself a shooter? Dang. Funny how anything black powder specific isn't mentioned. AR people.

 

[Demi-human]

Yep, one's collection should include a Sharps-Shilo in fourty five-seventy black, too. A real man can love them all.

Except for Aks and Makarovs. Let's not be silly after all.

 

[johnnydollar]

I wouldn't walk across the street to pick up the finest AR-15 that ever fell off a junk wagon, but that leaves more for the rest of y'all. Enjoy 'em!

 

[MedWheeler]

I mentioned earlier in this thread that I bought one back around 2014 and still haven't shot it. GBExpat and Armored farmer (among others, I'm sure) are curious as to why this is.

It was purchased mostly as an "anti-political" investment, but I did fully intend to make a shooter of it. I even have several hundred rounds of ammo for it, both JHP and FMJ. I'm just more of a handgunner than a rifleman, and have been acquiring firearms (of both types) faster than I get time to shoot them. I don't have the luxury of being able to walk out to "the back forty" and let 'em rip (I'd probably have gone broke shooting by now if I did!) In fact, I bought an AK-type the next year, and that still hasn't gotten fired, either.

I'll get to them this summer, I expect. Maybe sooner, but I have to drive quite a ways to anything greater than 25 yards for shooting. I also expect that I'll fully enjoy them once I do.

 

[EIB0879]

I have never shot a civilian AR but I carried an M-16 for a while.

 

[Jim NE]

Well, I'm a long time shooter who's never fired an AR. Actually...it's much worse than that. I may have fired an AR, but if I did, I don't recall...that's how un-memorable the experience was.

But I'm not a long time rifle shooter, so I don't really count.

 

[illinoisburt]

Count me in the never shot a civilian AR. Qualified and ran field exercises with M16A1 and A2s. Didn't impress me enough to want one at that time especially since the only rifles I saw 25-30 years ago were expensive and finicky. Keep thinking about picking up a light weight m4gery while they're cheap.

 

[Bigmike79]

I've shot variants but never the real deal. Been shooting guns for 30 years.

 

[Picher]

I had a great shooting buddy who bought an AR and he liked shooting it so much, he made a link that turned it into full-auto. It worked very well, but he destroyed the link to prevent problems with the feds.

He loaned the rifle to his son, who was into coyote hunting, but sonny needed to buy bear bait for his customers one fall and sold the rifle to pay for it. Dad was not at all pleased!

My buddy passed away several years ago and I still miss him.

 

[Picher]

Picher, I didn’t exactly catch the bug, but I had an interest, particularly with several local companies producing them. My (then) brother-in-law knew a group of guys working at Rock River Arms so he made a few calls and invited me to the range one day.

IIRC, temp was minus 8, I was confused on why we were shooting in crazy weather though I typically shoot 12 months, until guys started showing up with AR after AR. We spent the next several hours plowing through ammo and having a blast. I ordered one the following Monday.

I confess I grew up KNOWING that every pull of the trigger MUST be carefully considered for surgically precise results. I confess that’s not how things went. This was art class, gym, recess if you will; liberating from what I otherwise knew.

I still reload for precision. I reload for my AR. And Picher, like you, I worked on a number of 10/22s without owning one for my use. That too changed a month ago with a basic carbine model and RDS. As you can see from the picture it’s not my only rimfire option (and this isn’t all of them by a long shot) but I know I’ll find an enjoyable purpose for it, perhaps as a quick follow-up rabbit gun. Never be afraid to embrace the unnecessary because it might just become what you forgot you needed.


A few of my rimfires.
View attachment 774734

I like shooting rimfires, probably because I don't have to reload for them. My modified 10-22 is a Deluxe model that shoots lights-out. I only shot one "Prove-it" target with it, but 10 consecutive 5-shot groups on a single target sheet averaged 0.37" at 50 yards. I turned the target in and it was the best one for several weeks. (The Prove-it tally was about 15 years ago and has since been taken off the net, but it provided interesting discussion about rimfire rifles/ammo/shooting techniques. The name Stephen Plocher sticks as being the guy who ran it, but I may be wrong.)

 

[marksman13]

I honestly don't understand why every shooter doesn't own an AR-15/10...or two...or ten. I don't remember the last rifle I bought that wasn't a magazine fed semi-auto.

 

[tubeshooter]

Believe it or not...

...there are a lot of shooters* who actually prefer not to have to deal with anybody's detachable mag!


* not qualified by any lists of favorites and/or 'oughta-haves'

 

[someguy2800]

I can totally appreciate if someone says I've shot an AR a couple times but didn't care for it. But I don't understand people saying saying I've never shot one and never will, no interest. That's like saying you've never kissed a girl or driven a fast car or been fishing on a calm evening or scratched a dog behind the ear. That's fine if you don't like any of those things but how do you know if you don't try? I was a "I'll never buy an AR15 person once myself. It was after the 4th time shooting one that I decided I wouldn't mind having one. I mean I don't need to get a face tatoo to know I don't want one, but trying shooting an AR15 seams pretty harmless.

 

[cdb1]

I honestly don't understand why every shooter doesn't own an AR-15/10...or two...or ten. I don't remember the last rifle I bought that wasn't a magazine fed semi-auto.

And those same shooters you don’t understand most probably don’t understand why you have so many AR’s and like them so much. I don’t. What I understand even less than AR love is Taurus Judge love. And it doesn’t matter that we don’t understand. It matters that we accept others preferences in firearms and don’t denigrate them for those differences.

I will admit to never being able accept one thing in others though. I was a young teen in the early 70’s when almost overnight white shoes and belts became the rage. If I were to see a photograph of a man wearing white shoes, white belt, leisure suit and clip on bow tie, I’d refuse to share a foxhole with him.

 

[marksman13]

And those same shooters you don’t understand most probably don’t understand why you have so many AR’s and like them so much. I don’t. What I understand even less than AR love is Taurus Judge love. And it doesn’t matter that we don’t understand. It matters that we accept others preferences in firearms and don’t denigrate them for those differences.

I will admit to never being able accept one thing in others though. I was a young teen in the early 70’s when almost overnight white shoes and belts became the rage. If I were to see a photograph of a man wearing white shoes, white belt, leisure suit and clip on bow tie, I’d refuse to share a foxhole with him.

My post was mostly in jest. I could not care any less about what other folks shoot or don't shoot. Some folks appreciate blued steel and well-figured walnut. I can appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into a rifle like that, but I have little desire to own a tool I'm afraid to use.

 

[cdb1]

My post was mostly in jest. I could not care any less about what other folks shoot or don't shoot. Some folks appreciate blued steel and well-figured walnut. I can appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into a rifle like that, but I have little desire to own a tool I'm afraid to use.

So was mine.

 

[Sniper66]

Interesting thread. Defending which kind of gun to shoot is a bit like defending which kind of woman is best I have been shooting/hunting for 60+ years and have never owned an AR style rifle. My nephew has 6 of them and I've shot 3 of his. I own bolt rifles, semi-auto shotguns, single shots, pumps, lever actions, etc, but didn't really think about AR rifles__not my style of shooting.........until now. I've called coyotes some and have had 3 in front of me at one time. Good luck getting more than one shot with a bolt gun. My 2018 plan is to call coyotes more, so it's time for a semi-auto. The thing that pushed me over the edge is that a couple of local guys have opened a shop near me (10 miles) and they build custom rifles. I'll have a target grade barrel and trigger along with other features not available on bolt guns. The hard part is figuring out which guns to sell so I can afford the one I want!!

 

[berettaprofessor]

I can totally appreciate if someone says I've shot an AR a couple times but didn't care for it. But I don't understand people saying saying I've never shot one and never will, no interest. That's like saying you've never kissed a girl or driven a fast car or been fishing on a calm evening or scratched a dog behind the ear.

Great thread, and surprising in the dearth of AR love. I've always thought I like wood and steel better, but if you look at the guns I keep close to hand and shoot most, they're all AR's or semi-autos somethings...like a Ruger 10-22 that's been tacticooled. The wood and steel are all collectibles for the most part. And the "beauty" of AR's seems to be growing on me. I actually think my last build, an AR10, is the coolest thing I've ever owned. Next thing you know, I'll be buying a Glock..then even I will know I'm sick.

 

[BSA1]

Who remembers Jeff Cooper articles on the last page of Guns and Ammo (?) magazine?

More years ago than I would like to admit Jeff Cooper recommended a lever action 30-30 as a ideal home defense gun. His reasons for choosing the lever action being it is simple to operate, light weight for ladies, affordable and safe to store behind a door with magazine loaded and empty chamber. (Obviously a different time when children were taught about gun safety).

His choice for the 30-30 were it is light recoil, very popular easy to find cartridge and powerful enough out to 150 yards to deal with problems. (This was back when race riots and large civil disturbances were common).

Even though I was not a AR fan or owner (never even shot one) during the Presidential elections I brought several stripped AR lowers as I know that as anti-gun and anti-middle class Hillary is there was sure to be a major gun panic. A co-worker talked me into building a nice AR even though I still had not shot one. It is a very nice rifle I just for several reasons have not shot it much.

As I believe 2 is 1 and 1 is None last Fall I brought a complete carbine kit from PSA that has Magpul MOE stock, grip and handguard and built a 2nd AR. It is a budget gun that I only have invested $430.00 in. Being a low cost AR I figured it would not be very accurate and it’s role would be a back-up to my more expensive, higher quality (in theory) AR.

Boy was I ever wrong. This darn carbine shoots and shoots very accurately. At 25 yards the first 5 rounds I shot four were touching and three of them went into the same hole! (The first round was slightly lower than the other four as it was from a new, clean barrel.)

Plus I like the feel and weight of the Magpul furniture. It is just plain fun to shoot. In fact Daughter #1 (U.S. Army disabled vet) tried to claim it as her own when she was home recently. (Which is leading me to build AR #3 this year but that is a story for another time).

Today I view the AR-15 filling the role that Jeff Cooper recommended the lever action 30-30 for the same reasons. Since the magazine is detachable it is safer to store the gun empty with a loaded magazine nearby. The Texas Church Shooter case proved the value of having a AR and loaded magazine nearby.

In my version of America all responsible head of households will required to have a AR-15 and some loaded
magazines in their residence. (Along with tax credit for buying the gun, magazines, ammo and taking training classes).


p.s. I still have a Winchester 94 30/30 in the gun vault.

 

[IndianaBoy]

Who remembers Jeff Cooper articles on the last page of Guns and Ammo (?) magazine?

More years ago than I would like to admit Jeff Cooper recommended a lever action 30-30 as a ideal home defense gun. His reasons for choosing the lever action being it is simple to operate, light weight for ladies, affordable and safe to store behind a door with magazine loaded and empty chamber. (Obviously a different time when children were taught about gun safety).

His choice for the 30-30 were it is light recoil, very popular easy to find cartridge and powerful enough out to 150 yards to deal with problems. (This was back when race riots and large civil disturbances were common).



Today I view the AR-15 filling the role that Jeff Cooper recommended the lever action 30-30 for the same reasons. Since the magazine is detachable it is safer to store the gun empty with a loaded magazine nearby. The Texas Church Shooter case proved the value of having a AR and loaded magazine nearby.

In my version of America all responsible head of households will required to have a AR-15 and some loaded
magazines in their residence. (Along with tax credit for buying the gun, magazines, ammo and taking training classes).


p.s. I still have a Winchester 94 30/30 in the gun vault.

Spot on.

 

[GBExpat]

... I was a young teen in the early 70’s when almost overnight white shoes and belts became the rage. ...

I must have missed that fad ... thank goodness.

 

[cdb1]

LoonWulf, horsey300 and chicharrones back in the day. Sometimes change is good.