Since 1981, not once with live ammo - except on a qualifying range, to ensure I wasn't a problem child when live fire started. It was an abused Basic rifle, and all I did was discover it didn't need it.
Blanks? No.
Silent loading in the field. No. Charge it in the parking lot. It's not as loud as slamming doors, hatches, and trunk lids, the deer know you're coming because the noise of a car slowing and turning in tells them. Frequent hikers and horsebackers all year make that sound innocuous.
The FA was the Garand generations answer to no faith or control over the bolt, something they had to have to force that weapon to work, or so they thought. Not a good recommendation when you analyze it. So Colt bandaided it on over Stoners objections. By then it was out of his hands anyway, corporate management was in the "keep the Gov't happy and make money" mode.
If slick side uppers weren't priced higher, I'd have gone that route, most hunting and varmint AR's delete it. Waste of time and money.
Blanks? No.
Silent loading in the field. No. Charge it in the parking lot. It's not as loud as slamming doors, hatches, and trunk lids, the deer know you're coming because the noise of a car slowing and turning in tells them. Frequent hikers and horsebackers all year make that sound innocuous.
The FA was the Garand generations answer to no faith or control over the bolt, something they had to have to force that weapon to work, or so they thought. Not a good recommendation when you analyze it. So Colt bandaided it on over Stoners objections. By then it was out of his hands anyway, corporate management was in the "keep the Gov't happy and make money" mode.
If slick side uppers weren't priced higher, I'd have gone that route, most hunting and varmint AR's delete it. Waste of time and money.
