Zak Smith
Member
There really shouldn't be any conflict here. The AR platform is great! You can buy/build an original "A1" clone, or you can build an SBR, SPR, varmint, NRA High Power, a rifle focused on the competition you like to do, a KISS carbine, or a medium or big bore hunting rifle.
If someone has an AR with all the tacticool stuff hung off it, more power to him. The 95% that buy stuff because they like or its neat or whatever help drive volume which makes the good stuff cheaper for the 5% that do need it, or have a utilitarian reason to use it. I'd go so far as to say without such a big market, a lot of the innovation that we enjoy in basic add-ons wouldn't have happened.
Perhaps a better outlet than saying, "I saw a dude at the range with a coat-hanger and bottle opener and a laser hanging off his AR-15, what a loser!" would be to identify products that are poor quality or serve no utility, through a well thought out essay or review.
In addition, there are many different uses, and changes in "mission" can have a large impact on what is good and what isn't for that person/mission.
If someone has an AR with all the tacticool stuff hung off it, more power to him. The 95% that buy stuff because they like or its neat or whatever help drive volume which makes the good stuff cheaper for the 5% that do need it, or have a utilitarian reason to use it. I'd go so far as to say without such a big market, a lot of the innovation that we enjoy in basic add-ons wouldn't have happened.
Perhaps a better outlet than saying, "I saw a dude at the range with a coat-hanger and bottle opener and a laser hanging off his AR-15, what a loser!" would be to identify products that are poor quality or serve no utility, through a well thought out essay or review.
In addition, there are many different uses, and changes in "mission" can have a large impact on what is good and what isn't for that person/mission.