is the AR-15 reliable enough for SHTF

[Ignition Override]

Polik6887:

This is not an attempt to contradict what AR-15 owners say. Two friends of mine really like their ARs. Being a relative novice, I've only done frequent plinking with Minis in .223/7.62, an SKS and Mosin 44 for several months.

A really young soldier traveling from Ft. Riley, Kansas chatted with me for a few minutes last Thursday.
After he told me that he had spent 16 months with the infantry in Iraq recently, I asked him a provocative question, wondering about self-defense in combat.
Having read many arguments for months on about four gun websites regarding 'SHTF' topics, my question was "Would you prefer a Russian-designed weapon over what you guys have for short-range fighting?".

His only response about Iraq was "Well, just one grain of sand will jam our guns".
I have no idea whether he was exaggerating or not, or the context of how often their rifles get dirty etc. He had no time to elaborate because of other factors.

 

[possum]

is the AR-15 reliable enough for SHTF

yes

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

yes, it's reliable enough

 

[sacp81170a]

As points of fact, I have run both a regular RRA 16" (w/ stainless barrel) and a 12" SBR in 2-3 day classes 2000+ rounds, without any cleaning.

To add to that, I've run my Armalite through a 5-day patrol rifle class at 2500+ rounds with nothing more than a squirt of oil when it started to run dry. No hiccups at all, no cleaning. Ran my Stag through a 3 day class with 1500+ rounds of mostly Wolf steel case, same thing. A squirt of Rem oil every 500 rounds or so, no malfs. The first class was in the rain, snow and mud, the second class was in the heat of the summer with dust and dirt. Admittedly, there wasn't much sand around, so fortunately I didn't get that "one grain of sand" jam so oft spoken of.

I've talked to several friends who came back from the sandbox and most either have or want to buy AR's. They've seen both M-4's, M-16's and AK's with "da switch" and to a man they prefer AR's. Can't think of much more of a SHTF scenario than that.

 

[Thin Black Line]

An AR is great for police actions like our current military is in.

I wouldn't trust an AR to shoot over 100 rounds without a cleaning. I am ignoring that some ARs are picky on ammo and the .223 round.

The "police action" just in Iraq can range from 130 degree days with so much
sand blowing that the sky literally turns orange in August to near freezing days
where soldiers can find themselves up to their arm pits in canals and risk
hypothermia and death (which has happened).

Oh, yes, let me not forget the mud of the "winter" rains in February which
leaves one the impression that the entire planet has turned into a big wet
sticky turd. This is the kind of frosting that required spatulas and wire
brushes just to get started on cleaning.

The S has literally HTF and the M4s/M16s work. The AKs work. The rusty
pitted Mausers still work. As long as the user maintains them, they all work.

I have many semi-auto rifle variants I can pick off the rack and the one
that's usually in my vehicle is my M4gery. This is not because it was my
first --I actually owned/shot many others before I was in the military.

If I had to pick ONE (and trust me when S really HTF, you will only carry one),
it would be a hard choice, but it would come down to the enviroment/time
of year at that moment and what kind of shooting distance I'd be looking at.

It's a matter of balance. The AR is more accurate and the marines can routinely
make headshots at 300 yards. Good luck doing that with the AK with the
cr@ppy ammo and wobbly bolt that can't keep a group under basketball size
at 100 yds. Yes, I'll give the AK the nod in the "it will shoot after being
soaked longer in the porta-jon" category. However, the "test and only carry
the mags that work" advice ALSO applies to the AK series.

In any case, whatever weapon one chooses to carry, I wouldn't recommend
soaking it in that manner, but be my guest if you want to.

 

[Art Eatman]

And six pages is enough. This is just a reprise of several previous dead-horse threads...