The AR15, America's Sweetheart

[Onmilo]

I own a number of rifles, from Mosins and Garands to Sharps and Winchester replicas.
However, I just realized the centerfire rifle I grab more often than not,
The rifle I love chatting about on the internet,
The rifle I totally enjoy shooting, working on and playing with is the AR15!

Coyote and fox along with other nuisance animals are the game hunted with centerfires here in Illinois and AR type rifles are fast becoming the weapon of choice.
Same with Service Rifle Matches.
Same with 300 meter open class Matches
Same with weekend warriors out letting off steam at Ye Olde Gonne Range

I have come to love these rifles but it was 25 years in the making.
I despised them when I was in service back in the way back.

What say the rest of you?
Any fondness for "The Black Rifle"?

 

[primalmu]

I certainly feel mine growing on me, that's for sure. I also feel like the ARs now are a completely different beast than what you had to work with in the military. I'm constantly amazed at the accuracy that these rifles can achieve.

 

[Walkalong]

I went from "they are kind of neat" 30 years ago to owning four today. .22, 9MM, .223, & 300 BLK.

 

[1911 guy]

I also own a couple and what makes them so attractive is the fact they can be built to suit a variety of purposes. 20 inch H-Bar for varmints down to a M4-gery for a lighter and easy to handle carbine. I would agree that the rifle is fast becoming the darling of new shooters and is finally being appreciated by those who have been shooting for a while.

 

[highpower]

Many years ago I built a AR15 HBAR for shooting the service matches. I appreciated the inherent accuracy of it and never had any issues. When the current tacticool craze started and every single AR had a rail and a myriad of lights, lasers and fore grips, I kind of lost interest in them and hardy ever shot mine for some reason.

A few months ago I traded for a Colt SP1 and my enthusiasm was rekindled, this time it was for the retro AR's. I now have six that are complete and enough stuff to build a couple more.

I like the versatility of the platform and the fact that parts are available everywhere. The current glut of AR15 rifles has driven down the prices to the point where a lot of new shooters are getting into the game, which in my opinion, is a good thing.

 

[68wj]

After a stint as a USMC armorer they were still more of a novelty for me or tool for Highpower competition. Until I got into 6.8 SPC. This is now my favorite rifle of any.

 

[Devonai]

How telling that we can't include a few states in your description of America. Otherwise I would agree with you.

 

[NOMI WASP]

OK sooo I've been an AK guy for many years since I bought my first Saiga. Last year I got my an AR (Diamondback DB15) and I've started to grow a great fondness to my black rifle.

I love both rifles and I would take either one into battle without hesitation. Both rifles have advantages. To quote another person on the internet (The AK is a hatchet and the AR is a scalpel) The statement sums it up for me.

If my AR continues to run without issues for another year I may say it's my favorite rifle. Right now I'm about 55% AK and 45% AR.... It's getting closer by the day

 

[Speedo66]

Not much interest, don't have one. If I was going for a military replica, I'd prefer the M-14 I carried.

Don't have a 10/22 either. They both seem to require too much parts swapping and fiddling to shoot right. Scored Expert Rifleman with a clapped out M-14 that had been through who knows how many training cycles and inexpert cleanings.

 

[WVRJ]

I never thought they were accurate enough for what I wanted to do with them.I also thought they were kind of a novelty gun,but not worth having.Then,coyotes got thick around here,and I decided I needed a rifle to throw in the tractor cab just in case.A local deputy sheriff had one that he wanted to sell.He let me take it home for a weekend and shoot it.I shot the first 3 shot group and put it back in the case.On Monday I took his case back to him with some money.If all my guns had to go but one,The AR would be the one I kept.It shoots rings around my two bolt rifles,and one of them is a Weatherby and the other is a M700.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Not much interest, don't have one. If I was going for a military replica, I'd prefer the M-14 I carried.

Give it time, nearly everyone comes around

I had a lukewarm interest in them until I finally threw down on my first, an Armalite AR10A2C about a decade ago. I almost instantly wanted more, but the prices were still fairly high, so it was another year before I bought an actual AR15, in the form of an Armalite M15A2C. I was satisfied for quite awhile, but a couple years ago, I got the bug to do more. So I built a pistol, with both 7.5" and 12.5" uppers, which later became an SBR. Then I built the wife a 16" carbine. And then this past few months, with prices dropping so low, I built 3 more. And I have another 3 lowers and other assorted parts that will eventually become rifles.

I have come to like them so much that I even manufactured a 1/2 scale, which will be chambered in .17 HM2 just as soon as I get ATF approval to call the thing a pistol.

In short, not only are they a tremendously fun weapon on the range and in the field, but they are also tremendously addictive. So yeah, for your pocket book's sake, it's probably best that you stay away from them. But that is the only reason, IMO.

 

[Cee Zee]

I always wanted one but the price didn't seem worth it when I started looking. I had another rifle that served the same purpose so I didn't worry about getting one. Now things have changed. Modern bullet technology has made the AR a much more appealing HD weapon so I will be getting my first one sometime soon.

But in the past I looked at Colts, which about all you could find when I first started looking, and the price tag said anywhere from $1200 up and then I looked at an SKS which had a price tag of under $100 and ammo that was just as cheap. It was a no-brainer when I invested heavily into the SKS and 7.62 x 39 ammo. I will still have that rifle available for certain situations that are very unlikely to happen. But I will have an AR to protect my home and it will replace my shotgun I have for that job currently. I'll keep my shotguns too BTW. But my HD strategy will change.

BTW I also went through a long period of watching AR's jam too often at the gun range so that turned me off on them for a long while too.

 

[JO JO]

I have 3 really enjoy shooting them what I want some day is an
A2 20in model like the FN or Windham A2 gov model

 

[maxxhavoc]

I like ARs. I have 4 of them, each in a different caliber.

If I had to choose between my AR15 and just about any other rifle I own the AR would lose. If I had a full auto it would make sense, but a semiauto .223 doesn't do anything I need done.

Don't mess with my 308 or 9mm ARs though....those are a different story.

 

[Rule3]

I have several in different calibers. Do I love them them? No not really.

Don't get the warm fuzzy feeling about Glocks either.

I prefer a Mini 14 , Ruger Camp Carbine or a 30 Cal Carbine. (Style and feel)

 

[earlthegoat2]

I usually grab a levergun.

I just sold the upper to my AR so that shows how much I care about it. Heck, I only kept the lower just to have it or maybe as a future investment for when the prices skyrocket again.

Hey, that is a good reason to hoard them a little.

 

[Reloadron]

Hell, I don't really know. Maybe being older I just don't see the AR as America's Sweetheart gun. When I think in terms of America's Gun I see classic blued steel and wood (American Walnut) in a classic rifle like a Winchester Model 70 or Remington 700 chambered in 30-06. That or a classic lever gun. Something like a gun that won the west.

Ron

 

[DeepSouth]

Im an odd ball

I bought my first about 10-12 months ago. I have to say, I can't really find anything to like about to it. Honestly the more that I shoot it the less I like it, I can't really find anything to like about it and believe me I've tried I want to like it. I just have no niche for it to fit in and I could name many reasons why I don't like it. I have seriously considered selling it and probably the only reason I haven't is because then I'd be the only gun guy at work without one, and if I keep it and another ban comes along I can (possibly) pass it on to my kids.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I have carried one as a patrol rifle for 15 years. It is assigned equipment. I can use it any time I want, but rarely do. I don't personally own person an AR and don't want one.

 

[cfullgraf]

I was lukewarm on AR-15s until the late 1990s when I started shooting Service Rifle competition to qualify to purchase a Garand (1990's purchase requirements). Many of the folks were shooting AR-15s and the rifles were accurate.

I enjoy building and shooting long barreled varmint AR-15s in various cartridges.

 

[rondog]

I like mine, but I think it's a heavy pig. Not something I'd want to carry around. Love to shoot it though.

 

[DeepSouth]

I like mine, but I think it's a heavy pig. Not something I'd want to carry around. Love to shoot it though.

Funny thing, one of my many complaints about the AR is that just feels like a toy paintball gun or something. Light, plastic, no recoiling, cap shooter. It just feels like it needs to grow up.

 

[sappyg]

I was thinking the the same as OP on the way to grandma's house today. The AR seems to have become America's rifle. Even people that don't own guns will recognize it for better or worse. Nearly every bay at the range on any given day has at least one AR on the line and for good reason. Easy to learn and shoot accurately. Ammo is cheap and has plenty of power. Maintainance is a snap and parts are cheap enough.

This is the rifle I shoot most often (excluding the 10/22). 10 years ago it would have been an afterthought for me. Nowadays it's the first that comes to mind.

 

[Pilot]

Twenty years ago or so I thought, "what would I do with it?" Now the AR is one of my favorite rifles and always goes to the range. I shoot it the most by far.

 

[Welding Rod]

I hated it when in the service but my impression was formed using worn out guns with unserviceable magazines.

Turning point for me was 13 years after getting out when I tried a Rock River with their 2-stage NM trigger. I have been hooked ever since. The AR is the most useful long gun I can think of for a guy who isn't a big game hunter.

I can't imagine not owning a good AR. It would be like not owning blue jeans or a Jeep or a handgun... It is just an essential part of my American existence at this point.