General Geoff
Member
Denatured alcohol. Various OTC medications. Every piece of hardware and software with DRM (digital rights management). The list goes on.
What is it about the AR-15?
- Thread starter mister_air_man
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M_A_M,
Good luck with your article. I think you came to the right place for help. Here are my answers to your questions:
They are popular for a laundry list of reasons. Probably the single biggest reason is that they are "cool". If you grew up watching action movies or playing video games, the AR-15 was probably the hero's weapon of choice. If you are mechanically inclined (or even want to be, but aren't), they are a complex enough mechanism to be fascinating, while simple enough to be within reach of Joe Everybody. They are the most modular firearm ever, and are completely customizable by the user. Why are custom cars popular? Or custom motorcycles?
They're also cool because America's "good guys" use them. In one form or another, AR-15's have been standard issue for the military since the 70s, and are the current long-arm of choice for law enforcement too. I think it is important to note, however, the AR-15 is not a civilian version of the M16 or M4. The M16 and M4 are configurations of the AR-15 adopted for military use.
Probably the second biggest reason AR-15s are popular is that they are fun to shoot. They are ergonomically simple to use and easy to learn. They are accurate (shooting is no fun if you can't hit what you're aiming at). They recoil more than a .22LR (I'm not a macho, big-caliber guy, but I personally find .22LR to be a bit boring), but are soft enough to comfortable for everyone. Standard capacity 30-round magazines mean you spend more time shooting and less time reloading.
You could write books on why the AR-15 is great, but I think those are probably the two biggest reasons people buy them (outside of the current political scare).
Working for ArmaLite, Eugene Stoner first designed the AR-10, the AR-15's bigger cousin, as a lightweight infantry rifle in 7.62x51mm to compete in the bid process that ultimately led to the adoption of the M14 in the 50's. When the Army started looking for a lighter weapon in an intermediate cartridge to match the tactics that were being adopted in Vietnam, ArmaLite proposed the AR-15 and won. The AR-15 was designed as a simple, lightweight rifle chambered for an intermediate cartridge. Smaller cartridges in bigger magazines meant that soldiers could carry more ammo. For the same weight of ammunition carried, soldiers could lay more suppresive fire.
The attributes that make the AR-15 a great infantry rifle are the same that make it a great civilian rifle, whether your purposes are sport, hunting, or lawful self defense. It's light, accurate, and shoots a soft recoiling cartidge.
The AR-15 is the villain of the gun control lobby because it looks scary. That's it, plain and simple. There are plenty of other rifles that have the exact same function, but don't have that military look. Unlike past generations, the overwhelming majority of Americans have never served in the military. Additionally, most Americans aren't "gun people". And, for my experience, the majority of military servicemembers aren't "gun people" either, and to build their confidence, are indoctrinated to believe that their M16 or M4 is the baddest killing machine on the planet.
The gun lobby takes advantage of most people's ignorance to further a political agenda. The fact is that the AR-15 isn't high powered. It isn't a machine gun. Half of the features that the anti-gun lobby villifies don't even do the things they say they do. What the AR-15 is is a tool, that in the hands of a skilled user, can be very effective for any number of lawful of unlawful purposes, just like any other tool.
The AR-15 is a superior home defense weapon when compared to a pistol or shotgun. The AR-15 holds more ammunition in a single magazine than a pistol or shotgun. The AR-15 is easier to shoot accurately than a pistol, especially under stress. AR-15 recoils softer than any shotgun, which means you can fire multiple shots more accurately and in less time. The AR-15 is modular, which makes it easy to attach weapon lights which are critical for identifying a threat at night, and easily take optics which help with accuracy under stress or from unconventional firing positions. The 5.56x45mm or .223 Rem cartridge, which most AR-15s are chambered for is also suitable for home defense. The high velocity, lightweight projectiles give effective terminal results on bad guys, but also penetrate common house construction materials less than pistol or shotgun ammunition. Because of their high velocity, lightweight construction, bullets from AR-15s typically fragment when they hit hard objects, and the small irregular-shaped pieces don't penetrate as much as heavy, slow moving pistol bullets or buckshot pellets.
If you need proof that the AR-15 is the ideal long-arm for personal defense, look at what Law Enforcement Officers are carrying these days. AR-15's with standard capacity 30-round magazines. If a cop responding to a break-in at my house is going to be brining one, I think it's perfectly reasonable that I should be able to keep one for my own defense. Warren v. District of Columbia sets the legal precedent that the police have no duty to protect me as an individual with whom they have no special relationship
Good luck with your article. I think you came to the right place for help. Here are my answers to your questions:
They are popular for a laundry list of reasons. Probably the single biggest reason is that they are "cool". If you grew up watching action movies or playing video games, the AR-15 was probably the hero's weapon of choice. If you are mechanically inclined (or even want to be, but aren't), they are a complex enough mechanism to be fascinating, while simple enough to be within reach of Joe Everybody. They are the most modular firearm ever, and are completely customizable by the user. Why are custom cars popular? Or custom motorcycles?
They're also cool because America's "good guys" use them. In one form or another, AR-15's have been standard issue for the military since the 70s, and are the current long-arm of choice for law enforcement too. I think it is important to note, however, the AR-15 is not a civilian version of the M16 or M4. The M16 and M4 are configurations of the AR-15 adopted for military use.
Probably the second biggest reason AR-15s are popular is that they are fun to shoot. They are ergonomically simple to use and easy to learn. They are accurate (shooting is no fun if you can't hit what you're aiming at). They recoil more than a .22LR (I'm not a macho, big-caliber guy, but I personally find .22LR to be a bit boring), but are soft enough to comfortable for everyone. Standard capacity 30-round magazines mean you spend more time shooting and less time reloading.
You could write books on why the AR-15 is great, but I think those are probably the two biggest reasons people buy them (outside of the current political scare).
Working for ArmaLite, Eugene Stoner first designed the AR-10, the AR-15's bigger cousin, as a lightweight infantry rifle in 7.62x51mm to compete in the bid process that ultimately led to the adoption of the M14 in the 50's. When the Army started looking for a lighter weapon in an intermediate cartridge to match the tactics that were being adopted in Vietnam, ArmaLite proposed the AR-15 and won. The AR-15 was designed as a simple, lightweight rifle chambered for an intermediate cartridge. Smaller cartridges in bigger magazines meant that soldiers could carry more ammo. For the same weight of ammunition carried, soldiers could lay more suppresive fire.
The attributes that make the AR-15 a great infantry rifle are the same that make it a great civilian rifle, whether your purposes are sport, hunting, or lawful self defense. It's light, accurate, and shoots a soft recoiling cartidge.
The AR-15 is the villain of the gun control lobby because it looks scary. That's it, plain and simple. There are plenty of other rifles that have the exact same function, but don't have that military look. Unlike past generations, the overwhelming majority of Americans have never served in the military. Additionally, most Americans aren't "gun people". And, for my experience, the majority of military servicemembers aren't "gun people" either, and to build their confidence, are indoctrinated to believe that their M16 or M4 is the baddest killing machine on the planet.
The gun lobby takes advantage of most people's ignorance to further a political agenda. The fact is that the AR-15 isn't high powered. It isn't a machine gun. Half of the features that the anti-gun lobby villifies don't even do the things they say they do. What the AR-15 is is a tool, that in the hands of a skilled user, can be very effective for any number of lawful of unlawful purposes, just like any other tool.
The AR-15 is a superior home defense weapon when compared to a pistol or shotgun. The AR-15 holds more ammunition in a single magazine than a pistol or shotgun. The AR-15 is easier to shoot accurately than a pistol, especially under stress. AR-15 recoils softer than any shotgun, which means you can fire multiple shots more accurately and in less time. The AR-15 is modular, which makes it easy to attach weapon lights which are critical for identifying a threat at night, and easily take optics which help with accuracy under stress or from unconventional firing positions. The 5.56x45mm or .223 Rem cartridge, which most AR-15s are chambered for is also suitable for home defense. The high velocity, lightweight projectiles give effective terminal results on bad guys, but also penetrate common house construction materials less than pistol or shotgun ammunition. Because of their high velocity, lightweight construction, bullets from AR-15s typically fragment when they hit hard objects, and the small irregular-shaped pieces don't penetrate as much as heavy, slow moving pistol bullets or buckshot pellets.
If you need proof that the AR-15 is the ideal long-arm for personal defense, look at what Law Enforcement Officers are carrying these days. AR-15's with standard capacity 30-round magazines. If a cop responding to a break-in at my house is going to be brining one, I think it's perfectly reasonable that I should be able to keep one for my own defense. Warren v. District of Columbia sets the legal precedent that the police have no duty to protect me as an individual with whom they have no special relationship
CarolinaChuck
member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2013
- Messages
- 65
I understand that Amigo.
I guess I might have missed in making my point. It was a varmint cartidge that made its way onto the battle field as a full bolwn, here is what you all get in the "greatest country in the world," every soldier's service rifle.
Having served from 79 to 86 I did know a few Marines who still had some distain for the M16A1. I think most of it came from what they had heard from older Marines who had been around durring its inception. By the time I was in I never met anybody who was around from that time, so I could only infer the source of thier contempt for the rifle.
I have had enough time in the field with both rifles to make my own call, and also enough time with the M1 carbine which falls wanting in my book below both. All three have primers and brass, so it seemed to me it all to came down to powder and ball in cost; and I just kind of figured the average Joe in the the bush felt the same way. He was the one getting shot at.
I have never seen a shot fired in anger, and I can only look back onto what tails I have heard and make my own guesses. I can say from training that the 4 man fire team and the rifle company was structured around the M16A1 back in my day. As a 2841, Ground Radio Repairman, even I knew that heavier weapons know as being reenforced would have been essential in combat.
I have said this before, and I will say it again; The M16A1 is much better at putting holes in paper than a 200 pound combat soldier. Any day of the week, and twice on Sundays... It is a varmint cartridge, and if you intend to take it into combat I would suggest you are reenforced and trained.
This was on my mind,
Chuck
straightShot
Member
Chuck, we need to be careful what we post. The OP said that he was doing the project on AR-15 and knew nothing about it. I know what you meant to say, but you actually just told him that the AR-15 was adopted as the US military service rifle. Putting misinformation into his report would confuse people.
Is the AR-15 a good home defense weapon (compared to a pistol or a shotgun)?
One angle on that is to consider why they are the LEO patrol rifle of choice. If handguns were as effective as long guns, why do the police want a long gun as well?
As far as AR vs shotgun, the 223 actually overpenetrates less than a shotgun, or even say 9mm from a long gun. Rifles in 223 have a lot less recoil than a shotgun, and so it's easier to train people, especially those of smaller statue, to use them effectively - anecdotally, at least, this is important as the number of female officers has risen.
As far as AR vs mini-14 or whatever, I'm not sure there is a huge advantage. Adjustable stocks are an advantage in having the gun fit a range of body sizes. For a defensive rifle, you probably want a place to mount a light. Magazine insertion is slightly more fiddly with a mini than an AR; malfunctions might be a tish more obvious to clear with a mini. An individual might prefer the ergonomics of one or the other.
But the bottom line, IMHO, is that people defending their homes and an officer who needs a patrol rifle are facing exactly the same tradeoffs. The police don't pick AR's because they plan to go on rampage shootings; they pick them because, all things considered, they consider them to be the best choice for the terrible situation when they have run out of other options to defend themselves or others.
One angle on that is to consider why they are the LEO patrol rifle of choice. If handguns were as effective as long guns, why do the police want a long gun as well?
As far as AR vs shotgun, the 223 actually overpenetrates less than a shotgun, or even say 9mm from a long gun. Rifles in 223 have a lot less recoil than a shotgun, and so it's easier to train people, especially those of smaller statue, to use them effectively - anecdotally, at least, this is important as the number of female officers has risen.
As far as AR vs mini-14 or whatever, I'm not sure there is a huge advantage. Adjustable stocks are an advantage in having the gun fit a range of body sizes. For a defensive rifle, you probably want a place to mount a light. Magazine insertion is slightly more fiddly with a mini than an AR; malfunctions might be a tish more obvious to clear with a mini. An individual might prefer the ergonomics of one or the other.
But the bottom line, IMHO, is that people defending their homes and an officer who needs a patrol rifle are facing exactly the same tradeoffs. The police don't pick AR's because they plan to go on rampage shootings; they pick them because, all things considered, they consider them to be the best choice for the terrible situation when they have run out of other options to defend themselves or others.
vba
Member
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2008
- Messages
- 345
I've had four AR-15's over the years. One by one I sold them all sometime ago. Tried to like them but just couldn't. I find them more unwieldy than a riot type shotgun in tight spaces. I personally don't like pistol grips on rifles or shotguns and would take a Mini-14 over the AR.
The gun has no soul to me. I'm more of a traditionalist and like wood and steel, though I do own a few plastic handguns.
The gun has no soul to me. I'm more of a traditionalist and like wood and steel, though I do own a few plastic handguns.
WinThePennant
Member
The AR 15 is the greatest tinkerer's gun of all time. It is 100% modular, and the various configurations literally number in the millions. You can make your AR 15 match your tastes and body type to perfection. The ergonomics of the AR 15 are better than any rifle out there.
In regards to modularity, it is a platform that anyone with basic mechanical skills can build up from individual parts with a good expectation of a usable product or modify post purchase as desired.
In other words, you can have a final product that reflects your intended use, your priorities in relation to costs, and avoidance of any components in which you have no interest. You can optimize the characteristics you value most in relation to dollars spent.
You can pick barrel length & profile, caliber, sight design, overall weight, furniture and aiming device without being constrained by a given manufacturer's available options and price point. You can also change any of these at a later point in time if your interest or needs change over time.
Nick
In other words, you can have a final product that reflects your intended use, your priorities in relation to costs, and avoidance of any components in which you have no interest. You can optimize the characteristics you value most in relation to dollars spent.
You can pick barrel length & profile, caliber, sight design, overall weight, furniture and aiming device without being constrained by a given manufacturer's available options and price point. You can also change any of these at a later point in time if your interest or needs change over time.
Nick
r1derbike
Member
I agree our civilian AR-15 needs to be separated from military counterpart every chance. We all know it is not burst fire, or machine gun.
The average joe citizen doesn't know this, and equates it with a military machine gun.
For the OP, it is a civilian semi-auto (one round fired, with one trigger pull), unlike its military variants, but does have cosmetic similarities to military rifles.
The public and the uninformed have the perception this is a bullet spraying, mass killing machine, a false perception portrayed by politicians, the media, and the public because these are the lies fed to them, to fill gun-grabbing, political agenda.
The average joe citizen doesn't know this, and equates it with a military machine gun.
For the OP, it is a civilian semi-auto (one round fired, with one trigger pull), unlike its military variants, but does have cosmetic similarities to military rifles.
The public and the uninformed have the perception this is a bullet spraying, mass killing machine, a false perception portrayed by politicians, the media, and the public because these are the lies fed to them, to fill gun-grabbing, political agenda.
mister_air_man
Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2013
- Messages
- 4
Thanks and here's the draft
Thanks everybody for all the info and support. To clarify, I know more than nothing about the weapon ;-) but I wanted to cover it well. And I am always careful to make the distinction between automatic weapons and civilian rifles.
Here's the current version of the article, for those interested. There was plenty of good information that I didn't end up including; that may turn up in other posts later.
Further comments welcome for sure, in this thread or over there. Cheers!
M_A_M
Thanks everybody for all the info and support. To clarify, I know more than nothing about the weapon ;-) but I wanted to cover it well. And I am always careful to make the distinction between automatic weapons and civilian rifles.
Here's the current version of the article, for those interested. There was plenty of good information that I didn't end up including; that may turn up in other posts later.
Further comments welcome for sure, in this thread or over there. Cheers!
M_A_M
Different cartridges with different amounts of brass have different costs. It's not like a brass in different calibers/cartridges all costs the same.
Just sayin'
Nice job on the blog. We need more clear heads to deal with the real problems. The more we can avoid being manipulated by these stalking horses, the better our system will function.
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