why an AR-15?
Is it the fun factor?
I would say that this is a major factor in the purchase. I hate to say it but with video games in every home everyone sees a military style rifle every single day. this was not always the case. now that there is an xbox in every home now when dad asks his kid what he wants for his first deer rifle, before it was "I want what you shoot dad". now it has shifted to "I want what all the guys use on call of duty multiplayer". not that there is anything wrong with that.
Is the gas-piston and smaller caliber? very few of them actually have gas pistons. in fact I prefer them without, they are too much work to dial in.
Or is it the military look? I hit on this a little bit and I would have to say yes. 50 years ago what was the hunting rifle of choice? it was more
than likely a springfield, enfield, mauser, or mosin nagant. it seems so long ago now but 10 years ago I remember going camping with my family and a friend backpacked in and met us at camp with an AR15 over his shoulder, I remember thinking that he was such a badass..now AR15s are a dime a dozen and no one even bats an eye. it is still kindof funny to come home on leave and over the course of a conversation with your pastor trying to explain why your little brother is bragging to the church that his big brother is going to build him an M16(talk about awkward)
I happen to think they're fun to shoot but wonder what it is that makes them so popular these days.
they are fun to shoot, they are fairly cheap to shoot, they are effective general purpose rifles, you can pack them to camp for plinking, hunt up to deer sized game(depending on state laws), or be used for home defense.
now scary version:
however the biggest reason I've noticed is that over the course of my short lived life, I have noticed an ever increasing level of unrest brooding among the general public. riots, demonstrations, anger at a failing economy and a growing distrust for the people we have been electing to preserve our freedoms while they in fact, are stripping them away, a little bit at a time. I know far too many people that own, AR15s, AK47s, SKS, M14s and various other military pattern rifles simply because they believe that it is inevitable that another weapons ban is coming and this time it will stick for good and it is only a matter of time before these hippies occupying wallstreet start another london riot and it's not going to end well... no matter the outcome.
coming from an active duty member of the armed forces who loves his country, I am buying AR15s because sooner or later, there actually is going to be a change, and it's not going to come from a ballot box.