I've noticed more than a few posts on this gun forum about people who have never owned an AR.
This befuddles me as the platform seems to be one of the most common / easy-to-find types of gun in the country.
So I'm curious..

Question:
Do you own and/or have you ever fired an AR?
For poll purposes I'd say this could include other similar platforms such as the SCAR/MCX/etc...

Choices:
What's an AR?
I have never shot an AR.
I have shot one, but do not own one.
I own (and have shot) one.
I own (and have shot) several.
ARs are the best thing since sliced bread and I love them.

 

I got acquainted with one in 1967 in the 11th Infantry Brigade and loved it. Very easy to shoot expert with.

So of course I own a few. Just about everyone I shoot with owns at least one.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
I got acquainted with one in 1967 in the 11th Infantry Brigade and loved it.

I'm going to guess that, as with me, that was an M16 (M16A1 for me), not an AR?

An AR had been on my list ever since I first fired an M16A1 in Basic Training. Finally got around to building my AR in 2015.

My first experience with the platform was also an M16(a2) when in the USMC.

I don’t consider any gun to be “the best,” but I have loved the platform since the first time over 50 years ago when I found how much easier Army qualifications were with an M16 than with the M14.
It did, however, take me almost another 20 years to purchase one for myself, and then another 20 years beyond that to start shooting the rifles regularly and become really skilled with them. That probably would have never happened, though, if my particular personal situation had not permitted and encouraged it.

Although I consider them to be very easy to shoot fast and accurately, not everyone agrees. A big, strapping relative had one experience with an AR and hated the gun because he thought the recoil was too much. Other people seem to have difficulty holding the rifle correctly despite dedicated training. I also suspect that for some people there may be psychological issues or other biases involved. When officers with long experience in law enforcement shy away from equipping their departments with the guns due to imagined public perceptions, it would be no wonder that others, including experienced gun owners, might harbor similar feelings.

ARs are close to the best thing since sliced bread, from a modern fighting rifle standpoint. Ultimately practical and useful for nearly all defensive purposes.

But for whatever reason, they just don't seem to have the same "soul" or "cool factor" for me as many other rifles, so it's hard for me to say that I love them. (Personally, I love the old wood and steel battle rifles of the WW2 and postwar era.)

ARs are the Glock of the rifle world, in more ways than one.

Forum member KSGM is kicking himself right now.
“Now why didn’t I think of that topic??!!”

back when dirt was new i assembled my first barbie toy for men. Many years later, many barbies later, I have one ar15 for me, one ar10 for me, one for my son, one for my daughter, one dedicated ar22, and two uppers I have to figure out lowers for.

I can't think of them all! My noodle is always cranking something out, and this is the only forum I post to, so y'all get assaulted. Lot's of smart people on here, and I value any and all conversation, to include yours; now go post in one of my topics!

Uncle Sugar gave me one once. I even actually froze to it once. And he gave me an even better one later: The GAU-5.
Dont own one currently. My Mini 14 serves well.

I own a few, have owned many. But I'd never fired/owned one till about 2000-2002? So almost 30 years of shooting without them, 20 with.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
I got acquainted with one in 1967 in the 11th Infantry Brigade and loved it.

I'm going to guess that, as with me, that was an M16 (M16A1 for me), not an AR?

An AR had been on my list ever since I first fired an M16A1 in Basic Training. Finally got around to building my AR in 2015.

Yep, but the same thing except for the happy switch.

I thought about buying a Full Auto M16 but then thought about the cost of feeding it and decided not to. Feeding a semiauto is bad enough.

It was a lot more fun shooting full auto when the ammo was free and I was getting paid to pull the trigger.

handled a few as a kid, and shot a Colt Commando (short barrel, think xm177 less moderator) when I was a kid,

got my first lower in the very early 80's (Sendra) and still have it

learned to build with that receiver, and have done many many of them over the years

Up until a few years ago I just had one AR, it was a special run a local guy did trying to get into making retro lowers to go with his other retro AR stuff. It was 001, and that's about the only reason I had it. ARs were neat, but not my thing, I like old surplus rifles.

But then the grabbers really started to push their bullshit here, after a few years of successfully gaining rights back, the billionaires started winning again. Now my 10/22 is a 'salt gat, subject to extra restrictions and enhanced background checks and a waiting period.

So I said fuck it, and started stocking up on lowers and buying bits and pieces to build rifles as I can. Those sumbitches wanna ban the eeeeevil black guns, I'll start getting into that. Good luck finding them all.

I own and shoot - more precisely, have shot, due to my favorite range closing and some other factors - a Ruger AR-556, purchased 2018.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
ARs are close to the best thing since sliced bread, from a modern fighting rifle standpoint. Ultimately practical and useful for nearly all defensive purposes.

But for whatever reason, they just don't seem to have the same "soul" or "cool factor" for me as many other rifles, so it's hard for me to say that I love them. (Personally, I love the old wood and steel battle rifles of the WW2 and postwar era.)

ARs are the Glock of the rifle world, in more ways than one.

I agree with this. Though I recently bought a Colt M16A4 which is close to the M16A2 I had in the Marines and I truly enjoy shooting that one with the fixed stock and longer barrel. Still I prefer my Mini-14 or SKS for pure fun.

Didn't vote but will comment and explain.

My first military rifle exposure was with a M14 in the Army. Really liked it and still fondly recall the range Drill Sergeant complimenting me on a "ballentine" I shot sighting mine in.

Was still in the Army when the Mattel rifle was issued. Wasn't enamored with the caliber or the rifle. I was a Drill Sergeant at Ft Dix and as an aside taught the "Quick Kill" technique to troops headed to Nam.

Kept that prejudice for decades staying with bolt actions and flirting at times with semi-autos. But it wasn't until 2017 when our good Doctor Q karma'd me with a Noveske N4 that I became an AR owner. And yes, I've grown to really like the platform.


As an aside, the term "ballentine" for a shot group was derived from the beer. Haven't heard the term used in many decades.

I had to wait until I got to a free state to get an AR because what would be called an AR as allowed in CA, I wouldn't consider an AR.

Bought one. Shot it. Sold it.

It didn't do anything for me.

The funds went toward a 2011 in 10mm.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:


ARs are the Glock of the rifle world, in more ways than one.

No offense intended, but the AK is the Glock of the rifle world.

I have many ARs and AKs. I like both platforms, just say'n.......