Top 10 Reasons You Should Own An AR-15

The Federalist ^ | December 12, 2018 | Mark Overstreet

[detective]

In a recent item for The Federalist, David Harsanyi considered the M16 rifle one of the five most innovative firearms in American firearm development history. Yet something equally significant can be said about the semi-automatic AR-15 derived from the M16. Second to the muskets used in our revolutionary and civil wars, the AR-15 may be the most important firearm in American political history.

All told, more Americans have fired more rounds from more AR-15s for personal defense, defensive firearm training, marksmanship competitions, individual practice, and hunting than from any other rifle. For that reason, the AR-15 is the primary firearm upon which Americans would rely if they had to fight for freedom today.

Here are 10 reasons to own at least one AR-15 and to become skilled in its use.

[Magnum44]

Too flimsy and easy to break.

The cheap AR starters you find at most shops still have some of the plastics that the original was known for being flimsy, but anyone can buy or build AR's today that have very few if any plastic parts and, if you go beefy, would be as good for door busting as anything else out there.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Very few. Colt’s exclusive rights to make them expired in the late 80s. Now everyone and their brother make mil-spec receivers and parts for them. You can literally buy any part you want from a dozen or more manufacturers.

[Kommodor]

Pretty much everybody makes a version nowadays. Ruger and Smith & Wesson make good ones. For that matter, so do DPMS and Bushmaster. You can spend as little or as much as you want, but it’s best to do a little research first, figure out what you really want before spending the money.

My preference is basic, black, functional, with magpul accessories, CMC trigger, Hogue grip, that sort of thing. Your preferences may vary.

[ThunderSleeps]

Personal additions:

11. If you want to get good at cleaning a firearm, an AR-15 is an excellent platform to learn on. If Mr. Stoner missed an opportunity to create a carbon-holding nook or cranny, particularly in the bolt carrier group, I don't know where it would be. Own an AR-15 and you will get very good at cleaning firearms.

12. Because it drives liberals crazy. Leftist/fascist so-called "liberals" are so un-American and anti-American, anything they don't like and want to ban has got to be a good thing.

13. They're just plain fun to shoot. They are low to very low recoil. While they're not the simplest firearm to operate, there is a certain satisfaction to learning how to run one well.

14. The article lists modularity. That doesn't even begin to describe the situation. If you want to express your individuality, don't get a piercing - like everyone else. Don't get a tattoo - like everyone else. With an AR you can very quickly delve into the realm of so many combinations and permutations of options and accessories that you can make your AR one of a kind. Admittedly I haven't followed my own advice here. Mine only has a red dot sight and a sling as additions - practically factory stock by AR standards.

[Keyhopper]

That would be the AR -10
7.62x51 mm

[Blood of Tyrants]

Answer to 3): Install a gas piston system to replace the DI system.

[William Tell]

"As they are currently conducted, competitions have next to zero value in terms of offensive or defensive tactics training, ..."

I think this depends greatly on how one defines "tactics".

Just the practice with my firearms that I get by going to the range increases my preparedness immensely. There are some fundamentals that support owning and using firearms that greatly advance once preparation to use firearms in a life-threatening situation.

Let me describe what happened to a guy I know. He owns both a Mini-14 and a Mini-30, both with wood stocks. He drove 60 miles to a range one time only to find that the .223 ammo he had didn't match the Mini-30 that he inadvertently brought with him.

The word "tactics" might not seem to apply to something as fundamental as having the right ammunition for one's rifle. However, there are plenty of ways that lack of sufficient training and practice can result in a failure to perform.

I'm sure that I will never again ... er, I mean, I'm sure that he will never again fail to properly identify which firearm he is taking and match it to the right ammo. He will also never forget just how embarrassingly long it took him to figure out what went wrong.

[The Toll]

The AR-15 reliability issue is extremely overplayed by people that have no experience with them. Yes, there were issues with the M16 when first issued in Vietnam. It was an attempt to get by on the cheap and the problem was with the ammo, not the operating system.

If you are looking for your first AR. I would recommend the Ruger AR-556, or the Smith and Wesson M&P15. These are very well manufactured rifles from reliable sources that have a great entry level price point.

You can mount a basic low-cost red dot on them, and replace the milspec trigger with a match trigger easily enough. Within a week you’ll have a really fine little AR to work with. Then, shoot the dog crap out of it!!! If you fall in love, then you can spend some real money if you like.

[archy]

Interesting article.

Erronious before he gets out of the second sentence:

In a recent item for The Federalist, David Harsanyi considered the M16 rifle one of the five most innovative firearms in American firearm development history. Yet something equally significant can be said about the semi-automatic AR-15 derived from the M16.

Not so. The M16 was derived from Eugene Stoner's work for the Armalite Division of Fairchild Aircraft, which resulted in a lightweight service rifle utilizing aerospace industry materials and manufacturing techniques. Though Army Ordnance was particularly uninterested the US Air Force considered the new design to be a possible replacement for their worn-out WWII M1 and M2 carbines, the most produced US small arm of that conflict. The original Armalite designation for the weapon was AR 15; previous designs, some in use by the USAF, including the AR-5, AR-7, AR-10 and finally, AR15. Only after finally standardized and produced to Army specifications around 1965 as the M16 was it so designated.

USAF AR-5 [USAF designation MA-1] survival rifle, circa 1958

President John F. Kennedy and USAF officer with early AR-15 rifle and crossbow.

[Mr. Mohasky]

Lot of companies have good prices and are plenty reliable. You can get a nice rifle for under $400, or splurge and spend over $1200.

[archy]

Are people actually buying ArmarLite AR-15’s or other companies versions? I’m thinking of getting one but don’t know which one has good pricing and reliability.

The last FBI buy of semiautos for field office agents was 5000 rifles from Rock River, enough to arm about a third of the Bureau. They are a quality rifle, not overpriced, and may have some future collectors value, kind of like the Walther PPK handguns used by Nazi Concentration Camp Guards.

[day10]

I thought it was a boating accident? :-)

[PLMerite]

[Even the Amish have AR-15’s.]

With wooden furniture, even :) :

[JimRed]

Number one reason: Because THEY don’t want you to.

[Brian Griffin]

“Michael Cohen plead guilty to something that is not a crime.”

Cohen will plead to any federal crime Trump can pardon after Cohen serves a proper amount of time for tax evasion.

It just makes Mueller look like the bully he is.

[Carriage Hill]

That’s an AR-10. I have one w/ Leupold CQB Scope.
Alexander Arms’ Beowulf .50cal comes on the same platform, and I also have one of those w/ Zeiss Glass.

[Carriage Hill]

Reason #?? should be that 5.56mm/.223cal ammo is extremely common, unlike many other calibers, and in a SHTF situation, can come in handy.

[archy]

I have a bag of cotter pins and several firing pins as spares.

The most commonly ruined part on the ARs of a couple of gun rental shops I've visited was the bolt cam pin. they gall from heat or no lube, chip and fracture, and sometimes snap in half from faulty heat treatment.

Have at LEAST one spare for each of your ARs/M16s/M4s.

[HiTech RedNeck]

cause it’s redneck cool...

[gundog]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoCOoFR8n6Y