“Most gun stores are long back ordered for black rifles”
Do you think those are mostly 2nd and 3rd purchases, or new buyers?
How many do you think are 6.5 vs 5.56?
It’s probably mixed. To what degree neither of us knows.
But I would think it prudent to have a first AR in the most common caliber...for sharing purposes.
Per my local gun stores, most of their AR sales in the last few months are to first time buyers - their estimates run in the 60% range. 6.5 sales are a tiny minority of sales, as is any caliber but 5.56 at the current time per them.
I for one dislike the AR system, but even I have a piston AR. Because direct impingement sucks. I’m still reaching for my Saiga or a FAL first in the event of an emergency.