ARs Are So Boring!

[Charlie98]

They strike me as the most conformist, boring, uninteresting rifles ever, and I don't know why.

They are reliable, low recoil, fire an effective cartridge, are like legos for grown people, are inexpensive, and perhaps the most ergonomic and effective fighting rifle in world history. They rock.

That's sort of a contradiction... you say they are all the same in the first statement, then describe them as Legos for adults in the second... meaning everyone builds them up to be just what they want them to be. I have 4 ARs in the safe, not one is the same.

I get it... the AR is the F-150 pickup of the firearms world. It does what it does very well, and therein lies it's beauty. It's not what the AR does, so much, but what you do with it.

I sort of feel the same way about AKs... yes, they are the Commie version of the AR... a simple, stone reliable, yada, yada, yada rifle... I just don't dig on them. I've shot a few, I'll never own one, however.

[MTT TL]

AKs are pretty boring also. Due to their high relative price I decided against the platform years ago. But they are boring and even more conformist than AR's and therefore very worthy.

[RC20]

I built them to learn about the design. I found I don't care much for the design or ergonomics, nor does shooting them interest me much.

Had one, sold it. Had an XCR, better gun ergonomically.

Went back to bolt guns.

It seems like they have taken the place of 22s at the range.

[dgludwig]

I was anti-AR for a long time.

I was never "anti-AR" but never "pro-AR" until I decided to compete in some Service Rifle matches. It was interesting for a while but I eventually became "bored" with the platform. I still like them but will never love them. For lack of a better word, they seem relatively devoid of character.

[briandg]

The lego factor is what I see an awful lot of the time. When a guy is absolutely a bolt user, there are only a couple factors that decide what the next purchase will be. A lot of the time that factor will be that he wants higher velocity, heavier bullets, larger caliber, shorter or larger action, barrel design and weight, and we haven't even started talking about cosmetic differences.

Up until very recently, there was only one caliber in ar that was commonly used, and the rest of it was nothing but customization toys. and those toys were marketed to turn a "combat" (or sporting) style rifle into a BETTER and more effective combat or sporting rifle.

If we compared the versatility of the bolt rifle to the "versatility" of the ar platform, You'd better have a sense of humor. You have the run of 500 yard varmints, 100 yard deer, or even fifty yard cape buffalo in three rifles, but that AR isn't great at anything but shooting people, steel, or paper.

[Chainsaw.]

Kool aide - Drank. I too was an AR poo poo-er for a long time. Ended up building a precision AR which I never shot, then I build a "duty" rifke, that one hooked me hard. They are comfortable, accurate, light, I can play dress up with pink dresses and the natching Corvette....wait....thats Barbie. But, same same. I love em. Are they all I want, gosh no, but they serve they're purpose well. I have 4 in my safe, the aforementioned precision, which finally got a better scope, my "dooty" gun, my 9mm "pistol" and my wife ruger 556 that Ive modded a little. I still love my bolt guns, NOTHING beats my wood and steel guns but again, they do what they do well. Try one, I doubt you'll be dissatisfied, perhaps not hooked, but definitely not let down.

[COSteve]

I've got 2 ARs, a RRA mid-length gas carbine and a RRA scoped A4 for longer ranges. Yes, they are accurate but neither were $500 cheap-o rifles either. I also have a newer 583 series Mini-14 that I've spent a bit of time and about what a good quality precision trigger for an AR costs to enhance it's already good accuracy to produce a carbine with 1 MOA accuracy.

That's plenty accurate enough for all but precision bulleye paper punching, something I find boring as heck and never, ever do. For plinking and shooting at reactive targets at random ranges, my Mini is a ton more fun to shoot than my ARs. It's accuracy with irons is on par with my irons AR carbine and I can hit bowling pins at 200yds all day long with it.

It's more traditional design means that it's much less bulky and the controls are actually more comfortable than the AR's. The completed package gives it a M14 vibe. I've had my Mini out with my M1A and some have asked me if it's a SOCOM model. You want a great shooting carbine that looks great and turns heads at the range; something only a multi thousand dollar AR can do. Try a Mini-14.

Does it look to you like 'just another AR'?

[RC20]

Nice, very nice

[44caliberkid]

The AR is the 350 Chevy of the gun world. You can build them mild to wild. Everyone makes parts for them. The parts I find the most attractive for any particular application tend to be the most expensive ones. I build them as art pieces, purely aesthetic, any color or combination of colors, hydro dipping, laser engraving, custom cut hand guard designs. Favorite college team colors and logos. And the added fun of shooting them.
But my favorite shooter is a plain black, ultralight carbine with Houge furniture and a Michulek comp.

[jugornot]

I have 2 very accurate savage bolt guns. I wanted the same accuracy (or as close as I could get) in a semi. The only platform I considered was an AR. Both of my ARs ( a 223 and 308) are sub moa with handloading. I dare say their abilities to adapt to any situation is why the army is having such a hard time replacing the M16 cousin.

[Mike38]

So I'm not the only avid gun owner that does not own an AR? I have no desire either. I do however own an AK101 (AK chambered in 5.56) and must say, it brings a smile to my face every time I shoot it.

[hdwhit]

Model12Win wrote:
...I know I'm just running from the AR's greatness.

I bought a Mini-14 for myself in 1979. I still have it. I don't own an AR (although both my sons do). My Mini has done everything I have asked of it in terms of hunting, self-defense and target practice (shooting offhand, not from a bench), so I don't experience any gap in its "greatness" versus the AR.

[Model12Win]

Originally Posted by turtlehead

I guess my silly comment was deleted.

I hope everyone knows I was just having some fun with the topic. My apologies to Model12Win. We're all on the same team here.

It's okay I forgive you.

Guys I'll admit, I thought I would have been absolutely torn apart from posting this thread. I'm glad we can all have a civil discourse on this forum, one reason why I really like it here.

[the rifleer]

I remember one day all the firing benches were taken, all filled with people shooting an AR off a bench.

So I stood at 200 yards (no bench available) with my Mini 14 and shot a 10 round magazine at a 24'' gong. All 10 shots hit the gong at 200 yards. When I looked up I had several people staring at me. A few asked what modifications I had done, if it was hand loaded ammo etc. they wanted to know how in the world i hit a gong at 200 yards with a mini 14. It was a bone stock mini with factory bulk ammo. nothing special.

It was really funny to me. I agree than AR's are boring. I dont own one. If i have an extra $1500 laying around, it probably wont be spent on an AR.

[MTT TL]

If i have an extra $1500 laying around, it probably wont be spent on an AR.

You could by three for that much. And hit gongs at 300 yards instead.

[bamaranger]

I don't get too excited about AR's. Bought a carbine version to shoot in local 3-gun and still have it, but no longer shoot 3-gun (too expensive) and shoot the AR very little these days. They were issued at work, and I've shot them quite a bit for quals and training, I even have an armorer's certificate from Colt. But I really doubt if I ever buy another.

ANY gun is fun to shoot, so I can't justify it on fun factor. If I want to shoot 500 rds in an afternoon, the .22lr is still cheaper. The common cartridge (.223) is just a bit too small for me to call a deer round. I've got bolt rifles that are more accurate and some shoot hotter rounds for varminting. To me the rifles have no soul, .......all space plastic and steel and alloys. To me, like dating a robot. And everybody seems to have one, all reasons I won't get another.

[Guyand]

They do not interest me but they sure are an amazingly fine design and work for everything from tactical defense to target shooting.

Most of the old guys where I shoot are former military guys and they all pretty much say "been there, lugged one around, done that" and don't seem to have much interest in shooting them on a regular basis.

Young guys are all into them. I see a number of guys at the very rural range where I shoot who are doing some pretty serious target shooting with them, and I see a few guys who are missing a few teeth but have several ARs, scopes, range finders, giant knives strapped on and hundred dollar sunglasses. So I guess people find them addictive.

I guess lots of it is generational and just depends on what you want.

But it sure is one heck of a great design, regardless of who came up with it first.

[Nathan]

Maybe an M1 garand is more your speed??

[Kirosha]

I admit my only issue with the Mini 14 was that it couldn't fire 5.56. Mid 80s Mini.

That said, I still have never fired 5.56 so

I've also never tried to get the barrel hot enough to see accuracy issues...so no need to buy a newer Mini.

[dgludwig]

I admit my only issue with the Mini 14 was that it couldn't fire 5.56. Mid 80s Mini.

What am I missing here?

[PlatinumCore16]

Model12, I was the same way. I even went out of my way to research other semi-autos (that I didn't already know about) to decide what I wanted. I ended up with a C308 and that is still my favorite semi.

However, a few months ago, a lot of the anti-gun sentiment was getting to me and I saw prices rising on a lot of AR's, so I went out and got one because it's my right as an American (and I found a great deal). I now have several lowers and uppers and I'm going to build up a few, but my intention is to probably sell my original purchased full one and keep the one or two I built.

They're still not my favorite, but it is enjoyable to build them and they are easy to shoot.

[JJ45]

It might be advantageous to having the same weapon the Government issues and this includes law enforcement issue also, At least you have ammo compatibility.

I have never owned an "AR" so it's a bit cloudy but I would suspect many parts used in Mil/LE weapons are interchangeable with civvies???

[imashooter]

Here's how I feel about my ARs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKturN4Beyg

[Kirosha]

Originally Posted by dgludwig

What am I missing here?

I'm unsure.

Rifles marked for .223 can't shoot 5.56. Rifles marked 5.56 can shoot both.

Older Mini 14s are .223 only. I think they moved to 5.56 in the early 2000s when they changed to a heavier barrel to remedy the accuracy issues when the barrel gets hot from extended/rapid fire. (Edit - I've honestly never experienced this. I've heard some call it a myth entirely)

I hope it clears up my statement.

[MTT TL]

It might be advantageous to having the same weapon the Government issues and this includes law enforcement issue also, At least you have ammo compatibility.

Ah, so when the police are doing house to house seizures they will take yours first since they can incorporate it in to the armory easily? I mean that is how it worked in Iraq anyway.