Why is the AR15 so popular?

[cb51]

I am at a loss to understand the AR15 phenomenon.

Another post caused to post this question, and I'm really curious. I had a 4 year acquaintance with one, and carried one as an everyday weapon. To me, it's a soulless tinny thrown together thing that the only good thing is, it's cheap to build in large numbers, and it's lightweight and uses lightweight ammo.

To me, it just brings back memories of stinking human dung fertilized rice patties, constant buzz of mosquitos, constant battle to prevent athletes foot and toe nail fungus from wet boots, clothes always sticking to you from the humid heat, and red sticky mud making your boots heavier. The ammo stinks from the reek of whatever they make it with.

It's not a hunting rifle it's a poor target rifle, and feels like a hunk of plastic mounted recycled beer cans.

I'm serous, why do yo guys like it so much????

 

[Kar98]

https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2017/12/11/why-is-the-ar-15-so-popular/

 

[Frank59]

To me there is a difference in why its so popular and why someone would want to take an interest in one. The political landscape surrounding gun control is why its so popular. My individual interest in one is because they piss left wingers off!!

 

[Moonpie]

Its cheap and available.

 

[cb51]

To me there is a difference in why its so popular and why someone would want to take an interest in one. The political landscape surrounding gun control is why its so popular. My individual interest in one is because they piss left wingers off!!

Yeah, I guess that's a worthy goal at least. Pissing off the libs is never a bad thing.

 

[easy rider]

The AR is very easy to disassemble and reassemble and easier to shoot for some.

 

[Lunyfringe]

I am at a loss to understand the AR15 phenomenon.

Another post caused to post this question, and I'm really curious. I had a 4 year acquaintance with one, and carried one as an everyday weapon. To me, it's a soulless tinny thrown together thing that the only good thing is, it's cheap to build in large numbers, and it's lightweight and uses lightweight ammo.

To me, it just brings back memories of stinking human dung fertilized rice patties, constant buzz of mosquitos, constant battle to prevent athletes foot and toe nail fungus from wet boots, clothes always sticking to you from the humid heat, and red sticky mud making your boots heavier. The ammo stinks from the reek of whatever they make it with.

It's not a hunting rifle it's a poor target rifle, and feels like a hunk of plastic mounted recycled beer cans.

I'm serous, why do yo guys like it so much????

Why do you hate it so much, and why do you only associate it with Vietnam? today's ARs CAN be quite a bit different than the M16s of that era.

Your statement about not being a hunting rifle and a poor target rifle are pure bovine scatology and just show your bias against it. I'm sorry you handled such shitty ARs... or have you even touched one in the last decade?

They are VERY modular, you can get wood furniture (http://woodforar.com/ is just one), I've seen where you can get a steel or brass lower if that's what floats your boat... it's available in calibers from 17HMR to 50BMG (bolt action upper), they can be customized thousands of different ways...

 

[TheMailMan]

Many people hunt with an AR. Lots of people target shoot with one and they can be very accurate. If you think it feels like plastic mounted recycled beer cans then you've never held a mid to top tier AR15.

It's also tinker toys, Legos, and Barbie all rolled into one.

 

[SQLGeek]

It's not a hunting rifle it's a poor target rifle,

Well neither of those are true. That may be your opinion but there are tons of ARs present in many types of hunting including varmints, hogs, deer and predators.

ARs are also well represented in many types of match and target shooting.

The main reasons they're popular is that they look like the M16 / M4 carbine and they are highly customizable.

People can assemble their own from a wide variety of parts to choose from and make anything between a 4" pistol and a 24" precision rifle. Not to mention the wide variety of caliber options available.

 

[easy rider]

Funny, I hear the same arguments (as the OP) from people that never shot an AR and want them banned.

 

[Darkpriest667]

Price, availability, modularity, customization, caliber choices.

 

[deemus]

My first interest was due to it looking like the old M-16 rifles. I never served in the armed forces, so my first intro to the AR was at a friend's farm.

Once I got interested it became more interesting on several counts. The recoil is very light for a rifle that can take large game, so my wife and kids can shoot it comfortably. Several of my kids took their first deer with an AR. My son in law also took his first deer with my AR this past season.

The Lego comment is spot on. You can swap parts, build one with the stuff that you find interesting, and you can actually easily build a gun yourself. That is a pretty cool thing for many people.

I have shot a tennis ball sized group with my AR at 300 yds. That is pretty accurate for me.

 

[Ole Cowboy]

Its architecture is one of the best of any gun ever products. The AR 15/16 family is just a scaled down AR 10. Its versatility is unparalleled. Having carried both a M14 and the M16 I certainly preferred the M16/M4 family of weapons which is not to say the M14 is a bad weapon, its not!

As for the Mattel, well I too was concerned about the strength of the plastic and I can assure all that you can butt stroke a bad actor in the chin and break/unhinge his jaw and unless he has a good medical plan 50 years later he is still eating/drinking thru a straw...

 

[cb51]

Your statement about not being a hunting rifle and a poor target rifle are pure bovine scatology and just show your bias against it. I'm sorry you handled such shitty ARs... or have you even touched one in the last decade?

I haven't touched one since my discharge many decades ago. Just no interest. I'm a gun owner and I defend your right to shoot whatever you want. I just don't get the AR fan club. To me it just brings back memories I'd rather forget.

 

[easy rider]

I've never shot 50 BMG and probably will never own one, I certainly wouldn't carry one around for protection, but I'd love to shoot one. I couldn't say I would call it as practical as an AR, but I wouldn't begrudge someone from owning one.

 

[diesel1959]

I haven't touched one since my discharge many decades ago. Just no interest. I'm a gun owner and I defend your right to shoot whatever you want. I just don't get the AR fn club. To merit just brings back memories I'd rather forget.

Thanks for your service; however, I will respectfully reply that what you're saying reveals a problem that YOU have with the memories of the rifle but that's not a problem with the rifle itself.

The AR family of rifles has come a LONG way and can truly handle the duties of primary hunting rifle (ARs in 6.8SPC or .308) or target rifle. You'd find quite a few folks at Camp Perry each year who can show you some things about just how accurate an AR can be.

In my opinion, there's not a finer hog-hunting weapon out there an an AR in 6.8SPC with a standard-capacity magazine and a thermal scope mounted on it for nighttime stuff.

 

[EZ-E]

Cost effective to build, low cost ammo to shoot, low recoil... my 10 yr old daughter can shoot it.
Tons of options to modify, lots of caliber options. You can build them to be target, hunting, 3gun, etc. I was at Primary Arms with my daughter & was telling her AR's are like Legos for men. Then 15 minute later a new guys walks in with his wife. Then my daughter starts laughing... she over heard the guy make the same Lego statement to his wife.... i said ... see i told you Legos for men

If you haven't shot one in the last decade, i would recommend it.

 

[Kar98]

The AR family of rifles has come a LONG way...

Indeed even the cheapest $399 DPMS is a better gun than the O.G. Vietnam era M16, especially in the hands of a skilled shooter. Which includes proper maintenance, using modern ammo, and not cutting wire with the three pronged flash hider.

 

[AustinN4]

I only qualified marksman with the heavy ass M14, but qualified expert with the M16 back in the 60s. Nuff said.

 

[Lunyfringe]

I haven't touched one since my discharge many decades ago. Just no interest. I'm a gun owner and I defend your right to shoot whatever you want. I just don't get the AR fn club. To merit just brings back memories I'd rather forget.

Thank you for your service, but I'll respectfully submit that if you looked at some well-built examples today you'd have a hard time finding similarities to the old M-16 of the 60's. I own more uppers than I do lowers, because I can swap them around as I see fit to change calibers or configurations. A lot less money than owning one complete firearm in each caliber.

So what do you like to shoot? Many of us also really enjoy other types of rifles... but my go-to ranch defense against 4 or 2 legged critters is one of my ARs. (no legged critters it's usually snake shot in a .45ACP pistol)