Outstanding reference thread! I absolutely love ARs! In fact, I've pretty much replaced my bolts with ARs. There's almost nothing a bolt can do, that an AR can't do better. Here are a few of my thought, on why I now have 13+ AR-style rifles:
Why Buy an AR
- Accuracy - You will not find a more accurate semi-auto platform than an AR. With recent advancements, today's ARs can pretty much match the most accurate bolt-action rifles. And they beat the snott out of any other semi-auto rifle.
Modularity - This system's strength is that it's modular. Want to change a trigger or barrel, no problem - there are umpteen thousand sites and vendors with parts you can choose from. Best of all, the entire system was made to be easily modified with little gun-smiting expertise or specialized tools. You can do just about anything, in minutes, for a fraction of what it costs on other platforms.
Ergonomics - You'll be hard-pressed to find a more ergonomic rifle platform than the AR; especially true for the AR-15 (the AR-10 is a bit heavy to wield).
Standardization - You will always be able to buy parts, for this platform.
Operating System
There has been quite a bit of noise about the direct-impingement system being a source of problems, with the AR platform. Personally, I don't buy it. If I was going to shoot 2,000+ rounds in a setting, I guess I could see it causing a problem. I have, however, shot almost 1,000 rounds from ARs, between cleanings, without significant problems. And the system is very easy to break down and clean. I have a couple problems with gas, vs. direct impingement:
- Accuracy - DI is more accurate, IMOHO. A DI system relies on the spring behind the bolt to do the work, whereas a gas system relies upon a piston that slams into a fitting that is located around the middle of the barrel. If you watch slow-mo videos of these systems working, they cause the barrels to flex a bit. But the old DI systems leave the barrels unmolested.. and I think this is one of the reasons the AR system is the most accurate semi.
Weight - Gas systems add at least 1/2lb (usually more) to an AR. And that weight is usually somewhat forward, where I don't want it.
Cost - It usually adds about $200, to add gas.
Then again, you can add a piston, if you want it. Again, this is the beauty of the AR platform.
Calibers
If the AR was only available in .223/5.56, I'd probably only have a couple. Fortunately, there's a wide variety of calibers available. Here's my take on a few of the more popular ones:
AR-15 Calibers
- 5.56/.223 - Great for target, plinking, and varmint. There have also been some innovations in recent loads, much due to the popularity of the AR platform. And yes, many deer & hog have fallen prey to this round.
.204 Ruger - If you thought the 5.56 shot flat, give this sucker a try. It only involves changing the AR barrel and you have a round that is flatter shooting than the already flat 5.56. And I've heard it's devastating on varmints.
7.62x39 - Heard that this round is inaccurate? Well, that's not the case out of the AR. I've had AR uppers in this caliber that can shoot sub 1" 50yd groups all day long, with cheap Wolfe ammo. And better ammo has gotten me to almost under an inch at 100yds. And yes, it will kill hogs & deer dead, but within 150 or so yards. BTW, my best AK shoots 3-4" groups with the same ammo.
300 AAC "Blackout" - Ballistically, this round is only a bit better than the 7.62x39. However, it has some good things going for it: It can use all the standard AR-15 parts, except for the barrel (same mags, bolt, etc.). There is also a lots of great hunting ammo available, as it uses standard .308 bullets, vs. the .310 bullets used in a 7.62x39. It's a great sub-200yd hog & deer round. And for those of you who want to build an SBR or shoot subsonic, this round is a dream. I've been shooting 115 CTFBs that are OK for hogs and shoot ~1" 100yd groups, if I really do my part (honestly, It's hard for me to shoot 1" 100yd groups with the 3x glass I have on it.... but I think it;s close. And that ammo costs $12 a box.
6.8 spc - For me, this is the best hunting round. Within ~250yds it's pretty close to a .308 (as in it will do similar practical damage). It;s pretty flat shooting to 300yds, and there's a wide variety of ammo available.
6.5 Grendel - People love this round because of its ability to shoot great and hunt out to 500yds. I haven't shot one but have heard good things.
.50 Beowulf/.450 Bushmaster/.458 - These are the thumper rounds. They may not be much after 150yds, but they're slayers within that range. If you could kill it with a 45-70, it's dead with one of these. This is my choice for charging Grizzlies or Lions.
And the list goes on....
AR-10 Calibers
I won't get into them, as they're mostly standard, but there are a lot of them. Before you start fiddling with these, know that an AR-10 is usually at least two lbs heavier than an AR-15. It's also quite a bit larger, and the platform is not as opeen as the AR-15. However, you can get...
- .308/7.62x51
.243
6.5 Creedmore
7mm-08
etc, etc, etc....
Just a few more data point. Did I mention that building and tweaking ARs is fun?
Here are a few of mine...