Only Killers Use AR-15s, Right?
In today’s over-exposed world of twenty four hour news cycle, it would be easy for someone who’s never seen or used a firearm to fear the AR-15 style rifle. If the news media is to be believed, these black rifles are instruments of death. Capable of killing hundreds of people with a single pull of the trigger, only a murderous madman would want one. I mean, the right to bear arms is only about hunting, right?
Without getting into all that, I want to honestly give you the pros and cons of this great weapon system, so you can make the best decision should you decide to buy one. Or two. Trust me, the addiction is real!
History Of The AR-15
Designed by Eugene Stoner, and manufactured by the Armalite Corporation, the AR-15 began life in the mid 1950s as the AR-10, chambered in 7.62mm, which itself was spawned from the AR-5 survival rifle. Until this time most rifles were 30 caliber variants of one sort or another. One innovative design characteristic of the AR 10/15 was its straight-line barrel and stock design. This, coupled with the pistol grip, form a very ergonomic gun. They are easy to learn and use, but more on that later. With the phenolic composite stock and forged alloy parts, it was lighter and easier to control on automatic than other infantry rifles of its day.
The Armalite Corporation rescaled and modified the AR 10 to accommodate the smaller, high-velocity .223 Remington cartridge, which allowed single soldiers to carry much more ammo. Armalite licensed the AR-15 to Colt Firearms in 1959 due to financial difficulties. Colt marketed the redesigned rifle to several military services around the world, and finally it was adopted by the U.S. Military as the M-16 rifle, beginning production in 1964.
Many military commanders wanted to keep the .30 cartridge in whatever automatic rifle was to be adopted. Many soldiers didn’t like the smaller round. My late father, a Vietnam vet, used to chastise the HELL out of me about my AR. He snidely commented to me one day “They took away our M1 and gave us this little twenty two. You could shoot a man 3 times with it and not kill him.”
There were also widespread issues of malfunctions in Vietnam, where the rifle was originally introduced. As it turns out, the ammunition was to blame. The Ordnance Corps’ decided to use Ball powder instead of the IMR powder it was designed for, and without testing it. Both Eugene Stoner and Colt warned the government about this.
I repeatedly refer to the AR-15 as a weapon system. That system is comprised of the weapon, cartridge, propellant, primer, and bullet. If one of these items is changed, the entire system must be tested to ensure integrity hasn’t been compromised. It was not tested in the case of the M-16 in Vietnam.
The faster burning Ball powder increased the cyclic rate (how fast the gun shoots) from 700 to 800 rounds per minute to over 1000 rounds per minute. This coupled with the lack of chrome plating in the chamber and barrel caused numerous failures, which were corrected.
Many novices and forum-hounds still believe this myth and perpetuate it. No automatic weapon will operate flawlessly, but with proper care and maintenance the AR platform is very reliable.
Modern AR 15 rifles are robust, and with modern ammunition are one of the most effective rifles available.
Ease Of Use And Reliability
Many would have you believe that the AR 15 is not good for self-defense. Hollywood and brainless news anchors would lead many people to think that shotguns “don’t need to be aimed, and the sound of the pump being racked will cause bad guys to vanish”.
But NRA spokesman and former Navy Seal Dom Raso said it best: “For the vast majority of people I work with, there is no better firearm to defend their homes against realistic threats than the AR-15 semi-automatic. It’s easy to learn and easy to use. It’s accurate. It’s reliable.”
The aforementioned ergonomic benefits of the rifle have become the industry standard for fighting rifles. Because the rear stock and the barrel are aligned, using the pistol grip the operator can bring the rifle up for a good cheek weld quickly, and the body is in a natural position to hold the weapon system.
This alignment makes getting a sight picture quick and effortless. The head doesn’t have to be lowered into shooting position to acquire a target. As with other activities, comfort equals control.
The pistol grip allows the weapon to be carried one-handed when necessary, and I’ve learned through many hours of hunting with an AR-15 that this can be a big help.
Magazine replacement couldn’t be easier. Unlike other rifles, like the SKS and the Ruger Mini 14, there is no pivot or rotating of the magazine. It is just inserted straight into the magazine well, pushed firmly or smacked, and it’s seated.
A blind man in a cave could swap the AR -15 magazine in seconds. Coupled with the amount of ammo that can be carried this makes the AR force multiplier. I’ve never been under fire, but I’ve walked up among 8 wild hogs in the dark. That 30 round magazine came in handy that night!
The AR-15 also has very little to almost no recoil. It is a great beginner rifle, as my 9 year old son can shoot one.
My 9 Year Old Son Unafraid!
As mentioned before, the AR of today is reliable. I personally am a man of function over form, and I need a rifle that will work after being dropped down a rocky Texas cliff in the dark. I can’t afford to carry a weapon that I have to worry about getting scratched. I need tough equipment that gets the job done. I’ve even ran over my AR-15 with a Kawasaki 500 ATV while fur trapping, and all function was still 100 percent. Not even the scope was off target!
It’s Definitely Worth A Look
If given the chance to try out the AR-15, don’t hesitate to take one for a test drive. I think with proper instruction you’ll find they are rugged, reliable, and a whole lot of fun. Let’s not forget, these rifles also look cool. In the book American Sniper by Chris Kyle, Kyle quips “The first part of being cool is looking cool.”
