The AR-15 Situation

[turtlehead]

Don't be surprised if it turns out to be your favorite rifle. Or at least your go to rifle.

If things ever got so bad that I needed a rifle right now, the AR is it.

And I learned to build ARs for the same reason listed above.

 

[tahunua001]

maybe I can put this one to rest, just got an update today about what the 2 senators in my state have been up to. today 4 separate gun control related bans were introduced to the senate. my states senators flat out opposed the two usual suspects who proposed confiscation and banning and voted in support of 2 bills that would limit some guns to people who were under investigation(with due process), none of the 4 bills received enough support to advance.

so there you go. no more GC scares from this tragedy.

 

[sarge83]

At my local shop the two Ruger AR's were gone from last Friday. There was a couple of bushmasters in the $650 range still on the shelf.

 

[Skans]

If you don't have an AR-15 type rifle, you really should get one. Here are some reasons why:

1. It's the most versatile gun ever produced....ever!
2. Many Caliber combinations, if that's your things.
3. Many types of triggers and trigger systems, including the 2-shot systems, if that's your thing.
4. All kinds of magazines available including drums
5. It's one of the few guns where it's easy to swap barrels and parts.
6. You can easily buy enough of every part to permit the rifle to last many lifetimes even with lots of use.
7. It's rugged, dependable, light weight, accurate, and powerful enough to stop humans and put down small to medium sized game.
8. It (can be) the closest thing to full-auto you may be legally allowed to own for under $10,000.
9. If the doo-dads you decorate your AR with ever go out of style, then buy new doo-dads and redecorate.

My advice in choosing one:
1. Don't buy a really expensive one - you are going to want to configure it to your liking anyway.
2. Buy it in 5.56
3. Don't buy a piston AR for your first or only AR - not necessary and not as easy to support with parts down the road.
4. Buy enough large-cap magazines and ordinary 30 round magazines to last you for the life of the gun, which will be a long time.
5. Go ahead and assemble a spare parts kit while parts are cheap!

 

[stagpanther]

This is a dangerous thread--but I'll try to make my comments as point on to the OP concerns as I can.

First off--if you've never cared for an AR before--I would not get one now just because of some anticipation of hysteria forcing them off the shelves. You'll end up either neglecting it in your safe or trying to resell it once you figure out you really don't want or need it. You could probably do better investing in shares of Apple stock.

On the other hand, If you really want to train with and shoot your AR and experience what a great weapon they can be--regardless of the political climate--then I would say by all means get one. AR's are far and away the most popular rifle in the US and the market for them and accessories is also far and away the top profit-making sector of the firearms industry--that's probably the real reason we'll never see a real ban on them.

Watching the political tradewinds shift on gun control it is becoming increasingly clear that neither Congress or the executive branch will go for a ban that challenges the 2nd amendment--BUT what is increasingly happening is the SCOTUS is turning back gun control matters to the states and allowing them leeway to place their own controls, several cases have been turned back--allowing them to be upheld by the states--just this year.

 

[MarkCO]

The word I've read is that sales volumes of ARs are up in many stores, but there are as yet enough available that the prices have not risen.

Consensus opinion at the moment is that the situation might well change during the last month or two prior to the election. I guess it depends on relative importance as an issue during the campaign. No telling what sort of event could occur to change the focus of the campaign.

Concur.

There was a mini-panic, but the pipeline is full of most items. Even .22LR is coming back. Many companies over-produced and there were some great deals in the last few months...those seem to have dried up. However, there are plenty still available. Most of the gun company executives believe that 2016 will remain constant maintaining the slightly increased sales we have had for the past 7 years, but there will be a spike near the end of the year. Most I have talked to believe that 2017 will be a down year regardless.

I did not get an AR15 until I was in my late 30s, and Skans post it right on point.

 

[5whiskey]

First off--if you've never cared for an AR before--I would not get one now just because of some anticipation of hysteria forcing them off the shelves. You'll end up either neglecting it in your safe or trying to resell it once you figure out you really don't want or need it. You could probably do better investing in shares of Apple stock.

I will disagree with you sir... kinda sorta. I see value in not rushing out to purchase an AR15 based SOLELY on the anticipation that there MAY be an AWB. With that being said, if someone has any inclination that they would enjoy the rifle, but has put off the purchase because of budget reasons and the "I can always get it later" mentality, then I would definitely purchase sooner rather than later. I don't see any meaningful federal AWB... but I wouldn't gamble on it not happening either. I do not foresee anything that would not grandfather existing ownership, and I actually will gamble on that. For the next 10 years or so anyway. Who knows where we end up in the future.

 

[SR420]

My primary rifle is the M14... for years my only 5.56 NATO rifle has been an excellent Daewoo AR 100. Earlier this year I picked up a lightly used Colt LE6920, not because it's all that & a bag of chips - no, I picked it up because it was dirt cheap (< $700), and NOT a home built AR. I've never fired it... it just sits in the safe.

 

[BoogieMan]

Without getting political or anything else. While the previous ban was in effect could owners of so call AW sell and trade their AW? Let say I had a dozen lowers and they are banned tomorrow. I would imagine I can keep and likely build them. However, could I sell them to anyone else?

 

[Art Eatman]

Boogieman, it depends on how any law is written. During the Ban, existing no-no rifles were grandfathered in, so resale was legal. Only state laws banned continued possession without registration (California, e.g.).

 

[Skans]

There is absolutely no way to predict what the next gun ban will allow and what it won't allow. Remember, it was the Firearm Owners Protection Act that BANNED Machine Guns in 1986. The Ban was apparently snuck in at the last moment in the negotiations.

So, always remember - No gun law is ever a good law.

 

[rickyrick]

Just remember, it's not just the assault weapons that they want to ban this time, it's any semiauto with a detachable box magazine.

 

[turtlehead]

Well, you can't have 'em.

 

[T. O'Heir]

"...that they want to ban this time..." It's not a 'this time' thing. It's a nibbling at what "they" think they can get banned. Happened up here. Shot gunners, the real hard core skeet/trap guys, never helped the rest of us when out idiots were making oppressive laws in the late 70's. They all thought the government would never do anything to them or their Perazzi's. Big shock when the guys, who had been peacefully shooting skeet and/or trap for years and years, were told they had to take a firearms safety course and pass a written test to be allowed to keep doing it.
"...grandfathered in..." Doesn't mean it'll happen this time
"...the most versatile gun ever produced..." Nonsense. And "ordinary 30 round magazines" are large capacity mags were those silly laws exist.

 

[stagpanther]

I'd say, arguably, AR's ARE the most versatile rifle ever produced--not necessarily the best (though like anything if you throw enough money at it it can be made so). I also happen to think that the trend will be towards going after all semi-auto's in the long run. But what everyone in all other countries keeps forgetting is that we have this thing call the 2nd amendment--so this is not going down easily without a fight. And as I said above--what I see happening is the "loophole" the Supreme Court has enabled by refusing to hear or over-turn state bans that are brought before it.

 

[SR420]

Shame on 0bama & liberal democrats for trying to disarm American citizens making them easy prey for Islamic terrorist.

 

[rickyrick]

I'd say, arguably, AR's ARE the most versatile rifle ever produced--not necessarily the best

I'd agree ... I dismissed ARs as the fanboy's rifle. I liked them well enough, just didn't want to own one.

I finally realized that I could make them into whatever kind of rifle that I want... Even a straight pull bolt action:

 

[pete2]

I'm not a fan of them but I'm gonna buy one soon, we may need them sooner than later. They do make some very accurate ones, suitable for varmints and such.

 

[turtlehead]

Those pesky varmints.

 

[44 AMP]

I'd say, arguably, AR's ARE the most versatile rifle ever produced--not necessarily the best

I'd argue that the most versatile, in terms of calibers possible, would be something like a T/C Encore. You could, if you desired, (and had the cash and the room) have every caliber from .22LR up through African elephant calibers.

Now, the AR being arguably the most versatile repeater? I could see that.

I met the civilian AR-15 in 73, and the M16A1 in 75. Small Arms Repairman trained, and I worked on a LOT of them, and inspected and checked even more. After my tour with the M16A1, I swore I would never own an AR-15. That lasted about half a dozen years, until I broke down and got one, because the accessories were so CHEAP. (ah, those were the days...) A 30 rnd stick for a Mini-14 was $14.95. A 30 rnd stick for an AR/M16 was $3!

The original ARs were NOT the tack drivers common today. They were ok, but nothing special. Huge improvements have been made since then. I'm not going to go out and get another one, despite the fact it is likely a better rifle than the old style one I had. Its simply too much money for what its benefit TO ME, would be.

If you are curious, get one. If you don't like it, pretty much guaranteed someone else will buy it.