Almost AR15 Part 2.

[41Dude]

Went back to the gun shop to decide once and for all if I wanted an AR15.
Handled several versions. All good quality. Some expensive, some not.
NONE of them spoke to me. (Older members will understand, younger members maybe not I just missed the feel of wood and steel. Nothing wrong with AR15's Fine weapons.
Just not for me.

But I did take a nice long look at a S&W 10mm

 

[Mike J]

We all like what we like. My small accumulation has everything from polymer frames to blued & wood. In my opinion it is all good but I wouldn't slam anyone for their preferences. If you did want a similar rifle that didn't have plastic furniture you might take a look at the Mini 14. Never owned one but I got to shoot one once. It was easy to ring the steel 1/3 size silhouette target at 375 yards (the furthest point on my friend's range).

 

[blume357]

I suggest handling one or both of the following.. good old M1carbine or a M14 if you could find the 14 in wood that would be the ticket.. and it even shoots real bullets. Or I guess possibly a later model Mini-14.....

 

[41Dude]

I suggest handling one or both of the following.. good old M1carbine or a M14 if you could find the 14 in wood that would be the ticket.. and it even shoots real bullets. Or I guess possibly a later model Mini-14.....

"shoots real bullets" lol perfect

 

[RC44Mag]

Instead of just handling some in a shop you might want to take a trip to range with someone who has one two or more and take some shots yourself. You might be surprised that you enjoy it more than you thought you might, or possibly not.

 

[41Dude]

I may or may not own one or three AK that have wood and ( well not really bluing, more like black oxide ) on their steel parts.
They hold many rounds, shoot "real" as pointed out above, bullets, more or less into what you aim at.
They don't seem to care what kind of crappy cheap ammo you shoot and if it's non corrosive may not ever need cleaning.
I understand you can't still buy them for $200 to $300 these days.
Tacticool for an AK is a cracked stock with a bunch of duct tape....

Duct tape is my friend.

 

[Chief 101]

I got an AR-10 which is the manly version of the AR-15 a few years ago...as hard as I tried to get it to speak to me it never did. I sold it to a member here after a while and never regretted it. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

 

[gjgalligan]

I got an AR-10 which is the manly version of the AR-15 a few years ago...

I wanted to but my pocket book wasn't "manly" enough to feed it properly.

 

[Chief 101]

I wanted to but my pocket book wasn't "manly" enough to feed it properly.

I already had the components to reload so that was the tipping point in my decision.

 

[the_leper_colony]

... I just missed the feel of wood and steel...

I always wanted an original Gwinn Bushmaster:

Unfortunately, they've gotten "collectible" & a bit pricey. But they use AR15 mags, and most of the lower parts are AR compatible!

 

[kcsteve]

In my old fashion mind, the AK is the symbol for communism. For that reason I will never own one.
But, I have no problem with Sig, Walther or HK. Go figure.

 

[blume357]

I had an AK a number of years ago.... just something to have... gave it to a friend who wanted it and now that I think about it, about a year later he gave me an AK... now the upper from that one is on my Angry Joe AK-14. The lower is now on a 22lr with proper barrel/upper for it. Barbie Doll of guns for sure.

 

[Mobuck]

Whether the design or the gun itself 'speaks to you' or not, the need for 'conformity' to the standard may come into play soon.

 

[contender]

As mentioned above,, none of us here will give you any grief for not finding one you felt "spoke to you!" and as noted,, they aren't for everyone.

But I will echo RC44Mag said.

A trip to a range to shoot a few variations MAY change your thoughts,, or at least allow you to settle once & for all that they just aren't for you.

I say this,, because just Saturday, with our boys & their wives here for a B-Day dinner & some fun time on the range, the girls had a few variations of AR's & other guns to try out & play with. One, and AR-15 10" bbl, "pistol" type, (brace,) in .300 Blackout, was a bigger hit with the girls than I'd figured. And it belongs (well it used to,) my youngest. His wife fired it,, and said; "Mr. you just lost a gun!" She'd had a few doubts about it before shooting it,, but afterwards,, she LIKED it.

As a final decision maker,, shoot a few.

BTW; if you were here,, I'd let you try a M1A in .308. Parkerized & wood, real gun stuff! Or a Ruger Mini-14,, or,,,,,,,!

 

[bisleyfan41]

Went back to the gun shop to decide once and for all if I wanted an AR15.
Handled several versions. All good quality. Some expensive, some not.
NONE of them spoke to me.

Actually, your experience was 100% spot on with what should have been expected. ARs don't conjure those emotions. I've never heard anyone say any AR has "spoken to them". Not one.

It's a totally different relationship, different than what wood/blued steel brings to people. They have no soul, they stir no emotions of yesteryear nor traditional skilled gunmaking craftsmanship. Wood to metal fit.

They are 100% self defense tools. Pure utility, designed to protect it's user. And in that, they have no peer.

 

[blume357]

The ergonomics of the AR is what impresses me.... the magazine release and fire select switch are all in 'natural' places that one can access with out even looking at them.

I have one that I converted to 22lr... I tried just changing out the bolt and using the standard .223 barrel* but the accuracy was terrible... and so I change out the barrel too... I have not shot it in a while but I recall it was much better after that.. of course it really depended on the ammo used.

*Can't really remember how the first conversion worked.... but the 2nd one was much better. For a while there I thought about an AR 10 but never got around to it.