The AR-15 Is More Than a Gun. It’s a Gadget (wired.com)

[davepc]

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2013/02/ar-15/

In the past two decades, the AR-15 has evolved into an open, modular gun platform that’s infinitely hackable and accessorizable. With only a few simple tools and no gunsmithing expertise, an AR-15 can be heavily modified, or even assembled from scratch, from widely available parts to suit the fancy and fantasy of each individual user. In this respect, the AR-15 is the world’s first “maker” gun, and this is why its appeal extends well beyond the military enthusiasts that many anti-gun types presume make up its core demographic.

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A 2011 survey by the National Shooting Sports Foundation backs up Duncan’s portrait of AR-15 buyers as accessory-obsessed tinkerers. The poll found that AR-15 owners possess an average of 2.6 black rifles, and spend an average of $436 on accessories and customizations.

This is the gun-as-gadget, a relatively new consumer phenomenon born from the unholy union of the post-9/11 national security state and America’s decades-old obsession with hackable, high-performance hardware. From muscle cars to motorbikes to ultra-high-wattage stereo systems, Americans love to take their toys way over the top, and for all its deadliness and terrifying power, the AR-15 is a terrifically fun toy.

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[ileus]

1. The AR is the Jeep wrangler of firearms.

Last edited Tue Feb 26, 2013, 04:30 PM - Edit history (1)

You can make one into anything you want.

Family plinking? Yup 223 is cheap and fun to shoot.

Too cheap for 223? Pick up a dedicated 22LR upper or CMMG type conversion bolt and magazine. We've found one of these kits to be a blast for everyone in the family on range day.

Home Defense? Too many options to list, it's impossible to even start. This one gun can do it all. SBR'd and suppressed? Yup. Laser, Scope, Co-witness irons anything you want. It's all there for the right price.

Worried about the DI system's reliability? Don't, any AR with quality magazines will work for home defense, it's pretty rare you need more than 200 shots so you can trust your life to even the lower tier AR's. Of course you can always order up a piston powered AR if you're dead set against the DI system.

If you're a hunter there's dozens of great calibers offered in a variety of uppers. Best part is you can have any upper delivered right to your door without needing a 4473.

Love to target shoot? AR's can be built to shoot with the best of the bolt actions, but you'll need to spend some coin.



Yes indeed the AR is truly America's great rifle. Long live America's #1 sporting rifle.

[DonP]

2. Interesting article, but it's funny to me

My Basic training company was one of the first to train with the M-16 after they "retired" the M14. The whole point they kept emphasizing was how light it was and how much extra ammo we'd be able to carry in our final load outs. I think the original weight on the A1 was something like 6 pounds with a 20 round magazine?

Now the AR-15 fans, and I'm one with 3 different flavors in the safe that I built off lowers, are tacking on pounds and pounds of extra crap for the style as much as function. Some are real "show horses" with every gadget available on a rifle added to them and the owner still can't zero it properly or hit consistently at 200 yards! But since the only carrying most people do with it is from the trunk to the bench rest or out to the field base to shoot prairie dogs etc. it doesn't matter I guess.

But the ability to customize them for your personal taste and different applications is what makes it the most popular rifle out there today. With all the manufacturers working 3 shifts now it won't be long before lowers are available again.

[Lurks Often]

3. The M-16A2 I trained on weighed 8.8 lbs loaded

Heavier barrel, better sights, 30 round magazine, the round hand guards and I believe they reinforced where the stock meets the receiver.

The paper pushers are ALWAYS adding weight

[Clames]

4. More like the 1989 - 1993 5.0 Mustangs.

More aftermarket support than any other vehicle platform (sorry Camaro owners) and have been built to do anything a car can be modified to do.

[rdharma]

6. "you can have any upper delivered"

Except an M-16 upper receiver! Nerk, nerk! A private joke some won't understand.

[appal_jack]

8. AK = Toyota Hi-Lux

AK = Toyota Hi-Lux. A little ugly, but will take hell & high water, grin, and ask for more.

AR, AK, or otherwise, I am proud that my country still recognizes the right to keep and bear such reliable and versatile tools, even if most of us can only afford the semi-automatic versions.

-app

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. I use the term Gun Lego

Lots of stuff out there, some bling, some useful

[Pullo]

7. An AR lower is the 350 small-block of firearms

A hole industry has sprung up making parts and accessories for the platform.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

9. I was kind of...

...thinking Chevy big block, best buy in horsepower/dollar.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

10. Chevy big block?

That's the AR-10.

Big heavy overgrown AR.

[Eleanors38]

11. And some think they can ban this?