How I learned to stop fighting and Hate the AR

Sub MOA ARs for under $1000, Free floated barrels, 3D printed lowers, cheap high quality barrels, and infinite variations of furniture. Yet the AR is not my favorite gun. It is not even in the top ten. Please do not get me wrong. It is a fantastic feat of engineering; reliable, accurate, ergonomic, however, it is not my go-to rifle. I always reach for something else. Not because I haven’t had good ARs. After shooting LaRue Tactical, Daniel Defense, ArmaLite, Ruger, Smith & Wesson, Palmetto State Armory, Aero Precision, Springfield and Bravo Company, I love what an AR can do. I’ve shot the M16A4 the M4 and an SR 25. ARs in innumerable variations, calibers, makes, and models. All variations of the same platform that just is not the gun for me. It could be, it probably is, the gun for you; and if you haven’t looked at ARs, you need to.I highly recommend Smith & Wesson’s M&P 15 sport or Colt’s 6920. The AR is widely considered the platform for modern shooting. Every armed forces in the world is trying to either replicated success or adopting it outright. Easy Barrel changes, simple caliber changes, strong customizable ergonomics, all within a standardized package. A platform with accuracy and reliability that is hard to beat. And yet I still reach for my M14 every range trip.

I learned to shoot on the M1 Garand, a heavy, overpowered monster of wood and steel. A traditional rifle handed to me by my Grandfather. Taught the basics, got Garand thumb, and fell in love with the PING of the clip ejecting. When I got to Camp Dodge for ROTC the M16A2 was there. Immediately I knew I was a good rifle, but where was that thump against my chest from the recoil, the finger pinch action, or the sound of the clip being ejected letting everyone know my weapon was safe. After cleaning about 30 well-used A2s for hours, I knew two things. I didn’t fit well into the structure of the military, and it is much easier to clean a gun right after a range trip, not 30 years later.

Once I got some money I purchased my M14, fell in love again, she was a high class, finicky, bitch. That wouldn’t perform unless I treated her like a princess and bought her the good stuff. Not saying she wasn’t reliable she would always put out, completely reliable, she would just miss on purpose unless I held her perfect, only did her best if I bought her Gold medal match. But I learned just how she liked it, still use her for competitions today. Going through ARs like just never had the same feeling, Ruger, then PSA, then Daniel Defense. The feel just wasn’t there. They were fairly reliable, with minor quirks but if you would rather shoot 5 times with a bitch of an M14 than 20 times with a loving Double D. What can you do? I sold every AR but my 14.5 inch, home defense rifle. Confirm the Zero once in a while but the joy isn’t there.

5 shot group and a zero confirmation, M14

I stopped fighting it, and learned the quirks of my M14 and found how she likes it. Surplus ammo, handloads or Match, she performs if I perform. Taking her to 800 yards is getting boring. Competitions are great, because I have a novelty that everyone knows and most respect.

The AR just wasn’t my gun. I know I’m not the only one, but instead of being looked down on. I think we as a unified group of gun enthusiast should celebrate this aspect of the culture. Whether it is: hunters, tacticools, fudds, benchrests, long-range, 3 guns, pistols or shotguns, It is not which gun is the best, it’s about the sport, the culture. It’s about having fun with the people. It’s about self-defense, and it’s about fighting tyranny.

If you shot an AR and you didn’t like it try another rifle, try a shotgun, or a pistol, because that’s the beauty of gun culture, of capitalism and the market for guns. It is the beauty of what makes America great. We have the freedom of choice.

And while the best gun for a purpose is a good debate. I think especially during this hallowed time of Shot Show that the infinite variety of the sport is a hell of a lot of fun. I choose something inferior admittedly. I will still stand there proudly at the range and offer to let you shoot my gun when you come over to have a better look. Because when I hear greeting of our people, “Hey, what are you shooting?” I know I’m among my brothers.

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