[Sakdog]

Id never shot an AR before until about a week ago I feel like a jerk.. like an Uber gun snob for not liking a rifle that is so expensive. Heres the story,
A buddy of mine owes me $400 dollars and he has an Eagle arms M15 I think they call it. Well we tinkered with the idea that maybe he just give me the M15 and ill pay the difference to settle up. We went out shooting and here it goes:

About the gun:
The rifle is beautiful OD green furniture removable top handle Excellent condition.

My opinion:
Its all a matter of opinion why I dont like the gun its not like im slamming it because the bolt flew off and hit my cousins sisters aunts brother in the face or anything but to me the M15 or AR-15 variant felt like a toy.. When shooting it made a weird springy "shlack shlack " noise and the overall feel made me just sad.. I just thought it would be something more I feel so let down by the hype that I had built in my own head about the AR ... had to tell my buddy that ill have to pass on taking the gun..

Anyone else turned off by the AR-15?

It makes me love my AK that much more... And I know now that I wont be buying an AR. In the future I will settle for 2-3 more AK variants.

It was a fun range trip though.. Out in the desert where we shoot there is a freaking plague of these black and green grasshoppers that are about the size of a 12 gauge shell. I spent the rest of the trip shooting my friends NAA .22 mini revolver and slaying the grasshoppers until the powder and lead residue turned my hand black ..

 

[bobotech]

LOL.

You sound like me.

I have a mint perfect cheapie AR15 (olympic arms) that I got about 8 months ago.

I have shot it twice since then.

I like it but it sure doesn't get me excited about shooting. I would rather much shoot one of my AK47s.

Funny thing, I also noticed that springy springy noise when I was shooting it (the spring in the buttstock) and I HATED that noise. Really bugged me. Made me feel like something was wrong.

 

[Thayldt21]

The shlack sound you heard was the buffer sping doing it's job. This reduce the kick so you can remain on target. The .223 is a very accurate round.

The AK has a point target range of 400m the ar variants have a point target area of 600m.

My point is the AR is a much much more acurate weapon. However the AK is the beater thatcan keep on ticken. Energizer bunny.

Apples VS Oranges.

 

[Sakdog]

I know its the buffer spring... by golly it makes me think of the noise of a spring in a nerf gun. I understand the range difference etc.. but to me if im going to shoot anything too far out ill use my MN... or maybe Ill see if I can get my hands on one of those atomic cannons.. they have decent range..Oh well I guess you said it right in "Apples Vs. Oranges" To each his own... Im all about AKs now..

 

[waltham41]

I shot the M16 a lot in the army (not in combat) and I just never was impressed with it, even in full auto. Its a .22 cal rifle. Sure it will kill someone, but it just doesnt have the BOOM that I want with my military rifles.

I will stick with the AK, again, my personal preference.

(Flame proof suit is on and zipped up) :lol:

 

[rimfirehunter]

I have never been a fan of the AR15/M16, and I carried them for years in all sorts of environments. The round lacks serious punch, but it does make up for it in volume of fire that can be generated from the rifle. In open area's where you might make a long shot the accuracy can be effected by the wind big time. In densely wooded or jungle environments the light bullet gets deflected too easily. In urban environments the round lacks penetration when the targets are using building's/walls for cover.

On the plus side the AR platform seems to shoulder very nicely for most shooters. You also have an endless supply of aftermarket parts and gadgets so it makes a great tinkers gun. For the civilian shooter who does not tromp around in the mud, jungle or sandy deserts the AR makes a great shoot from the bench gun.

rimfirehunter

 

[vallen]

I agree. I never liked the feel of the AR either, which didn't get me excited enough to drop $1200 on a pimped out AR.
However, I like the .223 round- Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle is my riding buddy.

 

[Guest]

$1200 AR? wow....I dont feel so bad for my Less than $700 AR...

 

[benny429]

$1200 AR? wow....I dont feel so bad for my Less than $700 AR...

I think I have less than $600 in mine.

 

[neothespian]

$1200 AR? wow....I dont feel so bad for my Less than $700 AR...

I can attest that Elguapo's AR is a nice machine. Had a chance to shoot it, and it was fairly accurate with my lousy shooting ability. Had all sorts of nice features, and looked mean. Was flawless in function and aside from me misplacing the saftey, it was very user friendly.

But, ya know...I know how you feel. It had some kick, but not like an M44 or AK. It looked mean, but kind of felt like a government issued component. NOTHING against them at all. It was still fun to shoot, but to be honest, I like shooting my 995 better if I had a choice.

 

[Guest]

My Olympics Arms AR-15 Plinker (cheap-o variant, A1 sights, non-chromed internals, A2 stock, etc, $600) is my favorite shooter by far. I will grant that I have very little experience with other 'modern' (less then 50 years old, hehe) military rifles. The buffer spring sound can be pretty easily dealt with by just spraying some silicon lube inside the buffer tube. As far as the whole 'feel' of it in operation, I love that! You can actually feel the bolt working, and locking, the whole 'something is really happening in there'. It also out shoots by M1917, and doesn't leave me with bruises doing it. Oh yeah, and I can put 60 rounds through it faster then the guy at the table next to me can put 10 through that fancy arse lever action of his...

 

[Guest]

I like the look of the AR, but that's about it. When I shoot prone, I have a very verticle front arm due to my being quite the fatass. The mag on the AR would rest against my forearm which was 1) uncomfortable and 2) not allowed. The M1A was a much better fit for me, so I shot that instead. I kick myself every day for not buying one when I was 18 and they were available to me for $500. Oh, put me down for hating the "swarm of bees" sound of the buffer spring.


-=Whittey=-

 

[Guest]

I know its the buffer spring... by golly it makes me think of the noise of a spring in a nerf gun. I understand the range difference etc.. but to me if im going to shoot anything too far out ill use my MN... or maybe Ill see if I can get my hands on one of those atomic cannons.. they have decent range..Oh well I guess you said it right in "Apples Vs. Oranges" To each his own... Im all about AKs now..

That is one of the cool things about the AR is all the parts made for them. If you don't like that sound change the buffer for a newmatic one. You hear nothing... I don't know about the model of AR you shot but there is good and bad ones. You shoot one made for national match it will blow you away! The type of accuracy that these things can do at unreal ranges is really something. If you don't like 223 change the gun to shoot something else. You can do that with a AR. Convert it to too 22lr or 9mm easy to do.. The AR is so customizable it blows the 10/22 out of water for all the things made for it. You can convert the AR to shoot any of these rounds... Cant do that with the AK!

* .22 Long Rifle
* .204 Ruger
* 5.56 Ã- 45 mm NATO
* .223 Remington
* .223 WSSM
* .243 WSSM
* 6 x 45mm
* 6.5 Grendel (.264 cal)
* 6.8 SPC (.270 cal)
* .300 Whisper
* 7.62x39mm
* 9 mm Para
* .45 ACP
* .45 Bushmaster
* .458 SOCOM
* .50 AE
* .50 Beowulf
* .50 BMG
You want a new heavy barrel for your AR no problem! Can't do that with the AK... My best friend just built a Rockriver with the NM trigger and a heavy chromalloy barrel it is such a tack driver! Though I love my AK you can't really compare the platforms. There is so much more you can do with the AR... With the AR you can have one gun many ways to set it up to do what you need to do.

 

[eqfan592]

I know its the buffer spring... by golly it makes me think of the noise of a spring in a nerf gun. I understand the range difference etc.. but to me if im going to shoot anything too far out ill use my MN... or maybe Ill see if I can get my hands on one of those atomic cannons.. they have decent range..Oh well I guess you said it right in "Apples Vs. Oranges" To each his own... Im all about AKs now..

That is one of the cool things about the AR is all the parts made for them. If you don't like that sound change the buffer for a newmatic one. You hear nothing... I don't know about the model of AR you shot but there is good and bad ones. You shoot one made for national match it will blow you away! The type of accuracy that these things can do at unreal ranges is really something. If you don't like 223 change the gun to shoot something else. You can do that with a AR. Convert it to too 22lr or 9mm easy to do.. The AR is so customizable it blows the 10/22 out of water for all the things made for it. You can convert the AR to shoot any of these rounds... Cant do that with the AK!

* .22 Long Rifle
* .204 Ruger
* 5.56 Ã- 45 mm NATO
* .223 Remington
* .223 WSSM
* .243 WSSM
* 6 x 45mm
* 6.5 Grendel (.264 cal)
* 6.8 SPC (.270 cal)
* .300 Whisper
* 7.62x39mm
* 9 mm Para
* .45 ACP
* .45 Bushmaster
* .458 SOCOM
* .50 AE
* .50 Beowulf
* .50 BMG
You want a new heavy barrel for your AR no problem! Can't do that with the AK... My best friend just built a Rockriver with the NM trigger and a heavy chromalloy barrel it is such a tack driver! Though I love my AK you can't really compare the platforms. There is so much more you can do with the AR... With the AR you can have one gun many ways to set it up to do what you need to do.

You make a really valid point there Ari. It's kinda like apples and oranges when you put it that way. I still think I'll end up with an AK before and AR, simply because I could pick up a good WASR for half the price of a cheap AR, but I'm gonna try and convince my dad to go with an AR for HIS rifle, and he can afford it

And here comes the question that makes everybody laugh at me; what the heck is a tack driver?

 

[waltham41]

Yes but you can end up with the price of a good car by the time you get done fooling with modding those AR's.

Buy a good AK and you have what is really needed, a dependable rifle that will not fail you when you need it, and has a round that will make a threat fall down most of the time.

 

[Guest]

I love my ar even thought it is one of the less expensive models.
I like the ak's but they just arent as accurate. Combine that with the fact that there are a million things you can do with them and the fact that they are one of the most used designs in US military history, and I just think that they are a great weapon.

Ak's are cool but there is no way I would take one over my AR.

 

[waltham41]

Grrrrrr I had a nice post written up and the internet monster ate it when I tried to post.....

So again.....


To me it doesnt matter if the 6 shot group is in a quarter or just in the kill zone,dead is dead.

If the AK wasnt a decent rifle millions upon millions of them would not have been made,

Would I take a AR if someone gave it to me? Sure, but if its my money I will go for the AK

When I was in the Okla National Guard at rifle qualifying time one year I brought my AK and everyone there from officers on down wanted to shoot it. We had a good time.

I like a simple gun myself, scope, red dot, maybe a drum mag. So I do not need the places to put all of that other stuff that you can put on an AR

Again, just my personal preference.

The M16 has proven itself to be a good military rifle over the last what, 40+ years now, but the AK has been around longer and I bet it will be around still when the M 16 series rifle is retired from service.

The AK is like the Volkswagen, not fancy but dependable and gets the job done. Kinda like the Hi Points of assault weapons, so to speak.

 

[Sakdog]

I guess im a bit of a bare necessities guy because I have to agree with waltham.. To me I just want something that will get the job done.. I dont want to spend 1000s of dollars on one firearm ... I guess That I like a bit of ruggedness.. (Dont get me wrong I know there are some awesome ARs out there) I just want something that I dont want to have to worry if a gnat lands on it... I dont abuse my firearms but I dont want to baby a $4000 rifle.. I dont know .. I just expected more from it.. And NEO... I felt the same way as soon as I was shooting that AR.. I kinda wanted to give my 995 a big hug...

 

[Guest]

In the end, both are excellent choices for battle rilfes. Peronsonally, I am gonna have at least one of each anyway.

 

[Guest]

I guess im a bit of a bare necessities guy because I have to agree with waltham.. To me I just want something that will get the job done.. I dont want to spend 1000s of dollars on one firearm ... I guess That I like a bit of ruggedness.. (Dont get me wrong I know there are some awesome ARs out there) I just want something that I dont want to have to worry if a gnat lands on it... I dont abuse my firearms but I dont want to baby a $4000 rifle.. I dont know .. I just expected more from it.. And NEO... I felt the same way as soon as I was shooting that AR.. I kinda wanted to give my 995 a big hug...

I never had any real problems with dirt in my issued M-16 ( And it was a very early M-16 it was not even an A1) But that is another story, one thing I learned along time ago one must define their shooting hobby and make it what they want out of it. If the Ak is just right for you that is cool. I have one and I like it classic lines, great design! (Mine stands night stand duty every night...) But there are many parts of the shooting hobby that go beyond that.