I think I'm over my AR...

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I would think that your AK would satisfy your autoloader plinking and is very cheap ammo. Our troops have complained a lot about the ineffective power of the .223/5.56 mm. If you sell it now, could get a very good return in stock market now. Due to the wimpy 5.56, there will be a lot more on the future market also. Or, with the sale money, you could get a lighter-weight DPMS G2 in .308 that has some hutzbah for hunting big game.

Actually, most of the complaining about the ineffective power of the 5.56 NATO or reliability of the AR platform generally is done by people who haven't a clue what they are talking about. I know, I know, you've got friend who has an uncle who knew a guy that was a SEAL back in 'Nam and after going to war against Ortega and overthrowing Noriega he came back home to spread the word that the 5.56 aint worth a bucket of warm spit. Fact of the matter is, the "wimpy 5.56" has left a lot of corpses scattering the scenic landscapes of Tora Bora, Iraq and southeast Asia. Contrary to popular belief, it's really pretty rare to find a casualty of the 5.56 complaining about how under-powered it is.

Currently, the biggest beef against the 5.56 is performance during engagements in open country past the nominal ballistic range; point targets 500 meters and beyond.
 
I understand how the OP feels. I would rather have a smaller but more useful/special collection. If it is just taking up room with no sentimental attachment then why not send it down the road if you don't enjoy shooting it anymore? That can make room for something special in the gun safe.
 
Orcon said:
I know, I know, you've got friend who has an uncle who knew a guy that was a SEAL back in 'Nam and after going to war against Ortega and overthrowing Noriega he came back home to spread the word that the 5.56 aint worth a bucket of warm spit.

Actually it was my girlfriend, Lunette the Appalachian Donkey Woman, who was in Nam as a stringer for Soldier of Fortune magazine.
 
This Lunette person sounds interesting.

Anyway, folk around here shoot "el coyote" with the 556 and some claim the round "will almost cut it in half, especially if you hit bone". Ghastly thought, as I don't shoot God's creatures fer no good reason.

Me, I shoot ARs (plural) almost every time I go the range or forest. I remember the first Colt SP-1 I bought 40 years ago. Came with blocked 20 round magazines. When the salesman (named Raoul) handed it over he told me, "Make sure you don't take those clips out of the mags, son." I chuckle thinking about it even today...

M
 
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Soooo, I did a little online digging and didn't realize the bottom of the AR market was so low right now. While it seems a bit bland, I'm in no mood at all to take a loss on the gun. Like I said in my original post, it's a great gun, I just don't have much interest in it right now. Maybe I can drum up some interest in reloading for it. I had grand plans of loading Nosler 62 grain Partitions in my CZ527, but the 1 in 9.5"ish twist rate was giving me 3" groups at 100 yards (It shoots a 1.3" group at 200 yards with Hornady 40 grain VMax). My M&P AR is 1:8" so maybe it's worth trying to find a purpose for the 400 or so Nosler Partitions I've got laying around.
 
I don't have alot of love for my 16" barrel, "mall ninja", AR-15 these days. It is kind of ho-hum.

My 24" and 26" barreled, 12 pound, 204 Ruger AR-15s that I use for prairie dogs are a different matter. They are accurate and shoot flatter than a 223 Rem version but definitely not a walk-a-about hunter.
 
I've got a Smith & Wesson M&P MOE. All black plane Jane wearing an Aimpoint PRO and a simple two-point sling. It co-witnesses quite nicely. It's super reliable. I've got plenty of cheap steel-cased ammo and probably 1000 rounds of Wolf Gold, not to mention the various nicer piles of ammo that I've come across over the years. I've never had a problem with the gun.....

But...... I can't seem to rationalize keeping it. I don't hunt with it, I've got a Winchester model 70 in 30-06 that is a tack driver, a rifled slug gun that hits deer like a bulldozer, and a CZ 527 that can shoot sub-MOA groups at 200 yards with boring (ok, not really boring, i smile every time) consistency. I'd opt for the CZ 527 over any hunting scenario where I could use the M&P for predators.

As far as plinking, I have way more fun with my two Winchester lever actions in .357 and .44 Magnum. I also have an AK style rifle with open sights. Frankly, if I'm on my feet and shooting steel out to 100 yards, I'll take the AK any day since I now view the increased precision afforded by my AR as quasi-wasted if I'm shooting from my feet or any unsupported positions. I'm just not going for MOA performance from a standing position or at a range where I'm pivoting for various targets.

On to home defense..... I've got a semi-auto 12 gauge with a nice bright light on the end. I also have a Sig MPX with hand-loaded 147 grain 9mm FP bullets that cook along at just over 1000 fpm. I'll opt for one of those two any day over a 55 grain .223 round at close to 3000 fps. My house is brick, but I'm still a bit worried about the neighbors if I ever resorted to my AR in that kind of scenario. The reduced recoil and the reduced noise alone of the MPX are, to me at least, well worth it. Not too mention a nice collection of handguns should the need arise.

I got into handloading years ago. I just can't bring myself to load specific to the AR. It's 16" barrel isn't going to give me what I could get from a bolt gun. Potentially, I could see myself going for an AR platform with a longer barrel in the future, but I'd just as easily build up one of these up and coming modular bolt guns that seem to be taking off. I have a quasi-custom Remington 700 in .308 and it shoots sub-MOA with handloads, I'd be pretty excited to do something in .223, just not with a plain vanilla AR.

sigh........ I just don't see the purpose of my 16" barreled AR in .223. I have a hard time believing it myself, but it's true.


At least wait until the prices go up. There may be a gun ban or gun ban scare or .... shudder ... a hated Democrat Congress and President in our future. :what:
 
Hate to tell ya I told ya so, @herkyguy .

Keep an eye out for the 69gr RMR 3GH bullets, they'll run ya about 13 cents a bullet and they shoot most admirably with similar charges of powder from the 69gr SMK load data.
 
I don't understand a gun enthusiast not wanting a AR.

Aside from the fun factor it's the closest thing we civilians can get to what our military has. And the whole bit about the 2A, militia and resisting tyranny makes it seem all the more reason to have one, although obviously they have more uses.

Driving the anti's nuts is just icing on the cake.

But hey, if you don't want it by all means get rid of it. No ones forcing you to hold onto it.
 
I'm no lover of AR's. I don't own one and don't have an interest in obtaining one. They just don't float my boat. That being said, if I had one I would absolutely hang on to it for all of the reasons previously mentioned by other posters. Plus, my only regrets when it comes to firearms have been the ones I didn't purchased or the ones I've bought and sold. Of course, we all beat to our own drums but that's my cent and a half.
 
I ended up rebarreling mine form a target gun to a superlight to take hiking, or camping. At 5.5LBs its pretty nice to have. However for a long time "heavy barrels" were all that were available, and made these rifles handle like cinderblocks, and point unnaturally, and I can see having no interest in that.
 
If for no other reason, keep it just to irritate those people who resent them, and don't think you should have it.

And in this market.... Buy another!
 
Well, you have a plain Jane M4ish carbine that is set up primarily for home defense. But you prefer not to use it for home defense. So, yeah, it would be kind of boring. Selling right now is going to be a loss so if that is not acceptable her are a couple of ideas. Explore uses for it as it is currently configured and see if something sparks your interest. Steel challenge, 3-gun, or learn and practice some self defense drills with paper or steel targets. Our club has an "action range" that one can qualify for and then shoot various defensive scenarios, looks way more fun then bench shooting. You could stay informal or try out some competitions.

If that does not pique your interest, then perhaps reconfiguring it to suit a more interesting purpose would be a better approach. Nice thing about AR15s is you can make modifications easily or just buy a new upper. Varmint shooting? Targets? Long range shooting? There are guys who shoot steel and paper at 600 yds and beyond with .223/5.56. Or CMP Service Rifle. Try 23.2 gr IMR8208XBR under 77SMK for longer range targets. Or 23.0 gr Varget. Some guys like shooting feral pigs with their rig. Others set it up with Thermal, night vision, laser and lights to hunt coyotes, hogs, etc at night.

I find the .223 is very interesting from a reloading perspective. The .30-06 is kind of boring in that it has enough oomph that you don't need a wide variety of bullets and loads to achieve everything. Maybe a 165 gr SP for hunting and 168-180 gr BTHP for targets. And you can get good results with one powder such as Varget or H4350. But the .223 you can be working up 40 gr varmint loads, 55 gr for larger varmints or plinking, 64-65SP or 62/70gr TSX for defense/hunting, and 68-77 gr for targets. And you may end up with several powders to tune each load. I shoot IMR4166 for 55 gr, H335 for 62 & 69 gr, CFE223 for 64 gr SP and 70 gr TSX, and IMR8208 and Varget for 77gr loads. Took a boat load of tests to find the best powder and bullet combos! Ran through a lot of H4895, BL-C2, IMR4064 as secondary powders as well. The 8 year disruption to component supplies forced me to look at many alternatives.

Or just keep it locked away and enjoy your other guns you prefer more!
 
***update**** It looks like i may sell the upper to a buddy along with the AimPoint PRO. With that, I'm looking hard at a Varmint setup - the Rock River Arms website is advertising 20% off complete uppers..

Seem like my 'dilemma' may be solved.

.223 Wylde chamber...... any thoughts?
 
Good for you. My latest build utilizes a PSA upper w/223 Wylde chamber. If it was tomorrow I'd be out shooting it already.

M
 
I have an RRA (bought complete) in Wylde and even with that 16” barrel it’s a fantastic shooter. Never a bobble in thousands of rounds. On a side note, before I bought mine I had the opportunity to hit the range with 6 or 7 of Rock River’s employees to test a few of their rifles out. It wound up being miserably cold out, something like 12 below (F) and we spent several hours jogging from the firing line to the trucks, again with zero stoppages.

I’ve met dozens of local owners at the gun club and never an unsatisfied one. Very accurate and reliable for a production grade rifle. WOA would be another suggestion for a quality barrel/upper.
 
***update**** It looks like i may sell the upper to a buddy along with the AimPoint PRO. With that, I'm looking hard at a Varmint setup - the Rock River Arms website is advertising 20% off complete uppers..

Seem like my 'dilemma' may be solved.

.223 Wylde chamber...... any thoughts?
Get the Wylde chamber-particularly on a Varmint gun.
 
Use the 527 for hunting or match competitions. Lastly, if you still bored, keep it just in case and joint to your local 3gun club of your preference and recharge your love for a fantastic rifle.
 
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A Plain Jane, reliable semi-auto carbine is not a bad thing to have. It's not a bad thing to have more than one of IMO but that is a personal decision. Maybe there is something you want or need more but do not discount a solid, functional, BORING firearm just because it doesn't make you giggle like a schoolgirl anymore.

There is a place for both types of gun. Edit: Oh, I see you've made it more interesting to you. That is one of the great things about the AR.
 
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