Running with an AR...how?

Very good question. I have also wondered this myself. I think the best way would be to keep the gun at the ready with your firing hand on the grip, finger off trigger, preferably safety on, off-hand on the heat-guard. I, personally, either run with the muzzle pointed up to the left or down to the left, up to the left is a bit more comfortable when running.

I have also wondered how I would quickly exit my driver's seat in my car with my rifle if it was still slung on my body, hanging down in front of me; like, move the steering column first, angle the car so I can use it as cover, etc. Some good training ideas right there.

^^ Rush, do you mean you're always leery"?

weary: exhausted, tired.

leery: suspicious, skeptical, cautious of.

If you can't run silently, there's little use in tying to keep a long gun in a ready position while running... and not many folks can run silently. Seems to me if you're running, everyone in earshot is going to know you're coming and have a hasty ambush ready for you when you get there.

The troopies don't call it "battle rattle" for nothing...

ETA - I see this is in a competition context...

I have often run with an AR, muzzle pointed down and to the left. A sling also helps to distribute the weight to your shoulders rather than all on your arms. I have tried other ways of running such as slung over either shoulder, buttstock ended up hitting some part of my body, depending on how long the rifle was.

All of my long runs through the woods with an M16, I learned to grasp the point where the forend met the magazine well/lower. It's a natural position for your fingers, the weight is centered, and you can run many many many miles that way, switching hands as you go. The barrel is kind of parallel to the ground, or tipped down slightly.
It might change depending on your setup: length of barrel, stock options, ammo count, etc.

It depends what you are running from and why. Logically there are very few things that one would have to run from while in possession of an AR.

I used to run 3 to 6 miles a few times a week with either an M1-A or an AK at port arms - carried in both hands with the muzzle up and to the left. I did this with a loaded magazine but usually without a round in the chamber. This was mostly for the workout but also because of feral dogs in the area.

This was in southern Arizona in hilly desert country. Most of anything I might have encountered would probably have been visible at 100 yards so I would probably have been able to load a round before I needed it.

If I gotta run, I'm done. Might as well hunker down and try to disappear under the dirt.

salty

When I run with an AR-style rifle, I usually grasp one hand around the buffer tube where it screws into the receiver, and the other holding where the delta ring is. As the earlier poster mentioned, that is a good place where a carbine-length AR balances.

I think the biggest problem with this kind of practice is being able to do it somewhere that "a guy running holding a rifle" isn't going to freak a bunch of people out. I've done it at home on my treadmill at home just for fun as part of normal daily workouts to some success, but obviously treadmill running isn't the same as being out in the dirt or gravel like you will during a run-and-gun match.

Running with a rifle is the easiest way to gain appreciation for the saying that "every ounce counts!"

There are various 2-point slings which are very quickly length adjustable and which would let you sling the rifle cinched very tightly across your chest (muzzle down, please) and then almost instantly lengthen the sling to acquire a shooting position.

Here's one (LINK) but there are several like it.

Rish,

If you intend on running full out, then fix you eyes on where you want to go, tuck the gun under your armpit (strong side), and RUN.

Nuth'en fancy.

Just run for all you are worth and get behind cover asap (and pray you don't step on a Bouncing Betty.)

Deaf

I don't see in advantage to running in the ready position versus just slinging the rifle. If you're talking about distances of half a mile or more between stages, taking the time to sling and unsling the rifle is inconsequential to how much slower you'll run (and use more energy) with it at the ready.

When I was a young trooper we used to have a competition where every Company in our Military Community made one Platoon of 20 to compete in a 2 mile run in full battle rattle with our M16's.
This was the early 80's, so the gear was much different, but it may still apply.
What we soon came to realize while practicing for this was it was quicker if we ran with our weapons slung and muzzle down. Hand wrapped around the receiver and your last two fingers through the carry handle.

Port Arms

But my favorite is slung across my back because i can eat dirt and still get my weapon deployed.

My longest distance run with an AR was 15 miles. I tried having it slung for a couple miles of that but I just ended up with a large bruise across my lower back. As long as you have at least one hand on it to keep it stable and from bouncing off your body, it can be easily managed.

I mean, you could try running those few miles at the low ready, but that gets pretty tiring really fast. Unless I'm running a short distance, I usually just grab my M4 by the slip ring and run with it in one hand

All of my long runs through the woods with an M16, I learned to grasp the point where the forend met the magazine well/lower. It's a natural position for your fingers, the weight is centered, and you can run many many many miles that way, switching hands as you go. The barrel is kind of parallel to the ground, or tipped down slightly.

Click to expand...

Optimus has it right here. Just hold it with one hand right by where the upper and lower meet on the front. If you do this with your support hand you can get it up to a high ready very quickly.

I won't point the muzzle in the air with a loaded weapon. But that's just me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwRzgSIl-qE

Here's a video of Pat Mcnamara (Retired Delta SGM) running over a short distance with his rifle, speed in mind.

At the Air Assault School, the two authorized carries were by the slip ring if you were drinking from your canteen, or "at the ready" - one hand on the pistol grip, the other on the hand guard. It gets really tiring that way - and it's hard to have a good running rhythm. I ended up "drinking" from an empty canteen for several miles. Easier to run with a canteen in one hand, rifle in the other.

I do cross country run 'n gun events, and I usually carry across the chest with a quick adjustable 2 point sling. It is easy to carry across the back in this same way, and some may find it more comfortable. It takes a bit longer to bring the rifle to bear with it over your back as opposed to out front, but as others have said, if you thought a threat was likely to present itself, you wouldn't have the rifle slung at all and you wouldn't be running flat out.