Most useless feature on an AR15.

[Kind of Blued]

I second the M4 barrel cut/profile. Unless you have a grenade launcher, then God bless you and your M4 barrel profile.

I'd also like to mention the stock pistol grip. I don't think anyone has yet. Unless you're a freak of nature, or have some uber-thick "tactical operator spec-ops gloves", it's simply insufficient.

 

[Paladin_Hammer]

Collapsible stocks on those 11 inch AR's you see Rangers and SEALS use. Seriously, you've made an AR about as big as a MP5. What on earth are you going to accomplish? With that small of barrel you've really hampered the already poor performance of the 5.56. Then the stock? What is that small? Do you dive into prairie dog holes?

In the civilian world, anyone who uses more than two picatinny attachments. A scope and a light? Okay. A Scope and a Red-dot side-by-side? Okay. But a scope, light, red-dot, infrared laser, and a infrared light all on the same damn gun? Make up your mind! It's madness!

 

[C-grunt]

The bayonet lug. Not because its useless but because the M16 bayonet is useless. We broke those those things all the time in the Army. I wouldnt trust one to complete the job of peeling an orange let alone full on bayonet fighting.

I also laugh at the guys with all the cool gizmos on their rifles. Hell, most of our SAU (swat) guys have an optic, BUIS and a light. Thats it. Some will have the laser sometimes.

 

[rob_s]

The most useless feature on most ARs sometimes is the owner.

 

[rob_s]

Bipods on shortys make me laugh.

How about bipods AND a magnified optic?!

 

[Brian Williams]

I would have to agree, sometimes the attachment between the grip and the bench is pretty worthless, but that is not a true feature for the AR-15, it works with all sorts of guns, or should I say it doesn't work.

OK, that said about operators, lets keep it THR and stay with the OPs question. Features on an AR that really are not worth it.

 

[helz_mcfugly]

amen Rob. I tried to say that earlier in this thread and someone thought I was talking directly to them, some peope on here are strung to tight round here..
hey after finding how your chart got brought about I find myself giving ever m4 I get my hands on a good workover, lol. Ive found some models DO have stacked keys but the stake is just a little mark on the side of the key that would never hold those screws in. its like they are scratching it with a punch just to ay they stake their keys. also the ramps are a joke on some of them, i really wish I had your chart and new its credability whe I went shopping for my first AR. I got lucky on the one I got, its pretty good. but I could ahve done better. but yea your chart is pretty darned accurate from all the AR molesting Ive been doing lately. keep up the good work mate.

 

[MudPuppy]

Personally, I love adjustable stocks, no matter the length. I have one on one of my AKs as well--not because of the looks, but for the usability. (actually dislike the look of it, but appreciate the function)

As for optics on short barrels, at my age you start thinking about putting magnification on everything--the 1911 isn't even safe!

While i generally don't overthink what's right or wrong at large, just more of what i like or need, I'd have to admit I'm not a fan of that plastic wedge thing to tighten the fit between upper and lower.

"I think the problem is the trigger"
"Trigger? Really?"
"Yeah. There's a crappy marksman yanking on it."

 

[CYANIDEGENOCIDE]

alright, how about the 40 round magazines with a bipod that is shorter than the mag or the bipod and a foward vertical handle. In fact I think the foward vertical handle is useless through and through, is there something wrong with you where you wrist doesn't bend? jmho

 

[Lloyd Smale]

lets see a short bull is great if a guy can only have one gun and wants if for self defense and for varmit hunting. I like a ajst. stock on all of my ars. Lights lazors ect are great on a dedicated self defense gun but i dont want them on a general purpose gun. I agree with to things that were allready posted that are useless. the barrel cutout for a launcher looks like crap and doesn nothing for you. the forward assit should be taken off all of them. If i have a malfunction im goint to clear that round not drive it in deaper and take the chance of tieing up my gun in a fight. A forward verticle grip is other thing i find useless. It may help with control with a full auto but none of use have them. Years and years of shoulder guns teaches you to grab the forearm. Why have a self defence gun that you have to grap differntly.

 

[Birdhunter1]

Normally I would agree that a bull barrel under 20" is useless. but mine had a 16" bull barrel and the entire AR only cost me $300 with 600 rounds fmj ammo, 2-30 and 1-10 mag and a soft assault rifle and a hard plastic Olympic Arms factory case so I wasn't complaining too much.

Oh yeah forgot, it had a Sightron red-dot on it that I sold for $150 and put a Bushnell Legend on it in it's place.
now:


When bought:

 

[waterhouse]

Collapsible stocks on those 11 inch AR's you see Rangers and SEALS use. Seriously, you've made an AR about as big as a MP5. What on earth are you going to accomplish? With that small of barrel you've really hampered the already poor performance of the 5.56.

Is your problem with the collapsible stock on the short gun, the short barrel itself, or both?

While you've hampered the performance of the 5.56 compared to firing it from a 20" barrel, you've still got more energy than a 9mm coming out of an MP5. So you have something the size of an MP5 for CQB, and you also get an energy gain, and if you have the training with a non-short AR all of your controls and magazines are familiar.

The collapsible stock allows for very compact storage, as well as for my little nephew to shoot the same gun I do. I'm not sure if it is common practice, but I also move the stock a notch when I put the suppressor on, because I think it helps the gun balance a little better with the big weight on the end of the barrel.

In fact I think the foward vertical handle is useless through and through, is there something wrong with you where you wrist doesn't bend?

No, but I do find it to be a more natural hand position now that I've used one, and it makes it easier to thumb my light on as well.

 

[wrxguyusa]

Not a worthless part, but a dumb setup: 4-rail non-floating handguards with nothing on them and still having iron sights on the rifle because the owner can't afford optics.

 

[rob_s]

Not a worthless part, but a dumb setup: 4-rail non-floating handguards with nothing on them and still having iron sights on the rifle because the owner can't afford optics.

I think what you hit on is exactly the explanation for a lot of those. Most people don't have $2-3k sitting around to assemble the complete gun right off the bat. Nothing wrong with buying in in drips and drabs as you need to, or as you get more experience.

Personally, I'd go sling, optics, rail, irons for most people but everyone has their own criteria.

 

[ParaElite]

I disagree on the forward vertical grip. I was a grunt in the airborne infantry and in my unit they did not want us to have a sling for a variety of reasons some valid and some not.

Try humping through the woods or anywhere else for miles and miles and hours and hours. Your hand on the handguards get extremely fatigued and then it hangs uselessly and your wrist feels cramped. Not only that, but with perspiration or wet or muddy slick conditions the A2 handguards are less than effective.

A one point sling or a two point sling for the heavier 203s would have been real nice. A forward vertical grip would have given us alternative ways of carrying the rifle and resting the wrist and gripping with the fingers. Back then we were carrying the A2s and the 203s. The only time I used the sling was when I was carrying the SAW or the M60.

Now that I am older, my rifles get lighter and I use whatever makes me comfortable and less fatigued. The only scenario that is even conceivably similar is hunting, or taking a rifle or carbine course. If I am just going to the range, all I need will be a simple carry sling, not even a forward vertical grip unless I am going to shoot in the standing position.

 

[waterhouse]

Not a worthless part, but a dumb setup: 4-rail non-floating handguards with nothing on them and still having iron sights on the rifle because the owner can't afford optics.

Keep in mind that what you see at the range may not be the way the gun is normally set up. Some days I'll dedicate a range trip to irons. In order to make sure I don't cheat once I get there, I'll leave the optics at home. Also things like my flashlight aren't normally attached to the gun when I go to the range.

Lights lazors ect are great on a dedicated self defense gun but i dont want them on a general purpose gun.

A self defense gun and a general purpose gun can be one in the same. One of the nice things about any modular item. Bart describes it best (with pictures) in this post:


http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=284477&highlight=ops

 

[FlyinBryan]

i didnt like the forward rails at first, but they have grown on me a bit here lately, simply by virtue of versatility.

 

[Coronach]

- A 3v or 6v flash light on a rifle with a barrel longer than 20 inches

Why is this useless? Just because you have a 20" doesn't mean you can opt out of building searches.

- A collapsible stock on a rifle with a bull barrel of any length
- A collapsible stock on a rifle with a barrel longer than 18 inches

As was mentioned, collapsible=adjustable.

- An A1 upper receiver that is not part of a "retro" rifle or a "truck gun"

A1 uppers are ideally iron-sight only, but those iron sights are pretty darned good. Many people would say better than the A2 upper if you're sticking with irons only.

- An AR15 pistol, the kind with a short barrel and no stock on the buffer tube

You got me there. I can't see any reason for these things besides "just 'cuz", which is reason enough. Just not my cup of tea.

Mike

 

[R.W.Dale]

LOL I like how nobody commented on my suggestion. They know it's true but they don't want to admit it to themselves

 

[proven]

chrome lining protects against corrosion and generally prolongs bbl life.

who doesn't want a bbl to last as long as possible?

 

[notorious]

bayonet lug.

I like bayonet lugs. You can mount a bipod on there and not worry about the tacti-rail being too crowded. Or, just use it for what it was designed for and put the M7 bayonet on there to complete the look.

 

[R.W.Dale]

chrome lining protects against corrosion and generally prolongs bbl life.

who doesn't want a bbl to last as long as possible?

also costs more degrades accuracy and lets face it completely pointless as I would wager easily 95% of ar's out there will never have 1000 rounds through them

 

[notorious]

I put at least 300 rounds downrange minimum everytime I go out to shoot my AR. Sometimes 500 rounds or more, depending on how much ammo I can get my hands on at the time.

 

[IndianaBoy]

Regarding the chrome lining:

I may very well be wrong, but I understood a chrome lined chamber to have better 'lubricity'. This can aid in extraction when the chamber is dirty.

I bought a chrome lined barrel. I often shoot 2 or 3 hundred rounds through my gun in a short time. My rifle is very reliable.

The 'reduced accuracy' claim is dubious. Not because it doesn't happen. But it doesn't matter if I am shooting my carbine offhand. It doesn't turn a rifle into a junker that can't hold a decent group from the bench. A sniper might care if he was making a 500 yard shot. I don't care because for my purposes chrome is better, and worth the money. Just like the stuff I don't agree with (most of the chart). To some guys it matters, and it is worth the money. They aren't wrong. Neither am I. Choice is a beautiful thing.


Matt: Regarding the hunting. You are over thinking it. I don't adjust my sights while I am hunting. If I need to change my zero because of range, then that coyote is out of my range with iron sights.

That is my personal assessment.

 

[proven]

also costs more degrades accuracy and lets face it completely pointless as I would wager easily 95% of ar's out there will never have 1000 rounds through them

cost- what's $35 on a $800 rifle?
accuracy- most people won't even notice the difference. if you were that worried about accuracy, you'd buy stainless.
you say less than 1k rounds total? i think you'd lose that bet.