[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by Sarah_W

The AR-15 is used for home defense, hunting and target practice.

I hear people call the AR a weapon of war and that is patently false.

The AR may look like an M16 but does not perform like the M16, a weapon of war. Our military issues the M16 which is a select fire rifle meaning there is a switch where the soldier can switch to "Auto" (hold the trigger and it keeps firing until the mag is empty), or switch to "Burst" (hold the trigger and it gives a 3 shot burst) or switch to "Semi" (one shot per trigger pull). Our military has NEVER issued the AR to our soldiers. They would die in battle carrying an AR.

The AR has one mode of fire, which is Semi. One shot per trigger pull. I own a Ruger Mini 14 Ranch Rifle. It shoots the same round, at the same rate of fire with the same magazine as an AR. But, because it doesn't look like an M16 and nobody is concerned by it.

An Opal GT may look like a Corvette, but it will not perform like a Corvette. You can enter the Lemans with a Corvette and win. Enter the Lemans with an Opal GT and you will be dead last or not finish.


Home Defense

Many people choose the AR for home defense. We saw it used successfully during Hurricane Katrina when looting was a problem. People defend their home.

Target practice

The most common rifle I see at the range is the AR, by a wide margin. The AR is like the Harley Davidson, you can customize it to your hearts content. It is fairly light due to the materials used to construct the chassis (wood is heavy). It is easy to shoot and has low recoil.

Sporting Rifle

Three Gun Competition is a very popular sporting event where competitors shoot a rifle, shotgun and handgun as they move through the stages. The AR is the most popular rifle used in this competition.

Steel Challenge is a very popular sporting event where competitors move through eight stages with five targets each at varying distances and configurations. There are several classes a shooter can choose including Pistol Caliber Carbine. For example, I compete in Steel Challenge and choose to shoot in two classes, 1) Factory handgun and 2) PCC, pistol caliber carbine. I own a Kel Tec SUB2000 (made in Florida). It uses 9mm ammunition in a Glock magazine. A pistol ammunition in a pistol magazine.

Incidentally, my Kel Tec is on the list of rifles that H.R. 1808 seeks to ban.

Hunting

The AR is one of the most popular hunting rifles. They are lightweight, easier to carry through the woods than a bolt action rifle, accurate and versatile. Being a modular rifle they can be configured to hunt different game by changing the barrel, bolt carrier group, and magazine.

An avid hunter might choose the following calibers utilized in the same chassis:

.223: Ideal for hunting smaller game like coyotes, rabbits, foxes and varmints.

.300 Blackout: Excellent for hunting animals like feral hogs, varmints and deer.

.308: Powerful rounds you can use to hunt moose, elk, black bears, hogs and deer.

6.5 Grendel: Rounds that produce low recoil — perfect for hunting deer-sized animals.

As a very experienced shooter it is my opinion that a gun is only as good as the shooter on the trigger. I can hand an AR to a novice shooter, show them how to use it, and pick a target from 100 to 400 yards. I will beat them with a handgun.

A "military style" weapon is no more a weapon of war than putting a uniform on Mr. Whipple and calling him a Navy Seal.

I am NOT saying that it is impossible, but I am having trouble visualizing someone using a "NORMAL", average handgun like a revolver with a 4-inch barrel or an Army 9mm being able to hit something the size of (say) a basketball at 400 years on the 1st shot. That would be impressive, to say the least. If I remember correctly there is a single-shot Remington X-19 (I could be wrong about the model) that is classified as a pistol used for shooting varmints. It is like a short rifle with a pistol grip and the shoulder stock cut off. It is often used with a scope. A basketball might NOT be safe at 400 yards with such a pistol. But, an ordinary pistol with iron sights ????? The trajectory drop and wind grabbing the wide short bullet would make it difficult to hit a basketball at 400 yards - even with 20 / 20 vision.