On The AR15 / M16 rifle , by JDAR

Why would you want to own a gun made just for killing people?
Ever heard that question asked? Don’t ever fall into this trap. Let’s dispell some myth.
The M16, military only version of it’s twin cousin the AR15, was never designed as a person killer, but to disable the enemy. An enemy stopper. It will kill very well with correct shot placement. A small .22 long rifle will too.  The idea in war being that if you wound or disable an opponent it takes 1 or 2 more out of the fight, to retrieve the injured soldier from harms way. The cartridge used by both guns, the 5.56×45 is a slight variant of the .223 cartridge, designed in1957. And was decided on because of multiple reasons. The 223 was originally designed for small bodied varmints and game. Thought went into finding the right balance between a cartridge that was small and easy to carry in volume and a round that could prove effective out to 600 meters. Is it a purpose designed platform? Absolutely. A 7mm magnum or .338 Lapua is a far better design in terms of putting the lights out for keeps though.
The AR15 scary black gun is actually a very practical,  well thought out design. It is rugged and durable, easy to use and understand. If sighted in at 50 meters, it will hit the same point of aim at 225 meters. This enables a shooter to point and shoot at a target from 0 meters, all the way past 250 meters without stopping to account for bullet drop in the heat of battle. With reasonable assurance that they will make a good hit.  No other weapon is as adaptable to so many varieties of accessories and purpose built uses as the AR15. It is easy to break down and clean. Parts are generally interchangeable between manufacturers. It is light in weight and designed to have almost no recoil. This  takes away the intimidation for even the most small, timid shooter to handle once they get past the fear created mostly by the media. It can be configured for CQB (close quarters battle), long range varmint hunting, and competition target shooting. Its variety of uses is part of its value. All using the same familiar controls.
While the Military only M16 is selectable between semi-automatic and fully-automatic, it’s clone cousin, the AR15 is not. Like any other semiautomatic hunting rifle, the AR15 only shoots one round each time the trigger is depressed. It requires by law a special, strictly controlled FFL (federal firearms license) to own a fully automatic weapon. So even though they may look identical, don’t let those out there create fear, intimidation and confusion by trying to say they are all designed for killing people. And although it sounds cool to some to even be able to have a fully automatic weapon, anyone who has experienced war knows it’s practical use is very limited and quickly depletes valuable ammunition in a fire fight.
The AR platform is my favorite rifle of choice, for many reasons. It’s dependable tried true design, and versatility will continue to be target number 1  for anti-gun activists in the future. If we don’t defend our most well established and versatile rifle in America,  they will slowly find ways to brand it as an evil, unnecessary device, slowly taking every baby step to advance it’s extinction in our culture.

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About the Author: NC Scout

NC Scout is the nom de guerre of a former Infantry Scout and Sergeant in one of the Army’s best Reconnaissance Units. He has combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He teaches a series of courses focusing on small unit skills rarely if ever taught anywhere else in the prepping and survival field, including his RTO Course which focuses on small unit communications. In his free time he is an avid hunter, bushcrafter, writer, long range shooter, prepper, amateur radio operator and Libertarian activist. He can be contacted at [email protected] or via his blog at brushbeater.wordpress.com .

18 Comments

  1. Anonymous June 16, 2021 at 04:11

    5

  2. Charles June 16, 2021 at 09:56

    Thanks! I always enjoy reading your posts. I’ve taken a new tactic when confronted by the “why would any civilian ever need an AR-15” or “I’m for the 2nd Amendment, but I just think the AR-15 is too powerful” arguments. I just quietly ask if I can show the person a few photos. When they inevitably answer in the affirmative, I show them the six photos I have saved to the favorites in my phone:
    1. Kneeling Jewish man about to be shot in the head by a group of Nazi officers
    2. A woman holding a child about to be shot by a soldier holding a rifle (while a dead body lies nearby)
    3. A color photo of a field of bloody corpses during the Rwandan genocide
    4. A photo of tank man standing up to the Chinese tanks
    5. A photo from the Cambodian genocide
    6. A photo of a row of crosses taken during the Armenian genocide
    I then simply say, that’s why I choose to own an AR-15.

    • FlyBy June 16, 2021 at 20:19

      What is the response of those individual to whom you’ve shown those photos explaining why you choose to own an AR?

      • rto-jerry June 17, 2021 at 07:17

        I would wager they walk away with no retort

        • FlyBy June 17, 2021 at 22:52

          I would also wager that if the individual were hard core against gun ownership, this approach would make little to no difference in changing their views.

      • Charles June 19, 2021 at 14:33

        I just thought it up last week. I’m itching to use it during my next conversation but I haven’t had the chance yet. But I’m ready :)

    • donearman56donearman June 17, 2021 at 01:00

      The sad thing is most people don’t know history. I will bet you that 7 of ten people on the street don’t know what happened in Cambodia, Rwanda or Armenia. It may be much more than that. The Cambodian and Rwandan genocides are mostly known from 1 popular movie each. Few people know anything besides those movies.. The Armenian genocide was a hundred years ago and is not well known to Americans anymore. The Nazis are the best known due to media, but the current generation are losing memory of them. This country has not had wars on our own land since the Civil War. They have not felt the pain, destruction, and losses that other parts of the world have. Many people in this country have lost sight of consequences. They think many things can not happen here or to them. I agree with you and they are good examples, but they mean nothing to the average citizen. They are more worried about what happens on the Bachler, or on their soap opera, or with their team than what is happening in this country and around the world. They will only prepare if shootings are all over TV.

      • GenEarly June 17, 2021 at 09:57

        Ignorance of History leads to the Repletion of History. Just a Fact, as sure as Gravity and the Sunrise or Sunset. Whether this is good or bad, for better or worse, seems irrelevant to the march of time and vanishing memories.

      • Charles June 19, 2021 at 14:49

        You’re 100% correct. That’s why I’ve decided to use photos. People can’t grasp things like “100 million people killed by communists in the last century.” And most people’s eyes glaze over the moment I try to give them the entire history of democide. But show them a quick photo… now they understand. They can still dismiss it, but it’s a little more difficult to dismiss than a random statistic. I also intentionally chose photos that incite a visceral response. For example, the Armenian genocide one is a black and white photo of a row of crosses, upon which naked victims are hung. It’s too far away to see anything too graphic, but the horror of it is crystal clear. I want to make people ask follow up questions like “when was that?” And “what happened there?” If they do that, it opens up a door to converse further. If they reject it, that’s okay. I’ve still planted a little seed in their mind. The point is to sow distrust of governments, a historical precedence of democide, and a genuine historical need for civilian ownership of weapons of war. That’s the oak seed I’m hoping to plant in their minds. Maybe ten or fifteen years later it’ll grow into a full blow tree…

      • David james July 6, 2021 at 13:30

        Traditionally, only people who get out and about (military), see the global history, and horors. The politicians intentionally expend all the best, and brightest in their screw ups, that the military sacrifices the sons and daughters to correct. All the weak, and worthless stay behind, fail to support the U.S., and fail to volunteer. Think how much better off the U.S. would be if 90% of those expended were communist democrats! Another sad thing is those that made the sacrifice to get out and be deployed around the world, are not listened to by the punch bowl floaters, and turd polishers in the political arena. Think how many times you have given a politician, rock solid, 100% factual advice, or information, and had them ignore it? Look at all the really bad, and criminally worthless crap, the U.S.G. Does in foreign countries, only to keep it completely hidden from we the people.

    • Delroy June 17, 2021 at 01:29

      Great response. I might have to borrow that.

  3. Eric June 17, 2021 at 01:54

    I have a hammer because some things need a hit with a hammer, not a toothbrush.
    An AR15 is a tool. It’s good at doing the job for which it is designed. I have NO problem saying it’s good at killing people. That’s why I own it, so if the dreadful day arrives that evil comes to visit me, I can respond with death and stand between evil and those whom I hold dear.
    I don’t think it does gun owners a bit of good to engage in debates about the merits of hunting or target shooting as a justification to own any particular gun. Sure, my AR can fit those roles, but that’s not the primary reason I own one…or seven.

  4. Jackal June 17, 2021 at 03:24

    Why would I want to own a weapon designed for killing man? Because I fucking can! That’s why. And let’s not beat around the bush. My ARs WERE designed to kill and that’s how I train to use them. I give exactly zero fucks about how any liberal douchebag or even law abiding gun owing fudd perceives that. Can’t deal? Go shoot yer beer cans off the fence post on the back 40 wit yer single shot .22

  5. Chris Thatcher June 17, 2021 at 08:08

    Excellent article, but I have to correct one mistake. Civilian ownership of an M16 does not require an FFL. Machine guns are controlled under the National Firearms Act and any machine gun registered with the ATF prior to May 1986 is legal for civilian ownership. You are required to file paperwork with the ATF and pay a $200 tax, but if you can afford it and you can pass a NICS check, you can own a machine gun that is on the registry.

  6. Anonymous June 17, 2021 at 13:21

    4.5

  7. Eric Weisz June 17, 2021 at 22:22

    It’s the Bill of Rights, not the bill of needs.
    Also search “democide” – the most dangerous thing in the world is governments.

  8. HMFIC June 18, 2021 at 07:35

    The bullet was designed to be deadly, but by tumbling with high energy not with massive caliber and weight. It is the best assault rifle out there and everyone should own at least one!!

    • Jeannie Kilpatrick July 6, 2021 at 13:18

      Actually, the .223 round was originally a 4 legged varmint round. It was just tweaked a little to accomodate 2 legged varmints.

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