{"id":626,"date":"2018-02-14T09:00:59","date_gmt":"2018-02-14T14:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.wholesalehunter.com\/?p=626"},"modified":"2019-04-05T13:30:25","modified_gmt":"2019-04-05T17:30:25","slug":"understanding-ar-platform-craig-boddington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/understanding-ar-platform-craig-boddington\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding the AR Platform"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s accept that what we call the \u201cAR\u201d is a controversial firearm. It\u2019s widely demonized by the anti-gun crowd, but even among shooters it receives a mixed reception. Those who love it, really love it, but many of us have more traditional tastes. There are a lot of shooters from my generation who aren\u2019t crazy about the AR platform, and I believe that, in part, it\u2019s because many of us simply don\u2019t understand them.<\/p>\n

\"Kyle
Retired special ops Sergeant Major Kyle Lamb is among many who rely on the AR platform for most of their hunting. It\u2019s what Kyle is most familiar with, and he sticks with it.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now, I know I need to be careful! The only gun writer I know who had the temerity (or ignorance?) to say bad things about the AR in a Friday-night blog post woke up Monday without a career. (A shame, really\u2014he\u2019s actually a good friend of mine!) So, let me be clear: From my standpoint, there\u2019s nothing bad to say about the AR. Gene Stoner\u2019s 60-year-old design remains a fantastic firearm! (For those who don\u2019t know the AR\u2019s history, Stoner delivered the AR10 in 7.62×51 in 1955. His engineering team-mates, Robert Fremont and Jim later scaled it down to the AR15 in 5.56x45mm.)<\/p>\n


\nMy Personal History with the AR<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s true that I\u2019m not an AR expert. I don\u2019t write about them much because I\u2019m more interested in and attracted to other designs and action types\u2014some like pickup trucks or SUVs, others like sports cars. (Hopefully we are allowed preferences in firearms!) However, that doesn\u2019t mean I don\u2019t respect and understand the AR platform! I own several and, after all, for my first 20 years in the Marines, I carried an M16, then an M16A1, and then an M16A2, until my tour was done as a battalion commander. After that, I couldn\u2019t justify carrying a rifle even for show, though I always felt kind of naked without one.<\/p>\n

\"Craig
In my backyard on the Kansas farm with several ARs. It\u2019s true that I don\u2019t write about ARs very often\u2026 but I\u2019ve spent a lot of time with them over the years!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Brief History of Assault Rifles\u2014and Why the AR Isn\u2019t One<\/h2>\n

Unfortunately, the AR or \u201cmodern sporting rifle,\u201d as we sometimes call it, suffers from a huge case of mistaken identity. In our terminology \u201cAR,\u201d whether AR10 or AR15, is short for Armalite, Gene Stoner\u2019s outfit. It\u2019s an unfortunate coincidence that the initials are often confused as an abbreviation for \u201cassault rifle.\u201d The press does this so often that it\u2019s probably not altogether ignorance, but it\u2019s also done by folks who should know better.<\/p>\n

StG44: The Original Assault Rifle<\/h3>\n

The prototype and archetypical \u201cassault rifle\u201d is the StG 44 Sturmgewehr, developed by the Germans at the height of WWII. Instead of the full-up 8x57mm rifle cartridge or the 9mm pistol and submachinegun cartridge, it used an intermediate 7.92x33mm cartridge, which had greater range than the pistol but less than the rifle. It also had reduced recoil and, thus, better controllability. This is important because the StG 44\u2014and all true \u201cassault rifles\u201d\u2014have selective fire capability: semiautomatic or full automatic at the shooter\u2019s choice. The intent was to provide an edge in firepower during a close assault. Sturmgewehr, said to be coined by Hitler himself, means \u201cstorm weapon.\u201d<\/p>\n

AK-47: An Improvement On the StG 44<\/h3>\n

Mikhail Kalashnikov studied the German design, simplified it, and made the most prolific military weapon of all time: AK-47, with the intermediate 7.62x39mm cartridge. Others didn\u2019t do quite so well.<\/p>\n

M-Series Rifles<\/h3>\n

Our M14 is a great battle rifle, but it\u2019s chambered to the full-sized 7.62x51mm cartridge. As designed, it\u2019s a selective fire rifle, intended to be an \u201cassault rifle\u201d\u2014but it\u2019s uncontrollable in full auto, and although we still use a lot of M14s in the Marines, I can honestly say that I have never seen one that didn\u2019t have the selective fire capability disabled.<\/p>\n

The M16-series, with the mild-recoiling 5.56mm cartridge, are different stories. The M16 through M16-A4 and the M4 carbine, as designed for the military, are selective-fire assault rifles and also great battle rifles.<\/p>\n

Commercially-Available ARs: Semiautomatic Only<\/h2>\n

The innumerable civilian versions on the AR10 or AR15 frame are semiautomatic only and, by definition, are not assault rifles. They are accurate, incredibly fun to shoot, and, depending on cartridge, suitable for a wide array of sporting purposes. They\u2019re darned good guns, and so popular that ARs have been manufactured under more than 90 brand names. With the exceptions of John Moses Browning\u2019s timeless 1911 pistol and Peter Paul Mauser\u2019s 1898 bolt action, this is unprecedented in the firearms industry!<\/p>\n

AR Platform Offers a Wide Range of Options<\/h2>\n

ARs range from very basic to serious custom jobs, with match barrels and more. They all have the same basic action, but prices range from a low of about $500 to ten times that and more. I suppose the same could be said of the bolt action! Perhaps the greatest validation of the AR has been its adoption by major manufacturers: first Remington, then Ruger, then Mossberg.<\/p>\n

\"Ruger
Ruger engineer Mark Gurney and me with the Ruger SR 556 when it was first introduced. Adoption of the AR platform by major manufacturers such as Ruger, Remington, and Mossberg is total validation of the popularity and acceptance of the AR action.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Obviously, there\u2019s a market for the AR platform. The big companies are banking on a continuous demand, and I assume they are correct. The AR10 was designed around the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge, and the AR15 and the 5.56x45mm NATO round were designed together. This creates limitations on both frames; however, given some creative cartridge design, both have proven quite versatile.<\/p>\n

The 7.62x51mm\/.308 Winchester family is large\u2014maybe large enough\u2014but look at all the cartridges designed to fit the AR15 frame: from Federal\u2019s new .22 Valkyrie all the way up to .450 Bushmaster and .50 Beowulf. In the middle, the 6.8mm Remington SPC is solid, and the 6.5mm Grendel and .300 Blackout are taking off like rockets.<\/p>\n

\"Craig
I took this buck with a gorgeous AR10 by Doug Turnbull in .308 Winchester. The larger AR10 frame offers greater capability in cartridges; the tradeoff is that it\u2019s much heavier than the AR15.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Basic Frame Provides a Foundation for a More Complex System<\/h2>\n

After all, the beauty of the AR frame is that all you need is an upper receiver, a magazine that will feed, and an appropriate recoil spring. It\u2019s a system that is both complex, yet exceedingly simple. I won\u2019t argue between piston and direct impingement\u2014I guess you have to be more of an AR guy to have a firm opinion. I have both models, and both work fine\u2026 you suppose there\u2019s more than one way to skin the cat?<\/p>\n

The real secret is the multi-lug rotating bolt, which provides concentric lockup and exceptional accuracy when mated to a good barrel and paired with good ammo. The rotating bolt with multiple locking lugs comes straight from Peter Paul Mauser\u2019s timeless bolt-action, which is still used in most bolt-actions today in a number of varieties. So it\u2019s not really a stretch to say that the AR\u2019s lineage starts with Mauser! It\u2019s not true that the AR is more rugged or more dependable than Kalashnikov\u2019s simpler design\u2014but it is more accurate and more versatile, and with proper ammo and cleaning ARs run extremely well.<\/p>\n

\"AR
The rotating, forward-locking, multi-lug bolt is one of the reasons for the AR platform\u2019s consistent accuracy. Though semiautomatic, the lockup system gets its lineage straight from Mauser\u2019s bolt-action design.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How I Use My ARs<\/h2>\n

Most of the ARs I own are fairly basic. The one I shoot the most is a Rock River 5.56mm. I love it because I\u2019m left-handed, and mine is one of the uncommon left-hand mirror-image ARs. It\u2019s my go-to ranch rifle on my Kansas farm; I carry it for varmints, from armadillos to coyotes, and I\u2019ve taken several deer with it. It needs a faster twist for the really heavy bullets, but with bullets from 50 to 62 grains it\u2019s a consistent 1.5 MOA rifle. That\u2019s plenty adequate in my Kansas woods, and not bad for a basic out-of-the-box AR. Some will do much better, others a bit worse, but with all basic factory rifles, extreme accuracy takes a bit of luck. My Ruger SR5.56 is about the same, while a S&W VTAC is a solid one-inch\/100-yard rifle.<\/p>\n

\"Craig
My Rock River AR15 in 5.56x45mm is a basic and inexpensive AR\u2026but one of very few offered in left-hand action. These are typical groups with 55 and 62-grain bullets; it\u2019s a consistent 1.5 MOA rifle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Craig
A very nice Kansas whitetail, taken with my Rock River AR. The .223 is adequate for whitetails, especially with heavier bullets designed for the purpose\u2014but precise shot placement is essential.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Benefits of Going Custom<\/h2>\n

On the other hand, there are custom and semi-custom ARs\u2014at higher prices, of course\u2014that deliver awesome accuracy. I had a Nosler Varmegeddon that was exceptional, and a Proof Research AR that was also amazing. This rifle had a Proof Research carbon fiber-reinforced barrel, which not only extremely accurate, but also heats up very slowly. With costlier Ars, you tend to get better barrels and better triggers as well.<\/p>\n

\"Shot
The Proof Research AR with their carbon-fiber-reinforced barrel was amazing. Groups vary because of different loads, but this target shows five groups fired quickly, with no cooling\u2026the center group was the last!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"AR
Nosler\u2019s Varmageddon AR is a good example of an upgraded AR, combining a variety of generally aftermarket options with a match-grade barrel and good trigger. Accuracy was obviously superb!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tracing its history from the original design to the dozens of available models today, it\u2019s clear that the AR platform\u2019s customizability is one of the reasons why it\u2019s so popular today. Even if you don\u2019t splurge for an expensive custom model, you can add aftermarket barrels and triggers to any AR\u2014that\u2019s part of the beauty of the platform.<\/p>\n

\"AR
Thanks to the rail system, ARs can be accessorized to the heart\u2019s content. A bipod is a pretty basic addition, but the sky\u2019s the limit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Steve
My buddy Steve Trainer on the bench with an AR. With factory ARs triggers vary quite a bit, but trigger issues can easily be solved with aftermarket trigger kits.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thanks to the rail system, scope mounting<\/a> is easy, and you can accessorize an AR to your heart\u2019s content. Sights, lights, lasers, adjustable stocks, multiple sling attachments, you name it. I keep mine pretty basic, but that\u2019s my choice. You may not think of me as an \u201cAR guy,\u201d but I appreciate that it has a great action and a wonderfully versatile platform. Like I said above, it\u2019s an accurate, multipurpose rifle that\u2019s fun to shoot and offers many options for shooters at any level.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s accept that what we call the \u201cAR\u201d is a controversial firearm. It\u2019s widely demonized by the anti-gun crowd, but even among shooters it receives a mixed reception. Those who love it, really love it, but many of us have more traditional tastes. There are a lot of shooters from my generation who aren\u2019t crazy … Continue reading “Understanding the AR Platform”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[101,21],"tags":[103,102,108,107,105,104,19,68,110,34,106,109,17],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/626"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=626"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/626\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":944,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/626\/revisions\/944"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=626"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=626"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}