I get it.

[redriverhunter]

I have never wanted an ar15 in 223 as I did not see the need. For some crazy reason I decided to get one. I now understand the love for a the 223. I hate to admitt it but the rifle is fun as all get out to shoot. I had the range to myself so I got to shoot at will and it was great. I will always remember how much distain, I have/had for the range commando dumping a thirty round mag into a target at 50 yards with no concern for other shooter. Another positive is I can come home with more brass than I left with. After working with 223 brass for the past few days I picked up a few 308 win. brass and they look fat.

[Hick]

223 is a sweet cartridge. Great range with less powder-- and works nice with cast too. I also am not an AR15 fan, so I shoot 223 in a traditional bolt action (CZ)

[JSnover]

I still don't own an AR, mostly because I got tired of it. I first qualified in 1982 and at that time I was biased against the 5.56, though it is easy to shoot, but by the time I retired I'd seen enough of it.
Now that I've mellowed with age and I'm living in the Republic of New Jersey, most of the other 'tactical' platforms are verboten, so I guess one of these days I'll buy a 'black rifle.'

[Froogal]

My backyard shooting range is limited to about 80 yards. Anything chambered in.223 would just be wasted, but a Ruger PC carbine in 9mm is a LOT of fun.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Beauty, they say, is in the eye of the beholder. I do not own an AR-15, but have nothing against them. I do own a Mk.X Mini-Mauser in .223 and a Savage 11G in .223. I own the Mini-Mauser because it is so cute, just a.....well, mini Mauser. I sort of got stuck with the Savage when a customer (some 20 years ago now) ordered it but didn't like the blind magazine and reordered a 110 model. To me, the .223 is too small for large game and the .22 L.R. is better for small game, so I have trouble fitting it into my firearms philosophy. But, I don't have any prairie dogs either, so here it's either pretty large or pretty small. I'm glad though that so many enjoy the AR-15 / .223 combo, and enjoying the hobby is what it's all about.


DG

[pmer]

I have never wanted an ar15 in 223 as I did not see the need. For some crazy reason I decided to get one. I now understand the love for a the 223. I hate to admitt it but the rifle is fun as all get out to shoot. I had the range to myself so I got to shoot at will and it was great. I will always remember how much distain, I have/had for the range commando dumping a thirty round mag into a target at 50 yards with no concern for other shooter. Another positive is I can come home with more brass than I left with. After working with 223 brass for the past few days I picked up a few 308 win. brass and they look fat.

Just wait till you figure out how easy it is to swap a barrel out or installing drop in triggers. A nice trigger on these really goes a long way in the accuracy department.

[country gent]

I started in NRA high power service rifle matches with a garand in 308. Moved to the m1a then the ar 15
The garand was good but about every 1500-2000 rounds would need the bedding touched up and some tuning, barrel around every 3000 rounds to maintain best performance.
My M1As were lugged so bedding lasted longer but barrel life was about the same. tuning was occasional required.
The AR With a 1-7 barrel, float tube, and trigger up grade would perform very well to 600 yds. no bedding to worry about, simple low maintenance parts. Barrel life was much better at around 7000 rounds. Build the rifle and shoot it till the barrel is gone and rebuild.

[dverna]

The AR is a "must have" rifle for me and like the OP had to overcome a prejudice to it. My first CF was a .222 and am a fan of .22 cal CF. But the AR is the best platform for a self-defense rifle to meet my needs. Not for everyone. I have four of them JIC (Just In Case).

[super6]

The first time I shot a 223 AR I was bouncing a beer can around at 50 yards! A lot of fun but still do not own one, Maybe someday.

[Texas by God]

If you want an extra special AR15- build your own.
Up till ten or so years ago, I never gave them a second thought.
I presently have six, and four are .223/5.56.


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[bubbadoyle]

If you want an extra special AR15- build your own.
Up till ten or so years ago, I never gave them a second thought.
I presently have six, and four are .223/5.56.


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I have five uppers and four lowers and I own none in 5.56 or .223. I have nothing against the cartridge but it just doesn’t fill any gaps I need filling. I have .17 Remington,.204 Ruger, 6x45, 300 Blackout and a custom .44 caliber cartridge that is similar to the .450 bushmaster but .44 caliber.


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[Harter66]

Disallowing politics, the AR 15 is roughly the equivalent of the 98 circa 1988 to date . Except that there's no cure for its complete lack of aesthetics and industrial grunge look . They are however the best thing since tinker toys , Legos , and quite possibly the glorious simplicity of basically every car built before 1969 .

They are available from 17-50 cal in a host of ACP family cartridges and only require that the OAL be under 2.260 . You can tweek, tune customize and in general make one as common or Unique as you want/need and you only really need 1 special tool that's like $25 to do it .
Nobody will ever rag on you about rattle can camo .
There are about 8,000 variations of fore ends and butts .
Want to just barely cover the gas block or tube ? Done . Want a (forgive me it just a style reference) Manlicher fore end ? Done .
Want a GI 2 stage or an adjustable 2# target trigger? Done . Want a 4.5# pack gun ? It can be done . Manual straight pull bench gun with a zero contact free float barrel ? Yep that's available.
Want a side charger like a Kalashnikov, 1100 or A5 no problem.
Want a pump rifle ? Yeah there's 10 parts sets for that too .
Won't run that load that hits all of your numbers? Yep you can tune that too .

You can give em' Marett Hartley's legs , Raquel Welch's chest , Cheryl Ladd's struts and they'll still look like Richard Boone1986 .

2 lowers , 1 stock M4ish , 1 with a better trigger and ambi safety.
4 uppers , 2 A2 5.56 with a round free float fore end a heavy 6.8 rifle 20" and a carbine 6.8 M4 style both with slotted octagish 12" fore ends .

Nope they won't replace a 110 , 98 , M700 or M70 and a 92' won't have to give up it's seat at the pretty gun table but they are fun and accurate.

[William Yanda]

I was introduced to the M-16 in 1971 by my Uncle. I still don't have one of my own, but I think I know where I could get one.

[bedbugbilly]

So I'm an old guy . . . and never had a desire for an AR. I got acquainted with a younger fellow a few years ago in AZ and we went shooting in the desert and U had the opportunity to shoot his AR. I have to admit that it was a lot of fun! Because of that, I fell in love with the 223 cartridge - enough that I soon bought a Ruger American Ranch in 223 and had a decent scope put on it. Will I ever get an AR . . . . time will tell and never say never. After shooting the AR, I can see the attraction they hold for so many folks and I was grateful for the opportunity to shoot one. And I admit that I am looking at the 9PC carbines, leaning heavily towards one of the Ruger 9PCs.

[MUSTANG]

Lot's of experience with the AR style platform in Service. Much preferred the M-14 Platform. Clintonista's decided I should not own an AR style rifle - so I ran out and bought a Colt Semi-Auto version of the M16A2 "Just Because I Could", and gave it to the wife. She started shooting it, and fell in love with the low recoil. (Not so much with the buffer TWAAAANG). Subsequently bought quite a few Bolt Action .223's because of lower cost reloading for the round. Still not a great fan of the AR platforms; but I am building one each with the Grand Sons this summer from "Parts Kits" - "Just Because I Can"; and coupled with us building .50 Cal Hawkens for each one from kits this summer - they are excited.

[charlie b]

Like mentioned above, the AR is a platform that you can build just about anything you want. Inexpensive plinking to long range match rifle. If you include the AR-10 size you get a wide range of more powerful cartridges as well.

The .223 is a really flexible cartridge with everything from high vel light bullets to the heavy match bullets. My bolt gun loved the 77gn Sierra Match Kings (Federal Gold Medal or Black Hills Match if you don't reload) and it was capable of match accuracy to 600yd.

But, if I ever got an AR it would be in 6.5 (Grendel?) or 6.8 (SPC?) with an 18" or 20" match barrel.

[Rapier]

I hear the AR build calling.....like tater chips once you start building the "erector set" it is hard not to just find a or some reason to add another upper. I do not cast .224 bullets, but anything above .224 I do cast for and the AR is a good PC cast platform.
These are just two AR cast PC, a BO 230 and a 358 MGP 200.

[WILCO]

Soon as they said I shouldn't have one, I started down the black rifle rabbit hole.

[dverna]

Lot's of experience with the AR style platform in Service. Much preferred the M-14 Platform. Clintonista's decided I should not own an AR style rifle - so I ran out and bought a Colt Semi-Auto version of the M16A2 "Just Because I Could", and gave it to the wife. She started shooting it, and fell in love with the low recoil. (Not so much with the buffer TWAAAANG). Subsequently bought quite a few Bolt Action .223's because of lower cost reloading for the round. Still not a great fan of the AR platforms; but I am building one each with the Grand Sons this summer from "Parts Kits" - "Just Because I Can"; and coupled with us building .50 Cal Hawens for each one from kits this summer - they are excited.

You are a "great" granddad.

[Texas by God]

If I wasn’t a “Gun Nut”- I could get by killing varmints. Pigs, and deer with a single .223 of any action type.
Because I’ve done it.
A 200 pound deer or 400 pound hog are few and far between in N. Texas.


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