I have been contemplating picking up an AR for the longest time, but due to the recent panic foolishness, I could never find one in my price range (inexpensive, basic unit)
Until now…
I traded in a couple guns I wouldn’t miss, Ruger MkIII and KTP Special 10/22, as i already have better, more accurate and more fun .22’s than these two, plus, I want my .22’s to be able to reliably feed everything from CB’s and shorts to hypers and shot shells, the Ruger semis could only really handle LR length…
Anyway, back on subject
I had put a used S&W M&P 15T on 7 day hold at the local gun store, to give me time to think, my biggest problem with the 15T was the quad rails, those things looked like hand-shredders, unless they were covered by rail covers, plus, I like the clean lines of an AR without rails, this thing had too many rails for my tastes
I voraciously read up on the other M&P models while the T sat on hold, for some reason, I was drawn to the Sport model, the lack of forward assist and dust cover were a non issue as I live a good drive away from the closest desert, and I’m not about to storm any of the local beaches anyway…
It was a simple, basic design, and had no rails, which I see as good, if I was to add a rail, it would only be a mini rail for a flashlight anyway…
I then discovered the barrel had a special rifling style, a progressive 1/8 twist with 5 lands (5R rifling) and the entire barrel was melonite coated, and I know, from my short experience owning a Glock 21, that Melonite/tennifer is some good stuff
All the info I gathered on the Sport seemed to indicate it was a great starter/basic AR, so I made my mind up, I would get a new Sport instead of the used Tactical, it would be $200 cheaper, and that’d be more money for ammo…
I went to my toy store yesterday, ready to purchase a new Sport… Only to find out…
All they had in new stock was the neutered Nannystate Version for Massachusetts:smack::rolleyes::mad: it was missing some Horribly Dangerous Features, like…
Flash hider (there are better Marvel superheroes anyway, no wonder the Flash is in hiding…)
Bayonet lug (good thing too, I was attacked by a bayonet lug yesterday morning, those things are just plain vicious…)
Collapsible Stock (a collapsible stock once bit my sister…)
10 round magazine
Needless to say, as a Mainer, there was no way I was going to buy a neutered AR that was made to comply with the insanely stupid laws of the Peoples Republik of Nannychusets…
It got worse, it turns out that the newest Sport also no longer had the 1/8 twist 5R rifled barrel, it was a standard 6 land 1/9 twist…
So, I guess it wasn’t meant to be…before I left, though, I had them check the used rack…
After a short search, they found a used Sport, with all the abovementiomed “Evil Features”, a Magpul rear backup iron sight, it even had the 1/8 twist 5R barrel! It looked unfired, the charging handle and bolt carrier group were dry, no lube, I didn’t even notice a case impression on the bolt face
It came with the original box, paperwork, useless cable lock, a Magpul 30 round mag, a Lancer clear 30 round mag and the plastic chamber flag, it was a little more than a new Sport, but I was willing to pay that, because it still had the 5R 1/8 barrel, and all the Scary Features missing on the Neutered Nannychusets edition
So, needless to say, I brought it home with me, as well as 30 rounds of American Eagle ballistic tip varmint ammo, I’ve only put five rounds down my backyard range, as I didn’t have time to hit my gun club, but the gun performed flawlessly, there was absolutely no recoil to speak of, and it didn’t even seem that loud either, of course, I had hearing protection on, and I was firing out in the open, rather than in a noise-magnifying shooting hut at the gun club, but the muzzle report wasn’t too unpleasant at all
Now all I need is more ammo before I take it to the club to really wring it out
I think I’m going to really enjoy this one…
Pics maybe later, after all, all it is is a bone stock Sport, I did install a GI Websling though, mainly because I had it laying around, unused
So, why, did I, an avowed manual-action guy (the Sport is my only semiauto) decide to get an AR after all this time?
Firstly, as a “thumb in the eye” to the nannystaters and protectionists, if they hadn’t put so much effort into demonizing a basic tool as a semiauto sporting rifle, I probably never would have gotten one, until actually shooting one, I was never a fan of the AR or AK platform, even now, I still prefer my bolt and lever actions over semiautos
Secondly, I realized recently that I had no centerfire rifle that shot a rifle cartridge in the collection, the closest thing to it was Dad’s old Winchester '92 in 44-40, and that fires a handgun cartridge
Thirdly, I thought it would be prudent to have a firearm that accepts removable magazines that hold over 10 rounds, before acquiring the Sport, my highest capacity rifle was my Marlin 39A levergun, and that was “only a .22”
Finally, I do admit that I enjoy the “Lego” concept of the seperate upper and lower configuration, that I can have multiple calibers and switch between them by simply swapping uppers, I may never use this feature, but it’s good to have
Most amusingly, I was going over my Sport with my 11 year old nephew yesterday, showing him how to field strip it, how the BCG comes apart for cleaning, how simple the design is, he was noncommittal, as he’s an “old soul” and his taste in firearms runs mainly to single-shots, levers, and bolts, as well as archery, given a choice between shooting a modern semiauto or a humble H&R break barrel single, he’ll reach for the single every time…
However, once I told him that they make a crossbow upper for the AR, his eyes got huge, he got a big grin on his face, and said "you GOTTA get one of those! That is SO COOL!
I wonder what he’ll think when I let him try the Sport, he currently dislikes AR’s, they’re “too loud” (he has only encountered AR’s at the club, being shot inside the shooting hut which efficiently amplifies all firing sounds anyway) and he’s under the impression that they have a huge recoil…
Just wait until I show him what it did to one of my old hard drives I had set on an old steel wheel from one of my previous cars…
.22LR only dented it… The AmEagle varmint round punched a clean hole right through the rim, punched through like it wasn’t even there…(yes, the rim was angled to prevent ricochets, don’t worry)
