But remember, the AR sucks!
But you have to admit, if the AR-15 was really successful, you’d be able to get it from 40 different manufacturers, in .22, .222, .223, .224, .243, 7.62X39, .308 and .338 Lapua (in variants) 9mm, .40, .45, .50 BMG, several wildcat chamberings, as a pistol, carbine or rifle, clip fed, box fed, drum fed or belt fed, with barrels from 7″ to 24″, with dozens of sling combinations, fixed or folding stocks in a dozen lengths, with accessories like scopes, HUD sights, grenade launchers, bi pods, rail mounts, alternate bolt and trigger groups. It would win hundreds of competitions, be used by dozens of militaries and elite units, SWAT teams and commando units, be available as cheap as $450, have hundreds of smiths specializing in working on it and be readily available at any gun store.
June 2nd, 2008 at 10:22 am
Hmmmm.
My issue with the M-16 has always been the extremely tight tolerances between the upper and the bolt carrier group. I can’t remember how often I’ve had to deal with a jammed M-16 when doing anything where there is sand, grit or whatever.
The fact is that the design is a failure in the one single market where it is the most important.
Battlefield reliability.
June 2nd, 2008 at 10:29 am
Amen – I was stuck with this POS in Nam (until I picked up an enemy AK)
June 2nd, 2008 at 10:45 am
Two words: Volkswagen Beetle.
June 2nd, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Where’s this $450 AR?
June 2nd, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Not to mention .458 SOCOM – the .45/70 of hammer-hitting.