Purpose of an AR

[Irish]

Ok, So I have my AR (Colt SP1) and while speaking with someone from the forum it was suggested that I have a nice rifle & should keep it nice. No argument there... By keep it nice, it was inferred that I do not put a lot of rounds through it so it can really hold it's value. That makes sense. What doesn't make sense is having an AR that sits in my safe waiting for me to put it to use. As for home defense, it would not be my first option (unless the Zombies were crashing my driveway). I really enjoyed shooting my AR and would like to learn to master it. As a result, I have decided to buy/build an AR with a purpose. Perhaps several purposes...

I am not a hunter, (no particular reason why, just never learned), I am not a LEO nor am I one of those "the end is nigh, prepare for Armageddon" types, I just really like to shoot & want to do it well. I have a strange affliction that pulls me toward the 1911 & now my AR. I just enjoy the heck out of shooting them!

My point...

What are some uses for the AR that are functional?
Here is what I am thinking about...
I would like to get a rifle that has several hats.
An AR that I can use for practice & improvement of my skills.
An AR that I can learn to hunt with and have it as an effective rifle while hunting and an AR that I can shoot in competition (if I ever get so skilled).

Is it possible to make a rifle with these things in mind?
what is a 3 gun? Does that refer to this type of project?

Can you / should you have 1 receiver & 3 uppers?

Can you use 1 receiver & have a .308 upper & a 5.56/.223 upper?

These things are not cheap to shoot! It seems like a waste of time to learn to shoot a gun that you will not use and a waste of money to shoot a gun you cannot afford. Is it possible to build a gun that you can afford to plink and learn on & then swap the upper & go hunting & then swap again so you can compete? Or should I just get an oly and learn to shoot first? I don't want to go that route & I would like to keep my colt in good condition.
I guess my thinking is if you are going to do something, do it right the first time. I would rather have a beast of a gun that I can really use & then make nice when it counts instead of buying 3 rifles as I grow.
Any input, grounding or advice is much appreciated!
Thank you for reading this.

[7idl]

got em? use 'em!

simple

(unless its something of historical significance)

you could, if you had the $$$, buy something and keep it in the box for <insert reason here> (and maybe cash in later)

I have 1 safe queen, a Rem 81 in 300 savage that my grandpa gave me. Never fired it, probably hasn't been fired since the 50's.



as far as uppers, there are a few rounds that will fit through the magwell on the typical AR lower, the .308/7.62 is not one of them, you'll need an entirely different lower/upper combo.

that is UNLESS it's one of the single shot or other uppers that just use the lower for the firing mechanism

[sniper_tim]

I just enjoy the heck out of shooting them!

What more of a reason/purpose do you need than that? Want to get better, shoot more (practice makes perfect). Try some local shooting events like 3-gun or high power match to see what suits your fancy. Attend a club shoot.

I enjoy shooting 3-gun, most poeple seem to use some specialized version of a carbine or M4 with expensive optics. I use my full size rifle with open sights and still enjoy (and a bird gun for the shotgun stage). I've also participated in High power without specialized gun or equipment, albeit I wasn't very competitve. Note: lots of guys will mentor first timers and share equipment so you can see if you are interested before laying out the cash. You could be competitive with a carbine and full size upper in 3-gun (swapped out for differnt scenarios).

I also just enjoy blowing up milk jugs full of water in the national forest (as do my kids).

Can you / should you have 1 receiver & 3 uppers?

Sure why not, however the lower is the least expensive piece of the rifle.

Can you use 1 receiver & have a .308 upper & a 5.56/.223 upper?

- No the 308 & .223 are also different lower platforms. You could get away with almost all calibers/uppers with 2 lowers, the 308 and 223.

There are many sites devoted to 3-gun, search around for specifics of the sport, but basically it is a timed competition utilizing a rifle (doesn't have to be AR), shotgun, & pistol. The cool part is every competition is different, ie the stage or scenario is changed each match. High power match is probably the only scenario that i can think of that you really need a specialized gun for if you are going to shoot competitivly.

You can definetly get by with 1 lower and multiple uppers to suit your preferences and serve general and specific purposes. In the end if you find somthing that you really like, as with any hobby, your options are only limited by $$$. General purpose guns can be used for matches, hunting, target practice, self defense, and Im sure the list will go on. However, you probably wont win the Camp Perry High Power with a general purpose gun.

Welcom to the addiction. [BEER]

[sniper_tim]

got em? use 'em!

+1

I doubt you'll ever wear a rifle out. Maybe guys that shoot multiple competitions a week or month can comment, but i think now adays barrels are good for 10,000 + rounds.

[GhostRider]

I agree with the got em use em thought. I got a bushmaster that is set up kinda with hunting p-dogs and yotes in mind. Now I am going to get a Smith and Wesson just because my kids are buying it for me. My family wants one of their own so I am going to build one for them. Not that I can't use one for all, its just toys and the opportunity has made itself available. All of mine will be shooters. Any unused weapon is a useless weapon. Used and enjoy

[Deano]

These things are not cheap to shoot! It seems like a waste of time to learn to shoot a gun that you will not use and a waste of money to shoot a gun you cannot afford. Is it possible to build a gun that you can afford to plink and learn on & then swap the upper & go hunting & then swap again so you can compete? Or should I just get an oly and learn to shoot first? I don't want to go that route & I would like to keep my colt in good condition.

Why not get another upper with a .22lr conversion?Then you could 'plink' for very little money and still have the same feel of your AR, and if you decided to go hunting, say for prarie dogs you could shoot the close ones with the .22LR and the far ones with your regular upper.
You'd be suprised how much a .22 will help your shooting, alot of top 3 gun guys use them for practice and save money doing it.
Just a thought,
Ster

[Sixgun]

Shoot it, keep it clean and replace barrel after 25 to 30k. just don't throw rocks at it or drive your car over it. And never ever sell it.

[sniper7]

You just NEED one. that is all you need to know

[Dr_Fwd]

You just NEED one. that is all you need to know

this


P.S. to sniper7 - look at the time of your post!

[theGinsue]

I'm of the frame of mind that a firearm is a tool and meant to be used. I have 5 hammers and use them all. I do have 1 safe queen rifle that my dad gave me - it's #15 of 45 ever made. Putting a round through it would cause the value to drop $1k - $2k so it'll never be fired - everything else gets shot.