View Full Version : Anybody here not.....
KrampusArms
01-13-13, 00:34
Anybody here not messing with their AR rifles? As in not practicing mag changes, weapon manipulation, cycling action, dry fire, etc?
Money is hard to come by as we all know. I did the best I could, & I have 2 AR rifles. I wish I had more. I used to shoot my rifles every month at least, 200 rounds or so, a very modest amount actually. On down time, I'd dry fire, practice proning out, manipulation type stuff. Im a civilian, so just basic things really.
But now, I dont know if I should quit messing with these damn things. The way things are looking, an AR15 is worth its weight in gold potentially. To those of you with many rifles, & an assload of spare parts, I dont think your concern would be as afflicting as mine. The way I look at it, if things get bad with the law, I dont know if we'll even be able to acquire spare parts/springs & wear items.
Every cycle of the action, & drop of the hammer without firing live ammo = 1 firing in spring fatigue. And while very miniscule, Im looking ahead to the future 20 years (unlike liberals) from now. If there is a 20 years from now.
I just wish I would have bought more, & had another couple to use, while preserving my others. Same thing applies to ammo. Just damn.
Keep looking for spare parts. Springs, firing pins, and what not are fairly cheap and aren't too hard to get right now. A gun sitting in a safe is like a hammer you never use, what's the point? Shooting skills are perishable so if you're not going to practice with the rifle because it will wear the gun out then you won't be proficient when or if you ever need to use it. If you look at your rifles more as an investment then put them in a safe and don't touch them. You mentioned you have two ARs, so if you are that worried about the situation practice with one and leave the other alone.
Why own them if you're not going to shoot or even practice with it? It's not a collectors piece so it doesn't belong locked up in a safe. I put a few mags through one of mine today. Use it or lose it.
Anybody here not messing with their AR rifles? As in not practicing mag changes, weapon manipulation, cycling action, dry fire, etc?
Money is hard to come by as we all know. I did the best I could, & I have 2 AR rifles. I wish I had more. I used to shoot my rifles every month at least, 200 rounds or so, a very modest amount actually. On down time, I'd dry fire, practice proning out, manipulation type stuff. Im a civilian, so just basic things really.
But now, I dont know if I should quit messing with these damn things. The way things are looking, an AR15 is worth its weight in gold potentially. To those of you with many rifles, & an assload of spare parts, I dont think your concern would be as afflicting as mine. The way I look at it, if things get bad with the law, I dont know if we'll even be able to acquire spare parts/springs & wear items.
Every cycle of the action, & drop of the hammer without firing live ammo = 1 firing in spring fatigue. And while very miniscule, Im looking ahead to the future 20 years (unlike liberals) from now. If there is a 20 years from now.
I just wish I would have bought more, & had another couple to use, while preserving my others. Same thing applies to ammo. Just damn.
The sky is not falling.
They will not be banned.
Spare parts certainly will not be banned.
Definitely not not messing with my rifles.
The value of a tool is in the use, not the selling price.
Five_Point_Five_Six
01-13-13, 03:59
My rifle is a defensive tool first and foremost and will get shot the same amount AWB or not.
Good gods.
Even if you have no money for ammo, there are tons of drills that you can do to keep the skills alive.
There is a reason professional instructors advocate dry fire drills.
Guns are for shooting. A gun that is not being shot is either an expensive paperweight, or an expensive metal conversation piece.
I'm shooting mine, and acquiring spare parts and whatnot when/wherever I can.
You can always do dry drills, or substitute some .22 training for some skills, but live fire should always be part of your plan if you're an AR owner.
As previously stated shooting is a perishable skill set. If you are training, your moving backwards. Even something as simple as dry fire practice, or "ammo free" weapons manipulations can be very beneficial. There are a lot of things you can do with one expended cartridge case and two dummy rounds.
And for what could possibly be more effective dry fire practice there are tools out on the market now to help. While I have no affiliation or experience with this product:
http://nextleveltraining.com/ar
it does look like it could be very nice to have if it works as advertised.
In addition to that, you still need to put live rounds down range. There are a number of .22 conversions on the market which can (eventually) help to offset some ammo costs, but .223/5.56 still need to be utilized to as part of your training program. There are plenty of low round count drills from reputable trainers available online.
I have not taken a bunch of pmags out of their bags, and I am conserving ammo. Thats about it for me. Also, reloading is now a new skill I will get working on. I do not believe spares will be scarce by 4Q.
If they could, my guns would tell you they'd have no idea about a possible AWB. My credit card, however, has an inkling.
I'm personally saving ammo, so when I do shoot, its not as much as I used to, but I still am.
A gun is made to be used, not sit in my safe!
sinlessorrow
01-13-13, 09:20
I'm personally saving ammo, so when I do shoot, its not as much as I used to, but I still am.
A gun is made to be used, not sit in my safe!
Same here. With the shortage on ammo I have not been shooting my rifles much. Once this craze ends and ammo comes back I will get back to using my rifles, my handgun though still sees plenty of use.
No doubt, without ammo, dry drills are the next best thing.
If spare parts are what you are worried about, buy extras. They may not be available now, but keep checking back. Something will pop up.
The value of skill far outweighs some extra wear on springs. :secret:
Anybody here not messing with their AR rifles? As in not practicing mag changes, weapon manipulation, cycling action, dry fire, etc?
Shoot more, worry less.
If you need to conserve ammo, work your natural point of aim, one-round responses, precision groups, and reloads. Take all day long to shoot two 20 round boxes. You'll get a lot out of it.
Ammo is still out there. It's not necessarily the load you want, or at a price you want to pay, but surely you can find a few boxes here and there.
Keep up on your dry drills. See if you can wear the thing out.
what about .a 22 conversion, practice without busting your budget.
Not avoiding manipulation, but I did start downloading the 2 PMAGs I keep loaded by 2 rounds. -- Irrational fear of breaking a feed lip if I seat them hard.
If you are worried about cycling issues why don't you find yourself a tackle box and fill it with a few spare springs, etc that you think you will need. Things break all the time, it shouldn't prevent you from practicing.
mixture of 22lr and 223 has been implemented.
One is none and two is one. Or the saying goes...
Basic spare parts should be part of every ARs owners stockpile. Weapon, mags, ammo, optics all get the attention, but at a minimum basic spare springs, pins, firing pin, extractors... More often than not needed due to a spring flying across the room if you are a light shooter than replacement.
Use it, shoot it, but treat it with care and it'll last you a long time. Sure if you never shoot it, it'll never break. But what happens if you need to use it and then can't operate it effectively?
For mags, I have HD mags, training mags, and spares. I usually shoot them all a couple of times to ensure function, then load and leave HD mags, put away the spares, then have a mix for training. Metal, PMAGs, 20/30s.
And for what could possibly be more effective dry fire practice there are tools out on the market now to help. While I have no affiliation or experience with this product:
http://nextleveltraining.com/ar
it does look like it could be very nice to have if it works as advertised.
In addition to that, you still need to put live rounds down range. There are a number of .22 conversions on the market which can (eventually) help to offset some ammo costs, but .223/5.56 still need to be utilized to as part of your training program. There are plenty of low round count drills from reputable trainers available online.
That does seem like it could be worth the money if it works. I especially like the idea of the resetting trigger. Also, I'm kicking myself for not getting a .22 AR conversion when they were plentiful.
That does seem like it could be worth the money if it works. I especially like the idea of the resetting trigger. Also, I'm kicking myself for not getting a .22 AR conversion when they were plentiful.
I'm sure many are, me included.
It was always one of those things I'd pick up later...... Oops.
The past month, I've definitely limited the amount of rds fired only because of the cost. So dry fire skills are an excellent substitute.
I don't see a ban that will affect anything but mags. So, I guess you could make a case for trying use the same mags and preserve your spares for some time down the road.
Anybody here not messing with their AR rifles? As in not practicing mag changes, weapon manipulation, cycling action, dry fire, etc?
Money is hard to come by as we all know. I did the best I could, & I have 2 AR rifles. I wish I had more. I used to shoot my rifles every month at least, 200 rounds or so, a very modest amount actually. On down time, I'd dry fire, practice proning out, manipulation type stuff. Im a civilian, so just basic things really.
But now, I dont know if I should quit messing with these damn things. The way things are looking, an AR15 is worth its weight in gold potentially. To those of you with many rifles, & an assload of spare parts, I dont think your concern would be as afflicting as mine. The way I look at it, if things get bad with the law, I dont know if we'll even be able to acquire spare parts/springs & wear items.
Every cycle of the action, & drop of the hammer without firing live ammo = 1 firing in spring fatigue. And while very miniscule, Im looking ahead to the future 20 years (unlike liberals) from now. If there is a 20 years from now.
I just wish I would have bought more, & had another couple to use, while preserving my others. Same thing applies to ammo. Just damn.
The way I look at it is parts vs proficiency, at the very least. The reason I think this way is because parts can always be made. I have a garage full of tools. Technology and machinery are so advanced that with the proper material, tools and blue prints about anything can be built. Many "guns guys" are skilled in a variety of trades. Skills & tools are worth their weight in gold. Don't lose sight of the basics.
twistedcomrade
01-13-13, 12:30
I don't believe a ban will happen. However, I only have a about three cases of ammo so I have not been shooting much until I can find some reasonably priced ammo. I am dry firing and shooting my 22s a whole lot more. Glad I had a decent stash of 22 cause it has dried up locally.
I don't believe a ban will happen. However, I only have a about three cases of ammo so I have not been shooting much until I can find some reasonably priced ammo. I am dry firing and shooting my 22s a whole lot more. Glad I had a decent stash of 22 cause it has dried up locally.
Only three cases?
Could be a lot worse, man
Pick up a .22 and shoot the hell out of it until things calm back down if you're low on 5.56.
Shot 300 rounds with the 15-22 yesterday. Cost less than $20.
Shelves are refilling.
Shopping after lunch today, I saw end caps full of Independence, MFS (?), and PMC .223 55 ball. Prices topped out at $9.95/bx. Not my first choices in ammo, and more than I want to pay for those if using them, but not obscene, and not unobtainable for most folks. Some had 7.62x39 pretty plentifully too.
.308 is still pretty sparse, but almost any other hunting caliber is plentiful. Handgun ammo is catching up with a number of training loads available at normal prices.
People must be getting their credit card statements.
<snip>
People must be getting their credit card statements.
Very true. I speculate some of the panic was the emotional shopping frenzy that is generally created around Christmas time. It feels good to buy and spend and a trap that is easily fallen into.
I've kind of stepped back and gone into "wait and see" mode. I started buying some 22's a couple years ago so that I could still shoot without breaking the bank, and I have many thousands of rounds of 22LR to play with. Got an M&P22 pistol a few months back, that gun is getting a lot of use now. I can't see burning through too much 5.56 or 7.62x39 until the dest settles from this Arse-in-Chief's second term, I basically set aside a "minimum amount required" that won't be touched unless it's necessary. Then hopefully we'll get a new administration that isn't chicken crap, the tide will turn, and we can get back to normal if the country isn't TOTALLY in the toilet by then.
I basically set aside a "minimum amount required" that won't be touched unless it's necessary.
I've been doing that for years. I set a minimum stock level and shoot only the quantities above that. I make small purchases regularly, and larger purchases periodically to sustain supplies. If I shot into my reserves, I would be good for...quite awhile.
As I've advocated before, implement a one-box rule. Each time you go to the Anymart or LGS, take home one box of a caliber you use. Supplement with case purchases here and there, and you'll be surprised how much ammo you accumulate and can shoot.
Actually, I'm shooting more since the panic. The only place locally with ammo and parts in stock is the range, making it easy to replace what I shoot.
I personally have found myself doing more "dry" practicing as in practicing changing magazines, clearing malfunctions, and other similar tasks with snap caps. As a poor college student, money is hard enough to come by let alone spend on ammunition with how the market is right now. That being said I have a bit of ammo tucked away and decided to hit the range for a few hours today for the first time in a while. With any luck once the price of ammo falls back to where it was before this mess I can use the pennies I've been stacking on a case of .223 and a class or two now that I have the time. There are many better and numerous places to train here than back east haha!
I have a hard time thinking that ammo will ever be "back to what it was before". As far as I can tell it's ALWAYS gone up, in "good" times and bad. I'm just hoping it becomes available and doesn't cost as much as the mortgage.
Pick up a .22 and shoot the hell out of it until things calm back down if you're low on 5.56.
Shot 300 rounds with the 15-22 yesterday. Cost less than $20.
This. Dry fire and drill with your primary and then work live fire with a 15-22. In my case, it is one of the rare times I actually get to work on actual failure drills (non-staged), it sometimes chokes on HP's.
I haven't shot a round of 7.62 or .223 since all this started. Those rifles were for fun. At the possibility of shooting dollar bills out the barrel, I will find my fun elsewhere.
I upgraded my 10/22 to make it more comfortable and have my fun with.
i live in the city and only get time to go to shoot/self train about once every week or two, i did however order a cmmg .22 upper about six weeks ago that should be in sometime this week because i wanted to save my 5.56 ammo for classes and stuff(especially now)
after watching a travis haley video i'm considering getting a quality airsoft ar to setup to match my rifle's for practicing in my back yard a few times a week with the biodegradable airsoft pellets. the only reason i hadnt thought about it in the past was that i didnt know they made desolvable ammo for them and didnt want a thousand little bb's scattered throughout my yard lol
I do love my .22lr upper. Even gives me the occasional malfunction drill that my "real" uppers don't.
Dry fire works too.
I haven't stopped shooting real ammo, but I do think about it more.
Honestly the rifle is used to fight my way to my pistol,,, I like shooting pistols way more than any rifle I have ever shot. So I hardly ever shoot rifles.
Prairie Patriot
01-14-13, 21:55
Nope, I haven't stopped practicing. Like others have mentioned, the AR is meant to be used and practiced with. I don't look at a firearm as an investment or as a fiscal asset unless it is a collector's piece. Even then, it's like any other machine, they aren't going to be a great investment unless it's a one of a kind type piece.
I say keep on practicing to stay proficient. You never know when you might need to be skilled with it when something goes bump in the night. That's worth far more than anything it may realistically be worth.
Honestly the rifle is used to fight my way to my pistol,,, I like shooting pistols way more than any rifle I have ever shot. So I hardly ever shoot rifles.
I am the exact opposite.
bluejackets92fs
01-14-13, 23:01
I'm going about this like normal. I'm cutting back on range trips but that is about it. I am shooting tomorrow to sight in my BCM but that is it. Hope I can dial it in with only a few rounds.
Why own them if you're not going to shoot or even practice with it? It's not a collectors piece so it doesn't belong locked up in a safe. I put a few mags through one of mine today. Use it or lose it.
because not everyone has an infinite amount of ammo like you apparently do.
KrampusArms
01-15-13, 02:04
Hey gentleman, really appreciate the replies on this topic. I agree with a lot of what has been said. As usual the good folks at M4C chime in with great advice, & strong opinions.
Perhaps my way of thinking is a little to defeatist, but I'm just trying to be cautious. After reading some of these replies, I feel a bit shamed by my mentality regarding my rifles.
I spent a lot of money on my tools, & made sacrifices to obtain them. Current events are making me over think the future, & I'm really trying to slow down & enjoy what freedoms I have. Not that I think doom is upon us, (I try to be an optimist), but this whole AWB fiasco has put many aspects of life into perspective for me. Its a scary time were living in. I've been reflecting a lot....
I was on a walk the other day, along this trail that stretches for about 3/4 of a mile. Its smack dab between a residential area, on both sides are concrete walls dividing the homes. A straight shot. On both sides of the trail there are palm trees sprinkled throughout. On most of the walls graffiti is vomited everywhere. Trash from transients and meth addicts, all taking a shortcut to find there next fix. I was in a funky mood. My mind tainted by all the BS lately, and all of a sudden a young doe appears from out of the shrubs & trees. And it just trotted along, doing its thing, stopping briefly to look back at me. Making sure not to let me get to close. It was nice to see. It made me think WOW you know, everything else is such bullshit. Here I am looking at this bitchin' animal, its surrounded by all this BS trash, & walking inbetween all these crappy houses, on this shitty graffiti infested trail...
All you guys on M4C. You are the people that make America great. The substance, lost in all the garbage. Like that damn doe, strutting its way through the craziness. God Speed to our country, and the citizens who are worthy of it.
WhiskyNiner
01-15-13, 08:43
I've been doing that for years. I set a minimum stock level and shoot only the quantities above that. I make small purchases regularly, and larger purchases periodically to sustain supplies. If I shot into my reserves, I would be good for...quite awhile.
As I've advocated before, implement a one-box rule. Each time you go to the Anymart or LGS, take home one box of a caliber you use. Supplement with case purchases here and there, and you'll be surprised how much ammo you accumulate and can shoot.
Dollar cost averaging... I think that's a good idea, and was doing that when there was plenty to be had. It sucks bringing back one where I would have brought back three for the same price.
I saw plenty of ammo in the LGS I visited last weekend, but it was $15 for .223 that I would pay $6 for at Cabelas (when they had it). They also had $400 stripped lowers and $700 complete lowers.
I haven't been to the range for a while since there's been the two hour wait for a lane and can't find ammo to replace the stash. I'll continue to practice w/out firing, and keeping everything cleaned, ready, and sharp.
It's the calm before the storm. The breath before the battle. The watch on the wall.
The coming few months will be very interesting.
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