When did civilian AR15s get popular?

[Phillygunguy]

I got into shooting late 30s in 2005, 2007 bought my first Ak and my first AR in 2008the after Obozo won the election I have to say I spent more money on guns and Ammo these past 3 years than the 7 years combined

[Beat Trash]

I can remember reading through the Colt catalogue from the late 1970's, looking at the AR15. There were a grand total of two to choose from. The 20" SP1 and the 16" with a collapsable stock. The add was trying to push these as rifles for Ranchers.

I bought my first AR, an SP1, when I got out of the Marine Corps in 1987. When stationed in the west coast, I attended my first gun show at Pomona during the summer of 1985. It was huge!

The AR platform always had a following among veterans who wanted a bit of nostalgia. But I agree with Rob, in that it really didn't take off until the AWB ban started. Want to create an instant demand for an item? Tell people they can't have it. But this was still limited to "gun people".

Y2K is what brought on an interest for defensive firearms from a section of non-gun owning society that prior to, would have never given any thought to owning a gun. If it's good enough for the military, if it's effective enough that many want to ban it, then it's exactly what I want to defend my family with if things go bad.

The lifting of the AWB brought forth those too young to buy prior to the ban. Fighting an extended war on two fronts added a new generation of Veterans wanting a piece of nostalgia. These young vets returning from Iraq and Afghanistan had enough first hand experience to just smile and roll their eyes at the M-14 crowd. The BS about the AR being an unreliable POS, and that the 5.56mm wasn't up to the task. I spent all of the 1980's - 1990's listening to old men tell me if it wasn't an M-14 and shooting 7.62, then I was a fool for owning one. A rifle without a wood stock! The really old guys thought if it wasn't an M1 shooting an '06, then it why bother? Like every generation, people tend to fall back on what is familiar. And a lot of people returned to civilian life familiar with the M4 carbine.

The world watched the aftermath of Katrina and Rita on the Gulf coast. Many suburbanites started to ask themselves, "What if that were to happen here?". Non-gun people along the coast started adding an AR to their "hurricane preps".

Then along came Obama...

To answer the OP's question, I feel that the popularity and acceptance of the AR platform came in stages.

[usmcvet]

"During the 70's, ARs, AKs, and FALS were all the rage, and was mostly fueled by SOF magazine (I read as a kid) or all the other Merc movies, the Wild Geese, Dark of the Sun, Dogs of War, with exploits of Mercs in VN, Rhodesia, and other places in Africa or in Central America. In the 80s around military bases, you could rarely find a military person who didn't own an AR-15, Mini-14 (ala the A-Team TV series) or a SPAS-12 shotty."

You brought back some memories!

I used to go to the "paper store" on the way from school to baseball practice. I'd buy some gum, candy and always the new SOF when it came out. Lots of cool stuff there for a grade school kid.

[sdacbob]

Back in the early 80's I was stationed at Ft Riley, KS. Right outside the gate was a little town called Ogden. Pat's Pawn & Gun had a HK 91 and an AR15 Sporter..$500.00 for each. I finially saved up enough money and went to get the HK but it was already sold so I bought the Colt SP-1 Sporter. No magazine fence or forward assist, Car style stock and long pencil barrel. I had the unit Armorer remove the flash hider and I installed a set-back Car 15 look-alike. It looked cool. I think 5.56 ammo was like $1.50 to 2.00 a box then. Being left handed I had trouble with the "missing" magazine fence since when I wore it slung across my front the mag release would hit my belt buckle and drop my mag. I never had an issue with brass hitting me in the face with the carbine like it did with the M16A1 but I had a GI brass deflector anyway. Had that rifle for several years and let it go.
During the assault rifle ban era I wanted another AR. Couldn't find a flat top anywhere and ended up getting a Bushmaster AR 15 with the pinned stock, A2 upper, and mini tri-y comp. It was loud as hell but very little recoil. As soon as the ban lifted I got a real M4 stock and eventually had the comp cut off and replaced with an extented A2 FH and replaced the BCG with a BCM unit.

[buell37]

I presume that back in the 1960's citizens were buying AR15s for personal use. I doubt they were as popular then as they are now though?

How much did they cost compared to bolt action rifles of the time?

I built my first AR15 in the mid 1980's after returning home from the Marines. Quality parts were hard to find Back then . "Shotgun News Magazine" was the best source and of course Bushmaster quality parts. There was alot of junk on the market back in those days. Mostly military rejects. There were NO AR15 parts at gun shows. Mostly shotguns and hunting rifles . Assualt weapons and parts were unheard of and should I dare say, looked down on. I think on the first kit guns I assembled 1980's from ----- parts Kit ?....I spent roughly $250.00 and $35.00 Essential Arms lower receiver. It was a POS but it shot well after alot of fine gunsmithing. You should have seen the look on the guys face when I asked for a stripped lower receiver for an AR15 back in the 1980's. I went into our local Hardware store that carried an FFL. Told him what I wanted to order. Handed him the ad , that I cut out of some magazine. He looked at me like I was some kind of terrorist and then asked me if it was legal to own. It seemed like it took forever but I finally got it. Back in those days seems like everything had to be custom fit , nothing just went right together. It was best to take some tools with you on the first time out , with your freshly built weapon. More likely than not it , it would have to be tweeked in. From that day to this , I have built so many , I Lost count. Todays build go so much smoother thanks to closer tollarences and the popularity of the AR. There are lots of good parts out there these days. Pretty much anyone can build a nice shooting rifle now.

[SteveS]

I bought my first AR [Colt that is all there was]in the early 70s then bought another . Them sold them both during the first Calif. black gun ban . Then bought 2 colt H bars and sold them at the second Calif. black gun ban. They have always been popular, just now more people are into guns.

[Det-Sog]

My opinion only...

I was first issued the M16 A1 back in 1982. Around this time, the black rifle still had a bit of a cloud hanging over it from Vietnam, which had ended less than ten years earlier. My experience with the rifle was great. I never had a stoppage that was not operator error. Think dirt in the mag...

Fast forward three years. I bought my first civilian Colt AR-15 A1 (SP1). Most of my friends said that I should have gotten an AK, as the ARs suck... Always jamming, small round, not as cool ect...

IMHO, it was not until the A2 came out, that the opinions started to change. Somehow, the new version was much better. People started looking. The Gulf War came and went with no bad press about the M16, so this helped. The watershed event if you ask me, was the proliferation of CHEAP generic ARs... No name mentioned, but once these things started hitting the street, and one could buy one for HALF the price of a Colt... There you go. Since the price was dropping, popularity exploded.

Then Bill Clinton came along, and the rest is history...

[NWPilgrim]

Another factor that help propel the popularity of the AR was the introduction of the A3 and M4 flattops. And later the intro of handguard rails. Being able to easily mount a variety of sights, optics, lights, grips etc opened up a lot if opportunities.

[Suwannee Tim]

Duplicate.

[Suwannee Tim]

I can tell you almost to the minute when I became keenly interested in black guns. About 5:30 a.m. Wednesday November 5, 2008. I am in high hopes that come Wednesday, November 6, 2012 my interest will abate somewhat, at least enough so I can see my way clear to buy something made of walnut and blued steel. Something or two or three.

Another factor that help propel the popularity of the AR was the introduction of the A3 and M4 flattops. And later the intro of handguard rails. Being able to easily mount a variety of sights, optics, lights, grips etc opened up a lot if opportunities.

I bought a Colt with a carry handle just before the last AWB and at the time I thought it would be a much better rifle without the carry handle. I don't know if Mr. Picatinny had yet invented his wonderful rail and installed it on a handleless AR.