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I'm normally a pretty laid back, fairly patient kind of person who tries not to let things outside my lane get to me and spoil my time on planet Earth. However, all of this AWB talk and associated craziness has really began to sour me on my AR. I'm a civilian, so I have no professional need for an AR. I wanted one as a challenge to myself to learn about it, take some serious training classes, and then add it to my small collection of firearms. I should emphasize that I didn't purchase it to become a safe queen but intended to it get dirty, scratched up, and be well used.

I did months of research on the subject and then spent several months putting together what I believe to be a very decent system as money became available. I intentionally dedicated 2012 to getting the hardware and planned to work on the software during 2013. I will admit now, however, that I wish I'd bought more ammo instead of the Aimpoint a few weeks ago and that I'd been buying magazines and ammo all along as I suspected I should have. I see some folks writing about how these things should normalize somewhat over the next few months, but others are sure it's the end for AR and related weapons. I'm thinking that it may be time to get out of the AR world and plow those resources into an 870 and reloading equipment and other items to keep me running with 9mm...

Anyone else feeling this way? Am I all gloom and doom? Will things rebound as they did after the 2008 election?

Maybe you should have been a Gunsmith instead of a "End User". From your post it sounds to me like you enjoyed researching, finding parts and putting the thing together more than actually shooting it.

I would say that it depends on what you think the AR15 exists for. Certainly you can hunt with it, and target shoot with it. Same with an AK47/74, a Garand, an M1A/M14, an M1 Carbine, or an SKS. All 6 types can legitimately be used for hunting and target shooting...........but that's not what they were originally intended for. In the background, behind the fun and games they can afford you, these are all at heart militia weapons........as in, the militia the 2nd Amendment talks about. During good times, they are used for their entertainment purposes. In bad times, they are used for their militia purposes. No, I'm not talking about the dreaded "assault" weapons. If it ever comes to any of my guns being used for militia purposes, it will be the OTHER side doing the assaulting. What that means is that your militia weapon is one which can be used to defend yourself AND your country from an assault by a government..........ANY government, foreign or domestic.

With the exception of a couple of over/under shotties my wife and I own, every single long gun I own, whether it possesses a bolt action or a semiautomatic action, was purchased with both the pleasurable and the possible militia uses in mind—even those whose most obvious primary purpose may be hunting or target shooting.

So I would say that you should give due consideration to that idea before you part ways with your AR. In the current climate, it is almost certain that you won't be able to replace it if you change your mind after getting rid of it. If you keep it, and it really DOES come down to confiscations and bannings, you might well wish you still had a "militia weapon." It is a LOT easier to start with one in your hands, than to try and nab a battlefield pickup.

OTH, if you're the kind of guy who is just going to go along with whatever the gummint tells you to do, then you should unload it now while you can. Only you can make that kind of decision for yourself, but the decision isn't whether to keep or sell your AR, it is whether or not you would resist tyranny. The decision about keep or sell should flow from your decision about resistance/collaboration.

It's been a process putting the thing together complicated by health issues...long story. Again, the intention was to get serious with actually using it this year. I'd add that not having any experience with the platform made me want to take it slow as to not have to unlearn any bad habits when finally enjoying some training. That may sound a little goofy, but despite having hunted and been around guns all of my life, I had to unlearn some bad habits when I decided that I wanted to be able to do more with a pistol than punch holes in paper.

The militia consideration was part of the decision process. I share many of those thoughts and a great deal of those concerns went into selecting the AR I finally bought, a BCM 16" mid-length, and support equipment. No rails, no fancy stuff hanging off it... I didn't want something that would simply survive the occasional range trip, class, or predator/hog hunt; I wanted something that will stand up to hard use. Thanks, TAM, for that reminder...

My long-term concern supporting the AR is with adequate magazines and ammo as well as a duplicate to the rifle that I have now and spare parts. I do enjoy the research and planning, but I'd like to think there is some method to my madness and that I'm taking a long-term approach.

I had an AR before, but sold it. Seems like everyone has one, and all I ever see at gun shows are Glocks and ARs. I appreciate the way any gun operates, from flintlocks to cartridge. I don't care if it's hip at the moment or not. I have an AR lower, but my next purchase in a week or so will not be overpriced AR parts. It will be another black powder revolver; probably in kit form, because I like to put work into some of my weapons. Just wait until this all blows over and prices are reasonable again. In the meantime, go enjoy all the various types of firearms that are available.

OP, im in the same boat. I just got into ARs in 2012 and spent countless hours researching each part based upon my needs and what i planned to use the rifle for. 2013 was the year for me to get training on it and really put it to use. I have everything i need except ammo. Hang in there and stay positive. Manufacturers are working to get things back in stock. I checked BCM yesterday and saw a few uppers so that put a smile on my face.

THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.

Afff_667 wrote:I'm normally a pretty laid back, fairly patient kind of person who tries not to let things outside my lane get to me and spoil my time on planet Earth. However, all of this AWB talk and associated craziness has really began to sour me on my AR. I'm a civilian, so I have no professional need for an AR. I wanted one as a challenge to myself to learn about it, take some serious training classes, and then add it to my small collection of firearms. I should emphasize that I didn't purchase it to become a safe queen but intended to it get dirty, scratched up, and be well used.

I did months of research on the subject and then spent several months putting together what I believe to be a very decent system as money became available. I intentionally dedicated 2012 to getting the hardware and planned to work on the software during 2013. I will admit now, however, that I wish I'd bought more ammo instead of the Aimpoint a few weeks ago and that I'd been buying magazines and ammo all along as I suspected I should have. I see some folks writing about how these things should normalize somewhat over the next few months, but others are sure it's the end for AR and related weapons. I'm thinking that it may be time to get out of the AR world and plow those resources into an 870 and reloading equipment and other items to keep me running with 9mm...

Anyone else feeling this way? Am I all gloom and doom? Will things rebound as they did after the 2008 election?

Pretty much, and if you don't see it as an investment, I am willing to take the hit for you and pay you what you paid for it, minus, say 10% for its being used.

Don't worry, I'm even behind you in the "process" line. I'd been doing my homework and research to build an AR and now, I am out of luck. I'm now at the point that I will buy one to have one and then work on custom assembly of one if there is no AWB. I was at Academy this morning trying to get one. Just didn't get in line early enough outside the door.

To expand a bit, I am thinking in terms of a transition from AR to shotgun, probably 870. An AR should handle pretty much anything from contact out to 300-400 yards if I do my part. As a trapped urbanite, I'm wondering how much I should realistically be concerned with anything greater than 100 yards or so, a range, as I understand it, a properly set up and fed 870 (or equivalent) should handle. I realize that there are give and takes, that a shotgun may theoretically be more difficult to learn to handle well when compared to an AR, that I may very well "need" longer range at some point, etc, but a shotgun is more politically safe for the time being and should fall under the "sporting" umbrella in light of an AWB and/or magazine capacity limitations.

In these trying times and the ones certainly to follow, I'm looking for some sense of long-term sustainability in relation to my Second Amendment rights. I'm not planning to roll over for anyone or anything...

What TAM and Andy said.....