Do you own a 'beater' AR15?

[MDH]

Like many of us, I'm hard on my guns. As has been posted, I look at them as tools, and even the expensive ones are dinged, dented and scratched. As some friends and I are fond of saying, I'm too poor to buy cheap tools.
While expensive guns don't necessarily run better than cheap ones, there is a cost/quality curve that hold true a lot of the time. Figure out where you want to be on that curve and buy what makes you happy.
I will say, no matter what gun you go with, take a spare if you can. Especially in tough classes. Two is one, and one is none. Even the best guns fail in new and interesting ways, and it's better to grab a backup and finish the course than to sit out a day or more trying to find or make a fix.
Enjoy your event!

 

[jimmythegeek]

There are some real works of art out there - I'm talking black powder rifles with months of engraving in them, stuff like that. I don't think any mass-produced rifle qualifies. Mine are mostly budget. I have a Garand and a couple of M1 Carbines in the safe. I regard them as historical artifacts that I'm curating. But I took the Garand to an Appleseed because it's not a snowflake. It's been through more than I'll ever do to it.

Take the rifle you want to count on, and let it earn your confidence. Any wear is a mark of honor.

 

[Pandaz3]

Like many of us, I'm hard on my guns. As has been posted, I look at them as tools, and even the expensive ones are dinged, dented and scratched. As some friends and I are fond of saying, I'm too poor to buy cheap tools.
While expensive guns don't necessarily run better than cheap ones, there is a cost/quality curve that hold true a lot of the time. Figure out where you want to be on that curve and buy what makes you happy.
I will say, no matter what gun you go with, take a spare if you can. Especially in tough classes. Two is one, and one is none. Even the best guns fail in new and interesting ways, and it's better to grab a backup and finish the course than to sit out a day or more trying to find or make a fix.
Enjoy your event!

I buy a beautiful hammer with elegant figured wood handle and a polished face on the hammerhead and the first thing I do is buy a custom fitted hard case for it, so no damage will come by it. Should I need to pound in a nail, I will use a rock to do so, no sense in hazarding the pristine looks of my Hammer!

 

[Sharpener]

I have built 2 AR'S for 2 different types of shooting. While I would never intentionally damage either one dings and wear just happen with use. Any marks just show that you enjoy using them. For sure take both but I would probably use the PSA.

 

[wired]

I wont claim any guns I own besides maybe the glock is a tool and only because thats all that ugly thing is good for.. The rest are just man toys.

 

[Knopfplayer]

Squirrel...!
Whichever AR you bring to an Appleseed event, make sure you bring 10 or 20-round mags that clear the ground when you are prone. Kimber will frown on you using the mag as stability assist, even if it is both handy and effective.

 

[Pandaz3]

Kimber will frown on you using the mag as stability assist, even if it is both handy and effective.

I sure would use it, does not hurt anything, It might be a bad habit transfer though...but I do have 20 rounder's also.

 

[Knopfplayer]

Kimber will frown on you using the mag as stability assist, even if it is both handy and effective.

I sure would use it, does not hurt anything, It might be a bad habit transfer though...but I do have 20 rounder's also.

I didn't intend to hijack this. The low-drag, hi-speed, handy and effective strategies will be helped by Appleseed, but serve a different purpose and are taught in other schools.

Back to the thread. Everything is deliberate, so the threat of any rifle damage is minimal. We pick them up from the mat, load, shoot, make them safe, and set them down again. Choose a rifle which has the combination of balance and accuracy. A varmint rifle would be accurate, but also too barrel-heavy to balance properly when you're deprived of a bi-pod and are using a sling. If a plinking rifle is fun to shoot, but won't hold a small group, you'll be frustrated trying to consistently hit a 5/8"w x 1"h target using a sling for support.

 

[Vendor Hidden]

You can do whatever you want (within the confines of safety); bi-pods, shooting sticks, sand bags, mono-pod with your mag. I just can't give you a rifleman patch.

Our methods are not the only way to do things. I'm not even sure I can argue they are the best way to do things. What they are is field expedient and fundamental. Our goal is a 4MOA standard - 1" @25y which translates into 20" at 500y; 80% hits with rack grade rifles and ammunition.

One of our biggest challenges is all the people who 'already know how to shoot'. They don't know what they don't know

 

[cookie]

The first thing I do with a gun is toss it and toss it again all my guns are beaters I love them that way.

 

[mjbskwim]

Aren't all glocks and ARs beaters?

 

[IronMonster]

Aren't all glocks and ARs beaters?

No, And I find your tone a bit offensive

 

[DB is Here]

Aren't all glocks and ARs beaters?

Just for that I'll probably have to give my Glocks and AR and extra hug tonight...Meanie

 

[Joe13]

First off, a confession: I like pretty guns. After years of insistance by @Kimber Custom, I'm finally taking him up on his offer to attend Project Appleseed event. The first question that came to my mind was which rifle I was going to use for the training. I've had a Colt 6920 for quite some time, and as expected it's been a fantastic rifle. Two weeks ago I decided to jump on one of the $400 PSA deals, so I'll have a significantly cheaper AR15 as well.

I don't know what the event consists of, but I fully expect any type of training to leave my pristine Colt a little banged up. However, it's also the rifle I'd grab if I ever needed it, so I think maybe it should be the one I train with. Alternatively, I could use the cheap PSA build and designate it as my 'beater gun'. Maybe the malfunctions would enhance the training? (half joking )

What would you do?

Well, so what's the verdict you've come too?

 

[Medic!]

I don't own a beater anything.
That would imply that I beat on it.

The question is not ''Will a certain gun stand up to abuse''?
It's ''Why would you carelessly subject a gun to dirt and damage. When your life may very well depend on it''?

Train how you want to react. Right?

If your gun gets a scratch or dent it's not the end of the world.
But if you don't treat your gun with reverence and respect. It may not be there for you. When you need it most.

That's gona suck. Especially if it was preventable. With just a bit of diligence on your end.

If you threw me off a building when I was in the ARMY.
My Rifle would be the last thing to hit the ground!

And it's still this way with me.
Not because I don't want a scratch. But because I don't train to cut my own throat.

 

[Pandaz3]

If you threw me off a building when I was in the ARMY.
My Rifle would be the last thing to hit the ground!

This is my rifle and this is my gun, one is for shooting and one is for fun..... and so on, but they did teach the care and security of your rifle!

 

[Joe13]

I don't own a beater anything.
That would imply that I beat on it.

The question is not ''Will a certain gun stand up to abuse''?
It's ''Why would you carelessly subject a gun to dirt and damage. When your life may very well depend on it''?

Train how you want to react. Right?

If your gun gets a scratch or dent it's not the end of the world.
But if you don't treat your gun with reverence and respect. It may not be there for you. When you need it most.

That's gona suck. Especially if it was preventable. With just a bit of diligence on your end.

If you threw me off a building when I was in the ARMY.
My Rifle would be the last thing to hit the ground!

And it's still this way with me.
Not because I don't want a scratch. But because I don't train to cut my own throat.

Nicely put.

 

[Medic!]

Nicely put.

It's a mind set.

In the Military they give you one rifle. One!

You eat, sleep and fight with it. And they do this for a reason.
They need you to bond with it. And to care for it.
They are training you to develop a laser focus on that rifle and it's exposure.

All this talk about two is one. And one is none sounds great.
You can surely train yourself to operate in this envelope.
Train that there is always gona be a backup. And go ahead and abuse your rifle. No big deal?

But consider how likely it is. That in reality. You will find yourself desperate, and with with one rifle, and no parachute.
Habits on how you treat your rifle. And how conscious you are of it's exposure.
Could determine if this rifle goes down or not.

And if you're ''One'' rifle goes down. Then your probably not far behind.

 

[Joe13]

I've always loved my guns and never considered 'durability' testing them.

I'm a little OCD with marks though so I prefer a well taken care of used gun then one that is brand new so someone else can put the first ding on it.

 

[JRuby]

have a beater hk 91 clone ive thought about trading just dont have the time to mess with. Reliable but ugly makes a good truck gun.