Posted by on 12/17/2021 to
So you got an AR-15, now what? Safety is always first but what else is there to do with this magnificent machine you now own? What are some of the activities that AR-15 owners have enjoyed for a while? Below is a list of some of the good ways we’ve heard of, to use that wonderful AR-15 of yours:
- Practice gun safety. Like I said, safety is always first. Before anything else, you should be familiar with gun safety. This is the first priority for a responsible AR-15 owner. If you don’t already know, learn how to interact with your firearm safely. Briefly, here are some of the more important safety rules: ALWAYS treat the gun as if it is loaded and ALWAYS point it in a safe direction, don’t rely on the safety. Keep it unloaded and your finger off the trigger until you are ready to use it. Be sure of your target and what is around and beyond it. Practice the different mechanics such as replacing magazines, engaging the safety, and charging. Use the proper tools including ammunition and be sure the barrel is clear before firing. If a cartridge fails to fire, hold position for a few seconds before carefully unloading it. NEVER look down the end of the barrel. Be aware of your surroundings.
- Appreciation. In many ways, the AR-15 is the pinnacle of a short to mid-range rifle that even does okay at long range, all while utilizing modern materials and up-to-date technology. Unless you can get out to a range or somewhere safe to shoot, you might next take some time admiring and looking at your beautiful weapon. You might slam the clip in, pull back the charging handle, and listen to that satisfying click. Hopefully, this will tide you over and help you bond with your new rifle. But eventually, you might actually want to get out there and really use it.
- Improve your aim while developing good habits. This is always a worthy pursuit, as there really is no end to that journey towards perfection. Overcoming bad habits, like flinching, jerking the trigger, or having your finger on the trigger when you aren’t about to fire. Developing good shooting habits, like good breathing, good stance, and proper sighting. There are ways to practice without using up that price per unit resource. If you use a dry fire round, this is a fake ‘cartridge’’ that goes into the chamber and will allow you to aim your weapon realistically, and practice the trigger pull that is optimal for precise shots. There are other aiming tools that utilize lasers. Just insert the tool that looks like a cartridge with a laser beam shooting out of it into the chamber. Depending on the one you have, it will either point at the target where the round should go or an even more fun interaction such as showing where you shot the target that shows up on your big screen television, complete with sound effects. Being able to put a bullet into something you can barely see even with magnification, it’s almost like magic. See that thing way over there? Watch this. It can be kind of mind-blowing. Once you’re out there shooting, what kind of challenges can make it more enjoyable?
- Shoot at the range. One of the best ways to use your AR-15 is to become proficient at using it. Practice, practice, practice. Even things like mag changes or experience clearing a jam are good things to be proficient at, and that comes with repetition. Get as accurate as you can at short range, mid range, and long-range. See if you can hit a target at 500 yards. Become accustomed to things such as windage, humidity, and if you’re really badass, the earth’s rotation. When you have mastered this, you will be much more sensitive to subtle changes in the environment. Though you will need a decent supply of ammunition in order to improve.
- Go plinking. Now we are getting into putting the fun into the functional part of the AR-15. This is the fun kind of target shooting, the kind when you get the added satisfaction of seeing a glass bottle explode and hear the breaking glass. It’s just more fun than hitting a paper target, isn’t it? Shoot your garbage and improve your aim while also improving the experience of improving your aim. You can get creative with this and even spend a lot of money on it too. The internet has many examples of ways to do this, and they can be a lot of fun to watch or copy. Create your own box labeled: ‘To Shoot’ filled with garbage of the type that might be enjoyable to put a bullet in it. Look for things that explode, or make a good noise. Just be sure you clean up after you are done, or you will ruin it for everyone else.
- Compete. Show off those skills in a competition. Now that you’ve spent all that time safely improving your shooting accuracy, it’s time to try it under a little pressure. Competitions can be a great place to test your skills because you are doing so with added constraints and requirements, it will help you up your game. You will learn to use your firearm more quickly and while under pressure. Competitions can also add fun as you are challenging yourself, along with enjoying the camaraderie when associating with your competition. You can get some great advice from some of the more experienced competitors you will be associating with, people who don’t mind generously sharing their wisdom.
- 3 Gun Competition. If you have a shotgun and pistol in addition to your AR-15 you can participate in a 3 gun competition. This can be a lot of fun as you get to shoot different kinds of guns as quickly as possible. These are generally scored with both speed and accuracy being important. The promoters for these competitions have done well creating unique and different challenges for the different rounds. There are some that combine physical challenges, like running a foot race between shooting challenges, or running the competition exclusively during nighttime hours. Keeping things fresh is this competition’s strong point; it's possible you will never do the same 3 gun competition twice. So if you’re looking for that fun and unique bonding experience with your AR-15 this is a good way to go. You may not even need to own all 3 types of guns as there are reports of competitors sharing with each other.
- Go hunting with it. Your typical AR-15, with .223 REM or 5.56 NATO calibers are great calibers for hunting game. Specifically, they are already great at varmint hunting, maybe a little overpowered but that can be better than underpowered. If you are hunting deer this round has some cartridge types that are specifically for hunting deer. They work too, with the caveat that you need to be conscious of the distance. These smaller calibers were first introduced in the military because they were capable of doing more damage than their larger caliber counterparts at short to mid range. So if you are going for places where bone isn’t likely to stop it, say the lungs or the heart, at less than 300 yards, you can see success.
- Big game hunting. This is often done with larger calibers than your standard 5.56 NATO that most AR-15’s use. One of the best things about AR-15’s is their adaptability. So if you want an AR- 15 with an elk hunting caliber like a 6.5 Creedmoor or .300 Blackout you can certainly have one. You may already be aware that AR-15s are modular, meaning you can switch out any part for another standardized part. So within reason and with the right parts, you can turn any AR-15 into one that shoots that caliber you want it to. You could even just get the necessary parts that you need to change out, your barrel and BCG for example, and just change these out when the season changes. (Note: Be sure to find out exactly which parts need to be changed when changing caliber, otherwise no fun.) There are so many options when it comes to this platform and hunters never had it so good.
- Home defense. This is something you kind of automatically get with your firearm no matter what else you are doing with it. If you have your AR-15 handy when the need arises it may be a better choice than that 9mm handgun. The .223 and 5.56 both have hollow point rounds with plenty of power that expands in the body. If you do have to use these rounds on an intruder, it should have great stopping power and is not likely to exit and continue on the other side of that intruder. You can get hollow point rounds and keep them in a certain magazine for home defense. You’ll also likely have all the ammo you need without having to change magazines. 30 rounds should be more than enough for this. It’s also easier to control and aim than your average handgun due to more points of contact and longer sight radius. If you have a red dot on your AR-15, then it is easier still. Though it is bulkier and probably a little louder than a handgun, these traits can be advantageous in that it can be more intimidating. Someone might see you with your AR-15 and realize that they don’t want to be anywhere near you anymore. That may be the best overall reason for having an AR-15.
So those are some great ways to use your AR-15. There are likely many more, maybe even some obvious ones. So get out there and get creative and discover new ways to have fun and/or improve. Just remember to be safe and responsible while you’re out there having fun.