Post your first AR-15 experience...

Runningfool

Runningfool

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Mine was at a nearby range (East Elgin Sportmens Association). My brother was a member there and he invited me to do a bit of shooting with his bolt guns, handguns, and shotguns. After about an hour or so of fun some guy showed up and unpacked his AR and a dozen or so mags. In my minds eye I can see a shaft of light on that gun coming down from the heavens and I swear I heard harps playing in the distance.

After a few shots this stranger offered me the chance to shoot it. Once I stepped clear of the pool of drool that had formed in front of me, I eagerly took the reins. That was all it took. Hooked ever since.

I know people choose not to own them because they are "range-only" toys and "I don't want the gubermint to know what I gotz" but I swear to god, if I could only shoot an AR-15 for 30 minutes every other month I would own one.
 
In an early her post i brought up my first experience but the feeling was some where between the joy you feel on Christmas morning and the the first time you have great ###... it is a wondrous time....... Every one should have one it should be law
 
My first was a C7 in the 90s during basic training. I fell in love with it. Not sure of the gun laws in all of the states but if I could own a full auto I would probably choose to spend my winters in that state when I retire.
 
My first would have been as a kid with my dad's Colt AR15 (now mine), he stored it in the closet and would take it out every now and then to clean, so I learned how to strip it early on.

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At our annual range classification at Camp Borden, we had just finished an FN CiA1 qualification shoot.

Unknown to us our Musketry Officer had arranged for a salesman from Hartford CT to pay a visit and demo the AR15/M16.

Well...here comes this guy in tails,tux and top hat carrying his demo firearm.

After his demo and intro, we all had a chance to fire the 5.56.

What a difference from the 7.62x51 which we had just been firing!

This would have been c.early '60s.

Good times, and yes we used the matchstick trick on the C1A1s
 
It is the most popular style of rifle in all of North America. Easy to shoot, highly customizable, accurate and a lego for shooters which has lent itself to compititions and training.

Get one as soon as you possibly can.
 
Hmmm... never heard of that. What is the trick?

Rule 303 said:
At our annual range classification at Camp Borden, we had just finished an FN CiA1 qualification shoot.

Unknown to us our Musketry Officer had arranged for a salesman from Hartford CT to pay a visit and demo the AR15/M16.

Well...here comes this guy in tails,tux and top hat carrying his demo firearm.

After his demo and intro, we all had a chance to fire the 5.56.

What a difference from the 7.62x51 which we had just been firing!

This would have been c.early '60s.

Good times, and yes we used the matchstick trick on the C1A1s
Click to expand...
 
First time I handled one was back in the early 90's. I was still in college and working part-time at a computer store and was told to deliver and setup a computer for a regular customer. Dropped off the system and started hooking it up when I noticed that there were gun posters, holsters and belts lying around and a vase filled with empty 45acp brass and fake flowers. I mentioned how cool it was and then we got into talking guns and show 'n tell for the next hour with him showing me his and his kid's competition guns. That's when he brought out their AR15 and I was sold! I should have kept in touch with that guy 'cause he sure was an ambassador for firearms.

First time shooting one was actually an M4 in Vegas in 2004.
 
JToews said:
Hmmm... never heard of that. What is the trick?
Click to expand...

It's a way of making your semi auto C1 full. It also allows the rifle to fire out of battery if I'm not mistaken. It's good fun with blanks, not such a good idea with live ammo.

I briefly owned a PSA (I think) in 1980, didn't work worth a #### so took it back and got a Mossberg 500 with an 18" barrel.

My first notable experience was with the C7. I was beginning to hate the range, the C1 and I didn't get along very well. The C7 made the range fun again.
 
Rental range in Michigan in 2003. I think I asked for a Colt M4 but they only had a Bushmaster but the lady behind the counter said "You'll look really manly holding it!" or something along that line...

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I was on vacation in Hawaii when CanadaAmmo put their DA556 rifles on sale...$599 was the price IIRC. I had been toying with the idea of getting an AR, and the price was too good to pass up. I ordered one and it was waiting for me at the CanPar depot when I got home.

I stripped it, cleaned it, dry-fired it...seemed okay. I took it to the range a few days later...loaded and fired. It went bang every time....very satisfactory.

Since then I've assembled a second shorty AR...it's very satisfactory too. I'm not sure I'll ever be a huge AR enthusiast like some of you folk, but I see the attraction.
 
Dad was in ERT for a while, he had a colt M16 converted to semi and an mp5 that was not, ( learned that the movies were ALL wrong, couldn't keep the muzzle down) Was about 12 and remember reading COLT on it Didn't think much of it till later in life, but was a rare unit in Canada.
 
38 years ago I was cruising around Toronto gun shops. Stopped in at Karl's on Yonge St. Walked out with my first SP-1. Non-restricted, 20 and 30 round magazines+ cheap ammo = lots of fun times in gravel pits and large acreages.
 
I had never shot an AR15 until I owned one down here. I had my RPAL while I lived in Canada but the thought of a restricted rifle just never appealed to me.

My first rifle in the USA was an AK47 of course but it was a horribly disappointing experience. I ended up picking up this rifle and AR15s have been my go to rifle ever since. First time I actually shot it was in a gravel pit in Idaho with some buddies and a bunch of tannerite.

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It has long since been sold.
 
13 months ago I got my Rpal, I wanted a pistol and had never shot one. A local CGN'er offered to let my wife and I try his handguns. He also brought along his Vltor AR and let us try it out. To be honest, I was more focused on the handguns that day, and though I enjoyed the AR, I was on pistol overload,lol. It was actually the second time I shot an AR that hooked me, I was much more familiar with handguns by then, and got to pay a bit more attention to the AR. Once again, another local CGN'er had offered to train us with our pistols and after a few sessions he brought out his AR. That was it for me, wanted one that day!
I now have my first, a DA 556, and I recently bought an Omni lower to try a build. I owe it all to a couple of fine CGN'ers :)
 
First real gun I ever shot was a Winchester hex barrel pump 22 chambered in short. The pop cans danced and I wanted to shoot all day long! I was 11 years old.

Thirty plus years later I get my RPAL and I am down to Al Flaherty's to pick up my S&W .357 and there in the display is a Kimber .45. I'll take it. As I look up from my purchase I see another guy eyeballing an AR 15. Whoa, that looks cool! Can I see one? The salesman put a Windham Weaponry AR 15 flat top in my hands. I'll take it. What Kind of scope would you recommend I asked? He showed me a Burris glass/red dot combo. I'll take it, and I need ammo!

I put all that new kit together and went to the range soon after. The pistols were awesome, the AR was over the top! The feeling of enjoyment reminded me of being 11 years old again and shooting for the first time. Not as simple, not as cheap, not a warm fuzzy memory, but a rare moment of pure fun as an adult. The AR really strikes a balance for me.

Thankfully the salesman told me the Windham was $1050.00 when I asked how much. I would have payed whatever he said. Newb!
 
Mine was a Norinco CQA 10.5. Didn't lube her up as well as I should have and had a ton of issues the first time I had it out. Once I took it back home and lubed it up it began to shoot alright. It was finicky with magazines and ammo selection but I think a large number of the 10.5 rifles are like this.
 
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