Guns you own (7 Viewers)

[natumes]

how many guns does the average chipper own ?
when one goes to shoot, do them shoot them all, or just one or two ?
is it legal to own a big cache of guns ?
do you need special permits if you have big guns like the assault rifles ?
how common is it to have a bar full of people with guns on their hip ?
like I said, in Boston they don’t just let you have a gun, and I've lived here my whole life, so I just don’t know About guns . I’m learning all kinds of stuff this week including that Grant looked like Willie Nelson on the history channel.

Well I've been avoiding this thread but I can't resist anymore. For background, I have a type 7 federal firearms license (07 FFL - manufacturer).

-I stopped counting the exact number we have.
-My wife and I take on average 6 firearms when we go to shoot. We have 2 bags that hold 2 rifles each as well as lots of extra pockets and it's just easy to load those up and go, along with a handgun or 3.
-As far as I know, there is no state with restrictions on number of firearms owned.
-Some states have restrictions on types of firearms you can own ("Assault Rifle" which is arbitrarily defined by people who generally know very little about firearms) or more commonly magazine size restrictions (10 being the most common limit, and pointless). CA and MA are among the worst states as far as restrictions and enforcement of those restrictions. Some states also further restrict NFA items (machine guns, suppressors, etc) beyond the federal level.
-Guns and alcohol do not mix. Most states do not allow loaded firearms in bars. If people are carrying in bars, it's likely concealed and you wouldn't see it. Most people that carry everywhere do so concealed and you wouldn't know the difference.

As far as the topic of which brand of AR is best, everyone has their own opinion. I liken this debate to the "which is the best caliber" debate. There isn't one right answer. I stock 2 brands of AR components in my shop, Aero Precision and Anderson. I don't stock BCM, DD, Sig, Colt. They're just too expensive and I can special order them when necessary. You're mostly paying for the name on those TBH. Are they better than Anderson and Palmetto? Sure, but I have Anderson and PSA guns that run just as well for 1/4 the cost. In my experience it's improper building/maintenance that cause most issues. Guys talk big on the internet, then they eventually end up at a gunsmith or armorer like myself trying to fix their gun because they don't know what they're doing. All of my custom work is built on Aero receivers. The quality control and finish are excellent and they don't break the bank on cost. The place to spend money on an AR (or any gun for that matter) is the barrel and the bolt. If buying complete receivers that means the complete upper. Sticking to the same brand for the receivers ensures everything fits together better generally speaking.

5.56 caliber plinkers on the low end are in the $500-600 range. My average custom AR builds are around $1000. High end approaches $2k. That's just for the rifle, optic cost would be on top of that. Good red dots can be had for around $150 (Sig romeo 5, vortex sparc AR, holosun). Scopes is a whole different ball game, but for 5.56 caliber a vortex in the $200-400 range is probably appropriate. You probably don't need as much magnification as you think, and I would recommend something that starts at 1x magnification, like a 1-8.

Now if you wanted to get into alternate calibers, that's where the real fun is at. My personal favorite right now is the 6.5 grendel. I go back and forth with the 300 blackout. Completely different purposes, but both just fun to shoot.

 

[Moxie Mike]

"Assault is an action, not an object" - I forget where I heard that, but I like it.

The term "Assault Rifle" or "Assault Weapon" as used by 99.9% of politicians & the media is 100% WRONG.

They use it based solely on what a particular weapon LOOKS like, & nothing to do with it's capability.

For example... take these two... On top is the Ruger Mini-14. Below it is the poster-child for everything big, bad, horrible, & wrong with the 2nd Amendment, the much maligned AR-15 "assault rifle".

View attachment 466655
​

So, beyond the obvious looks, what's the difference?

In reality... nothing worth noting when it comes to the damage each is capable of. They fire the exact same ammunition. They are both semi-automatics with the exact same rate of fire (how fast can you keep cycling the trigger?). You can get larger magazines for the Mini-14 to give it the exact same capacity of the AR-15.

Yet, you'll always hear that the AR-15, & others like it, must be banned. While the Mini-14, is "just a hunting rifle" & is never mentioned in any "assault weapons ban".

I respectfully disagree with your point that there isn't much of a difference.

Don't take this as support for the 'ban the AR' argument - it's not.

Of the two rifles you referenced, one is designed to place a single accurate shot down range at a target. The other is designed to put multiple accurate shots down range to potentially engage multiple targets without reloading or manually recharging after each shot. The AR is lighter, has less recoil, is more portable and is has a far greater capability to acquire and re-acquire targets quickly and effectively.

I say this not to be a pedant and I mean no disrespect but I feel like AR advocates need a stronger argument then trying to make a false equivalency between a hunting rifle and a sporting rifle just because they share a few commonalities.

 

[Old State]

I respectfully disagree with your point that there isn't much of a difference.

Don't take this as support for the 'ban the AR' argument - it's not.

Of the two rifles you referenced, one is designed to place a single accurate shot down range at a target. The other is designed to put multiple accurate shots down range to potentially engage multiple targets without reloading or manually recharging after each shot. The AR is lighter, has less recoil, is more portable and is has a far greater capability to acquire and re-acquire targets quickly and effectively.

I say this not to be a pedant and I mean no disrespect but I feel like AR advocates need a stronger argument then trying to make a false equivalency between a hunting rifle and a sporting rifle just because they share a few commonalities.

Not exactly. The two rifles posted function the same. The top is a mini 14 which fires the same cartridge as the AR. It’s not a precision rifle and ARs can be made to be far more accurate. They both take detachable magazine of identical capacity.

I don't stock BCM, DD, Sig, Colt. They're just too expensive and I can special order them when necessary. You're mostly paying for the name on those TBH. Are they better than Anderson and Palmetto? Sure, but I have Anderson and PSA guns that run just as well for 1/4 the cost.

I agree with almost everything you just posted but had a hard stop right here. You MAY get a PSA to run as well but you may not. If you follow any of the more serious forums and School of the American Rifle you will see TONs of issues with PSA. Mostly just sloppy craftsmanship. You are NOT just paying for a name with DD, BCM, and Colt. You are paying for rifles manufactured with (at least) mil spec materials and assembled properly according to the Technical Data Package specs.

That means Carpenter 158 bolts that are HP (High pressure) and MP (magnet Particle) tested individually.
Proper Spec ejector and extractor (5 coil with black insert)
Carriers Properly lined and bored to spec for gas efficiency
Barrels made with 4150 Steel and MP tested.
Gas keys properly torqued and staked, castle nuts properly torqued (40 ft/lbs) and staked.
Gas ports drilled to the proper size (the most common problem) and not over gassed.
Trigger pin holes property drilled to spec
And several other things....all that have to do with overall reliability. Bonus is these type weapons can be had under or around $1000 in many cases. Even with Colt suspending civilian sales you can still find 6920’s for $1100. They were $800-900 before. You can put a BCM upper and lower together for around that.

Do your research if you doubt any of this.


But if all you want is a plinker, none of this matters

The other part of the reliability equation is magazine...but that’s another topic.

 

[Old State]

 

[Dix]

Not exactly. The two rifles posted function the same. The top is a mini 14 which fires the same cartridge as the AR. It’s not a precision rifle and ARs can be made to be far more accurate. They both take detachable magazine of identical capacity.

Which was the point. Are there finer technical differences in details between the two beyond looks? Sure.

However, within the context of banning one to make the ignorant feel better & let certain politicians score some worthless symbolic points, the difference of any real-world mass shooter scenario between the two in number of dead & injured is just as likely to be closer to zero than any other integer.

 

[natumes]

Of the two rifles you referenced, one is designed to place a single accurate shot down range at a target. The other is designed to put multiple accurate shots down range to potentially engage multiple targets without reloading or manually recharging after each shot. The AR is lighter, has less recoil, is more portable and is has a far greater capability to acquire and re-acquire targets quickly and effectively.

I'd disagree with most of that as well. Both rifles were designed for military use and functionally are exactly the same. Weight is really not much different especially with modern laminate or synthetic stocks. Heavier is usually easier to shoot anyways. Recoil is the same, it's using the same caliber. Portability is a preference, I personally find "hunting" rifles to be easier to carry around. Acquiring targets is no different, it's all about training. Until I practiced with an AR for a good amount of time, I was much better with a "hunting"rifle in every category, particularly accuracy. I tend to use AR's more often now because I can quickly change out accessories to suit whatever I'm going to be doing that day (hunting, bench shooting, 3 gun, etc). It's also nice to be able to have a stock and length of pull that fit you rather then spending extra money to fit it to you.

Do your research if you doubt any of this.

I'm aware of what the internet opinion is. I follow a lot of different gun and training people. It's my business. I work on rifles, I build them, I fix them. I'd wager I've handled more firearms than most of this community. BCM makes fine rifles. PSA makes affordable rifles. PSA sells a LOT more rifles than BCM and does less quality control. You will naturally find more faults as a result. The rifles are priced accordingly. I'd encourage you not to dissuade potential new gun owners away from getting into the hobby by only recommending the most expensive option. Let me relate a story. While I was out of state visiting family I was at a big box sporting goods store. At the gun counter was a woman looking to buy a handgun. She had no experience at all with a firearm. The guy at the counter and another guy browsing both recommended an expensive Sig, I don't remember which model but it was close to $1k. When she asked to look at something cheaper they both made statements similar to "you don't want that, it's garbage and unreliable". She walked away from the counter and went to look at knives. I went and spoke to her. She was looking for a handgun for self defense because she was worried her ex was going to come to her home that night with intent to cause harm and she didn't feel the police were taking her concerns seriously. She didn't have enough money to buy the guns the guys at the counter were recommending and she didn't want to waste her little savings on something that wouldn't work. I took her back to the counter and got the sales associate to show her several pistols in her price range, and she settled on I believe the ruger security-9. I helped her pick out some ammo and then took her to a nearby shooting range and spent about 30 minutes showing her the fundamentals and how to use her new gun. That experience has drastically changed how I approach talking about firearms with people I don't know personally.

 

[Old State]

I'd disagree with most of that as well. Both rifles were designed for military use and functionally are exactly the same. Weight is really not much different especially with modern laminate or synthetic stocks. Heavier is usually easier to shoot anyways. Recoil is the same, it's using the same caliber. Portability is a preference, I personally find "hunting" rifles to be easier to carry around. Acquiring targets is no different, it's all about training. Until I practiced with an AR for a good amount of time, I was much better with a "hunting"rifle in every category, particularly accuracy. I tend to use AR's more often now because I can quickly change out accessories to suit whatever I'm going to be doing that day (hunting, bench shooting, 3 gun, etc). It's also nice to be able to have a stock and length of pull that fit you rather then spending extra money to fit it to you.




I'm aware of what the internet opinion is. I follow a lot of different gun and training people. It's my business. I work on rifles, I build them, I fix them. I'd wager I've handled more firearms than most of this community. BCM makes fine rifles. PSA makes affordable rifles. PSA sells a LOT more rifles than BCM and does less quality control. You will naturally find more faults as a result. The rifles are priced accordingly. I'd encourage you not to dissuade potential new gun owners away from getting into the hobby by only recommending the most expensive option. Let me relate a story. While I was out of state visiting family I was at a big box sporting goods store. At the gun counter was a woman looking to buy a handgun. She had no experience at all with a firearm. The guy at the counter and another guy browsing both recommended an expensive Sig, I don't remember which model but it was close to $1k. When she asked to look at something cheaper they both made statements similar to "you don't want that, it's garbage and unreliable". She walked away from the counter and went to look at knives. I went and spoke to her. She was looking for a handgun for self defense because she was worried her ex was going to come to her home that night with intent to cause harm and she didn't feel the police were taking her concerns seriously. She didn't have enough money to buy the guns the guys at the counter were recommending and she didn't want to waste her little savings on something that wouldn't work. I took her back to the counter and got the sales associate to show her several pistols in her price range, and she settled on I believe the ruger security-9. I helped her pick out some ammo and then took her to a nearby shooting range and spent about 30 minutes showing her the fundamentals and how to use her new gun. That experience has drastically changed how I approach talking about firearms with people I don't know personally.

I understand your point but it is inaccurate to describe this as an “internet opinion”. BCM is recommended almost universally by highly accredited trainers that put tens of thousands of rounds through them a year. Now I have had gun shop owners tell me Colt are BCM are not worth the money which is absurd. The reality is that they are harder to source and provide less profit margin for what they can sell them for.
As for the pistol story...well that is simple bad gun store advise. You can get a used Glock 19 for around $400 or less and have the gold standard of reliable pistols. Even new M&Ps can be found for around $400

 

[natumes]

I understand your point but it is inaccurate to describe this as an “internet opinion”. BCM is recommended almost universally by highly accredited trainers that put tens of thousands of rounds through them a year. Now I have had gun shop owners tell me Colt are BCM are not worth the money which is absurd. The reality is that they are harder to source and provide less profit margin for what they can sell them for.
As for the pistol story...well that is simple bad gun store advise. You can get a used Glock 19 for around $400 or less and have the gold standard of reliable pistols. Even new M&Ps can be found for around $400

I don't disagree that BCM makes nice rifles. I personally don't think they are worth the money. Maybe the barrels, but not the receivers. Just like you will never convince me that the star chips are worth the prices they're selling for on this forum. It has nothing to do with profit margins, it has to do with my experience.

You missed my point with the story. This is why I hesitated to even get into this thread. I'm not going to convince you that the other 99% of the gun market is worth buying. That's fine, I shared my opinion, you disagree. To get the thread back on track, here's some guns I'm building:

AR10's chambered in 6.5 creedmoor. The 24" bull barrel (bottom) is getting a PRS stock, Geissele SSA, and nightforce scope. The top one I'm still waiting for final decision on customization. What would you put on this bad boy?

 

[Rhodeman77]

3 years ago my brother didn’t own a single firearm. His wife wouldn’t let him have any while their 2 sons where young. Now they are young adults and he is making up for lost time lol.

 

[Trihonda]

B. A. Baracus and the A-Team didn't carry AR15s...

Spoiler: EDIT: Oops

Does an M16 count?

http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/The_A-Team_-_Season_1#M16.2FSP1

http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/The_A-Team_-_Season_5#M16.2FSP1

The A team primarily used mini-14’s I think. Almost ALL the bag guys he those surplus m
M16s.. but i seem to recall they'd use M1 occasionally or when they’d taken them ogg bad guys... I could be remembering this wrong?

ALSO!!!! My Colt just sold (giving me a hefty credit at my LGS), and I have a new BCM on order...

 

[Old State]

The A team primarily used mini-14’s I think. Almost ALL the bag guys he those surplus m
M16s.. but i seem to recall they'd use M1 occasionally or when they’d taken them ogg bad guys... I could be remembering this wrong?

ALSO!!!! My Colt just sold (giving me a hefty credit at my LGS), and I have a new BCM on order...

Congrats! I hope the person who bought that Colt appreciates it!

What BCM did you go with? Upper and lower?

—————
Side note, @natumes I actually think BCM receivers are very nice and really like their upper receivers. They slightly undersize the the barrel extension area. You often have to heat it up to get the barrel in thus friction bedding the barrel. This is great for accuracy as is facing the front of the receiver. I did that to the Colt I posted and “bedded“ the barrel with .001 shim stock. The US Army rifle team started doing this in the 90’s and improved their accuracy by 1/4 to 1/3 MOA. BCMs new upper receivers also have an improved design for added rigidity .

Im also heavily considering an AR 10 build in 6.5 CM and plan to use the same Aero receiver set you are ....but may just go bolt gun. I heard 6.5 CM burns up barrels and ARs are easy to swap.
My next AR-15 build will be a 18” precision upper in the theme of the MK12. The new Vortex Razor 1-10 would be perfect for that.

 

[Trihonda]

Congrats! I hope the person who bought that Colt appreciates it!

What BCM did you go with? Upper and lower?

Full BCM.. See a cool review HERE with more pics and details. Newer 11.5 Recce Mark 2 upper, with all kinds of features and upgrades. Vortex Razor Reflex Optic, metal BCM metal flip ups. I prob could get a deal if I ordered separately, But I think my model comes with a bunch of nice upgraded features and components.

 

[WedgeRock]

I say this not to be a pedant

Your trying to hard to use that word...

No one wants to be treated as a proletariat...

 

[BNM]

Does anyone have a pic of a new, dif firearm?

 

[Old State]

Does anyone have a pic of a new, dif firearm?

Here you go ....
My two 9mm M&Ps (I previously posted my .45). The second pic is my carry rig...though I also have an appendix holster. All my M&Ps have Apex triggers and new sights. The full size 9mm is an IPDA gun with fiber front. The carry has a tritium.

 

[Old State]

Full BCM.. See a cool review HERE with more pics and details. Newer 11.5 Recce Mark 2 upper, with all kinds of features and upgrades. Vortex Razor Reflex Optic, metal BCM metal flip ups. I prob could get a deal if I ordered separately, But I think my model comes with a bunch of nice upgraded features and components.

View attachment 467176

Haha, I just got this solicitation emailed from Primary Arms. Did the place you bought it from include the optic and BUIS?

 

[ElKabong]

My thumbs will get tired if I type them all out lol
Main interests are old school Smith revolvers, especially snub nose N frames
Recently got on a Marlin lever gun kick, pistol calibers and big bores with a few 22s as well

 

[SUN-FLY Poker Chips]

Does this count?

 

[Highli99]

Does this count?
View attachment 468078

interesting ergonomics. The buffer tube is awfully big and appears to have double duty as a shoulder stock. The optics are kinda far up. The magazine is doing double duty as a front grip which may cause issues. Pistol grip looks comfortable but you probably want to replace the trigger. Do you have a scale to test the weight of the trigger? I’m guessing that one is a heavy 11 pounds. Also, make sure that barrel is legal. It might be hair short and I hope you have a stamp or the ATF will want to have words with you.

 

[ElKabong]

A few recent favs

 

[99%evil]

Anyone own a 357/38 lever action rifle? I'm thinking of picking one up for fun.

 

[ElKabong]

Anyone own a 357/38 lever action rifle? I'm thinking of picking one up for fun.

There’s one in my pic above
That and 44 magnum are hard to beat in a lever
A lot of cowboy action shooters by up the 357s so they can be hard to find
Good for deer out to 150yd or so with hot loads, and almost no recoil with light 38s

 

[99%evil]

There’s one in my pic above
That and 44 magnum are hard to beat in a lever
A lot of cowboy action shooters by up the 357s so they can be hard to find
Good for deer out to 150yd or so with hot loads, and almost no recoil with light 38s

That pic is what made me think about it. I'll keep my eye out for one on armslist

 

[Trihonda]

Gun scheduled to come in next week... but I’m off work, so I Went to my LGS just to see if I could start my paperwork. Pay some money etc. buuut it turns out my gun came in. BCM gunfighter. Everything is sweet.

LGS owner said my AR Colt A2 gun sold for 1600... but then tells me some bad news. After the sale he hears from a Couple folks that the orig colt case I included, in Mint condition, has a value of $1000 (by itself). In meh condition (likely mine falls in this category) it goes for $500. I pretty much gave it away. Arg.

 

[Moxie Mike]

Thanks to everyone who chimed in with advice on ARs. In case you missed it, I inquired seeking guidance on the purchase of boxed AR15.

I can see the merit in the premium brands and the project of building one out. I'm not there yet in terms of knowledge or budget, so a purchase decision was made accordingly.

After close examination of several brands, I narrowed it down to the Ruger AR556, the Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Sport II and the Sig M400 Tread I'd linked in my original post.

I chose the Sig because I liked the trigger and grip better than the other two, and the ambidextrous controls are a huge plus being left handed. I got it at a very good price of $750.

As you can see, even though I just picked it up tonight I've already even made my first upgrade... I pulled that silly yellow sticker off

The first planned upgrade is the handguard, which at almost 16 ozs makes the rifle rather front-heavy so that needs to be changed out. I'd like a picatinny rail that runs the entire length of the rifle too.

 

[BNM]

Thanks to everyone who chimed in with advice on ARs. In case you missed it, I inquired seeking guidance on the purchase of boxed AR15.

I can see the merit in the premium brands and the project of building one out. I'm not there yet in terms of knowledge or budget, so a purchase decision was made accordingly.

After close examination of several brands, I narrowed it down to the Ruger AR556, the Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Sport II and the Sig M400 Tread I'd linked in my original post.

I chose the Sig because I liked the trigger and grip better than the other two, and the ambidextrous controls are a huge plus being left handed. I got it at a very good price of $750.

As you can see, even though I just picked it up tonight I've already even made my first upgrade... I pulled that silly yellow sticker off

The first planned upgrade is the handguard, which at almost 16 ozs makes the rifle rather front-heavy so that needs to be changed out. I'd like a picatinny rail that runs the entire length of the rifle too.

View attachment 468435

Sig is quality. Keep us posted on your experience.

 

[Old State]

Thanks to everyone who chimed in with advice on ARs. In case you missed it, I inquired seeking guidance on the purchase of boxed AR15.

I can see the merit in the premium brands and the project of building one out. I'm not there yet in terms of knowledge or budget, so a purchase decision was made accordingly.

After close examination of several brands, I narrowed it down to the Ruger AR556, the Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Sport II and the Sig M400 Tread I'd linked in my original post.

I chose the Sig because I liked the trigger and grip better than the other two, and the ambidextrous controls are a huge plus being left handed. I got it at a very good price of $750.

As you can see, even though I just picked it up tonight I've already even made my first upgrade... I pulled that silly yellow sticker off

The first planned upgrade is the handguard, which at almost 16 ozs makes the rifle rather front-heavy so that needs to be changed out. I'd like a picatinny rail that runs the entire length of the rifle too. I’d personally leave it alone and use the money to buy ammo.

View attachment 468435

Glad you are happy with the purchase. I would recommend you look at some sights/red dot before messing with the rail though. For a rail that long you aren't going to find many much lighter.
If there is going to be any possibility of using this for defense a light and sling would be the next thing I’d get.

As for the rail, weight is one thing, but you only need Picatinny where you want to mount something. I would imagine the gun came with small pieces to mount where you want.

 

[ElKabong]

Sig is quality. Keep us posted on your experience.

Oh yeah...Sig is one of my favs.
Have a 556xi Russian (7.62x39)
Heard some of them had problems, but this one runs like a sewing machine

 

[Moxie Mike]

Glad you are happy with the purchase. I would recommend you look at some sights/red dot before messing with the rail though. For a rail that long you aren't going to find many much lighter.
If there is going to be any possibility of using this for defense a light and sling would be the next thing I’d get.

As for the rail, weight is one thing, but you only need Picatinny where you want to mount something. I would imagine the gun came with small pieces to mount where you want.

Thanks for all the advice you've dispensed. I also forgot to say thanks for the offer to price shop BDU - I ended up doing their 99 cent free trial thing. I've poked around a little but haven't bought anything yet - looks like a nice service but I'm not sure I'll realize enough savings to offset the $120 annual cost. I priced the P365XL and the rifle I just bought... I got better deals on both firearms at Dunhams.

Any cool tricks (ala Costco hacks) you can share that might help someone get a better value for the service?

 

[Old State]

Any cool tricks (ala Costco hacks) you can share that might help someone get a better value for the service?

Do you mean for BigDaddy? If so I don’t know any hacks. I’ve been torn to stay on or not because you can often find things as cheap or closer during sales and with free shipping. Thing is, if you buy a higher priced item you save the money all at once...like the Steiner scope on the rifle I just posted. I saved $200 just on that.
But the other side would be the Geissele rail, scope mount, and SSAE trigger on that rifle. I waited until Geissele’s famous Black Friday sale and got all that WAY cheaper than Big Daddy....but you have to wait.

Did that Sig ship with their Romeo red dot? I thought they did when that rifle came out.