Rifle Digression: the wonderful urban-centric AR-10T
The Armalite AR-10T
I own an Armalite AR-10T, identical (down to the scope!) of the one pictured here.
For you rifle inclined readers (there are three who read this blog), a brief rundown: My 24″ barreled Armalite AR-10T is chambered in 7.62 NATO and I have been shooting molly-coated Black Hills match. Alas, the range I belong to only goes out to 200 yards so I have not really taken it out for a spin (I need to join the Cascade Rifle Club for that).
For a semi-automatic rifle, I cannot stress how accurate this sucker is. The tolerances are tight and the craftsmanship is superb. Even with my meager marksmanship, I can hit 1 MOA groups from the bench. All. Day. Long. Others with the same rifle can do 1/2 MOA. It is that good.
The nice thing is the recoil. Stoner’s design mitigates a lot of it, and I cannot really feel any difference between it and say an AR-15 with a 20″ barrel. I am sure the weight helps (it is not light by any means), but as an accurate rifle platform designed for rapid follow-up shots, it is a winner.
My singular beef is the rifle did not come with a standard rail on the bottom. It would be nice to have the option of having all my rifles (present and future) use the same accessory platforms for various bipods. That is a minor nit. It is easy enough to put on your own rail.
I have a rule in my house that if the kids want to look at my firearms, all they need to do is ask. Thing Two, who is six, is very enamored of this rifle, and last night he wanted to examine it. There is something about the optic setup that tickles him. Perhaps it is the Mr. Yuck stickers on the flip-up lens covers.
One would think he would be enamored of my M4, as that is what they seem me clean all the time. I believe, however, Thing Two is a rifle snob. He knows a good rifle when he sees it.
Guns… Never shot one, and they scare the hell outta me. The sad thing is, it also means I can’t really go into too much detail about gunfire in writing. I guess it is just another thing I gotta fake.
October 30, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Ten minutes with my M4 is all you need.
Driving is harder. And much more dangerous. With firearms, you only have to keep track of four rules!
October 30, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Turns out I don’t like guns.
Strike that–I HATE guns. Just opening up your blog and seeing that picture makes my stomach get all twisty and my eyes narrow.
Post again soon so I don’t have to see it anymore ; )
October 30, 2008 at 5:26 pm
?
If you have a fear of an inanimate object (my competition rifle), you’ve come to the wrong blog!
Breathe in, breathe out. No fainting please.
October 30, 2008 at 7:42 pm
sweet. I was wondering about the recoil.
@Nils: one author I know just went down to the gun range (you can rent a gun); voila! she had experience she could write about.
October 30, 2008 at 7:49 pm
No no, not fear.
Loathing.
There’s a difference.
October 30, 2008 at 8:01 pm
The odd thing about this world — and by extension reality — is that simply closing your eyes doesn’t make things go away.
Another oddity of life: contemplating, exploring, engaging with, and even immersing oneself in concepts or activities foreign to one’s nature builds character. Put another way, one remains a child (not child-like nor innocent nor pure, but a child) by 1) refusing to deal with reality, 2) running away from adversity, and 3) expecting the rest of the world to comply with one’s wishes.
“Our task of creating a socialist America can only succeed when those who would resist us have been totally disarmed.” Sarah Brady
October 30, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Alex! You would LOVE this rifle. Love love love love. Alas, it is not a hunting rifle at all. It like weighs a bazillion pounds.
Kiersten! You realize, since you do not know much about me, I could be an ex-vet. Or an ex-cop. A prior victim of a violent crime. Or a reservist, or a hundred other things that would cause me to carry firearms and enjoy shooting sports. Indeed, many of these blog posts are made while I am wearing my sidearm. There is no reason to loathe my right hip, I assure you. My right hip is friendly. if it could wave, it would.
In the State of Washington, 5 out of 100 people you meet is legally carrying a firearm. I am one of those five. No more, no less.
October 30, 2008 at 8:36 pm
That’s why I stay out away from Washington.
Totally kidding! I love Washington. I’d live there if I could.
I suppose my knee-jerk reaction to guns is a remnant of my mostly subconscious raging feminism. Let’s not get into it. I’m not a socialist. I just happen not to be a fan of guns.
My husband considered a career in the FBI, which would have required him to have a sidearm at all times. I would have been supportive. And terrified.
Where am I going with this? I have no idea. I don’t hate people who have guns. Clearly, because I’m still blog-stalking Anthony, even though he carries a gun while writing these posts. As long as he doesn’t point it at the screen when I comment or anything…
I’ve just erased a whole bunch of nonsense. You like guns. Cool. I don’t. I like chocolate. In fact, many of these comments are made while eating chocolate. My chocolatey hands are friendly, I assure you.
And now I have an utterly bizarre image of your right hip, cheerily waving a gun at me.
October 30, 2008 at 9:01 pm
My firearm stays in its holster at all times unless I am cleaning it or at the range. It does have a Mr. Yuck sticker on the holster.
That means “don’t touch” in case you didn’t know.
My hip, however, is frisky from the dance clubs of yore.
Real Knockouts: The Physical Feminism of Women’s Self-Defense
Raging feminism (not equal) loathing of firearms
Or so they say.
October 30, 2008 at 9:25 pm
I think I’d be more afraid of your frisky hips than your gun.
October 30, 2008 at 9:33 pm
hey, you’ve got me sold: sleek & sexy. totally strokable. (er…umm…the gun, not the hips)
As a hard-core raging feminist, I must say that I appreciate anything that equalizes the sexes.
I also must admit that i’ve never had the opportunity to pull the trigger on such a fine weapon as you’ve pictured here. Jealousy bites.
October 30, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Okay–WAIT–Alex is a woman??
Man, anonymity is a weird, weird thing. First I find out Anthony isn’t twenty, and now Alex is a woman.
Wait–Anthony–you ARE a dude, right?
October 30, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Alex said “As a hard-core raging feminist”.
As am I. The firearm is the perfect equalizer between the sexes.
I talk about the Wife Unit all the time. I can assure you, the Wife Unit is not a lesbian.
October 30, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Men can be feminists, Kiersten.
There are no gun ranges in Germany. Well, there are some gun clubs, but they are really weird and traditional, imagine hunters in Lederhosen and you’re getting close.
Last time I was in the US, folks wanted to drag me to the gun range, but I didn’t take them up on that. Maybe some other time I will. But guns DO scare me. I don’t like explosions. Or hurty things.
October 31, 2008 at 12:42 am
Well, you never know these days, Anthony.
And I’m perfectly aware that men can be feminists. I encourage them to be, in fact. I was more confused by talk of stroking hips. Of course, that’s very heterocentric of me to assume anyone who would want to stroke your hips would have to be a woman.
But now re-reading Alex’s comment, I see there is actually far less innuendo than I thought the first time through.
Well, I’m just going to shut up now. Feel free to ban me from your blog at any time.
October 31, 2008 at 8:19 am