I am a Marine Corps veteran and the last time I fired a rifle was in 1975. I was an expert with both the M14 and M16 and thought the AR is a very similar platform. I own a Sig P320 RX Compact with a Streamlight 7a. I bought that so I could use it for both home defense and concealed carry. Actually,I just bought the gun a year ago as my wife never liked the idea of having firearms in the house. I forced the issue last year because I don’t like the direction our country is heading. I have not really kept up to speed with all of the various platforms available today and was looking for advice. Whatever weapon I purchaseI want to be able to use hollow points with as I am concerned about over penetration. Any advice would be appreciated.
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Depending on your situation and your concern with overpenetration, there are some very capable Pistol Caliber Carbines on the market in 9mm, .40 and .45 caliber.
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Long article, but objective:
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This is a very loaded question w/o knowing more about your specific situation than should be shared online. Some of the reasons the AR platform is so popular/ successful are-
A, familiarity. From our time in service it’s second nature.
B, modularity. Longer barrel, shorter barrel, foregrip, pistol grip, bipod, sights, stock, trigger, even caliber can all be changed relatively easily without breaking the bank.
C, availability of parts & (usually) ammo. Keep adjusting until you get what you want. I’m constantly playing ‘tactical dress up’ with my AR platforms. Home defense, plinking, hunting/ varminting, you can do pretty much anything.
Unless you live in a AR hater state it would be my recommendation.
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To be honest, I love my Ruger 556/223
That’s my fav
And it has the same frame and style as a AR-15 but it’s all a matter of what suits you. Also love a few other AR-15s that I have being Anderson (funny my last name Anderson) Colt, and ole basic MP isn’t bad
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What role is the AR-15 ( or other ) intended to fill ?
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@OSUONE - Like others have stated, it depends upon what your goals are. I personally like the Ruger PC Carbine breakdown model. It is a 9mm. You can use Ruger or Glock pistol magazines with it, so you can use the hollow points ammunition you mentioned. There are other handgun caliber carbines out there, so it wouldn’t have to be the PC Carbine. They now have the Ruger Charger (9mm) which looks interesting, but I would want a shoulder brace on it, so it acts like a rifle. I have not shot the Charger yet, so don’t really know too much about it except it looks pretty cool
The PC Carbine is great out to 50 yards with very little difference in rise or drop. It is easy for everyone in the family to use too, and fun to shoot. Felt recoil is soft compared to a hunting rifle, which is one reason I really like it.
I do have an AR style rifle, but I figured that would be for further distances. It is also good for home defense and easy for other to use, but your concern for over penetration with a missed shot could be a factor.
Personally I would not get the AR pistols style rifles. They look really cool and also fun to shoot, but after one shot you will be deaf. I have watched folks at the range and all the energy is coming out the end of the barrel with large flames and noise. It seems to me there is a lot of wasted energy there, and maybe it needs special ammo. That is just my two cents. I am wondering if many folks will trade these pistols in for something else after the fad goes away. Again, that is just my opinion and I am sure some people really love the AR Pistols, just like some people love Glocks. (That should start a fight).
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Yes, AR-15 with Mil Specs.
1-7 Twist Barrel
14.5" , 16" or 10" Long (AR Pistol)
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Semper Fi Devil Dog, I got me a AR45 Banshee. It shoots .45 ACP.
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You are preaching to the choir brother, now if you could just convince my budget!
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Yeah, I used my stimulus check. I am still waiting on a silencer.
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I have a Saint Victor pistol w/ the 10.3" barrel. For indoor ranges / home defense the suppressor is damn near required. It loves the 62gn in both Hornady & green tip. There are also frangible rounds if over penetration is an issue. Basically useless vs body armor, but that’s what the mag couplers are for.
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It is hard to beat the AR platform for its combination of accuracy, ergonomics, reliability and customizability. But I was never a fan till I won one (Thanks USCCA!
Now they have grown on me. The ergonomics are hard to beat. But I still prefer the less “tactical” look of firearms like the Ruger mini and PC Carbine or the Springfield Armory M1A. But they all have their pluses and minuses. Wish someone would make a design with those looks combined with some of the AR style controls and add on/drop in options while taking the cheap reliable AR magazines.
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With your concerns about overpenetration, it seems you’re looking for a home defense rifle. How about a pistol caliber carbine in 9mm instead?
You can go as basic as a Hi-Point 995. Or, a Kel-Tec Sub2000. Also, a Ruger PCC.
If legal in your state, a Ruger Charger in 9mm is another (shorter) option.
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Very good point about firing a .223/5.56 indoors and without hearing protection.
AR 9s used to be easy to find, I am not sure how it is now, with the consumer demand doubled or more.
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There are a lot of options I was thinking of and most have been mentioned at least once. I have the 9mm Ruger PCC that was mentioned several times. I’m working on setting that up as my go-to home defense weapon. It’s incredibly easy to shoot - felt recoil is incredibly light. I’d like to add a couple accessories and the main thing I need is a safe or some other way to set it up securely for quick access. Along the same lines, I have a 300 BLK AR-15 pistol that I may use at some point as well. I’m planning to run it with a suppressor and specialty subsonic defensive ammo from Discreet Ballistics. The suppressor will take a while to get as will the ammo is on extended backorder, so it will be a while before that’s really an option. I’m also working on 9mm and .45 ACP AR pistol builds, maybe putting a suppressor on one of those and it would still be shorter than the Ruger PCC without one.
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I have never been a fan of the AR platform simply due to it’s gas impingement system but after 24 years of carrying one for business purposes I have waaaaayyyyy too much time invested in them to deny the muscle memory I have built. I have even gone so far as to build one that is legal for hunting in VA (deer rounds must be .23" in diameter or larger). IMHO the AR platform has too many good things going for it AND you can get an aftermarket gas piston kit that takes care of the “It $h!t’s where it eats” issue. I’m fond of Osprey (or whoever bought them) for an under the forearm gas system.
My FIL is a traditional hunter in that if it’s not blue steel and walnut it sucks as a hunting rifle. We were standing in front of the trucks and he was giving me a load of crap about my AR-47 when he looked up and said “Deer”. I pivoted, planted and ripped off two rounds before all that crazy ballistics math stuff fully registered. My FIL never at a loss for words mumbled something about lucky shot and I told him “No the first round went in behind the front leg and the next went in to the leg. The result was a nice little buck all piled up 30’ from impact with two holes 3” apart in his chest right where I said they were at about 175 yards.
Training comes back to you at the strangest times and generally when you need it most. So even if the last “AR” was an M-16/A1 with a 3 prong flash hider you will remember it well. Make it a little more YOU friendly and all is well with the world. I will warn you AR’s are like potato chips, you can’t have just one. If you build your own it gets worse faster.
Cheers,
Craig6
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I have a couple AR 15’s in 5.56 and would not recommend that round for in home protection. Fast skinny round, loud in my 14.5", crazy loud in the 12.5".
For in home, I like a set up my son has, .300 bo, subsonic and suppressed 9" barrel. .300 burns completely in a short barrel, and that’s a nice compact powerful home defense gun… The AR based pistol caliber carbines also make for a good home defense gun…
Second all the Ruger recommendations. The PC charger and Ruger PCC are imo, fantastic, fun firearms.
Love the AR platform for the same reasons I love Glocks…pretty ugly, no soul like an M14 or 1911, but they work well and everybody makes parts for them.
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Hate not allowed :)!
I’ll take note of the .300 bo parameters, thank you!
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Just because it was you, I had to look and see if AR-47 was a typo, as usual it was not 
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