Paranoia Feeding American Gun Culture

[+joc]

I suppose you're right if that's the commercial definition in the US. Over here, we call rifles such as the AR15 and other similarly functioning rifles to be assaukt rifles. Automatic weapons are prohibited in Canada so that may be why we call then assaukt rifles commonly, because it's already understood that it doesn't have auto. Fair enough.

You are actually both right:

A Brief Guide to AR15 Calibers

As we see more people come to the site and look around the Internet in general for gun related information, and even in print, one of the hottest topics you see all over is the AR15 type rifle. There's lots of good reasons for that. One, it's one of the most distinctive and familiar guns there is, with 50 years of service in the military and dozens of manufacturers in the US offering models. Second, it's easy to shoot, so first timers can immediately feel good about it, and because they recognize it immediately when they see it in the store, it is becoming increasingly common as a first purchase. It is highly adaptable, offering lots for all different ages, sizes, skill levels, and preferences. It can change appearance and function for purpose by quick attaching and detaching of accessories. It can be built from parts to save money and directly tailor to preference by even the greenest of amateurs requiring very few tools and comparatively little time. And lastly, as we're addressing here, it can be chambered in several different calibers which can be changed in a matter of seconds by swapping out the upper half and magazine, capable of punching holes in everything from paper and tin cans to grizzly bears and everything in between.

So which caliber is for you? Or perhaps all of the above? Sure, you can just stick with one, but more is all the more fun!

1. 5.56mm/.223. This is the original chambering we all know and associate with the AR15 platform. Sometimes that's a good thing, as it's very easy to come by and useful for a lot of purposes. Lots of times in the past it wasn't a good thing, as it was thought by many to be underpowered for the military task it was given and that gave the AR15/M16 a bad rap which held it back in the US market for at least a couple of decades. These days, however, it's very well thought of by many if not most, and the offerings in different configurations makes it really adaptable.

Important note: .223 and 5.56 are the same barrel, bullet, and cartridge, but different in that 5.56 is loaded to higher pressure levels, basically a .223 Magnum or +P. Military surplus brass is a little thicker to accommodate this pressure elevation, and you can load it all the way to that or down a bit to standard .223 levels. The 5.56 chambered rifles or barrels have a little extra room and beefier construction to handle this extra pressure. You can shoot .223 in a 5.56 but would be well advised to not shoot 5.56 in a .223 marked gun.

Also note: For use of the heaviest two bullet weights, 72 and 77 grain, a barrel with a rifling twist rate of 1 in 7" is highly recommended for proper bullet stabilization. The usual is 1 in 9" which is primarily intended for 55 and 62 grain which are great general purpose and suitable for most uses, but the 77 grain really shines out past 300 yards and/or when you need to hit something with 40% more bullet than a 55 grain.

Uses:

A. Varmint hunting/pest control such as woodchucks, coyotes, etc. Small feral hogs can be taken with heavier loadings like 72 and 77 grain.

B. Home defense, when loaded with hollow point and/or fragmenting ammunition.

C. General defense such as boat, RV, and property.

D. Target shooting, casual to highly competitive.

E. Dynamic carbine training, competition, etc.

2. 5.45x39 This is the Russian equivalent to 5.56/.223 for the AK74 rifle. It was developed in response to the US military's use of the M16 in Vietnam, where the communist forces were at the time using 7.62x39; the idea being that the 5.45 would be lighter, cheaper to make, less recoil and more controllable in full auto, and penetrate less therefore expend more of its energy on target rather than punching through with less wound damage. The result is a cartridge similar to the US 5.56, and has been in use for the last three decades everywhere the AK rifle has been used. Now it is available for use in the AR15 by Smith and Wesson offering M&P15 rifles and uppers.

LINK

[ninjadude]

You have to understand the IDEA. The IDEA is that if the population is armed...it will be very hard for any Government to force them into Tyrannical Control. Get it?

the 2nd amendment says no such thing.

[F3SS]

the 2nd amendment says no such thing.

Then what the hell is it for? Just admit it man. You hate the foundations this country was built on.

[+joc]

the 2nd amendment says no such thing.

Damn sure does!

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

[iNvRG]

the 2nd amendment says no such thing.

Of all the troll posts you've posted in the past this one actually gave me a genuine laugh.

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[+joc]

Of all the troll posts you've posted in the past this one actually gave me a genuine laugh.

And here is another:

It's the Teddster explaining the obvious:

[F3SS]

The op and all of our comments about UM posters like this just reminded me of this song. By now, we should all be like the old cowboy, but we just keep on being sons of guns or guns of sons about these guys. You either got to be a big fan and/or listen to the lyrics to get it.