I appreciate all of the advice. thank you.
I have used firearms just about daily since I was a small child…this AR “stuff” is the most in depth and interesting niche’ of firearms I have ever seen.
No, its a perspective, like bkb0000 stated. What followed was Shivan’s perspective, after having experience shooting the AR/M4FOW, and based on his previous personal preferences or operational needs. Those were things that needed to be changed for him. However, if you look around the forum, you’ll find that others share similar sentiments. You may or may not. Personally, the Gap isn’t as much of a bother. For me, its a nice to do, but not need to do thing. Again, perspective and usage driven.
Myself, I’m an occupational end user. Based on my experience (more than some, less than some-especially on this forum) and research, some things simply need to be staked, loc-tited, removed, or added, before my new gun hits the street. I didn’t have to shoot it bone stock to realize these things, but I had to shoot other guns stock before I did.
I also recognized the need to “stand on the shoulders of geniuses” at times, and simply go for the “upgrade” or accessory simply because it came so highly recommended for a chosen application (by those in the know) in which I might have little experience. Take the Home Defense AR, for instance. After buying a Colt for work (they “made” me buy it), I have a spare M&P15T hanging around the house. I’ve never had a home defense designated gun before, but based on research, experience from work, and asking around, I know that it still has to have a light, possibly a decent sling, and either good night sights or a red dot setup right off the bat. Eventually it’ll get the SBR treatment, too.
Yeah, there’s a lot of accessorizing on this forum. Some of it good, and some (a little) of it bad. But, for the most part, most of the people doing it started out shooting the gun stock. One of the more knowledgeable guys around here wrote a good article titled something like “just go shoot the gun”. Makes good sense.
Guys why add a light? I know so you can see that’s a given but that also allows bad guys to see you.Just query.
Do you want to take a shot at a target you can’t identify?
It is fairly important to see who/what you are about to shoot.
Only if you care about not shooting the wrong person.
These guys nailed it. I was offering up why I modified stock AR15’s and what I knew those mods would be regardless of which AR I bought. They come from using the weapons under simulated stress and just using them at the range for plinking.
I know what works for me, and I know what I like.
Some folks think the gap between the trigger guard and the grip is just fine. It tears the hell out of my middle finger. So they may never replace the trigger guard, and may look at me funny for “wasting my money” to do so.
A similar perspective is the grips on a 1911. Some people love really thin grips, and replace them immediately. Others like thick and course grips like the Simonich Gunners.
We learn these things over time, and money invested. You only get there by experimentation/trial & error.
Guys I understand about seeing what you shoot but that also works in reverse . If a bad guy is breaking into my home I don’t think I’d telegraph myself with a light and I think I could hit mast with out one.Yes I know it could be Santa but Santa should not be there.We got along for a long time without the light on the barrel.
You are entitled to your opinion, but this “shoot anything” that bumps in the night is not a sane mindset for someone with a gun. Next you’ll tell me that you should just shoot through the bedroom door, even if you don’t know there may be a cop, or someone else on the other side. :rolleyes:
Take any basic lowlight pistol class, sans night sights and sans white light, and I think you will be amazed at how much you miss at night – even from 5yds away. hitting a big ole B-27 in the arm really doesn’t count as a “hit” in my mind.
Precisely right.
S&W makes a pretty darned good rifle out of the box. Buy it, shoot the hell out of it and have fun. Some day tinker with this or that accessories and so forth…
My AR’s are VERY basic/simple set-ups. My Bushmaster is a 16" dissipator model with A2 carry handle and a basic 1.25" sling - Period. I did put a BCM BCG in it otherwise it’s completely stock.
My BCM is a complete BCM upper/lower in 16" middy with M4 stock and has an A3 carry handle on it and simple 1.25" sling - Period. Some day I’ll add an Aimpoint T1 to it and just maybe a Surefire light, but no big hurry for that at all. I carry this rifle daily around my ranch property and it rides on the seat next to me in the truck. It’s for predators, mountain lions, rocks, steel plates and defense if necessary.
You’ll do just fine with your S&W as it comes. It will make for a great general purpose rifle… Have fun with it!
Yeah, get a good gun, weather it be LMT, BCM, Colt or a S&W.
I shot mine for a little while just like it came out of the box. The problem I realized immediately was my bad eyesight and using the BUIS at 50yds plus. I could hit a man at 50yds with irons but it may be in his johnson.
I needed the RDS and the EOTech has been great for me and really improved my shooting ability.
All the other things I added were the things that I wanted and they haven’t really enhanced my shooting abilities or that of the gun. But, I think I have a nicer and more comfortable shooting weapon because of it.
Get what you think you need then get what you want and have fun with it.
And don’t forget lots of ammo.
Scoby
This is a thread hijack but the benefits of having a light far outway the disadvantage of not having a light.
Good luck shooting in the dark.
I’m lost here.
If you only want to mount a scope and a flashlight, then why the railed forend?
Just put the scope on the flattop of the receiver, and mount the flashlight on the front sight base.
You already seem to be a victim of the “gotta have it” or “see it, want it” mentality that you’re questioning…
Bimmer
I agree, I want a light on my weapon in the dark
I think you are mistaking how a weapon light is used.
You don’t hear a bump in the night, grab your rifle, turn on the light and then go looking for the bad guy.
The light stays off until you are int he proximity of the threat (it’s rare that there will not be enough light, even at night, to see where an intruder is). Then, you aim the weapon, and engage the light. This does several things:
1.) It allows identification of the target. Unless you are behind enemy lines, killing the enemy willy-nilly, you damn well better know what you are shooting at. This is especially true as a police officer or civilian who will have to go to court and explain to people who have no idea what the situation might have been, just exactly why you drilled someone. Doesn’t matter if you live alone, you have to have a good reason you killed someone, and you WILL have to describe how you POSITIVELY identified the person as a threat worthy of lethal force.
2.) It destroys the bad guy’s night vision, and with the light pointed at them, blinds them and puts them at a severe disadvantage – hopefully enough that they will cease and desist without driving you to shoot.
3.) Provides a light background (illuminated perp) which enable you to have a better sight picture with or without a RDS.
#3 is the reason most people will put a weapon light ahead of a RDS for a defensive rifle. At self defense ranges at home, you don’t even really need to align sights. Put the front sight post on the target, or if you have a hard time seeing it, bracket what you want to hit with the front sight ears. This will put you on target – you won’t split hairs, but it’ll be good enough – very quickly. Don’t believe me? Very few houses have a place you can shoot much over 45 feet. So go to the 15 yards line at the range. Set up a silhouette target. Then, standing with the rifle in your preferred ready position, mount the rifle as you would if you were going to line up the sights, but just put the front post on the silhouette where you want to hit it and fire. Do that several times. You’ll have no trouble hitting the chest, and with practice, fist sized groups (good enough for e heart, or unobstructed head shot) at that range won’t be difficult.
But you need the light to ID what you are shooting at.
- Changing to an enhanced trigger guard like the magpul one, MIAD grip, or adding a “gapper”
- Lot of aftermarket sling mounts can do this, some aftermarket stocks have QD sockets to aid in this
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM5ih_c_4yo
That is certainly an option, but I don’t want my hand anywhere near the gas block/FS while shooting a lot. Which is learned from shooting a lot. You can’t possibly know this sort of thing by shear intuition.
You can also buy and try the SF M500, or attach rail pieces to your M4 handguards or get the MOE rail sections and the MOE handguards.
I do understand but I would rather use NV than show where I’m standing. If someone has broken into my home how do I know that they are a threat they are there period. Thanks for the replys
If someone has broken into your home, generally it is safe to say they are not there to bake cookies.
Now you’re just being silly, do you have any idea what percentage of the gun buying public has access to NV gear? What about people who live with children or pets that make things go bump in the night, YOU WANT A POSITIVE ID ON WHAT YOUR SHOOTING. A white light is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to acheive this. There is NO arguing against that.
Get a light, get some training. You’ll find that nobody advocates lighting a threat up and standing there to take bullets, NOBODY DOES. You may give away your LAST position if your properly trained, but that’s it, you get off the X
Wanna discuss this more? Start a thread on it so you can get the real skinny from experts.
/thread hijack.