What type of shooter are you?

[Yumbo]

My story may be a bit different from some of you. 29. Built an AR15 in 6.5 G a few years ago with the 16" Faxon group buy. Started to stockpile wolf steel case, but none of the indoor ranges allow steel. That's normally okay as I'm primarily a defensive handgun owner, and wanted to add the 6.5 G AR-15 as a utility rifle, so it was never planned to see. Lately, I've been thinking about suppressors and finally doing some recreational shooting with the rifle I've built and function tested maybe 3 times. As an apartment dweller, my current use would be measured in feet anyway, so I need more of a defensive/tactical rifle course than I do precision even though I'd love to try hunting( especially duck hunting)

[LR1955]

My story may be a bit different from some of you. 29. Built an AR15 in 6.5 G a few years ago with the 16" Faxon group buy. Started to stockpile wolf steel case, but none of the indoor ranges allow steel. That's normally okay as I'm primarily a defensive handgun owner, and wanted to add the 6.5 G AR-15 as a utility rifle, so it was never planned to see. Lately, I've been thinking about suppressors and finally doing some recreational shooting with the rifle I've built and function tested maybe 3 times. As an apartment dweller, my current use would be measured in feet anyway, so I need more of a defensive/tactical rifle course than I do precision even though I'd love to try hunting( especially duck hunting)

Yumbo:

A carbine in an apartment for defense? You best measure your use in terms of the number of walls your bullet will pass through before being stopped. I can almost guarantee you that the bullet will go through a person and several walls.

LR55

[Klem]

Yumbo,

Thanks for sharing and sounds like you have a plan.

I would get into recreational shooting first and then think about suppressors. Shooting is more important than noise mitigation.

[Yumbo]

I fully expect even my 9mm handgun to over-penetrate. With the way my 1 bedroom is setup, I can lean out of my bedroom door and have maybe 15 yards to the front door. That said, a short-ranged defensive use case is what fueled my interest in a heavier bullet from the AR15, and it's a primary concern when I browse the reloading section of the forum.

[Klem]

An AR15 is definitely the way to go for short range hunting and recreational shooting.

For apartment shooting, a semi-auto shotgun is a door stopper.

[HickLife]

I would look into frangible ammunition if you are that worried about over penetration. I fully support it, they are easy to use, hold a lot of rounds, they have very little recoil, and most of all in my opinion they only send one projectile down range with each shot. Also buck shot will over penetrate more than a rifle plus you have a higher likelihood of having projectiles miss the target and keep going.

Here is a good video of different rounds and calibers and how they perform once hitting a target

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5KzAA7JME4&t=1179s

[Yumbo]

While I fully expect over-penetration, it certainly isn't stopping me from carrying Federal HST and Speer's Gold Dot JHP! I've seen frangible, and I'd use it for fun in a shoot house but I think the potential risk is worth the capability.
Do we have frangible 6.5mm bullets to reload? I've seen very light weights (85g, 90G) but not true frangible loads.

[Klem]

Also buck shot will over penetrate more than a rifle plus you have a higher likelihood of having projectiles miss the target and keep going.

I respectfully disagree...The largest buckshot is about .375. '00-Buck' is .33". Round lead balls moving at about 1,300fps. No more penetration than a handgun. As the size of the ball decreases so does the penetration. But, to avoid an argument just use bird shot (say, #6)...We used to knock out door hinges with #12-shot by holding the muzzle against the door and only the hinge would be flying into the room on the other side.

Blue-tipped frangible will work.

Watch using standard high-power centrefire bullets. There's a case of a hostage being unintentionally killed by ricochet fragments of 223 from a Police 16" AR15. Lindt Siege Sydney, 2014.

[ARErector]

Military vet who grew up shooting and hunting. I shot the AR platform in the Air Force, but wasn't interested in having my own back then. I bought a Bushmaster around 10 years ago and still didn't really get into it, mostly because of the open sights probably. I have preferred shooting with a scope since I was a kid. Then a couple years ago a friend convinced me to build an AR for about a third of the cost of the Bushmaster. That had a flat top upper and installing optics was a simple thing. The AR platform became very interesting to me then, and I've spent way more money building them and shooting them than I probably should. lol There's still no end in sight. There are so many configurations and calibers. 6.5 Grendel is my latest pursuit of a long range AR.

[drewthebrave]

New suburbanite shooter, now aged 32. Didn't grow up around guns (mom is anti-, dad doesn't care), but was always interested. I signed up for professional handgun instruction at a local indoor range in my early 20's and loved every minute of it. I hunted dove with my great uncle a few years later and REALLY got hooked.
Started building an AR15 because I live in California and want to get one while I still could. Grendel appealed to me as an alternative to a large frame gun. Building a large frame gun anyway (6.5 Creedmoor) because I don't know how much longer I'll be able to.
Now I try to introduce my friends and family (who are willing) to shooting sports.

[Cheapshot]

Grew up around guns, been reloading since 14. Was never into AR15s until my brother got a Bushmaster and brought it out to the farm. Decided I wanted one, but nasty divorce sort of blew the budget for a few years. Bought a Bushmaster myself when Gander Mountain closed their doors, then built a .223 hightop and the Grendel. Still waiting for glass...backorders have been the bain of my existence the past few months. Miss the days on the farm when I could work up a load in no time flat because the "range" was 30 yards from the shed door. Immediate feedback on loads. Now I have to drive to the range which is 3-4 miles away. Much more separating bad loads because I can't take the next step up as a discreet run, rather part of a group.

So, I'm a frustrated urbanite who grew up on a farm, has a relatively short history with the AR platform, but has a lot of shooting background.

[Herzo]

Old dog, military vet, semi-rural, somewhat competitive who likes things that go bang, looking to expand my horizons (currently to !000 yards). I think that pretty well covers it.

[Old Bob]

Veteran old dog & long time competitive shooter with muzzleloaders & black powder cartridge rifles. Competed in service rifle, handgun silhouette & 3 gun also. It was in service rifle that I became acquainted with the AR. I started out using a M1A but decided to give the AR15 a try-out when some of the guys at our rifle club made the switch. Shot the best scores I ever shot in service rifle with a borrowed AR. Went & bought one of my own & started shootin' 3 gun matches as well as service rifle! I liked 3 gun better so I dropped the service rifle matches.

The 6.5 Grendel isn't my only non 5.56mm AR. I also shoot 7.62x40WT & 22 Nosler. So I'm not shy about learning new tricks as well.

[MegaHurtz]

Jarhead here, Honorably Discharged after returning from Desert Shield/Storm - 6.5yrs Active Duty as a Weapons Systems Specialist on A-6E TRAM Intruders. I've been slinging wires and avionics in aircraft since I separated back in '92. I'm now a Director at an Aerospace and Defense contractor here in the central mid-West.


I shot Expert three times during my stint with Uncle Sam's Misguided Children (KD/B-mod/...). Just now getting back into shooting, after like >25 years. Much too long.!. Own a 16" 5.56 Franken AR, a home-brew 6.5mm Grendel (28" Satern Upper - kinda long-range-ish ), a Glock 23, and am looking into 3-5 more weapons acquisitions, once the pocketbook recovers from building out a brand new reloading bench (while I am away from home - that's gonna be an 'ouch' when I have to ship it all back to the house later this year...). Next tool/toy is going to be a good LR/ELR optic that will eventually find its way on top of a .338 LM or similar.

... "Because Annie Oakley could do that." ...

LOVE IT! Youngins are the best.

Kudos, sir, for planting the seeds of your passions into them and nurturing it as it blossoms.

It really is a great way to have something meaningful to spend time with them on, as they learn to enjoy and become proficient it. Keep it up.

Thanks, also, on behalf of all of us forum minions, for the plentiful and sound counsel you (and your learned peers) graciously provide. It is awesome that you (and they) are willing to do so and we appreciate it. Take care.

-MHz

[BLightc]

Definitely qualify as the old fart with no use for an AR. Fan of the 6.5x55 and when the Grendel came along it was interesting. Then my granddaughter was born and I wanted something she could take a deer with that wouldn’t scare her or hurt. A completely collapsed carbine stock will fit her. Bonus is that grandpa loves shooting it, too. Now I have 2 Howa mini rifles, an AR and am building 2 more ARs. Maybe I will get to keep one after the now 2 granddaughters get theirs.