Greg says the AR's ability to go from a compact fighting carbine to a powerful big-game rifle and a super-accurate varmint rig gives it unparalleled versatility. Remington R-15 in .204 Ruger

The AR platform is available in more calibers and configurations than any other firearm. No wonder it has become known as "America's Rifle."

Last year, a prominent hunting writer committed career hara-kiri by calling AR-15s "terrorist rifles" and suggesting state game departments, "...Ban them from the prairies and woods." His comments took him out of print and off the air for quite some time. He was wrong on many levels, but his biggest mistake was underestimating the popularity of the modular, ergonomic wonder that has become a best-seller.

The AR platform's modular design is what makes it so popular. With a push of a pair of pins, it can quickly morph from a tricked-out fighting gun to a hunting rifle. Easily changeable barrels, triggers, sights, and calibers suitable for everything from plinking to hunting have made the AR the favorite choice of shooters of every stripe.

Plinking
As much as we like to trick out our ARs with all the latest cool-guy gear, the fact is none of us is likely to use our blaster to clear a house or take down a room full of bad guys. However, we can all agree that all the cool features we bolt onto our guns make them even more fun to plink with.

Like most shooters, I like to shoot my ARs fast. Whether it's cans, rocks, or cow patties, dusting targets in rapid succession with my trusty carbine is a blast. And until recently, the low cost of .223 Rem. ammunition made it a cheap activity, too. But .223 ammo has become expensive and scarce, so I've recently acquired a .22 LR upper from Tactical Solutions for more cost-effective plinking.

I use my .22 LR upper for plinking and training. To make my training more realistic, I mounted it on the lower of one of my fighting guns so that it has the same stock and trigger. Muzzle blast and recoil are a bit less than with my .223, but other than that, it is exactly the same as my fighting gun--and that makes it one efficient training tool. And thanks to the collapsible stock on one of my other lowers, my kids get a lot of use out of my .22 LR upper, too. I've long since passed the break-even point; the money I've saved on .223 ammunition has already paid for the .22 LR upper.

Home Defense
Studies have proven that the fast-expanding .223 ammunition that works so well on fleshy targets is safer indoors than buckshot, slugs, and a large number of pistol rounds. Combined with the ease of mounting lights and lasers on ARs and the .223's minimal recoil, this has caused the AR platform's popularity as a home-defense tool to soar. In fact, many shooters I know keep an AR handy for home defense.

The AR has several things going for it as a defensive tool. Chief among them are its light weight--provided you don't go crazy bolting on accessories--and compact length. An AR with a 16-inch barrel and collapsible stock isn't any longer than a pistol at the end of an extended arm. It is easy to maneuver in tight spaces, and with the buttstock locked under the shoulder, the AR is a lot easier to hang onto in a struggle than a pistol.

Rock River AR in .458 SOCOM.