The whole term “modern guns” seem oxymoronic to me. What constitutes a ‘modern’ gun? From the news media that means any gun that resembles a military gun. From the hunting world it is any gun that does not look like a traditional gun. From my purposes any gun manufactured in recent times is a modern gun. However, for this discussion we will separate these two categories into the traditional looking gun and the military style gun.
Military style guns also known as Black guns, AR, AR-15, or worse Assault Rifles are all the rage now for some reason. In the past few years there has been a rapid increase in the sales of AR style rifles. (NOTE: AR-15 stands for Armalite Rifle – 15th design. A military gun made in the late 1950’s by the Aramlite Firearm Company.) When congress removed the ban on Assault rifles, citizens began buying these guns in record numbers.
These style of guns are available in a wide array of calibers with the most common being in the .223 or 5.56 (The 5.56 and the .223 are very similar but not identical – it is important to know if your particular gun can fire both rounds or just one) the other very common caliber for the military style guns are the .308 or 7.62 (Again, these rounds are similar but not identical so make sure your particular gun can fire both or which one it can fire). The smaller caliber gun is known as an AR-15 and the larger caliber is known as an AR-10. Both are manufactured by a wide variety and subsidiaries of firearm companies.
All AR style guns are semi-automatic rifles. Meaning that every time you pull the trigger a new bullet is shot, shell ejected and another live round enters the chamber. Just as fast as you can pull the trigger it will shoot. These guns come equipped with magazines ranging in capacity from five to fifty rounds with ten round magazines being the most common.
Military style or Modern rifles have a distinct look. All have synthetic stocks with piston style stocks and pistol grip hand pieces with a vented forearm. Most come with a picatinny rail system for mounting optics. One of the key components of these rifles is that virtually all are ambidextrous with thumb safeties on both sides of the gun.
Traditional guns can be of wood or synthetic stocks but have a more traditional style with a one piece stock in most cases. More variety of actions from single shots, double rifles, bolt action, lever action and even semi-automatic. These guns come drilled and tapped for a traditional optic mount. And they will come with either a built in clip with a capacity of five shells or a tubular magazine with a maximum of eight or nine shells. The most popular of the traditional firearms are the bolt action and the lever action. Some of these guns will have a semi-pistol grip and others with a straight or English stock.
Which is better? That is like asking if you like tall women or short women. There is no right answer. It is largely a matter of personal preference. Some really like the modern guns while others of us are more traditional looking guns. Both are deadly, both are efficient, both are accurate and both can be fun to shoot.
After talking with a lot of people who own both, it seems the reason for the resurgence in the sale of modern guns is because many men and women carried these or similar guns while serving in the military and they want a gun for their personal use that they know intimately well. Others just like the looks and enjoy shooting with higher capacity magazines. And a third group says simply, “if the bad guys can have these, then I want one too.”
Where you fall in this is personal and I would not even dare to say one is better or worse than the other. Most hunters and shooters I know like both for different reason. The good news is that as of this writing the 2nd Amendment still protects the right to own and use both styles of guns. Change is in the air and there is a strong push to reinstate the ban on assault style guns. If this happens, who knows what slippery slope we are headed down? In the meantime, gather your guns and enjoy your freedom to own, possess, shoot and hunt with either style of gun you choose.
