Let’s take a look at setting up a Duty AR-15. What is “Duty”? Anything from patrolling property, home defense, as well as battling brigands and other evildoers. Now, a good Duty Rifle does not have to cost an arm, leg, and unmentionables. Especially with the current firearm market, duty AR’s can be purchased with hundreds rather than thousands of dollars. Factory OEM AR’s from PSA and Smith & Wesson can be found for $500 or so and make good platforms to have for a Duty gun.
So, what are the main components of a Duty gun?
- AR-15
- Sling
- Optic
- Flashlight
With every aspect of all of the components listed above a great amount of personal preference is involved. What works for me may not work for you. What works for Operator A might be terrible for Operator B, etc. Consider a car lot. Every vehicle there will get you where you are going, but there is a reason why so many models are manufactured. A general coverage of each component will be reviewed.
NOTE: Putting together a Duty gun is NOT complicated. This is also not a MISSION-SPECIFIC firearm to serve a very certain role with required abilities.
AR-15’s:
Most any AR-15 of at least carbine(16″) length will fill the role. Popular models from Colt, Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Bushmaster, Windham, and others are available, and each has models to fit any budget. M4 carbine variants work well, and so do 20″ full-sized rifles. There is no need for an AR that will shoot sub-MOA groups or have a special lower with engraving. Reliability is of utmost concern and importance. The choice is up to the one with the money which to buy.
Here are a couple of examples:
I’ll note that models in 5.56mm are recommended for a few reasons, including ammunition compatibility, ammo cost/weight, and magazine compatibility.
Sling:
I run a single-point sling, which I like very much. They are simple to use and fast. The main issue with the single point is transitioning from pistol to long gun. When the AR is dropped to switch to a pistol, the gun seems to like heading directly to my…err… gerbils. Not the most comfortable feeling. This is what I’ve trained with, and I’ll definitely consider a 2-point at some point in the future.
For an overview of sling options –
Magpul MS4 Sling
Ferro Concepts Slingster
Optic:
Iron sights are a basic component of any Duty gun. A simple set of Magpul MBUS II folding sights will suffice. Want something better and made of metal? Buy ’em.
Most Duty AR’s today will run a red dot optic such as the Bushnell TRS-25, Vortex StrikeFire, etc. Money generally equals quality. EOTech’s and Aimpoints offer increased reliability and are worth the extra funds needed for purchase. Red dots provide much faster target acquisition than iron sights and also help those of us with aging eyes. Although there are many red dot optics available it’s important on a Duty gun to have something reliable with a very good track record. Although I am currently testing a Sightmark CSR I would never recommend a company such as Sightmark due to their very questionable reputation.
Magnified optics can prove very beneficial when targeting longer distances. They also can serve to assist in gathering information. For a Duty rifle, the optic should be something in the 1×4 – 1×6 range. The reason for not going to a higher starting magnification is the need to be able to use the optic in CQC. Turning the optic down to 1X will allow near red dot performance.
Recommended Optics:
Magpul MBUS Gen II Flip Up Sights
Vortex Crossfire II 1-4X Scope
Flashlight:
Illumination is an important component of a Duty rifle. The weapons platform may be used to illuminate a threat at night or possibly an intruder inside a building. While there is a lot of controversy as to just how bright weapon-mounted flashlights should be, in the end, that is up to the shooter – and your wallet. Understand that an 800 lumen light reflecting off white drywall can interrupt the ability for the holder of the gun to see – not just the “bad guy”. Companies such as SureFire and Streamlight have great reputations for making reliable weapon lights.
Exactly how the light is mounted and run is up to the shooter.
Recommended Flashlights:
Summary:
The Duty Rifle is an integral component to preparing for the American Reformation. It is reliable, versatile, and accurate. Only with training can it be put to use to take advantage of its full capabilities.
Just my worthless opinion. Spot on with having the basics for a carbine, you don’t need all these other gizmos to have it run. I’ve seen too many EoTech’s turn off on their own and the operator has to stop everything to turn it back on makes the Aimpoint PRO the #1 choice for me. The 1-4 LPVO is good out to around 350 and then that’s where the higher magnifications really shine. The One point slings are horrible unless you’re running 10.5-12.5″ carbines and you’re in and out of vehicles all day long. I use to run a single point with a 16″ barrel and the first class I took with it back in the early 2000’s, I refused to put another one on any rifle after that day. The constant smack into the groin doing transitions and just moving about became beyond annoying. Plus a 2 point you can sling and cinch it down so it doesn’t bounce around if you’re doing something, a single you can’t and have to have a hand to hold onto it or becomes a groin smacker.
JH, I agree with you on the slings. i want a sling to keep everything out of my way while doing something else, working or foraging, and close enough to my body to grab if the need arises. one points are just not practical everyday carry for me. flipping and flopping and in the way. i want a 2 way.
red dots are great and i had some for years but i run a 1.5×9 shake awake illuminated on mine now because my eyes ain’t what they use too be.
if a person is up in the air about what kind of sling to use, get one and try it out, strap it on and go work in the garden or the yard for a day with it, all day. adjust the fit and find out what works for you and what doesn’t while you have a chance to find out. after bad things happen it will be to late.
if things really go bad then you’ll want something that you can keep on you always, even at potty time, ya know what i mean.
I run the Magpul MS4 Sling on all my carbines. You can use them as a single point or two point, best of both worlds. I use an EOTech EXPS2 (Green reticle) optics along with a EOTech G33 on primary SBR. My secondaries have Aimpoint Pros, which is a great red dot. I also run a Inforce 400/IR light on my primary SBR. As far as BUIS go, get metal over polymer. Polymer can pop off the rails if hit, whereas the metal will not.