On the final day of SHOT Show 2020, three-gun competitor Ryan Muller joined Mark Oliva, NSSF’s Director of Public Affairs, to commend the versatility, reliability and durability of the modern sporting rifle (MSR), the most popular-selling centerfire rifle.
Muller described his growing interest in hunting predators, like coyotes, and shooting prairie dogs as the main reason why he purchased his first MSR. For him, it’s a perfect answer to introducing others to recreational shooting for ease of use, limited recoil and accuracy.
Oliva described his experiences with new users, and taking the mystery out of “the scary-looking rifle,” stating, “there may be some of that anxiety there for new users at first, but you just can’t wipe that smile off their face once they shoot.”
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Muller added that increased popularity of the modern sporting rifle (currently nearly 18 million MSRs in circulation) has driven even more consumer demand and supplier innovation to yield even safer and easier-to-use models.
Both spoke of how the MSR is the preferred tool when growing a new generation of hunters and recreational shooters. Muller summed up his mentorship of younger shooters, saying “To me, it means more about passing along a heritage – taking the time, building confidence, learning the consequences of actions – all these things adults need to be teaching our younger generations.”
Those are all aspects of NSSF’s recruitment program, +ONESM to help grow participation in the hunting and shooting sports.
I’m all for using the MSR for hunting. I have one in the obscure 30RemAR that’s good medicine for whitetails and wild hogs.
I disagree: Lately I have been seeing guys in full camo, including face paint, (not a sqare inch of blaze orange)sneaking through the woods on public land during deer season carrying military look-a-like weapons in military or swat team fashion. I think they are playing GI Joe….I don”t want them hunting around me. I’m 76 years old and have four grandsons who hunt with me….each carries a traditional American firearm into the woods with them. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I respectfully disagree. I think the GI Joes in your experience are a minority, at best, and I would argue that AR15s could now also be considered “traditional American firearms.”
I also think AR15s make great youth firearms. Pull the silly flash hiders for noise reduction, and you have a fairly small, light recoiling, capable firearm that usually has an adjustable length of pull that can be tailored down to a 5 year old if warranted. Limit the range where shots are taken on game and off they go.