[LyndsySimon]

> You can get guns for that purpose for 80% less money.

AR-15s are by far the least expensive they've ever been right now, and are substantially less expensive than any reasonable alternative.

You can get a complete AR-15 for <$500, easily. If you're willing to put the parts together yourself, you can do it for ~$350.

You're certainly not going to get a new hunting rifle of similar quality for $70-$100.

> AR-15s are like toy light sabers for adults.

Sure, they can be. It's a fairly common cliche that they're "Barbie dolls for grown men" - but I fail to see how that's relevant. The article was about preppers, not firearms enthusiasts.

[Spooky23]

That’s crazy — I’ve been out of this world for a log time, basically since graduating college. Back in the 90s, I had friends who spent multiples of that on AR-15 type rifles!

Personally, I’m not someone who will survive long in a combat situation, so I don’t spend much time thinking about guns.

[LyndsySimon]

Yeah, a lot has changed since the 90s. The '94 "Assault Weapons Ban" made them popular; when it expired in '04, production shot through the roof. Various panics have happened since then that kept them relatively expensive, but since Trump's election prices have fallen through the floor.

These days you can easily get a lower receiver (the part that's considered a firearm by the ATF) for <$100.