I was jumped by family (Hunting is religous in my family BTW)for AR intrest and ownership. They asked why I wanted a sniper rifle. So I went and got out my 6 700 BDL Remingtons and the 700 Sendero (a SS first cousin to a police sniper rifle) and laid them out on the bed next to the 2 AR's. I asked the ignorant mob of people to point at the sniper rifle. Of course the AR was obvious choice (they picked the carbine BTW). They I took them to the PC and brought up the 10 or so pics of the Remington M-40 tactical rifle the military uses and the Rem PSS. They were stunned to the fact that their dearly loved "hunting" rifles were nothing more than slightly different versions. I also reminded them that I got the Sendero from my family for my birthday and that I would stop buying evil rifles when they did.

They dropped the argument. [wave]

Jason  

I'm lucky because, my family has owned "evil" rifles since before I was born. I have a picture of my Grandpa shooting his AK-47. My family is into all types of firearms. From "assault" rifles, to shotguns, to pistols, to competitive bolt actions.

In my family, it has been a tradition to keep and bear all types of arms. And guess what...I'm only a second generation American.

People fear what they don't understand.

Andy

Funny story:

I go visit my uncle and take my rifle.  My uncle is a country boy in rural KY bib overalls and the whole nine yards.  Let's see what she will do he says so I open her up emptying an entire clip.  Tree limbs start falling as I pepper the hillside.  He looks at me and says, now why on Earth would someone need or want something like that.  

I think here it comes, Deerslayer persecution.  Without saying a word he goes in the house and comes out with a BAR. He mows a tree down with about three shots and says "NOW THIS IS A RIFLE SON."

You see my uncle is a Korean War vet.

Needless to say, I love my uncle.

Actually, I did try to educate them - I'm just surprised at the number of supposed "pro-gun" people that need an education on this.
CR

It's about perception and as someone once said, "Perception is reality".  

Look at shooters on TV and what do you see?  The shotgunning crowd is usually dressed in khakis with nice vests, they speak proper English and they shoot at nice well defined targets.  Now we switch to the range where the black rifles are used and what do we see?  We see fat guys in skin tight t-shirts and BDU pants that are two sizes too small who are blasting large amounts of ammo at what seems to be nothing in general.

Go to gun shows and what do you see?  Doctors and lawyers and Indian Chiefs BUT do they look like it?  Nope, they are all dressed in t-shirts that say things like "Kill 'em all . . ."

There was a fellow who used to belong to my shooting club and would always show up decked out in BDUs and web gear with a holster strapped to his thigh and this was for a BOWLING PIN match.  Why'd he dress like this?  He'd been in the Air Force and, according to him, this was proper range gear.  Well, a TV crew came to one of our matches and who'd they focus on?  Yep, the camo clad nut who rambled on about how bowling pin matches were good training for engaging multiple targets.  Did we come across on TV as a group of college educated professionals who enjoy shooting?  No, we were nuts who shoot bowling pins because we can't find live targets.

It's all about perceptions and it is no wonder that the well togged shotgunners and upland hunters don't want anything to do with the AR crowd.

I'd say the majority of the people you'd expect to be "pro-gun" are merely "not-anti-gun".  

It seems that the majority of Americans have forgotten (or never been taught) why the 2nd Amendment exists, and exactly what it's there to protect.  It's there to make sure that ordinary citizens are allowed to keep weapons so that they can overthrow the government.  In those days it was a given that the people would use those guns on a daily basis as a tool, and thus be in practice with them.  It's only been in the last half-centry or so that "military" arms and "hunting" arms have become significantly different.

The Antis recognize gun ownership as the threat to their goals that it's intended to be--that's why they're so eager to grab them all up.  Especially the ones that make effective combat arms.  The Media does a very good job of helping them by spreading the notion that "military" arms are only good for killing people.  Ironically that's [i]exactly[/i] why they're protected by the 2nd Amendment.

Doh[frag]

All the incidents I have had with people seeing my rifle has been positive.  The best was when I was at the range to sight in a scope I just put on it.  There was a group of people hanging out watching other guys hold an informal shooting contest.  Everyone there just stared at me when I pulled my AR out of the case.  Then when I was asked by the range director what distance I wanted, I responed with that I would start out at 200 yds until I got the scope set then may go farther out.  The guys that were already shooting told me I would never be able to sight it in good enough at that far of a distance.  They told me that my ammo was too small a caliber to hold a good pattern that far out.  Well I felt that I could do it so I asked one of them if they would be my spotter.  One volunteered, and i was ready to roll.  I told him that since the scope had jsut been mounted it might take a small bit of time to get it in.  he jsut laughed and said it would take me rest of the day atleast. Got it dialed in in less than 30 min.  Everyone there all of a sudden loved the gun and I let each of them shoot it ( they tried to say it was because I was a great marksman, which I aint). I think I made lots of people love the gun since i didtn get to shoot it for about an hour (many wanted more turns at shooting it).  I spent that time answering questions about AR's in general (mostly refering them to here to find out more since I am fairly new to the gun myself).

I let the range officer (sheriff's range, he was  a reserve officer) shoot my AR.  He liked it so much, he bought later one that week.  Next time I went to the range, he came over and thanked me for letting him shoot AR15.

Oh, I have noticed, anyone who would ask why anyone would need such a rifle would seldom turn down an offer to shoot it.