“Lots of kids around here buy .22s and pimp ‘em up. They seem to have bought all the LRs.”
Granted, it’s not actually an “AR”, but the S&W M&P-15/22 is a great-looking and performing 22L with the “look and feel” of its big brother...
Yes, that 15-22 is a fun, accurate rifle, and the ammo is cheap, too (tho not so cheap, at the moment).
Shot one of those a few weeks ago. Very fun.