Why are ar15 legal

Even so, ARs and similar guns are still used in mass shootings, drawing new rounds of condemnation — and calls for new bans — with each attack. Some states have enacted their own bans, a list that grew after the Newtown shooting.

None of these states have outlawed the AR altogether, however. Gun industry surveys assert that the typical AR owner is a married man over 35 , with a large proportion having served in the military or law enforcement. But this appears to be changing. New buyers tend to be younger and more diverse than the general gun-buying public, according to a report published by Southwick Associates, a market research firm, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

That also includes women. She and her husband researched which gun would meet their needs: something safe, reliable and versatile. This year, after the birth of her second child, Hill decided to start working on becoming a competitive shooter, documenting her journey on Instagram.

For Hill, life with an AR can best be described in one word: freedom. The gun industry has another more marketable name for the AR the modern sporting rifle. The label signifies its crossover appeal. The gun is now a key component in shooting sport events and has replaced the bolt-action rifle as the gun of choice for many hunters. One has a long barrel for use on varmints: coyotes, bobcats and foxes. The other has a shorter barrel that he takes out on long excursions into the brush, where he hunts for wild pigs.

He hosts Facebook and Instagram pages dedicated to hunting in a state with tight firearm regulations. Rod Pinkston, on the other hand, uses the AR because it can fire follow-up shots quickly. A retired soldier, he runs a Georgia company that develops methods to control the invasive feral pig population in the South.

He and his staff, including former Army sharpshooters, depend on their ARs to take out several pigs in a single encounter. Pinkston sometimes brings paying guests on night expeditions, outfitting them with ARs accessorized with top-of-the-line gear, not too different from what he used in the service. IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Politics Covid U. News World Opinion Business. Share this —. Follow NBC News.

By Jon Schuppe. Once banned, these assault rifles are hugely popular in the U. June 14, In a nation already saturated with guns, do we need to keep adding to this civilian armory weapons efficiently designed to maim and tear apart human flesh? Is that really what our Founders envisioned? To read more editorials, go to the Opinion front page or sign up for the daily Opinion email newsletter.

To respond to this editorial, submit a comment to letters usatoday. Facebook Twitter Email. The AR rifle butchers the human body; so why is it legal, exactly? It's time to renew it. Show Caption. Hide Caption. Why ARstyle rifles are so common in mass shootings. Thus, the Gun Control Act of is still a major pillar in our current federal firearms laws, especially when it comes to age restrictions.

Even though AR—style rifles are becoming more and more sought-after — the NRA claimed in that "Americans own about five million ARs" — we've in many ways reverted back to laws that were crafted when these weapons were barely available. As Gardiner said, "It's shocking that a year-old can't buy a beer, and can't buy a handgun, but can buy an AR under federal law. For you. World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options. Get the Insider App.

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