The purpose of assault weapons
Some may know the abbreviation AR as assault rifle, but what they don’t really understand is that AR stands for Armalite rifle. Not assault rifle.
Top Shot Firearms LLC Manager, Joe Recek says, “the terminology of assault rifle or assault weapon is a made up term that the mass media has produced.”
Speaking of the media, much has happened in the recent years surrounding mass shootings which has sparked much gun control debate.
A report from ProCon.org says, “the United States has 120.5 guns per 100 people, or about 393 million guns, which is the highest total and per capita number in the world.”
The original version of the Armalite rifle was called M-16 which was designed for Vietnam, but Armalite wasn’t designed for Vietnam.
An NPR report says Colt built “a semiautomatic version of the M-16 that was then sold to law enforcement and the public” which is now marketed as the AR-15.
This weapons original use is for hunting, but many still use it for sometimes illegal acts.
That’s why a system is set into place before anyone is able to purchase a gun which depends on your age and a thorough background check.
“What we’d do then is run that form through what is called a niche check and that goes through the FBI. FBI then makes that decision that yes we can proceed or deny or delay” says Recek.
Many believe the reasons for these incidents are caused simply by guns, and some believe otherwise.
Top Shot Firearms LLC Customer, Chris Fidler says, “the guns not the issue, the person’s the issue. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”
Recek says that Armalite rifles are no different than a handgun, also stating that the rifle is just a look and can do as much damage as any other firearm on the market.
The difference is the amount of ammunition the handgun takes versus the Armalite rifle.
“Depending on state, there are capacity, magazine capacity limits. Some states have it five round capacity” says Recek.
In Ohio, an Armalite rifle can take a hundred round magazine which Recek explains that the magazine is nothing more then what holds the bullet for the firearm.
He also mentions that the misconception is that Armalite rifles are what’s causing this mass violence, but that people understanding it’s use will show the similarities it actually has with a regular handgun.
But, it is common for people to have their own views on assault weapons and whether or not they see a similarity with handguns.
