Why You Should Buy an AR-15 Today
There is very good reason for buying an AR-15, the “Armalite Rifle,” today . . . for the legal defense of self and others. David Kopel correctly notes the following.
“Gun-control advocates have been calling for a ban on “assault weapons” for more than 25 years, especially in the aftermath of a notorious crime, regardless of the facts. For example, the Charleston criminal used an ordinary handgun. Yet South Carolina state senator Marlon Kimpson immediately proposed a statewide ban on assault weapons. Democratic presidential hopeful Martin O’Malley told his supporters that the Charleston crime was proof of a “national crisis” and that tougher gun laws were needed at the federal level, including a new ban on assault weapons.
Before examining the details of a ban, it should be noted at the outset that the term “assault weapons” is a political gimmick designed to foster confusion. The so-called “assault weapons” are not machine guns. They do not fire automatically. They fire only one bullet each time the trigger is pressed, just like every other ordinary firearm. They are not more powerful than other firearms. To the contrary, their ammunition is typically intermediate in power, less powerful than ammunition that is made for big-game hunting.”
It is not just less powerful than big game hunting rifles, it is ridiculously low-level compared to anything I've ever hunted big game with. On its best day, it is a varmint cartridge, and only a mild varmint cartridge at that. With the common short barrels, it is lower velocity yet. Years ago, a battle rifle arrived on my doorstep by Airborne Express, sent to me by the Federal Government of the United States: a .30-06 M1 Garand, made by International Harvester. I didn't even sign for it, it was just dropped off.
Dave Kopel continues. “For the firearms that are most often chosen for self-defense, the claim that any magazine holding more than 10 (or 7) rounds is “high capacity” or “large” is incorrect. The term “high-capacity magazine” might have a legitimate meaning when it refers to a magazine that extends far beyond that intended for the gun’s optimal operation. For example, although a semiautomatic handgun can accept a 40-round magazine, such a magazine typically extends far beneath the gun grip, and it is therefore impractical to use with a concealed-carry permit. For most handguns, a 40-round magazine could be called “high-capacity.”
The persons who have the most need for actual high-capacity magazines are those who would have great difficulty changing a magazine — such as elderly persons or persons with disabilities.
Although one can quickly change magazines, persons being attacked by criminals will typically prefer not to spend even a few seconds for a magazine change. The stress of being attacked usually impedes fine motor skills, making it much more difficult to insert the magazine. That is why many semiautomatic handguns come factory-standard with a magazine of 11 to 20 rounds. Thus, a ban on magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds means a ban on some of the most common and most useful magazines purchased for purposes of recreational target practice and self-defense.
Why might someone need a factory-standard 17-round magazine for a common 9mm handgun? As noted, standard-capacity magazines can be very useful for self-defense. This is especially true if a defender faces multiple attackers, an attacker is wearing heavy clothing or body armor, an attacker who is turbo-charged by methamphetamine or cocaine, or an attacker who poses an active threat from behind cover. In stressful circumstances, police as well as civilians often miss when firing a handgun even at close range, so having the extra rounds can be crucial.
It is important to consider the advantages a criminal has over his intended victims. The criminal has the element of surprise, whereas the victim is the one surprised. The criminal can decide at leisure what weaponry he will bring; whereas the victim must respond with what’s at hand at the moment of attack. A criminal can bring several guns, or lots of magazines; whereas the victim will usually have on hand, at most, a single defensive gun with only as much ammunition as is in that gun. Thus, legislation confining law-abiding victims to magazines of 10 or fewer magnifies the criminal’s advantage over his intended victim.
One fact that proves the usefulness of standard-capacity magazines is that most police officers use them. An officer typically carries a semiautomatic handgun on a belt holster as his primary sidearm. The magazine capacity is usually in the 11 to 20 range. Likewise, the long gun carried in police patrol cars is quite often an AR-15 rifle with a 30-round magazine.”
Civilian police officers are not deranged terrorists. The firearms they use have the identical purpose as civilians do: legal defense of themselves and others. Civilians, to no surprise, stop more far more crime than police officers do or possibly can. They are responders, only called after the problem has commenced.
The Supreme Court of the United States, in Heller, protects civilian firearms in common use. The AR-15 rifle with a factory-standard 30 round magazine is the most popular rifle platform in the United States, by far, and has been for many years. It couldn't be more common.
I've reviewed many so-called “assault rifles” in the past. To me, they are anything but new or interesting. The “AR” design was filed for patent by Eugene Stoner back on Aug 14, 1956. In September, 1960, US Patent #2951424 was granted. In the last fifty years, the M16 has seen its ups and downs, with more downs than ups. While Fairchild Armalite sold its rights to the AR-10 and AR-15 back in 1959, the AR15 went from a light, sub- 6 pound rifle to a bloated 9 pounds or more with all the goodies hanging off of it. The original AR-15 had a 1:14 rate of twist barrel, changed to 1:12, and changed again to 1:7 in the M16A2 (Colt Model 645).
Nevertheless, good quality AR-15 rifles are now available and affordable, and you'll be seeing a review of the Ruger AR-556 in the near future with its standard-capacity 30 round magazine. It weighs 6.5 lbs., has a 16.1 inch 1:8 rate of twist barrel, and is the ideal home defense arm, easy to use for women, senior citizens, and most everyone: with moderate recoil, and far greater accuracy than possible from a handgun. It is a far better threat deterrent than any handgun or shotgun, and is simply a better tool for the legal defense of self and others than most platforms. By no means is it the only choice, for I've tested longer barreled AR-15 Bushmasters, AR-15 Colts, the FN SCAR, the Benelli MR-1, and my general all-purpose favorite, the recently retooled Ruger Mini-14 the “mini-Garand action” that I have a personal preference for.
We have a president that is delusional. On the recent CNN town hall, President Obama said, “And we're also trying to close a loophole that has been developing over the last decade, where now, people are using cut-out trusts and shell corporations to purchase the most dangerous weapons -- sawed-off shotguns, automatic weapons, silencers -- and don't have to go through background checks at all.”
Just by what theory are sawed-off shotguns one of “the most dangerous weapons?” By what misinformed delusion is a silencer a weapon at all, much less a most dangerous one?” This is insanity. If you'll pardon the expression, no one has heard of a silencer being used to commit a crime. By the way, silencers are not at all silent. The President is apparently clueless on the subject matter he seeks to make rules about. No one wants to be forced to use a firearm for the legal defense of self and others. I don't, although I have been forced to once in my life. The best way to keep your rights is to exercise them. The AR-15 platform is a practical, effective way to do just that.
Copyright 2016 by Randy Wakeman. All Rights Reserved.
