Colt AR15 “Sporter” carbine (Image Credit: Wikipedia)
The AR-15, M4A1 and M16 are essentially the same with respect to lethality.
This post will be re-posted every time I hear about a mass shooting using an AR-15.
Re-posted on April 8, 2019, after the Congregation Chabad synagogue in Poway, CA was attacked by an anti-Semite weilding an AR-15 style rifle.
Re-posted on October 27, 2018, after the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA was attacked by an anti-Semitic white supremacists wielding an AR-15.
Originally posted March 25, 2018
With the March for our Lives yesterday, I’ve been thinking a lot about guns. So I did a bit of research on the M4 carbine vs. the M16 rifle vs. AR15-style rifles. Here’s what I found:
M4A1 carbine: 5.56x45mm NATO calibre, ~550 yd effective range, ~3000 ft/sec muzzle velocity, semi-auto/burst/full-auto. From what I’ve heard from vets, soldiers are trained not to fire in burst or full-auto except as suppression fire because it’s too inaccurate.
M16 rifle: 5.56x45mm NATO calibre, ~550 yd effective range, ~3000 ft/sec muzzle velocity, semi-auto/burst/full-auto. From what I’ve heard from vets, soldiers are trained not to fire in burst or full-auto except as suppression fire because it’s too inaccurate.
AR15-style rifles: 5.56x45mm NATO calibre, ~550 yd effective range, ~3000 ft/sec muzzle velocity, semi-auto only.
The M4A1 (and variants), the M16 (and variants) are military only. The AR15 may be owned by civilians.
From what I can tell, the three weapons are essentially the same with respect to lethality. The semi-auto only for the AR15-style rifle is a distinction without a difference given the military trains soldiers/airmen/seamen/marines to fire semi-auto anyway.
We regulate military weapons in the US, legally, under the Second Amendment (which does have the words “well-regulated militia” right there in it). The AR-15 is, for all intents and purposes, a military weapon, even according to veterans.
So why do we allow civilians to own a military weapon again?
Categories: American Culture, Politics/Law/Government
Progressive Culture | Scholars & Rogues 
I’m from the UK so I’m not sure what is the norm but these guns seem like they should only be used by those in the military.
Civilians in the US can full-auto military weapons; I believe they’re classified as Class III. It’s been that way since ’30s. Why? Collectors I guess. No idea. You don’t hear about too many mass shooting with full-auto military weapons though that were bought legally. I’d imagine it’s because of the process you have to go through to purchase them.