Seven Myths About “Assault Rifles”

One of the most common proposals for additional gun control is a ban on so called “Assault Rifles”, such as the AR15 and AK47.  In order to increase the chances of this passing, gun control advocates and their friends in the media have promoted a number of myths concerning them.  Please note that the following does not address the issue of magazine capacity limits or so called “Assault Pistols”, as these are separate issues.


Myth One: Assault Rifles fire very powerful ammunition that has no use outside the battlefield.

Fact: By definition, Assault Rifles (and their civilian semi-automatic cousins) fire ammunition much less powerful than full sized “battle rifles” or many popular hunting cartridges such as the 30-06 or the .270.


Myth Two: Assault Rifles are a common murder weapon.

Fact: This is completely false.  FBI statistics do not distinguish between types of rifles used in murders.  Everything from single shot .22s to semi-auto high-powered rifles are put into one category.  Even counting every time any kind of rifle was used in a homicide, rifles are used less often than handguns, shotguns, knives, blunt objects and even bare hands.  For instance, in 2011 rifles were used in 356 of 12,644 murders or less than 3% of murders (logically, the number for Assault Rifles would be even lower).  Of course, many of these murderers would simply use another weapon if a rifle were not available.


Myth Three: Assault Rifles are machine guns

Fact: Assault Rifles are not machine guns (which are extremely regulated and cost tens of thousands of dollars).  They do not spray bullets.  They only fire one bullet with each trigger pull.


Myth Four: Assault Rifles can fire much faster than other civilian firearms

Fact: Assault Rifles can fire no faster than other semi-automatic firearms.  Furthermore, many manually operated firearms can be fired just as quickly.  Banning modern guns like the ar15 won't work because many other guns are just as effective at quickly killing a bunch of unarmed people - including some very old models.  How effective?  How fast can they fire?  Watch this video.

This competitor is using two 1873 Colt pistols, loaded with 5 rounds each, a 1873 Winchester lever action, and a 1897 Pump Shotgun (which started with only two rounds loaded).  Using these old model guns, he fires 24 rounds in 17 seconds with zero misses.  Even a less accomplished shooter could kill many people very quickly with them. Will these be the next guns banned when they are used in a mass shooting?  Why not?


Myth Five: If Assault Rifles were eliminated, mass shootings would stop, or at least there would be fewer deaths

Fact: The effect of such a ban would be non-existent.  The most commonly used weapon in mass shootings is a handgun – which the Supreme Court has said cannot be banned.  Furthermore, a rifle is a long-range weapon – while pistols are short-range weapons.  Nearly all mass shootings take place at very close range, where a rifle has little to no advantage.  In addition, handguns are more easily concealed and can be reloaded a bit faster.  Finally, the 1994-2004 ban had absolutely no measurable effect on mass shootings.  Neither has the California ban, which is still in effect and much tighter - and which the new proposed federal ban is based upon.


Myth Six: Assault Rifles are not used for target shooting.

Fact: The AR15 rifle – which is one of the quintessential “Assault Rifles” – is not only the most popular rifle in the United States, it is also the most used rifle in target shooting competitions.  In addition to the National Matches held at Camp Perry Ohio, the AR15 and other so called Assault Rifles are used in many other competitions, such as “Three Gun” matches.  Of course, tens of millions of Americans use these rifles for informal target shooting.


Myth Seven: Assault Rifles are not suitable for, or used for, hunting. 

Fact: Both the AR15 and it’s larger brother the AR10 are widely used in hunting, especially by younger hunters who have served in the military.  The AK47 and SKS are also used for hunting.  The ammunition fired by these rifles is nearly identical in power to the 30-30, the most popular deer hunting cartridge in history.  The SKS, which is relatively inexpensive, has become very popular with low income hunters in many states and on Indian Reservations.

Thanks to YouTube, we have lot’s of proof of the above.  Please note that these are graphic videos of hunting.

AR-15 .223 takes down 300 pound wild boar

Fatal Impact Films #6 "Hunter's AR-15 Buck"

Whitetail deer hunting with an SKS - 7.62x39

Now you know the facts.  The weapons that the gun control movement wants to ban more than anything else are not what they say they are.  The fact that the are being attacked with a number of lies causes many gun owners, who may not even own such guns, to question the motives of anti-gun rights activists.  It causes gun owners (about half of all households) to ask this question: If the most popular rifle in America can be demonized and banned, are any of our guns safe?