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Logan Ulrich

Professor Stalbird

English 1201 Online

18 March 2019

AR-15: The Scapegoat of the Gun World

Most people think that the ‘AR’ in AR-15 stands for ‘assault rifle’. It actually stands for

ArmaLite Rifle the company that invented the gun. The word ‘assault rifle’ isn’t even a word

coined by the US military or government but a politician. It was first used in the Second World

War by infamous Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. Sturmgewehr, which means ‘storm or assault gun’

in German, is the exact term he used for his new firearm that was as powerful as a heavy

machine gun but light enough to be operated by a single man.

Fig. 1. This picture shows the Sturmgewehr 43. 43 stands for 1943, or the year it was produced.

It is also called the StG 43 or MP 43. (Dokumentu)

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There are many reasons that I have chosen to do my research on firearms. First, I strongly

believe in the second amendment. I feel that you have the right to protect yourself against threats

including criminals, terrorist, or even the government. I would rather trust me to protect myself

than the police. Second, I like to hunt. Hunting has been a big passion of my family for many

generations. Almost every summer and winter we do a hunting a trip. Family and close friends

are the only people that come with us. Finally, I believe that people have a misconception about

firearms and which ones cause the most damage. The AR-15 is not as dangerous as people seem

and should not be banned because it fires a small round, is not used by many criminals, and

would not affect gun related deaths if this type of firearm was illegal.

First, the AR-15 does not fire a big bullet. Most are chambered for a bullet that is .223

inches or 5.56 mm in diameter. The round is typically called .223 Remington or 5.56 NATO.

They both are the exact same round just with different names. .223 Remington is typically used

by most U.S. retail stores, while the 5.56 NATO is used by countries that are part of NATO. The

Berger Bullets Reloading Manual is a manual that has graphs and charts that breaks down

hundreds of different calibers of bullets. It breaks down all the specifics of different bullets

including velocity, energy (measured in foot-pounds), aerodynamics, bullet weight, bullet length,

powder charges, case length, parent cases, and the year that it was invented and/or adopted by

the military. They list the .223 at 2.598 inches long (302). This measurement is the full cartridge.

This number can only deviate by .01. If the case is too long or short, then the gun could jam,

misfire, or even blow up. The .223 is only about the size of a pinky finger. The actual bullet is

only as big as the pinky nail.

The .223 has been used for over 25 years in the military. According to Berger Bullets in

their reloading manual, “The .223 Remington was adopted by the U.S. military in 1964 for their
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new M-16 rifle.” (301). The M-16 is the fully automatic version of the AR-15. M-16s are highly

regulated and most are illegal to own. The fully automatic function makes them illegal. They

also cost a fortune to be legal. There is multiple background checks and fees before someone can

own a fully automatic weapon. These fees can be $10,000+ alone. Actual M-16s cost about the

price of a new sports car. Automatic rifles of any caliber can cause severe damage. Armed forces

use the .223 for its low recoil and high velocities. They are also cheap to produce. A single fire

.223 is not very deadly. Armed forces have never used .223s in their sniper rifles. They usually

use bullets that are .308 inches or 7.62mm in diameter. These calibers of bullets can cause

massive damage even if they are fired one-by-one. Most big game guides require bullets .308

inches or higher on their hunts because of their damage potential. The .308 caliber is used for

deer, elk, bear, and could be used for African or dangerous game.

The .308 is usually not used in AR-15s. Most AR-15s that are not chambered in .223 are

usually $1000’s of dollars. They are also harder to find. There are many statistical differences

between the .223 and the .308. The .308 is .3 inches longer and .1 inch wider than the .223. This

creates room for a bigger projectile and more powder. Increases in propellant and mass creates a

bullet that is way deadlier. Standard .223s fire 55-grain bullets at 3,300 feet per second (Berger

Bullets 302). This bullet has 1,400-foot pounds of energy. The .308 on the other hand usually

fires a 168-grain bullet at 2,800 feet per second (Berger Bullets 676). The energy of the .308 is

more than twice that of the .223 at 2,900-foot pounds of energy. AR-15s cannot compete in

damage compared to many .308 bolt action deer rifles.

Sometimes the “assault rifles” fire even smaller bullets. “‘Common Sense’ Gun Control

Debunked!” is a video uploaded by StevenCrowder on YouTube on the 17th of August in 2016.

In the video, Crowder lays out a table of weapons and acts like an anti-gun supporter. He tries to
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get people to sign a fake petition for “common sense” gun control. He asks them questions about

which guns would be legal and illegal to own. He also shows them different bullets and asks

them which bullets are necessary to hunt and which are not. Everyone chose the black, “tactical”

looking guns to be illegal. When he showed them the bullets, everyone thought that the biggest

bullets should be banned even though none of the “black” rifles fired these types of rounds. The

“assault rifle” aesthetic of the AR-15 and many other weapons on the table made people

gravitate towards them even though most of the tactical looking rifles he laid on the table fired

the weak .223 round or the even weaker .22 LR (Long Rifle) round. Some of the wooden rifles

fired bullets very similar to a .308 and they thought that they were perfectly legal to own.

The .22 LR is a cartridge that is used mainly for training or very small varmints like

squirrels. All .22 LR rounds have almost no recoil. The rifle shoots very small bullets and can

only hold a little powder. A lot of gun clubs use this caliber to train inexperienced shooters

because it has low recoil and cost. Cabela’s has .22 LR bullets priced at around 25 cents per

bullet. This means that gun clubs can use many rounds for little cost. Almost any age shooter can

comfortably shoot this bullet. GunData.org says that the .22 LR shoots a 40-grain bullet at 1060

feet per second. The energy of the bullet is 99-foot pounds of energy. That is 14 times less than

the .223 and 28 times less than the heavy .308. The people in StevenCrowder’s video wanted

these guns illegal. Data shows that these rounds are quite weak.

Second, rifles in general are rarely used in homicides. “Guns used in Crime” is an article

written by Bureau of Justice Statistician Marianne Zawitz in July 1995. This is a report by the

government that documents gun crime in the U.S. They looked at many things dealing with guns

including guns available, manufactured, stolen, used in gun crimes, etc. They also have the legal

definitions of different types of firearms, ammunition, and firing actions (like fully automatic,
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semi-automatic, etc.). They use many charts and tables to display a lot of the data they collected.

They found that, “Of all firearm-related crime reported to the survey, 86% involved handguns.”

(2). The U.S. Department of Justice also looked at police and FBI reports and found about the

same result. These results do not account for suicides or gun related accidents. This means that

the data is not skewed or tampered with. These numbers show that handguns are used by

murderers disproportionately more than rifles or shotguns combined.

Handguns have many components that make them suitable for criminals. According to

Marianne Zawitz, “Research by Wright and Rossi in the 1980's found that most criminals prefer

guns that are easily concealable, large caliber, and well made.” (2). Handguns fit this description

perfectly. Most handguns are very concealable and can fit in a pocket or concealed holster.

Criminals don’t have to hide a large stock and long barrel when they use a handgun. Pistols have

very small barrels and usually no stock, so the firearm will not get caught in their jacket or

pocket. Handguns are also large caliber. Most fire bullets that are .25, .357, .38, .4, or .45 inches

in diameter. Bullets this wide make a big hole in its target. Most handguns are also well made.

They are usually made from a strong polymer or wood. Most of the barrels and inner parts are

usually steel. This trifecta of components makes them beloved by most criminals.

Criminals in general do not buy many rifles. The ATF, or Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,

Firearms, and Explosives, traces back firearms from when and where they were sold. Each

firearm has a unique serial number. The ATF take this number and figures out the year of when

it was manufactured. Then they call the company that made the firearm and try to locate where

the exact firearm was sold. Then they use that information with the unique serial number to

figure out who bought the weapon. They post a list of the ten most traced weapons that were

used in crimes. Of the ten weapons on the list, nine are handguns. 30% of the handguns were
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chambered in .25 caliber, which is cheap ammunition (Zawitz 5). The other weapon on the list

was the Mossberg 500 shotgun (Zawitz 5). These traced weapons can be more deadly than an

AR-15. No rifles should not be banned if pistols and shotguns are used the most by criminals.

Finally, banning all firearms would not reduce gun related crimes or gun deaths. “The

Australian Firearms Buyback and its Effect on Gun Deaths”, which appeared in the academic

journal Contemporary Economic Policy in 2010, is a scholarly article written by Professors

Wang-Sheng Lee and Sandy Saurdi and it shows the effect of the 1996-1997 NFA (National

Firearms Act) on homicides in Australia. Most of the old data about the effects of the NFA was

evaluated with regressions and most of them had “unknown structural breaks” or unexpected

changes or errors in the regressions. They believed that there had to be a reason for these errors.

They started using a combination of natural logarithms and regressions to model the data and

reevaluated it. They wanted to clear any confusion about the effects of the NFA. They found

that, “Although gun buybacks appear to be a logical and sensible policy that helps to placate the

public’s fears, the evidence so far suggests that in the Australian context, the high expenditure

incurred to fund the 1996 gun buyback has not translated into any tangible reductions in terms of

firearm deaths.” (76). This is a great example that shows that nationwide gun control is not

effective.

The same results can be found across the Pacific in the U.S. “The Relationship between

Gun Control Strictness and Mass Murder in the United States: A National Study 2009-2015",

which was written by Professor J. Scott Lewis, is an article written in the academic journal

International Social Science Review in 2018 and talks about how the top ten strictest gun control

states have just as many or more mass murders by a gunman than the top ten least strict. Dr.

Lewis says that researchers need to only look at mass murders because other gun deaths like
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suicides and accidental shootings skews the data. He believes that is why many findings are so

inconsistent. He found that, “the data showed that the ten states that have strictest gun control

had almost twice as many mass murder incidents than did the ten states that have the least strict

gun control.” (19). This shows that reducing firearms and increasing regulation has no effect on

mass murder. Actually, it is detrimental to a population.

Banning guns won’t stop homicides but resistance can. “Fact Check: An AR-15 Wasn’t

Used in Orlando, and it Wouldn’t Have Mattered Anyway.” is an article written in June 2016 by

Bob Owens. In this article, editor Bob Owens speculates that the gun used in the nigh club

shooting in Orlando wasn’t an AR-15. He believes that it doesn’t really matter what guns are

used in these mass shootings. He thinks that the police need to do more to stop these shootings

from getting too fatal. He says that the shooter with the AR-15 in Sandy Hook could have done

the same amount of damage with a Saiga 12 shotgun that he left behind in his car. The Saiga 12

shotgun is a Russian made weapon. They can hold anywhere from 2 to 30 shotgun shells. All

shotguns are extremely effective at close range. They cause way more damage than any rifle can

in short range combat. He writes, “In terms of the horrific Islamic terror attack in Orlando, it

was the lack of effective resistance and incredibly long period that the terrorist was allowed to

operate that resulted in so many deaths, not his choice of guns.” (Owens). The only way to stop

someone with a gun is another person with a gun. If there are more people with guns, then they

can stop more fatal shootings like the one in Orlando.

There are many counter arguments that could be made about AR-15s. One could say that

AR-15s are not hunting rifles. “Gun Control Myth: The AR-15 is Not Actually a Hunting Rifle”

is an article written by author Matt MacBradaigh. In the article, MacBradaigh talks about how

the AR-15 is excellent for hunting. He talks about all the different uses it has and all the game
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that it can and cannot kill. He states, “from prairie dogs and coyotes to water buffalo, and deer

and elk in-between, AR-15's do in fact make excellent hunting rifles.” (MacBradaigh). He talks

about all the different calibers that the AR-15 can be chambered in like .204 Ruger, 5.7x28mm,

6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm, 7.62x39mm, .308, .338 Lapua, .50 BMG. The first two calibers that are

listed are smaller than a .223. They would cause even less damage than a standard AR-15. Many

of larger calibers of AR-15s costs 1,000s of dollars and are harder to find than the more common

.223 AR-15. The larger rounds are also very expensive. .50 BMG is the largest bullet on the list.

It is used by the military in their biggest guns. It has a range of about 1 mile, while the .223 can

only shoot about 400 yards (MacBradaigh). They can cost around $5 to $6 a round, while the

.223 is about 50 cents to buy.

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Fig. 2. This picture shows the size difference between the huge .50 BMG and the .223. BMG

stands for Browning Machine Gun. (Cumia)

Another could say that the high capacity of the AR-15 can be dangerous. It can be but

other types of guns can hold just as much. StevenCrowder shows this in his video. He shows that

an old lever rifle from the 1860s can hold thirteen rounds and fire just as fast as an AR-15. Some

shotguns, like the Saiga 12, can hold up to thirty rounds and fire just as fast as the AR-15. Most

pistols can hold anywhere from 8 or 9 bullets, but there are certain pistols that can hold 100

rounds. Pistols also fire wider bullets so they can cause more damage. Pistol bullets are made for

less penetration in their target but more damage. .223 is made for more penetration but less

damage. Most .223 rounds have very long and pointed bullets. Pistol rounds are very blunt and

heavy. Pistols are also cheaper to buy. This is another reason why criminals gravitate towards

pistols more than rifles.

Fig. 3. This picture shows a Glock 19 pistol with a 100-round drum magazine. (“Glock 19 vs

Springfield XDm”).
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Pistols on average are cheaper than AR-15s. Cabela's has most pistols priced around $500

or $600, while most of their semi-automatic rifles priced at $800-$1200. Bullets also cost less for

pistols. Most of their pistol ammo, mainly 9mm, is around $20 for a box of 100. Most .223 cost

$25 for a box of 50. This is means that .223 ammunition is around 50 cents per round while the

9mm is much cheaper at 20 cents a round. This could be another reason why pistols are most of

the guns that the ATF traces. Pistols cost less because the factories can make more of them. They

also have less materials invested in each handgun, so they are cheaper. Many pistols are made

from polymer or a strong plastic. Factories can produce this polymer fast so the cost can be

reduced. They can also fit more on trucks and in stores so the cost can be even lower.

The U.S. Bureau of Justice Services surveyed many inmates about what types of weapons

they prefer and use. They found that inmates rarely used military-style weapons. They state,

“about 8% of the inmates reported that they had owned a military-type weapon, such as an Uzi,

AK-47, AR-15, or M-16. Less than 1% said that they carried such a weapon when they

committed the incident for which they were incarcerated.” (Zawitz 6). Another Virginia report

found that, “About 10% of the adult inmates reported that they had ever possessed an assault

rifle, but none had carried it at the scene of a crime.” (Zawitz 6). People who commit crimes

rarely own an assault rifle and next to none even used one when they committed their crimes.

Many inmates used pistols. According to Zawitz, “The study found that handguns were used in

72% of the murders” (6). Handguns accounted for almost ¾ of the murders in Virginia.

What was once a word to describe the innovation of the Third Reich, has now turned into

a political mudslinging term. Politicians and journalist everywhere use the word “assault rifle” to

describe military style rifles. The main culprit is the AR-15. Many small varmint hunters would

describe the AR-15 as reliable and customizable. Politicians see it as tactical and dangerous.
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They think that the high capacity magazine and semiautomatic function make it lethal. There are

many other types of firearms that can cause way more damage. The rifle does not fire a big

round, is rarely used in crime, and banning it would not reduce crime, so why do people perceive

AR-15s as super deadly and dangerous? They aren’t as bad as they seem. They aren’t even as

dangerous as people think. All guns are dangerous but there are many more firearms, like

shotguns or pistols, that can be more lethal than the AR-15.

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Works Cited

“.22 LR Ballistics.” GunData.org, gundata.org/cartridge/171/.22-lr/.

Berger Bullets. Reloading Manual. Berger Bullets LLC, 2012.

Cabela's Official Website - Hunting, Fishing, Camping, Shooting & Outdoor Gear: Cabela's,.
www.cabelas.com/home.jsp.
“‘Common Sense’ Gun Control Debunked! (Man-On-Street)” YouTube, uploaded by

StevenCrowder, 17 August 2016. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqJ_4YhYMhE.

Accessed 26 February 2019.

Cumia, Anthony. “The .50 BMG next to the .223 Disturbing.” Mobypicture,
www.mobypicture.com/user/anthonycumia/view/6713507.
Dokumentu, Autor. “MP-43/StG-44.” II WW Zone PL by Von, iiwwzone.prv.pl/stg44.html.
Lee, Wang-Sheng, and Sandy Suardi, “The Australian Firearms Buyback and Its Effect on Gun

Deaths,” Contemporary Economic Policy, Vol. 28, No. 1, 2010, pp. 65–79.

melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/downloads/working_paper_series/wp2008n17.pdf.

Accessed 25 February 2019.

“Glock 19 vs Springfield XDm 9mm.” TexAgs, texags.com/forums/34/topics/2488904.

Lewis, J. Scott. “The Relationship between Gun Control Strictness and Mass Murder in the

United States: A National Study 2009-2015.” International Social Science Review, Vol.

94, no. 2, 2018, pp. p1-23. SocINDEX,

digitalcommons.northgeorgia.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1287&context=issr,.

Accessed 25 February 2019.

MacBradaigh, Matt. “Gun Control Myth: The AR-15 is Not Actually a Hunting Rifle.” Mic

Network Inc, 1 February 2013. mic.com/articles/24640/gun-control-myth-the-ar-15-is-

not-actually-a-hunting-rifle#.54TmVgbu2. Accessed 26 February 2019.

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Owens, Bob. “Fact Check: An AR-15 Wasn’t Used in Orlando, and it Wouldn’t Have Mattered

Anyway.” Bearing Arms, 14 June 2016. bearingarms.com/bob-o/2016/06/14/fact-check-

ar-15-wasnt-used-orlando-wouldnt-mattered-anyway/. Accessed 26 February 2019.

Zawitz, Marianne W. “Guns Used in Crime.” Bureau of Justice Statistics Selected Findings, July

1995, pp. 1-7. rkba.org/research/bjs/guns-used-in-crime.9jul95.pdf. Accessed 26

February 2019.