First, let’s clear up one of the most abused terms in the firearms debate.
An AR-15 is not an assault rifle. Calling it one doesn’t make you a firearms expert. It simply tells knowledgeable shooters that you’ve been repeating political talking points instead of learning the difference.
An assault rifle has a long established military definition. It is a select fire rifle that can operate in both semiautomatic and fully automatic modes. A civilian AR-15 is semiautomatic only. One trigger pull fires one round. It is not capable of fully automatic fire without illegal modification.
Unfortunately, far too many politicians, television commentators, and even some law enforcement spokespeople casually toss around the term “assault rifle” as if saying it often enough somehow changes the definition. It doesn’t. Words still matter, even if they occasionally get lost in a press conference.
The term “assault weapon” became a political label decades ago for fear mongering purposes and has been applied to largely because of their appearance rather than how they function. An AR-15 operates no differently than countless other semiautomatic rifles that receive little or no public attention.
One fact that is almost never mentioned is that the civilian AR-15 has never been the standard service rifle of any military and has never been used by any nation’s armed forces as a standard infantry rifle in a military conflict. The rifles carried into combat have been military variants such as the M16 and later the M4. They may resemble the civilian AR-15 on the outside, but they are different firearms because they incorporate select fire capability.
The AR-15 typically fires either .223 Remington or 5.56x45mm ammunition. Contrary to firearms what you often hear on television, this is not some mythical “super powered” cartridge. In fact, it is a relatively small caliber, high velocity round. For decades, militaries around the world relied on significantly larger and heavier cartridges before adopting the 5.56 mm.
The military’s move to the smaller cartridge wasn’t because someone suddenly wanted a more destructive rifle. There were several reasons. Soldiers could carry substantially more ammunition, recoil was reduced, and hit probability improved because the rifle was easier to control.
Military planners also recognized another battlefield reality. A soldier who is killed is one casualty. A soldier who is wounded often requires other soldiers to stop what they are doing to render aid and carry their wounded comrade to safety. In many situations, that means two or more additional troops are diverted from the fight. That practical military consideration was one of several factors discussed during the development and adoption of the 5.56 mm cartridge.
Yet every time a news anchor dramatically proclaims that an AR-15 is a “high powered rifle,” firearms instructors everywhere collectively roll their eyes. Apparently, repeating something often enough is now considered a substitute for learning basic ballistics.
The military version of the rifle began with the M16 and later evolved into the M4 and other variants. Those rifles incorporated select fire capability. The civilian AR-15, despite its similar appearance, does not.
Now let’s talk about something that actually matters.
If you’re lucky enough to own an AR-15, don’t abuse it simply because you’ve watched a thousand YouTube videos featuring someone emptying magazine after magazine as fast as humanly possible. That isn’t impressive it shows ignorance. The rifle was designed to only fire 2 to 3 round bursts at a time increasing the likelihood of hitting the target.
Every shot generates heat. Fire enough rounds rapidly, and the barrel, gas system, bolt, and other components become extremely hot. Keep pushing it, and you dramatically accelerate barrel wear. In extreme cases, sustained rapid fire can damage parts, reduce accuracy, shorten the service life of the firearm, and potentially create dangerous conditions.
The AR-15 was designed to be a reliable, accurate semiautomatic rifle. It was never intended to imitate a belt fed machine gun. The military understood this decades ago. Even with select fire rifles, disciplined, aimed fire has always been far more effective than simply spraying ammunition downrange.
Contrary to what Hollywood would have you believe, blazing away until the handguards are smoking isn’t tactical. It isn’t impressive. It’s a great way to destroy an expensive rifle.
There are probably a million YouTube videos featuring self proclaimed “experts” dumping magazine after magazine as if they are auditioning for the next action movie. They certainly generate plenty of clicks. What they also generate is an enormous amount of unnecessary heat.
Heat is the enemy of your rifle. Excessive rapid fire shortens barrel life, increases wear on internal components, and can eventually damage the firearm. If your goal is to keep your AR-15 reliable and accurate for years to come, practice disciplined, aimed fire instead of trying to set a personal speed record.
Owning an AR-15 is easy. Learning how to use it intelligently is what separates knowledgeable shooters from people who think a smoking barrel is a badge of honor.
The next time someone confidently announces that your AR-15 is a “high powered assault rifle,” don’t argue. Just smile. Sometimes the fastest way to identify the person in the room who knows the least about firearms is to let them keep talking.
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