Assault or “Assault” Rifle?
Why I use the AR Platform as the Poster Child
The poster kids for this article will be mainly the AR15 and M16 pictured in the cover shot. These can be though of and referred to collectively as AR "platform” weapons. The original patent on these guns expired back in 1977, and while Colt held onto the actual designation of "AR15", since then it has become a sort of open-source thing, with various parts and whole guns made by many different people.
Because they are a largely interchangeable systems of parts it is sometimes just better understood as system than as specific weapons - and thus the reason it is called a "platform". This is why the Canadian ban on them includes well over 1000 weapons. Most are just specifically named variations of the AR system rifle.
There are a few reasons why I chose this family - but the overarching reason is there are non-controversial representatives of both assault and “assault” rifles within this platform. It is literally just one functional difference: selective-fire. Moreover:
They are not functionally unique, other than being excellent examples of the assault weapon type.
The platform has many forms, there are clear and well-known versions/models including one that can be called an assault rifle by all definitions: the M16 , which is selective-fire, and civilian versions: the AR-15, which is semi-automatic. That latter is the one that falls into the more argued label of “assault rifles".
ARs are widely known, commonly owned and used, and widely considered to be one of the finest examples in both military and civilian versions of this category of guns. Best estimates indicate there are 5-10 million AR rifles, just in America.
They are one of the most commonly used in war (M16) and mass shootings (AR-15).
They are a pretty cool set of guns. Maybe that’s just me.
The AR platform will be used mainly just to help keep examples consistent, but understand that we are always really talking about an entire class of firearm, and will be focusing on why function is key to understanding them and their place, not which exact specimen we are considering, and definitely not what we call it.
Thoughts about the article? Feel free to drop me a line.