With the recent spate of tragic mass shootings making headlines, Americans are demanding real change from lawmakers at the state and federal level. One proposal that would save lives is to reinstate the ban on weapons of war—assault weapons—particularly the AR-15.
Assault weapons have become the go-to weapon for mass shooters. They are designed to kill as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time. Lawmakers in Washington have discussed banning these deadly weapons since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012. Unfortunately, Congress has failed to act to remove these weapons of war and protect innocent lives.
Assault weapons are firearms that are designed to make them more deadly. They have features like pistol grips, second hand grips, or barrel shrouds—all of which make the gun easier to hold. This allows the shooter to control the gun for long periods of sustained fire without getting burned as the barrel heats up. When combined with high-capacity magazines, these weapons can fire as many as 100 rounds in a matter of seconds without having to be reloaded. These features were explicitly designed for military weapons, not for normal civilian use like hunting or target shooting.