In early 2012 a friend and I each built AR-15 rifles. For me it was simply because I enjoy guns as a hobby. I owned a couple shotguns and a couple pistols, but hadn't yet purchased a rifle.
The AR-15 rifle platform is one of the most configurable gun systems out there, which made it a great candidate for me to try to build. Other hunting rifles are often brand-specific and not conducive to learning the ins and outs of how a gun comes together to actually function.
The AR-15 is nothing special. All firearm classes originated as military technology, from the hand cannons used by the ancient Chinese, to muskets (ancestor of the shotgun), rifles, revolvers, and our modern day semi-automatic pistol systems. The expansion of the AR-15 platform into the consumer market is simply the latest transition of military tech to consumer.
When I purchased the parts for my AR15, I found that it made the most sense to get the Mil-Spec version, as it could fire both the 5.56mm rounds used by NATO forces, as well as the lighter .223 ammo largely used for varmint shooting and hunting small deer. I liked the flexibility of being able to fire two different calibers (especially with ammunition prices constantly increasing).
I bought a 20-round magazine for my gun, I did so because those were the most common (and often the cheapest) ones sold. I have no objections to 10-round magazines, they just didn't seem to be as readily available.
I attached an adjustable stock so that both my wife and I could comfortably shoot the gun, regardless of our size differences.
I'm buying a bipod for it because it's an improved alternative to resting the gun on a block of wood or other available support. It's just more convenient and lets me customize the gun to my shooting position, rather than the other way around.
I also have a scope attached to my rifle. This is very common for hunters and long range target shooters, regardless of which firearm platform you own. Nothing uncommon or especially dangerous there.
All combined, my rifle violates the ill-conceived assault weapons ban in numerous ways, yet there's nothing insidious about my purposes or customization. The concept of banning guns on whether they look scary, or based on whether they are customized for the comfort of the hunter or sport shooter is short-sighted and ignorant. Instead of trying to ban my hobby, we should focus our gun policy on positive, efficient reforms, rather than outright bans.
I personally would like to see a minimum baseline for concealed carry permits nationwide. The standard I would propose would include background check, safety and law course, and basic marksmanship exam.
I also believe that we could avoid a lot of tragedies by establishing a gun safe certification policy, where all gun owners must either purchase a gun safe when they get their gun or show a serial number for the safe they already own that can be checked on an instantly accessible federal database.
While I strongly disagree with President Obama on almost everything, I believe that he made two valid points in his statements this week regarding gun control: the importance of involving the department of education, and that responsible gun ownership starts in the home.
In some red states, marksmanship, hunter's education, and gun safety are taught in high schools (and sometimes even junior high). It's an excellent concept that ensures that students are aware of and accept the ramifications of taking on the responsibility to own or use a firearm. If taught by a law enforcement official, it will have the double-benefit of unobtrusively increasing the police and security presence in all of our schools, allowing for improved response times and a line of defense for all the students present.
Banning "scary-looking", customized guns like mine and considering it a job well done is foolhardy and counterproductive, at best. There are, however, many things we can do to keep ourselves safer without infringing on the rights of those who do nothing wrong.
The AR-15 rifle platform is one of the most configurable gun systems out there, which made it a great candidate for me to try to build. Other hunting rifles are often brand-specific and not conducive to learning the ins and outs of how a gun comes together to actually function.
The AR-15 is nothing special. All firearm classes originated as military technology, from the hand cannons used by the ancient Chinese, to muskets (ancestor of the shotgun), rifles, revolvers, and our modern day semi-automatic pistol systems. The expansion of the AR-15 platform into the consumer market is simply the latest transition of military tech to consumer.
When I purchased the parts for my AR15, I found that it made the most sense to get the Mil-Spec version, as it could fire both the 5.56mm rounds used by NATO forces, as well as the lighter .223 ammo largely used for varmint shooting and hunting small deer. I liked the flexibility of being able to fire two different calibers (especially with ammunition prices constantly increasing).
I bought a 20-round magazine for my gun, I did so because those were the most common (and often the cheapest) ones sold. I have no objections to 10-round magazines, they just didn't seem to be as readily available.
I attached an adjustable stock so that both my wife and I could comfortably shoot the gun, regardless of our size differences.
I'm buying a bipod for it because it's an improved alternative to resting the gun on a block of wood or other available support. It's just more convenient and lets me customize the gun to my shooting position, rather than the other way around.
I also have a scope attached to my rifle. This is very common for hunters and long range target shooters, regardless of which firearm platform you own. Nothing uncommon or especially dangerous there.
All combined, my rifle violates the ill-conceived assault weapons ban in numerous ways, yet there's nothing insidious about my purposes or customization. The concept of banning guns on whether they look scary, or based on whether they are customized for the comfort of the hunter or sport shooter is short-sighted and ignorant. Instead of trying to ban my hobby, we should focus our gun policy on positive, efficient reforms, rather than outright bans.
I personally would like to see a minimum baseline for concealed carry permits nationwide. The standard I would propose would include background check, safety and law course, and basic marksmanship exam.
I also believe that we could avoid a lot of tragedies by establishing a gun safe certification policy, where all gun owners must either purchase a gun safe when they get their gun or show a serial number for the safe they already own that can be checked on an instantly accessible federal database.
While I strongly disagree with President Obama on almost everything, I believe that he made two valid points in his statements this week regarding gun control: the importance of involving the department of education, and that responsible gun ownership starts in the home.
In some red states, marksmanship, hunter's education, and gun safety are taught in high schools (and sometimes even junior high). It's an excellent concept that ensures that students are aware of and accept the ramifications of taking on the responsibility to own or use a firearm. If taught by a law enforcement official, it will have the double-benefit of unobtrusively increasing the police and security presence in all of our schools, allowing for improved response times and a line of defense for all the students present.
Banning "scary-looking", customized guns like mine and considering it a job well done is foolhardy and counterproductive, at best. There are, however, many things we can do to keep ourselves safer without infringing on the rights of those who do nothing wrong.