New Delhi: The attempted assassination of Donald Trump has reignited the debate over gun control in the US. The former president was targeted by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who allegedly used a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle, which has been described by The Guardian as “one of America’s most popular, recognisable, and notorious weapons”.
The AR-15 is widely considered the semi-automatic civilian cousin of the fully automatic M-16 assault rifle. Semi-automatic firearms fire one bullet per trigger pull and automatically reload, while automatic weapons continue firing until the trigger is released.
The M-16 was adopted by the US military in the early 1960s. However, by 2010, the US Army had largely replaced it with the M4 carbine due to reliability issues experienced during the Vietnam War. Though owning a fully automatic M-16 is legal for civilians, obtaining one requires extensive government paperwork that takes more than a year. Additionally, these rifles must have been manufactured before the 1986 ban, and their limited availability causes them to cost more than $25,000 on average. To acquire an M-16, buyers need a Federal Firearms License and a Class 3 Special Occupational Tax (SOT) license. They must pass a background check through ATF Form 4, pay a $200 tax stamp, and endure a lengthy waiting period for ATF approval.
Meanwhile, purchasing an AR-15 requires one to be at least 18 years of age and a quick background check via ATF Form 4473, which covers felonies, drug use, citizenship, and other details. Once approved, the buyer can take ownership of the firearm, although some states may impose additional waiting periods.
Moreover, it’s common to find online beginners’ guides on how to acquire your first gun. Rifle parts are readily available, and the internet is abundant with maintenance advice and instructional videos.
Under these conditions, the AR-15 has emerged as America’s rifle — accurate, reliable, affordable and customisable. According to The Washington Post and Ipsos polls, almost one in every 20 adults in the US owns an AR-15.
The AR-15 is also an exceptionally polarising firearm due to its widespread use in mass shootings. In May 2022, a former student used an AR-15 to kill 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Similarly, the weapon was also used in the October 2017 Las Vegas shooting, where a gunman killed 60 people at a music festival, as reported by AFP. The AR-15 has been used in several other high-profile incidents, including the shootings in Parkland, Florida (2018), and Sandy Hook, Connecticut (2012).
In reaction to school shootings, the National Rifle Association (NRA) — one of the most influential political organisations in the US and which strongly opposes any sort of gun restrictions — has campaigned for greater school security measures rather than restricting gun ownership. In 2018, despite objections from many teachers hesitant to carry arms, the organisation supported then-President Donald Trump’s plan to arm teachers and other school personnel as a solution to gun assaults.
NRA’s stand
The “Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act” was the NRA’s top legislative priority during the Bush administration. The law grants legal protection to gun sellers, dealers, manufacturers, and those who transport weapons, shielding them from lawsuits based on the harm that their guns cause.
For some, the rifle came to symbolise masculinity. Bushmaster launched a marketing campaign in 2012 promising purchasers that they could “consider their man card reissued” with each AR-15 purchase.
The NRA claims that gun regulations, including those on semi-automatic rifles and standard-capacity magazines, do not prevent crime. They further argue that AR-15s are not military-grade, fully automatic firearms, as is commonly assumed, and reject allegations that “assault weapons” are mostly utilised in mass shootings.
The gun, however, can be converted to fully automatic by installing a component known as a Drop-In Auto Sear (DIAS). The DIAS necessitates the use of an M-16 hammer, selector, and bolt within the rifle. The term “Drop-In” means users don’t need to modify the lower receiver because the DIAS includes an additional auto sear. The process of obtaining it is similar to acquiring an AR-15, essentially allowing users to have both.
AR-15 rifles reportedly cause much more harm to human tissue than handguns do. The high-speed bullets can fracture and do more damage as they pass through a victim’s body, making AR-15s more deadly than handguns. According to NBC News, this feature increases the risk of mortality from serious injuries and blood loss.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
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