General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Many people may not know this about the AR15. [View all]MineralMan
(146,284 posts)I'm down with that.
I earned the Expert Marksmanship ribbon in the USAF in 1965, firing the M16A1. I did that, because I was already familiar with firing rifles at targets. It was interesting to fire a military rifle. I never held one again while serving in the USAF. My job didn't require it.
The only difference between the M16A1 and the civilian AR-15 and similar weapons is selective fire. The M16 can be fired in full automatic mode.
However, that's not a very effective way to use the weapon. If your goal is killing people, the weapon is far better when fired in semi-auto mode. That gives you a better chance to actually aim at something, really.
Now, I've never tried to kill anyone, thank goodness. I've never been in such a position. I'm grateful for that. But, I'm an expert marksman. I didn't become one because the USAF taught me to be one. I can just shoot a rifle accurately, and could long before I enlisted. But, if I did have to use an M16A1 to try to kill people, I'd not use the fully automatic mode of fire. Instead, I'd try to aim and fire in semi-auto mode. That would work much better. So, an AR-15 would be just as useful. It's designed to kill people efficiently. That's why it's a military weapon.
I've also fired an M1. It's also a military weapon. I think we shouldn't be putting such weapons in everyone's hands, really. We're not at war within the United States. We don't need military rifles here.
Put an AR-15 in my hands and I'll still qualify for that Expert Marksmanship ribbon, even at age 72. It's not rocket science to hit a target accurately with one. Those old skills are still there, despite my having zero need for them.
How's that for an answer?