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(17,493 posts)It's easy to assume that it appeals to "low IQ/low testosterone gun fanciers" as you suggest and in some cases that is true. There was a craze to buy a .44 Magnum revolver after the Dirty Harry movies hit the screen. Prior to this series of movies few people with the exception of big game hunters had any desire to own this weapon as the older .357 Magnum was known as the most powerful handgun that the average person could handle and accurately shoot. The .357 Magnum had the reputation of being very adequate for home defense and for hunting game such as deer or hog. ("Shall issue" concealed carry was not common at that time.)
Many of the gun fanciers watched the movies and decided to buy a .44 Magnum revolver. Most found it to be a difficult firearm to master but the experience was challenging and somewhat exhilarating. Even so it never became a popular home defense weapon and even when concealed carry laws swept across our nation, this handgun was too large and heavy to gain popularity among this group of shooters.
Of course many people who had little or no experience with shooting handguns also bought a .44 Magnum and most regretted that decision. Some even ended up injured when they first tried to fire this handgun as they were not prepared for the recoil and ended up with a nasty gash on their forehead. Still it was great fun to own "the most powerful handgun in the world" as advertised in the Dirty Harry movies.
Of course movies can and do influence people. In many movies the AR-15 or the fully automatic M16 are used by the both the heroes and the villains. Obviously this is a prime factor in the sale of the AR-15.
Prior to the assault weapons ban the AR-15 was largely viewed by the shooting community as an inaccurate, underpowered and unreliable rifle. One way to create a demand for any item is for the government to "ban" it. Our nation banned alcohol and drugs and both became even more popular after the ban. The sad reality of the assault weapons ban is that it didn't ban semi-auto rifles like the AR-15 but merely items like flash suppressors or bayonet lugs on these weapons. The manufacturers simply stopped making AR-15s with these cosmetic features. AR-15s and even high capacity magazines were always readily available during the "ban." The companies that manufactured hii-cap magazines went to a 24/7 schedule to make as many as possible before the cut off date and made a fortune selling them during the ban.
A few shooters decided to see what all the fuss was about and bought an AR-15. They reported to other shooters that the current models were accurate and reliable and fun to shoot. Shortly after the demand for the AR-15 increased dramatically and other companies began to market aftermarket parts for the AR-15.
Today the modular design of the AR-15 makes it the "swiss army knife" of rifles. An owner can order parts on the net and be able to quickly modify his AR-15 without the services of a gunsmith. One day he can take it out for some fun plinking cans and the next complete at a match with a highly accurate target rife. He can easily modify its length so it will be suitable to teach shooting to his children or for his wife to use. He can hunt varmints one day and the next swap out some parts and modify the weapon to fire a much more powerful round suitable for hunting large deer, mouse or bear. One rifle can do a number of tasks and may well prove cheaper than owning several.
Of course many gun owners are mechanically inclined and therefore a weapon that is so easy to modify appeals to them.
I don't yet own an AR-15 as I have no real use for one. I rarely shoot a rifle as I am a handgunner. I don't hunt. The AR-15 may be an excellent choice as a home defense weapon in a rural area, but I live in a small city. (That may change if I move to a rural area with enough room to set up a target range.)
It's not surprising to me that Bushmaster published the advertisement you showed. Other companies often do the same. Just watch many of the car commercials broadcast on TV.
For example this one:
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