I googled .223 rifle and got a picture of what

[upaloopa]

looks to me like another AR-15.

[Spider Jerusalem]

1. The AR-15 or clone is pretty much the standard rifle chambered in .223 Remington

the .223 cartridge was designed to fit the action length of the M-16 and is pretty much the "civilian" version of 5.56mm NATO (same as .308 Winchester and 7.62mm, very similar but not identical).

[upaloopa]

3. I know I was in Vietnam

[Recursion]

2. Not sure if this was supposed to be a comment rather than a post, but...

... the AR-15 is probably the most popular .223 being sold today, so that makes sense.

[upaloopa]

4. The news said it was a .223 rifle the killer used.

That makes two shooting this week with AR-15s. The mall now this. You think that won't mean anything?

[Hayabusa]

7. It's a popular model

so I don't really know if it's anything more than that.

[NickB79]

16. The news is now saying the rifle was left in his car

Fucking easily pocketed pistols for shooting, again.

[bunnies]

5. I used to own a .223. This is what it looked like.

Exactly. An M14 with a folding stock

[Harmony Blue]

6. What compels people to own such rifles?

What is wrong with repeating or bolt and action rifles? o.O

[datasuspect]

8. they're not good for killing zombies

[NickB79]

17. Low recoil, very accurate, cheap to shoot

A bolt-action .30-06 kicks like a mule, and ammo is expensive.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

9. Cue the resident gun enthusiasts crying about how we are demonizing AR-15s.

And throwing in a bunch of technical speak about guns to make us look like idiots.

[Spider Jerusalem]

12. I don't know that it's the specific type of gun used that's the root of the problem...

so much as the ready legal availability of guns generally (with the exception of fully automatic weapons and other firearms restricted by Title III of the 1934 National Firearms Act).

[ProgressiveProfessor]

15. Why don't you try to learn enough about them so you do not look like an idiot.

The anti gunners often sound like the anti drug zealots...reefer madness and all that.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

18. It's a gun. It can shoot people.

It has the capability to shoot a lot of people. And it did in fact allow the shooter to shoot a lot of people.

What else is there to learn?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

19. More Reefer Madness

Guns are a very technical field and details matter. When you soundbite things you end up with the failed Federal AWB and get shown to be foolish.

You don't have to be pro gun to learn the details and be effective and accurate in debate. Its not like Reefer which will infect and destroy you!

One of my colleagues is passionately anti gun. I have taken him shooting and taken the time to explain & demonstrate how things works, and what the relevant points are. He is still just as passionate, but now he knows what he is talking about and does not look the fool. I highly recommend that approach.

[FarCenter]

10. The ammunition does not determine what the weapon looks like.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.223_Remington

[Bonhomme Richard]

11. Don't those bullets also tumble creating more damage? n/t

[FarCenter]

13. It would depend on the bullet and the twist of the rifling

Yes, military ammunition is designed to be stable in flight and tumble once it strike a target.

However, commercial ammunition is usually designed with an expanding, jacketed design which mushrooms on impact.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

14. Bad lie