General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSo, what does the A R stand for?
Last edited Tue Jun 14, 2016, 02:09 PM - Edit history (1)
(rhetorical question)
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/06/assault-rifle-used-by-orlando-mass-shooter
Since the Orlando massacre early Sunday morning, pro-gun pundits have come out in force to argue that the weapon used in the attack is not an assault rifle. The gun lobby prefers to call these weapons "modern sporting rifles," euphemistic ammo it can fire in an ongoing semantic debate. But make no mistake: What the Orlando attacker used was a weapon of war. It was designed to kill as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. Witness this harrowing audio captured by a bystander outside the Pulse nightclub in which Omar Mateen fires 24 shots in 9 seconds.
According to a federal law enforcement official, the rifle Mateen used to murder and maim more than 100 people was a Sig Sauer MCX. Mateen legally purchased the weapon, similar to an AR-15, on June 4 in Port St. Lucie, Florida, near where he lived. (He legally purchased a Glock 17 handgun the following day, which he also carried during the attack.)
Sig Sauer bills the MCX as "an innovative weapon system built around a battle-proven core." The company says it "stands as the first rifle to be silenced from the ground up. It also accepts a broad array of accessories, enabling you to build a complete weapon system for any scenario or environment." It has a military-spec trigger and a magazine capacity of 30 rounds. According to the book Guns of Special Forces 2001-2015, the MCX is known in military circles as the "Black Mamba" and was developed at the request of the US Army's special operations forces.
(end snip)
edited to add:
A rhetorical question is a question that you ask without expecting an answer. The question might be one that does not have an answer. It might also be one that has an obvious answer but you have asked the question to make a point, to persuade or for literary effect.
I don't give a rat's behind who made it.
liberal N proud
(60,298 posts)The Gun Groupies will proclaim.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)Agreed?
Assaault rifles are not available for commercial sale; this was.
liberal N proud
(60,298 posts)Yes! Making it an Assault Rifle
Recursion
(56,582 posts)You seem to be under the mistaken impression that that is some kind of paradox. It's not.
Assault rifles are not available for general retail sale. This was. I have no idea why this is so hard for people to actually confront.
GeorgeGist
(25,294 posts)discntnt_irny_srcsm
(18,470 posts)Knowledge of terminology = meaningless semantics; I'll have to remember that.
Donald Ian Rankin
(13,598 posts)ileus
(15,396 posts)TipTok
(2,474 posts)... Do all pieces of wood become assault clubs?
Waldorf
(654 posts)its no longer a baseball bat but an "Assault Bat".
Response to Waldorf (Reply #42)
ancianita This message was self-deleted by its author.
ManiacJoe
(10,136 posts)Named after the company that first made it. The rights were later purchased by Colt.
(The link does not answer the question.)
aikoaiko
(34,127 posts)Hoyt
(54,770 posts)why this ad campaign was so successful:
DesMoinesDem
(1,569 posts)"I have no idea what AR stands for! Is it Assault Rifle? It's not? Who cares! Ban all guns!"
There. That feels better.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)or ammo purchase. No, "nomenclature" is something gun lovers and the NRA hide behind. Believe me, I know my gun nomenclature -- but I don't need to use it to safeguard gun yahoos' need for more guns. Just ban the damn things, tell the gun yahoos to seek professional help if the can't make it with a 5 shot 38 Special and be done with it. Australia, Canada, Eurpope don't need all the BS.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)Until then this is just silly.
Waldorf
(654 posts)And since you bring up other Countries, then I suggest you get to work on Amending the Constitution. Until then, I will keep my single shots, semi-automatics, etc.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)A very common configuration for concealed carry or law enforcement backup, in fact.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Recursion
(56,582 posts)Because our party is championing a law writen at his cognitive level.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)ManiacJoe
(10,136 posts)as unpopular as they might be. At least your desires are based on some logic.
Unfortunately for you, those writing the laws on your behalf do not have your needs or interests at heart. Their agenda does not match that of the general population.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)ManiacJoe
(10,136 posts)aikoaiko
(34,127 posts)Adrahil
(13,340 posts)It's like knowing stuff and making informed decisions is a bad idea.
FFS....
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)used to kill little kids at Sandy Hook, innocents in Orlando, and is the favorite of every right wing racist in this country.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)And for some reason you think that's a good idea.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)or whatever the hell gun yahoos want to call them. And ban producing a rifle -- lever action, bolt action, etc. -- or handgun that holds more than 6 shots. 6, that's it. If you can't live with only 6, you are SOL.
ileus
(15,396 posts)Hoyt
(54,770 posts)to protect yourself. You don't need any of that stuff, you WANT IT, and for irrational reasons. And those who feel the same, are a threat to our society.
ileus
(15,396 posts)My faith in beans and bicycle wheels has been somewhat diminished lately.
discntnt_irny_srcsm
(18,470 posts)We should ban their favorite baseball team and bubble gum as well.
arendt
(5,078 posts)Its as well-known as "fragging" or "REMF" or "Five o'clock follies".
Its a cultural reference, not necessarily a piece of gun trivia.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)BadtotheboneBob
(413 posts)... that's why I do. I learned 45 years ago that ArmaLite designed the weapon and Colt bought the rights to it and made the full-auto M-16 version of the AR-15 I was training with. What am I suppose to do, just forget all info that was crammed into my 18 y/o brain? I'm politely asking you to get off your high horse, okay?
jmg257
(11,996 posts)as so many are.
More from the article
"Although the legal civilian version of the gun fires on semi-automatic, it can be highly lethal"
And a recent review...
"SIG SAUER developed the MCX rifle for Americas special forces. Their goal: a firearm thats as quiet as an MP5, as deadly as an AK-47, and more modular than anything ever designed...
The military version is a useful firearm; even with a massive silencer attached, shooting in full-auto, the MCX is extremely controllable. Its more like a big MP5 than anything else.
My biggest concern: would SIG SAUER translate the mil spec masterpiece into a useful semi-automatic civilian model? They certainly started on the right foot . . ."
TexasProgresive
(12,148 posts)It is named for Armorlite the company that 1st developed it for the military. The design was sold to Colt arms who issued the civilian version of the M-16 as the AR-15. So it is an Armolite Rifle 15 not assault or automatic rifle 15. This rifle was developed by Armorlite in the 60s well before the the term assault rifle was born in the 80s.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)ChairmanAgnostic
(28,017 posts)linuxman
(2,337 posts)I'm assuming the person who posted this with the aid of the internet is also aware of the existence of google.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Just like they use "tactical" and such in ads. It attacks those who think/find guns enhance their life.
linuxman
(2,337 posts)But whatever. Proceed to do some gold medal worthy mental gymnastics to deny it.
I find that guns do enhance my life, personally. All of my hobbies do. That's sort of the point. Nobody says "This thing is going to make my life crummier and I don't even want it. I NEED one!"
Also, I find great joy in knowing that owning an AR just flusters the hell out of busybody prohibitionists like SOME posters here. I can hear the frothing at the mouth clear over here in Afghanistan.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)mass shooter put it. Enjoy your gunz.
linuxman
(2,337 posts)Oh, I will. Enjoy your righteous indignation and willful ignorance.
ManiacJoe
(10,136 posts)and the semi-auto AR-15 style rifles don't meet the definition.
Instead, the AR-15 rifles are correctly classified as semi-auto carbines.
linuxman
(2,337 posts)Careful with those facts. It enrages a few folks around here.
jmg257
(11,996 posts)linuxman
(2,337 posts)Gave it the old college try as a kid. The results were...disappointing.
ileus
(15,396 posts)bemildred
(90,061 posts)DCBob
(24,689 posts)Gidney N Cloyd
(19,780 posts)LiberalArkie
(15,686 posts)by a detachable magazine to only governmental organizations.
mwrguy
(3,245 posts)short barreled rifles, etc.