Another Mass Shooting: It's Those Darn Video Games!

[ScoobyDoo]

There is one reason, and one reason only as to why the AR-15 has been a popular choice for these mass shootings. The appearance of the weapon.

You think these 18 year olds sat down and studied the ballistics and lethality of various caliber choices before choosing the AR-15 as their weapon?

They chose it because it looks like an army gun. It looks like a rifle cops might carry.

That is literally it, the appearance.

I don't disagree with this. A law preventing them from selling **** looking rifles could have been passed by a competent Congress. It's part of the myriad of reasons I fall on the "take all the guns away" side of things. I'm so sick and tired of this issue I am done with legal guns.

[Swansong]

Yeah, I agree with that as well, and it's why I don't think we should be focusing on the AR15. If they paint it brown and take the military-looking attachments off it, it's no less deadly a weapon.

[WeAreNDHockey]

That certainly isn't unique about the AR-15, in relation to a number of other rifles.

I am very pro-gun control at this point, but the fear mongering and misinformation about the AR-15 is frustrating.

I consider myself "pro-gun" too, own firearms and am a concealed carry permit holder, but I think the fear mongering is actually pretty spot-on. People need to be fearful of these types of weapons, because they are intended and designed to kill large numbers of humans very quickly. They serve no useful purpose in your hands or my hands.

Responsible firearms owners like me (and I will assume you too, if you own firearms) have simply got to come to grips with the fact that too many of our fellow firearms owners are 100% irresponsible and instead of worrying about misinformation -- and yes, there is some out there and often people who have no clue about firearms get stuff wrong -- we need to worry about the only thing that matters. Assault style rifles have no place in a civilized society and they have killed far too many innocent people.

I never killed anyone with one of my firearms, but I never killed anyone with lawn darts either. I can no longer buy one of those. The other I can literally drive to, 15 minutes from my office and buy -- today -- almost any kind of weapon imagninable. That needs to change.

[Swansong]

I consider myself "pro-gun" too, own firearms and am a concealed carry permit holder, but I think the fear mongering is actually pretty spot-on. People need to be fearful of these types of weapons, because they are intended and designed to kill large numbers of humans very quickly. They serve no useful purpose in your hands or my hands.

Responsible firearms owners like me (and I will assume you too, if you own firearms) have simply got to come to grips with the fact that too many of our fellow firearms owners are 100% irresponsible and instead of worrying about misinformation -- and yes, there is some out there and often people who have no clue about firearms get stuff wrong -- we need to worry about the only thing that matters. Assault style rifles have no place in a civilized society and they have killed far too many innocent people.

I never killed anyone with one of my firearms, but I never killed anyone with lawn darts either. I can no longer buy one of those. The other I can literally drive to, 15 minutes from my office and buy -- today -- almost any kind of weapon imagninable. That needs to change.

Agree with this, more or less. I'm not a gun owner but I'm not anti or pro-gun. And I agree that a lot of people are wildly irresponsible.

[WeAreNDHockey]

There is one reason, and one reason only as to why the AR-15 has been a popular choice for these mass shootings. The appearance of the weapon.

You think these 18 year olds sat down and studied the ballistics and lethality of various caliber choices before choosing the AR-15 as their weapon?

They chose it because it looks like an army gun. It looks like a rifle cops might carry.

That is literally it, the appearance.

No the 18 year olds did not sit around and figure out the physics. But they know the weapon itself is more lethal than plenty of others. My sister doesn't know the first thing about firearms, and has no idea behind WHY the AR-15 is so dangerous, but she certainly knows it is. My guess is Kyle Rittenhouse is dumber than a bag of tree bark and couldn't tell you why his AR-15 tore apart the people he shot, but before he pulled the trigger he knew it was more powerful than a lot of other guns.

[Handyman]

Actually, guns like a .22-250 or a .223 (which is what most AR-15's are, I believe) are pretty popular calibers for hunting raccoons. Now, that said, that doesn't mean you need a .223 caliber gun that looks like an AR-15. You can buy them in a variety of styles.

What people always forget about these AR-15's (because of their appearance, and because of their use in most of these mass shootings) is that the AR-15 is actually a pretty small caliber rifle.

https://www.huntingriflesreviews.com...nting-guns.php

That is wonderful. Tell that to the parents of the kids who couldnt be identified because that small caliber bullet mutilated their kid to the point they we unidentifiable.

Funny how settlers killed raccoons in the 1600s without ****ing assault weapons...

[Handyman]

That certainly isn't unique about the AR-15, in relation to a number of other rifles.

I am very pro-gun control at this point, but the fear mongering and misinformation about the AR-15 is frustrating.

There is literally no reason for the average person to need an AR-15. Zero.

There is no argument to be made beyond that. No need for fear mongering or what you might call misinformation (I wouldn't but I am not a gun person so who knows) just look at what happens when people are allowed to own them that is fearful enough as it is. We cannot be trusted...

And that isn't just the AR-15, it is any of these "I got a small dick and suck at hunting so my big gun makes me feel like a man" guns. That also goes for the "I am too much of a sad ****ing puzzy to join the military so I buy the weapons and LARP" guns too.

And if one more old person says "we used to bring guns to school back in the day" I might go buy an AR-15 and shoot them myself. (relax I am obviously kidding) No one cares that in 1984 you used to bring your hunting rifle to school. In 1984 you probably didn't wear seat belts and thought mullets were a happening style. We live in the real world and no one is taking their hunting rifle into a classroom and killing 19 kids...because well they cant.

[Handyman]

https://twitter.com/NAnders97031928/...73336780292096

But how else will you kill dem 'Coons?

[Swansong]

There is literally no reason for the average person to need an AR-15. Zero.

There is no argument to be made beyond that. No need for fear mongering or what you might call misinformation (I wouldn't but I am not a gun person so who knows) just look at what happens when people are allowed to own them that is fearful enough as it is. We cannot be trusted...

And that isn't just the AR-15, it is any of these "I got a small dick and suck at hunting so my big gun makes me feel like a man" guns. That also goes for the "I am too much of a sad ****ing puzzy to join the military so I buy the weapons and LARP" guns too.

And if one more old person says "we used to bring guns to school back in the day" I might go buy an AR-15 and shoot them myself. (relax I am obviously kidding) No one cares that in 1984 you used to bring your hunting rifle to school. In 1984 you probably didn't wear seat belts and thought mullets were a happening style. We live in the real world and no one is taking their hunting rifle into a classroom and killing 19 kids...because well they cant.

Again, no fundamental argument about controlling guns further. And I know it's petty but I absolutely agree on the penile compensation thing.

But again, take the scary looking attachments off an AR15 and you have a carbine that is just as deadly. My point is to make laws that actually fix our problems, not laws that are merely symbolic. Hence my list of suggestions upthread. I think a ban/sever restriction on semi-autos would have much more impact than simply banning a popular gun platform.

[ScoobyDoo]

Major General (ret) Paul Eaton
@PaulDEaton52

As the former Commanding General of the Infantry Center at Fort Benning and Chief of Infantry, I know a bit about weapons. Let me state unequivocally — For all intents and purposes, the AR-15 and rifles like it are weapons of war. A thread:

https://twitter.com/PaulDEaton52/sta...92803271544833

[LynahFan]

Forget the labels, ban the physics. There’s no reason for civilians to own weapons beyond a certain (legitimately debatable) muzzle energy over time. You want a gun that shoots a .223? No problem - it just has to be designed such that it can’t fire more than 1 round per minute. You want a rapid fire semi-automatic? No problem - enjoy that pellet gun.

[aparch]

Forget the labels, ban the physics. There’s no reason for civilians to own weapons beyond a certain (legitimately debatable) muzzle energy over time. You want a gun that shoots a .223? No problem - it just has to be designed such that it can’t fire more than 1 round per minute. You want a rapid fire semi-automatic? No problem - enjoy that pellet gun.

This.

Ammunition and guns should be broken into three/four categories. All rated by the foot-pounds of the bullet fired.
Then each tier can gradually get limited in who can purchase.

Airsoft? Go wild, unrestricted.
FOID card for the rest plus:
22LR? Age 18 minimum plus a class on handling, etc.
From there to .38? 21 + class
From there to .45? 23, advanced class, proof of storage container.
"Advanced ammo" packing more punch than a .45 (.227, .50, etc,)? 25, advanced classes, proof of storage container (gun safe).

[ticapnews]

But how else will you kill dem 'Coons?

The police are very good at killing 'Coons. Not so good at rushing into a building to save kids.

[Drew S.]

This is really good: https://newsletters.theatlantic.com/...3T18%3A47%3A23

[ticapnews]

This is really good: https://newsletters.theatlantic.com/...3T18%3A47%3A23

Hmmm I wonder why the only country where there are mass shootings is America. No, it obviously isn't the guns. It must be the doors. Or mental health. Or video games. Or rap music. Or abortion. Or...