You’ve probably read a lot about the AR-15 recently.
The National Rifle Association reports several million Americans own at least one of the “customizable, adaptable, reliable and accurate” weapons, which it says are best suited for “sport shooting, hunting and self-defense situations.”
In recent years, however, the AR-15 has gained notoriety for being one of the most commonly used weapons in mass shootings. The Stanford Geospatial Center and Stanford Libraries and USA TODAY estimate the weapon was used in 13 mass shootings since 1984, including the Florida high school shooting that left 17 dead.
It was also the weapon both the Bundys and FBI agents carried in their infamous 2014 standoff.
Politico recently deemed it “the most political gun in America.”
We asked gun-owning Tribune readers why they do or don’t own an AR-15. Read their explanations below. Some responses have been edited for length and clarity.
‘The Camaro of the gun world’
— Mike Fondario, 39, Clearfield, who owns an AR-15
“I’m a veteran. I love shooting it, super fun. That’s it. The AR is the Camaro of the gun world. Do you need a car with 500 horses? No. That doesn’t have anything to do with why you own it.
“I would happily sell/give it up to change our gun culture. I’m not willing to sacrifice the Second Amendment entirely. But I am willing to create a bureaucratic nightmare to own one.”
‘Totally inappropriate for ownership by private citizens’
— Richard Spratley, 65, Bountiful, who is a gun owner but does not own an AR-15
“The AR-15 is a military-style assault rifle that is not primarily a hunting or defensive weapon. It is total overkill for either purpose. I find it, along with all semi-automatic pistols, totally inappropriate for ownership by private citizens. It is also much too dangerous for use by an average person with a limited knowledge of weapons. It is also much too easy for use as an offensive weapon that can kill a large number of people in a very short amount of time. Further instances of its usage in mass shootings is going to place all gun ownership at risk.”
‘A combat rifle is important to have in your safe’
— AR-15 owner Austin Skousen, 28, Eagle Mountain
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) "I believe the Second Amendment was made for civilians to have military-style rifles in the home," said Austin Skousen, 28, an AR-15 owner and collector of firearms, on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018.
“A combat rifle is important to have in your safe in case there is a riot, famine, gang-related home invasion, local terrorism, a civil war or an invasion from a foreign country. Combat rifles enabled the Korean District to protect their businesses during the L.A. race riots, can be used for hunting during famine if necessary, evens the playing field should there be a home invasion by multiple people, could be used to protect against a Tsarnaev-Watertown-type lockdown, is the ‘family musket’ should another Great Britain become too tyrannical, and could be used to protect your family while retreating from a foreign military invasion.”
‘I want to buy one so I can practice my marksmanship’
— Matt Jacobsen, 31, Salt Lake City, who is a gun owner but does not own an AR-15 yet
“I’m saving up for a quality one. Last time I had the money to buy one, Sandy Hook happened and prices skyrocketed. I’m a soldier in the Utah National Guard and I want to buy one so I can practice my marksmanship. In the last four years since I returned from Afghanistan, I’ve only been able to shoot weapons through the National Guard twice. Each time, we only get enough rounds to qualify. Promotion points are impacted by your marksmanship scores; if I want to practice my marksmanship I need to do it on my own time with my own equipment.”
‘A great firearm to have if the U.S. were ever invaded’
— Jeremy Baker, 30, Orem, who owns an AR-15
“I own an AR-15 because I can and it is one of the best guns I’ve ever used. I like target shooting and my AR-15 is by far my favorite of my firearms. A true reason to own it is the same reason to own a shotgun — home defense in the case of someone maliciously entering. It’s a deterrent for a home invasion. It’s also a great firearm to have if the U.S. were ever invaded by another country. It’s by no means ‘military grade,’ but it is the best option available to the general public to use within a militia if the U.S. armed forces and state armed forces are unable to focus their attention to defend a specific group or person.”
‘Shooting targets is more fun than reloading’
— Rod Wardle, 52, Salt Lake City, who is a gun owner but does not own an AR-15
“I don’t own an AR-15 but I do own guns that would reasonably [be] considered ‘military style’ weapons. I am not a hunter, nor am I a survivalist. I am not now, nor have I ever been a member of the NRA. I am a registered Democrat that is generally in favor of more restrictive gun laws. I do enjoy target shooting. Shooting of this type usually involves going through large quantities of ammunition. When you use a ‘military’ style gun, you can use military surplus ammunition, which is significantly less expensive per round than ammunition made for specialty hunting rifles. Also, large capacity magazines allow for shooting a lot of targets before needing to reload. Shooting targets is more fun than reloading.”
‘One of the most customizable guns on the market’
— Brianna Seymour, 36, Park City, who owns an AR-15
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah gun owner Brianna Seymour, 36, says she owns an AR-15 because it's easy to customize and "fun to shoot," while honing her skills through target practice. Seymour says she's never even shot an animal and welcomes background checks and a 21-and-older policy.
“They are one of the most customizable guns on the market. You can add rails, scopes, lasers, lights, grips, straps and large magazines. They are lightweight to carry, incredibly accurate, never jam even in sand, you can use a variety of ammo sizes, you can convert them into fully auto and they are fun to shoot.”
‘Should not be readily available’
— Sean Landis, 56, Draper, who is a gun owner but does not own an AR-15
“I think assault rifles should not be readily available, even if they are limited to semi-automatic firing.”
‘I want to be able to protect my family and myself’
— AR-15 owner Robert Taylor, 58, Heber
“Well, I bought mine after 45 was elected president. To be honest, my political leanings are center and left, and I am afraid of the right and the nutcases that populate the right and far right and if things went bad — as in real bad — I want to be able to protect my family and myself. I do not trust the clowns in Washington these days to do the right thing, and that is to let the human race live. Whether it be through environmental or societal collapse, we the people need to be able to protect ourselves. Now, I do not want that and hope it never comes to pass.”
‘They are overkill’
— Brian Stoll, 27, South Salt Lake, who is a gun owner but does not own an AR-15
“I think they are overkill (pun intended) in terms of self-defense, hunting or anything else. I think if people want to shoot them, they should be allowed to rent them at gun ranges or other such places, but not own them due to their capacity to accurately and efficiently murder people.”
‘We have a right to own a weapon designed not just for sport or recreation’
— AR-15 owner Evan Webb, 32, Roy
“It is the modern rifle. I believe we have a right to own a weapon that is designed not for just sport or recreation, but to preserve my life, my family’s lives, my liberty and my possessions. It is a contingency for the worst of possible scenarios, and securely locked up when not in use.”
‘This is a people gun’
— Howard Lemcke, 73, Millcreek, who is a gun owner but does not own an AR-15
(Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune) Howard Lemcke, 73, with his handmade 50-caliber Hawken muzzleloading rifle in his Millcreek home Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. Lemcke built the rifle from a kit in 1979 during his first year of law school because he needed something to take his mind and hands off simply going into books. "It was my little touch with sanity and touch with actually something I could see finished immediately," Lemcke said.
“When I was introduced to the AR-15/M-16 at Ft. Polk in 1968, Sarge asked us who had a deer rifle, a duck gun and so on, and why [the gun] was called that. Obvious answer. Then he held up the Black Beauty and announced, ‘This is a people gun. It has one purpose. It does that very well and couldn’t care less who that might be.’”
‘The AR-15 does not fit any useful purpose’
— Tom Calder, 72, Park City, who is a gun owner but does not own an AR-15
“The AR-15 was designed primarily to kill other people. I do not kill anything that I do not plan to eat. The AR-15 does not fit any useful purpose in our society today. And not likely any in our future.”
‘There is always a risk’
— James Van Roosendaal, 41, Millcreek, who is a gun owner but does not own an AR-15
“My brothers-in-law both own an AR-15, but I will never own one, because although they are fun to shoot recreationally, I believe that our society needs fewer of these killing tools in circulation. I would never want one of these weapons within close access to my sons or other loved ones. Even if the weapon is properly secured, there is always a risk that it can fall into the wrong hands.”
This story was informed by sources in the Utah Public Insight Network. To become a news source for The Salt Lake Tribune, go to bit.ly/PINTribune.
