Quote:
Originally Posted by Carter08
Is it really needed for home defense I think is they question many of us are asking. Because it seems to be used an awful many times for mass shootings.
|
A civilian AR-15 is the best tech of the 1960's, and then neutered down to comply with bans. Rifles are rarely used in crime, but the majority of rifles these days are AR variants. It's like the Honda Civic of rifles, it's not particularly great but it is ubiquitous, and once something is the standard it is difficult to unseat it.
No single firearm is necessary for home defense, there are many other firearms in the same caliber with the same capacity. Rifles of this type are well-suited to home defense, because of their
lack of firepower. The ballistics of 5.56 minimize danger to neighbors, the energy is dumped faster than most other rounds. The light recoil, because of the lack of power, makes it easier to manage than other cartridges for people who do not put in thousands and thousands of rounds of practice. The AR is usually selected over other 5.56 options because parts are everywhere and made by everybody. It's been the civilian standard for over 30 years. It has numerous downsides as well as the upsides, but its downsides aren't things particularly important in a home defense situation.
My home defense rifle is an AR for these reasons; there are better platforms overall or for other purposes.