The AR-15: The World’s Most Controversial Gun

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Before this video starts, 53% of gun deaths in America alone are suicide the other vast majority is done by handguns.

The AR is an accurate, ergonomic, and very customizable rifle. Available in multiple calibers for hunting any type of game you could find in North America. It has been used in more mass shootings as its popularity has risen, but there were mass shootings when less people owned them. Columbine, and many others including more recent shootings going back to 2000 in America and Europe have been committed without a single AR-15 involved.

Don’t forget, more people are murdered by feet and fists than those murdered by all long guns combined.

The M14 / M1A1 is a better DMR then an automatic rifle. It is still used to this day as a true battle rifle. Everything within 500 to 1000 yards is its prey. My M1A1 is an absolute Pig killer

20,000,000-30,000,000 rifles. 26 mass shootings. It’s tragic anytime someone commits an evil act. And it does show how few people are that evil, and how few of those rifles are used for such evil.

I was issued M-14 in the Navy in the mid-90s. A little heavy but I liked it.

AR-15s are used more by mass shooters precisely because of the media popularizing it by demonizing it.

I don't know what all the fuss is about, as an IED can be much more devastating than a semi-auto when attempting to create mass casualty events. A rifle is merely a rifle and when you look at FBI crime stats you see blunt objects kill more people in the U.S. every year than rifles.

I remember hearing there were pretty serious feed issues when it was first deployed to Vietnam. Great, balanced take on this btw. Kudos.

Great video, but a few minor errors with the variations of the rifles. After the "Assault Weapons Ban" sunset in 2004, more ingenuity came of that. With more manufacturers adding features to the rifle design, they've became more accurate over time.

Just my changing out the classic handguard to a free float rail system and a decent barrel, one can built a rilfe capable of 1 MOA or less with good ammo. They're great hunting rifles for feral hogs, coyotes and other medium sized game.

As for the mass shootings that takes place here in the US, it's always the mainstream media and anti gun politicians saying it's an AR-15 before the facts come out. When these mass shootings happen, there's usually a law that is trying to get pushed into the House and Senate. They need something to get it to pass.

I'll leave everyone with this; "We need to have another Assault Weapons Ban…" President Obama, during a presidential debate in 2012. What happened 5 or 6 months later after that quote?

I hate that states ban the gun instead of actually teaching people the consequences of poor training and responsibilities of handling a firearm terribly, so the actually law abiding citizens can't own it, I live in Massachusetts and hate living here. I am and forever will be pro 2A and can't stand people who say our rights don't matter because it's not aligning with their views, doesn't mean everyone will follow them so I would rather protect myself from criminals, and keep in mind criminals will break the law to get weapons that are banned already… who would have thought?

Unfortunately, you understand more about ar15s than most of Congress. Weird what just a little unbiased research can do…

its a weapon of war meant to kill humans..
civilians have no right to them without being part of a well regulated militia..
the warmonger right wing just wants to pervert that fact to arm the dumbest and most violent americans..

Staying away from the political aspect, which is incredibly hard to when I'm biased in this regard. AR-15 became popular not because of the benefits, at the inception of the ar-15, consumer market preferred wooden guns like the m1 Garand. If it had wood, that would've been the choice. we later on dropped that preference. it really wasn't until the 90's-present when people started realizing the ar-15 was a better weapons platform. Everything from ergonomic, modularity, minimal recoil (low recoil isn't a joke) durable and light weight. and to briefly even mention mass shootings, it's simple these people are mentally ill. sickly driven, narratively/politically motivated (+racially and religious too) people who feel society wronged them, sick individuals who wan't people to feel pain, and to displeasure of how women treated them. Mass shootings can occur very easily, because people are always in large groups which means they're vulnerable.

Very good and unbiased breakdown. And good on you telling people about the completely biased “Gun Violence Archive”’s numbers

The A2 brought 3 round fire, not the A4 in 97 as this video states.

More sig beats ar

Here's the thing about mass shootings in America, all the issues that create or exacerbate it are difficult to address… except one, banning guns. Our depressing mental health crisis, an opioid epidemic one after another, systemic racism, income inequality, a gridlocked political system… etc, are all harder to deal with, than simply banning a family of guns, which everyone knows solves nothing in the short term.

My state for example (WA), was able to ban any future purchases and ownership of the AR15, as well as limit magazine capacity to 10, while also slashing social services for the homeless and those with mental health disabilities. Guess what ended up on the news and a win for the Democrats? An guess what didn't…

The only thing i take issue with in this video is the terk "ghost guns". Seeing as us americans are allowed to build our own firearms for personal use without being required to register them (and a private individual can manufacture with a license) means that any law abiding citizen who maybe doesnt have the means to plop down $2,000 can construct their own rifle worth that of more. The term was created by gun control lobbyists on the political left as means of scaring the ignorant into obedience and vilifying those of us who are simply making use of the rights granted to us by the laws that created the ATF.

The AR -15 , reliable like the small block Chevy.

11:19 "both Koreas"? It's news to me that North Korea uses the M16!

I expected some bias, Simon. Pleasantly surprised this was pretty even-handed.

thank you for specifically spelling out the definition of "assault rifle" and why the ar-15 is NOT an assault rifle. too many ppl think because it looks like one, it must be one.

These idiots think they can legislate something they know nothing about. They would ban the ar15 and completely ignore the mini14. 2 guns that look different but do the exact same thing. Same ammo and all.

The AR 15s buffer system also makes it one of the safest and easiest to use for smaller framed men and most women to defend themselves in the home. Far more functional than a the brute force of a shotgun and requires less skill than a pistol when beyond 7-10 yards. There’s a reason it’s popular- because it’s a piece of engineering brilliance.

You failed to mention that it was when created by Armalite, it was America's modern sporting rifle for hunting, hence AR-10, a larger caliber for large game. Mentioning only law and foreign military's purchases makes it sound like it was only ever intended for military use. As well as every review ever made as to it's popularity misses the fact that it's popularity with civilians is the same as the military, its modularity to work for the greatest range of people. Left or right handed, long or short arm span, light and low recoil, maximum amount of accessories and cheap ammo. It is these attributes that make every new rifle look like an AR. Otherwise good review.

As a American gun owner I have to say that was a well done video, didn't expect that

As a firm advocate for law abiding civilians utilizing their second amendment, i am very impressed with your coverage of this. I expected it to be like most calling everything an assault rifle. I was especially pleased to see you debunked the “used in most mass shootings myth”

Well done,Simon.
You forgott the Chinese AR15 copys on the Low Price segment. Ugly, cheap bur goes Bang every time 😊.

I'd want to see the breakdown of all the other mass shooting weapons before giving an opinion if its the 'weapon of choice'
Even if it low, if it's still the highest percentage….

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i guess the AR-15 is "controversial" because it is a gun and it is successful.

This was really good. You all do unbiased at a pro level.

IMO the automatic fire setting is a red herring. IMO a mass shooter that uses automatic fire is ammo inefficient and therefore casualties are lower.

Now, where is the Filipino teachers saying it was invented by guy named "Armando Malite"?

Surely if it’s a rifle and you can assault with it, it’s an assault rifle.

You did a very through and objective presentation.

What you left out is that a civilian with inexpensive proper amory wrenches can assemble such rifles or do a barrel swap. Many aftermarket parts exist for example one can put in a match trigger. Adjustable gas blocks or change the caliber. They can even be set up to handle the popular russian AK round: 7.62×39. An acquaintance brought 5 lower receivers at $27 each plus FFL transfer fee an sales tax to build up 5 rifles.
An AKM to properly change a barrel needs a hydraulic press and to headspace the barrel requires that hole be drilled so that a rivet can be installed through the front trunnion. The rivets on an AK require a special tool to properly install.
If the barrel is good, sub-moa groups are possible that is incredible accuracy for a semi-auto rifle. While a little underpowered, people do with the 5.56/.223 remington hunt deer and some even hunt feral pigs with them.
Some models can be had for less than $600. But one will spend more for accessories such as optics.
There are illegal devices that can make an AR-15 fire fully automatically, these carry severe penalties

It's funny because here in NE 'wicked' just means 'very'

The AR-15 design is so old that the earliest manufactured models would now be considered Curio & Relic firearms as defined in 27 CFR 478.11.

The unorganized militia is defined by US law. The AR-15 pattern rifle chambered in 5.56×45 is the perfect weapon for civilians to own if called upon by the federal or state government. It would fire the same ammo, use the same magazines, and have the same manual of arms as the M-4 or M-16.

I've never understood the demonization of the AR-15. 556 is a little baby round. This is why I have AR-10

Simon- A civilian can own a fully automatic firearm if the go through the appropriate process, and pay the tax stamp for it. Civilians can also own suppressors if they follow the appropriate process and pay the tax stamp for it.

Controversial compared to what? An AK, a FAL, a Tavor?