Are AR-15s still used in mass shootings?

The AR-15, the type of rifle used in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, is the weapon of choice for mass killers. AR stands for Armalite, not assault rifle. Armalite, which has been bought and sold by various gun companies over the decades, is still producing AR-15s to this day.

Is the AR-15 the most popular rifle in America?

The AR-15 style rifle is the most popular rifle in America. There are well over 11 million and they are rarely used in crime. Handguns kill far more people. But as we first reported last November, the AR-15 is the choice of our worst mass murderers. AR-15 ammunition travels three times the speed of sound.

How many rounds are in an AR-15?

Drum-shaped magazines can contain 100 rounds, like the weapon used by James Holmes, who shot 82 people at a movie theater in Colorado in 2012, killing 12 of them. Unfortunately, the compact, easy-to-use lethality of the AR-15 has made it the weapon of choice in mass shootings.

What is the difference between a 9mm and an AR-15?

The 9 mm handgun round has a larger bullet, but this AR-15 round has more gunpowder, accelerating its velocity. Both the round and the rifle were designed in the 1950’s for the military. The result was the M16 for our troops and the AR-15 for civilians.

Are AR-15s more dangerous than guns?

AR-15s inflict much more damage to human tissue than the typical handgun, which is used in most shootings. That’s largely because of the speed at which projectiles leave the weapons; they are much faster out of the muzzle of an AR-15, or similar rifle, and deliver a more devastating blow to bones and organs.

How many Americans own an AR-15 rifle today?

Today, one of out of every five firearms purchased in this country is an AR-style rifle, according to a NSSF estimate. Americans now own an estimated 15 million AR-15s, gun groups say. New AR-15 style guns range widely in price, from about $500 to more than $2,000.

Where did the AR-15 come from?

The AR-15 was developed by Eugene Stoner, a former Marine, for a California startup in the 1950s called ArmaLite.