“The AR-15 platform weapon – whether in a long weapon or a pistol – has essentially the same firepower. It is a semi-automatic made for combat,” said Timothy D. Lytton, weapons expert at Georgia State University.
“The AR-15 pistol is almost a novelty. Basically, it is the same firearm, but with a much shorter barrel and a shorter stock, and it is a smaller weapon. In the same way that some people may want to direct a sports car because they like the feeling of compactness and the type of speed, they essentially take a combat weapon or a combat style weapon and reduce everything in a kind of miniature version. “
‘You can tuck the thing under a jacket’
The AR-15 was designed for the US military in the 1950s. It was invented by Eugene Stoner, who worked for a company called Armalite, which gave rise to the AR. The number 556 refers to the caliber – 5.56 millimeters.
“So the shorter barrel and butt are a smaller weapon that would make it easier to carry,” said Lytton. “It would certainly make it easier to hide. You can tuck it under a jacket in a way that it would be difficult to put an AR 15 platform rifle under your jacket.”
AR-15s are generally semi-automatic, which means that a bullet is fired each time the trigger is pulled. They are loaded with combs that automatically feed the bullets when the gun is fired.
The magazine’s capacity varies, usually starting with 10 rounds – the legal limit in some states – but sometimes holding 30.
AR-15-style rifles have been used in some of the most deadly mass murders in recent US history, including the 2012 shooting in a cinema in Aurora, Colorado, which left 12 dead.
An AR-15 rifle was also the weapon a former student used to kill 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The shooting in Parkland is among the shootings listed in Boulder’s decree banning assault weapons.
‘It’s not your normal pistol’
Colorado state law does not include the type of firearm that Boulder was trying to ban – semi-automatic rifles that can accept a detachable magazine and have a pistol grip, folding or telescopic stock, or any device that allows the weapon to be stabilized with o trigger hand – on your list of illegal or dangerous weapons.
The state prohibits magazines capable of containing more than 15 rounds, while Boulder’s law prohibits magazines capable of accepting more than 10 rounds.
“You know the enthusiasts because, as they like to say, it is a kind of fire-breathing weapon within reach,” said Lytton of the AR-15 pistol.
“It is not your normal pistol. It has the firepower of a long weapon. And also because, in some states, it is classified as a short weapon. It would not be subject to restrictions on long-barreled weapons … There is a certain much debate about what the status of the weapon is, but you can imagine that it could qualify as a pistol and, as a pistol, it would not be subject to sawn-rifle regulations. You cannot take an ordinary AR-15 in many states and just saw the barrel and walk around with a long, concealed weapon. This basically allows you to have a shorter barrel and do the same thing. “
AR-15s and similar military-style rifles, such as AK-47s, are often called assault rifles or assault weapons, although members of the arms industry prefer to call them modern sporting rifles or MSRs.
These weapons were restricted by federal law for 10 years, until the so-called assault weapon ban expired in 2004. This ban restricted certain components of the weapon, such as pistol handles and bayonets, and limited the magazine’s capacity to 10.
Weapon enthusiasts are fans of the AR-15
The AR-15’s versatility, including flash suppressors, pistol grips and even bayonets – makes it popular with gun enthusiasts.
“If you want to build a rifle, take an AR-15 frame and put a long-barreled filter on it,” said Daniel G. O’Kelly, director of the Dallas-based International Firearm Specialist Academy and a former agent for the Office of Alcohol , Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“If you want to build an AR-15 pistol, just put a pistol grip and a short barrel on it. And as a result of these characteristics, it will be classified, according to federal definitions, as a pistol instead of a rifle. “
O’Kelly said about hundreds of AR-15 manufacturers in the USA. It is the most popular rifle in the country.
“It is modular and you can modify it to suit your needs or taste,” he said.
“All features are docked, turned off. So you can change gauges, barrel length, type of grip, type of shoulder pants, type of websites … I don’t know if you could name a toy – it could probably sound silly – but there are toys out there that were probably popular with children because of all the accessories you can buy to exchange or equip them and make yours, unlike any other. That’s a big part of the fascination. “
CNN’s Whitney Wild, Veronica Stracqualursi and Aaron Smith contributed to this report.