I never liked the term "Modern Sporting Rifle" that was coined as an alternative to "Assault Weapon." Sport is not the reason for the Second Amendment and "Modern Sporting Rifle" does not hammer home the concept of "not unusual."

I would prefer the term "Standard American Rifle," but that is a Ruger trademark. This would emphasize that a semi-automatic centerfire rifle with a removable magazine is the most usual rifle in the United States. It also focuses on the truly "American" concept of the right to Keep and Bear Arms to protect against tyranny. We could say "Modern American Rifle," but that does not emphasize that it is the most common. "Most Common American Rifle" is too cumbersome. Any other suggestions?

Regardless of the name, my iteration:


[post-Ban and New Jersey Legal]
XM15-E2S receiver
ARFX-E fixed stock (with 1" recoil pad to provide nose clearance)
JP trigger
Hogue grip
Left hand friendly ambidextrous safety
MaTech rear back-up sight
BSA TRS-25 red dot optic
YHM front sight
16.5" 1:9 twist H Bar barrel
Target crown

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I now have 3 Standard American Rifles (SAR has already been taken!). My favorite is a 1996 Bushmaster Ar-15 A4, meaning full size flattop with carry handle, no lug or flash suppressor. (I had the barrel threaded after the bans expired!) The gun shoots White box Winchester 40 grain varmint loads (3600 fps) in sub 1/4" groups, and 55 grain FMJ handloads in 1/8" Groups @ 100 yards. I also have a 308 sized 19" collapsible version and a 16" collapsible 300 BO. I have adapters to shoot my suppressor on all three, The original Bushmaster suppressed (with the right load will shoot 3/4 to 1.5" at 234 yards (the closest target at Rainer's Range in Southeast Ohio). I have the 308 down to 2 to 3 inches at 200 and need to finish assembling the BO! Blackout supersonic ammo is great functioning, but pointless! Subsonic ammo function is dependent on gas tubes and buffer springs, but worth the hassle!

Ivan

I think I'm gonna copyright "Choppa" and for the 30 round magazines the term "30 round poppa". That sounds much mo better than Kalashnikov or AK.
For the AR just call them Stoner's.
When one says America's rifle it sounds like the official rifle of the Dallas $*&^ing Cowboys!
Seriously - just call them AR platform rifles and be done with it. Ditto with the AK-just call them Kalashnikov's. Everyone will know what you are talking about

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Forum consigliere

I've always liked the term AR-15. It says exactly what it is. There's no confusion - "modern sporting rifle?? What the heck is a modern sporting rifle???"


And if the anti-gunners don't like it, too bad. They won't like it no matter what you call it. And I refuse to change my way of speech to make some jerk happy.

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I always take precautions

Freedom protection device ?

Doesn’t matter what you call it. More and more, the public will think of them as the instrument of choice for suburban kids who come into town to murder their fellow citizens, or to defend their constitutional right not to wear a mask.

It’s not good P.R.

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Not in jail.

When you're hanging around in the gun crowd it's a fair question. It's arguably a silly moniker. But when you're selling the concept of black plastic rifles to the uninitiated it's a great name because they've been sufficiently brainwashed into thinking that sport is what it's all about.

Remember, when the antis say "you can't hunt with an assault weapon" your response is it's not an assault weapon, it has five rounds for deer hunting, and therefore it's a modern sporting rifle.

Then you'll get a cross-eyed expression of blank stupidity and you can walk away, and try to not giggle too much............

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Come and take it!!

I have never had much faith in the idea that pro firearm people could rename devices and make them more acceptable. The antis will still hate them and the in-betweeners need to be convinced, not soothed by a name. The undecided need to be invited for a fun afternoon of shooting, not bored by arguments that "this isn't an assault rifle it is a sporting good."

It is totally appropriate to tell them, "Many people use these for sporting purposes" but the next step is to take them shooting, not try to teach them grammar.

Define "sporting purposes."

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Well, a few people who should be better informed call them "AR-14s" and that they have way too many "bullets" in their "clips." And that they are "weapons of war meant only to kill people." And that they should registered and the owners vetted like for machine guns - they should not be possessed until the government says it's OK.

Pardon me while I go barf. I'll see them at the polls on November 3.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

^^^^ This.

The whole naming discussion is purely intramural. I don’t think anyone outside the gun community, and even most gun owners apart from the black rifle crowd, attributes that much power to increasingly esoteric terminology. You can be lucky if they understand it’s not a machine gun.

There are assault rifles (the military selective-fire version) and semi-automatic rifles (the civilian version). No other terms are needed.

If you start sticking a political program rather than just technicalities into the naming proposals, you’re going to lose most people and certainly not help anything.

No matter the terminology we use the anti’s will still call it an assault rifle or assault weapon. It has worked for them for years and they will not change until their definition fails to sway people’s opinion.
I think the true challenge is to prevent them from broadening the definition of “assault rifle”.