Tennessean writing about AR-15, similar rifles

[Guest brianhaas]

"...newspapers are a business with no altruistic aim.  However, in the search for advertisers, readership and money, the business demands sensationalism."

 

Demands... Where, pray tell do these demands go? Where do they come from?

 

I've never heard of such pressures. Never once have I had an editor ask me to pump some story up with sensationalism. Never. Nor have I heard tales of any other reporters I've ever known. Do some media outlets do this? Absolutely. New York Post, NY Daily News, etc. They go for sensationalism. Your local newspaper? I've never seen it.

 

"Reporters, the good ones, write stories that they hope get published or they get let go."

 

Never seen this pressure before either. If I write a story, it gets published, I'd say 499 out of 500 times. And that 1 time it isn't published has nothing to do with whether it's sensational or not and more to do with whether it was fully reported or could open the paper up to some sort of liability or libel.

 

I've never seen a reporter get "let go" because editors just chose not to run their stories because of some agenda. More likely, they got let go because of financial pressures, personality conflicts or they simply couldn't hack it.

 

"The only way to win the fight of public opinion is try and put a cap on all..."

 

This is not my job. My job isn't to fight for any one public opinion. It's to try and present a fair representation of what the issues are that are being debated. My job is NOT to make your case. Nor is it to make the case for more gun regulation.

 

My job is to frame the debate and do my best to present the best arguments from both sides and let readers make up their minds.

 

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but there are these perceptions that folks know what goes on in the media. And most often, they have no clue.

[Guest brianhaas]

Still trying to set up a meeting in the Nashville area. I'm now down to either this Saturday or probably Jan. 2, when I return from vacation.

 

I have to say that everyone whom I have spoken to from this forum for stories has represented the community well and I've been very happy that you guys have been able to add your voices to these conversations. I greatly appreciate everyone's help and the spirited discussions!

[Guest brianhaas]

I also forgot to mention that most of the "mass shootings" in recent memory have been with handguns. Jarrod laugher, Major Hasan, etc etc. The nutjob who shot up the US Holocaust museum used - wait for it - a 22 rifle. Is be happy to make a list if you would like.

 

You are correct on this, in terms of handguns. I suppose I should have phrased it better in that the AR-15 for some reason has been a gun of choice for some of the more recent lunatics (James Holmes, Jacob Roberts, though his spree may have been cut short by the presence of a CCW).

 

In any event, I'm interested in getting into why folks like rifles like the AR-15 and what they like to use them for (target shooting, self-defense, whatever). I'm not looking to demonize or portray anyone negatively, just to explain why a reasonable person might want one.

 

And... I'm kinda geeked about shooting one too.

[Oh Shoot]

And... I'm kinda geeked about shooting one too.

If you get hooked, worst time ever to buy one! :)

 

- OS

[Hershmeister]

Brian - if no one hooks up with you you could go the the nashville armory. I beleive they rent ARs In also would suggest that your statement that ar15a are the "gun of choice" of lunatics implies a lot more than the facts support. If you were to say that these two murderers used them That would be fine, but in the Mall Shooting the rifle was stolen and not much has been revealed as to how the theft occurred - and the aurora shooter had 3 guns - an ar14, shotgun and pistol. His AR jammed because he used a tacticool 100 end drum which are notorious for poor reliability. In fact there is still quite a bit of confusion over exactly what firearms were used in the CT shooing, and recent news reports are now indicating that an AR might not even have been used at all. ARs are popular for many reasons. They are light weight vs traditional wood stocked rifles, infinitely customizable for calibers, accessories and looks. It's a design that's over 40 years old - people forget that often. The military is now conducting trials of much more lethal and "smart" guns. Progress continues in the field of firearms. Semi Automatic guns are 20th century technology. High cap Mags, pistol grips, bayonet lugs - all cosmetic things which were banned in the last AWB play no meaningful part in crime in this country. The FBI stats and other sources of research such as John Lotts work more guns less crime prove it. I'd be happy to speak with you if you would like pm me. I just won't have time to make it to the range

[QuietDan]

Something for Brian Haas and others to read:

 

For a 'A Well-Regulated Militia,' What Firearms, Gear and Skills Should You Own?

 

http://pjmedia.com/blog/for-a-well-regulated-militia-what-firearms-gear-and-skills-should-you-own/?singlepage=true

 

 

[gnmwilliams]

If you get hooked, worst time ever to buy one! :)

 

- OS

But I'll sell you one for $3000!!!

[Guest 6.8 AR]

The framing of the debate was made years ago when the term "Assault Weapon" was institutionalized by just

about all forms of media. Then, pictures of certain guns, particularly the AR-15 and the AK-47 were graphically

introduced to embellish the idea of an assault weapon. The piling on happened when a fairly large portion of

TV reporters messed up in their reporting by throwing up a picture of a 1911 and calling it a Glock. All of that

was probably done to further a goal by a seemingly endless group of major media elites.

 

Brian, if you can frame the debate, it would be helpful if you could dispel the myth of the above, not for gun owners, but for the entire community. When something is called something it isn't it is disingenuous and leads to dealing with the wrong issue entirely. There really shouldn't be the debate in the first place. For example, the housing bubble and collapse of the real estate market started in the seventies, when no one was paying attention. Community Reinvestment Act, signed by President Jimmy Carter. It was innocuous at the time, but it's consequences built over the years. Did anyone report on that one at the time? Nope. I doubt they even thought of it. Same with the Gun Control Act of 1968. What did that accomplish? Paying a tax, leaving a paper trail for a trace on a gun, registering a machine gun and other types of devices that only raised the price, but had absolutely no positive effect on the reduction on crime. It is well documented. The only conclusion I can draw from that is an agenda from our government to make certain we have less firepower than they. Makes no sense to me.

 

I could go on for days about laws that make no sense and may bore the heck out of everyone here, but until your chosen profession recognizes this and reports about these kinds of occurrences in our lawmaking, there will be no honesty in reporting, just showing an emotional agenda. I understand you have to embellish a story to get some to read it, just be careful how you do it.

 

Laws added only make the criminal pool larger. They don't decrease crime, especially when they entrap more in the crime pool. Criminals are already covered by so many laws that are not enforced, and other laws that have been neutered by places like the ACLU and Southern Poverty Law Center to the point that no laws really work anymore.

 

Is that enough to think about?

Edited December 21, 2012 by 6.8 AR

[mikegideon]

But I'll sell you one for $3000!!!

Does it spray powerful bullets? If not, he probably isn't interested.

[Jonnin]

Why the ar-15 is popular, my top 10 list (not ranked just 10 'bullets' (punny!)) 

 

1) it shoots cheap ammo

2) it can be upgraded like a 1911 --- you can make it YOUR gun with YOUR specifications such as a match grade setup or a rugged survival gun or whatever.

3) It is very accurate, the design is good for accuracy as the barrel is very well fixed in place and other internals contribute.

4) It is easy to fix, clean, and work on: simple is good. 

5) it is reliable; 99% of problems are due to #2 where some bubba messed up his home build.

6) it is a powerful home defense weapon, with a standard 30 round capacity, a round designed for close/medium distance combat, light weight build, and ability to add forend grips, slings, etc for useability.

7) you can build or buy an inexpensive working model for little more than a mid quality handgun.  Sure, bolt action plastic deer guns and shotguns are cheaper, but its reasonably priced.

8) Low recoil.  It is designed to be comfortable to shoot, and it IS, whether prone, sitting, or standing. 

 

9) It is one of less than 10 choices for a semi-automatic rifle in a larger than .22 LR cartridge.   (Caliber is bullet diameter--- cartridge is the right term here).   The others include the AK, which is also very popular, the mini-14 which is a m1 garande ( a WWII rifle design) in the popular 223 caliber, and a few less popular random firarms such as the offerings by kel-tec.   The mini has had some accuracy problems, and the kel-tecs are nifty but not as rugged, upgradeable, easy to find, etc as the AR or AK.   Basically, really it comes down to the AR, the AK, or oddball choices that are harder to find, harder to work on, etc.

 

10) Its a better platform for action shooting sports, as it is very easy to reload (magazine change) (some of the others have awkward mag changes such as the post and hole design of the mini 14).  It is easy to mount optics, even 2 sets (short and long range, for example).   It is easy to add a forend grip and bipod.  Basically, its the same stuff listed above, easy to customize for the sports into a system that is right for the individual shooter, rather than just off the shelf live with it approach.

[Jonnin]

And now my political commentary, since I am OK with your earlier work, I am willing to say a bit.

 

Well, as you noted, its a popular model.  It seems logical that once in a while, a very popular gun model will be used for crimes --- this would be the use what you can steal concept of a criminal, right?   What the media does not say, and does not GET, is that in spite of the number of AR 15s in the USA, ALMOST NONE OF THEM are used in crimes.  They are a bit big to conceal, after all, and crooks do not generally care to strap on such a rifle as it draws attention.   In all the shootings in the USA, I can think of less than 10 that used an AR 15 in the past 10 years.   So, in general, this is the wrong gun to attack if one wants to cut down on carnage, by simple logic.  I am against trying to demonize any gun as the problem, but if you are going to DO that, at least pick one that is frequently used in shootings, not the once a decade choice of the criminally insane.

 

 

Second, given that the shooter stole the gun, murdered, and broke dozens of laws in his spree, no new laws are likely to have any effect on such a person.

 

Third, the shooter reloaded many times, at least 3 times, maybe 4, from the bullet wound counts alone (any misses out there, unclear?).   A 10 round mag would have added another 30 seconds total to his assault, tops.  It would not have had any effect to limit his magazine capacity.

 

Fourth, I count at least 5 adults that failed to stop the shooter, and at least 4 of those were DISARMED by law, and UNABLE to legally fight back.

 

If you want more I can add to it, but those are the MAIN points I would see addressed.

[mikegideon]

Why the ar-15 is popular, my top 10 list (not ranked just 10 'bullets' (punny!)) 

 

1) it shoots cheap ammo

2) it can be upgraded like a 1911 --- you can make it YOUR gun with YOUR specifications such as a match grade setup or a rugged survival gun or whatever.

3) It is very accurate, the design is good for accuracy as the barrel is very well fixed in place and other internals contribute.

4) It is easy to fix, clean, and work on: simple is good. 

5) it is reliable; 99% of problems are due to #2 where some bubba messed up his home build.

6) it is a powerful home defense weapon, with a standard 30 round capacity, a round designed for close/medium distance combat, light weight build, and ability to add forend grips, slings, etc for useability.

7) you can build or buy an inexpensive working model for little more than a mid quality handgun.  Sure, bolt action plastic deer guns and shotguns are cheaper, but its reasonably priced.

8) Low recoil.  It is designed to be comfortable to shoot, and it IS, whether prone, sitting, or standing. 

 

9) It is one of less than 10 choices for a semi-automatic rifle in a larger than .22 LR cartridge.   (Caliber is bullet diameter--- cartridge is the right term here).   The others include the AK, which is also very popular, the mini-14 which is a m1 garande ( a WWII rifle design) in the popular 223 caliber, and a few less popular random firarms such as the offerings by kel-tec.   The mini has had some accuracy problems, and the kel-tecs are nifty but not as rugged, upgradeable, easy to find, etc as the AR or AK.   Basically, really it comes down to the AR, the AK, or oddball choices that are harder to find, harder to work on, etc.

 

10) Its a better platform for action shooting sports, as it is very easy to reload (magazine change) (some of the others have awkward mag changes such as the post and hole design of the mini 14).  It is easy to mount optics, even 2 sets (short and long range, for example).   It is easy to add a forend grip and bipod.  Basically, its the same stuff listed above, easy to customize for the sports into a system that is right for the individual shooter, rather than just off the shelf live with it approach.

That's a good list!

[LCPfraTN]

One of the main reasons that I always wanted an AR-15 and finally got one was for nostalgic reasons, I'm sure many guys out there remember the weapons they were issued in the military and long to have a civilian version of their own.  I was issued an M-16, a 1911, an S&W model 10 and an S&W model 60 during my time in the Marine Corps, and as the years passed I found myself wanting to own at least one of each them. Well, many years later, I do own at least one of each of them. I enjoy shooting them all even though I don't shoot some of them very often. I suspect my reasons for owning an AR-15 rifle are shared by many others and is another reason why a lot of AR-15 style rifles are sold today.      

[Jonnin]

CNN did a "why do you want this type of gun" piece and many said the same, that it matched their training from military service.  Should read those for your piece maybe.

[mike243]

Take a look at the Ruger 10/22,1 of the best selling rimfire rifles of all time.You dont have to be a gunsmith to trick out your rifle.Folks can do the same thing with the AR centerfire rifles.Personalizing your property started long ago & has went from homes- cars to low cost toys.Nothing wrong with having the choice to have something different without paying someone else to change it for you.

[mcurrier]

CNN did a "why do you want this type of gun" piece and many said the same, that it matched their training from military service.  Should read those for your piece maybe.

Americans like iPhones don't they?  Why does anyone need an iPhone?  Why isn't the two-piece brick cellular telephone from the 1980's still good enough for everyone?  It's called progress.  Technology.  Evolution.  Americans like the latest, the greatest, the best, the most functional.  Why would we be happy with a sub-par, antiquated relic?  Are we that way with any other thing that we own?  Our vehicles?  Our televisions?  Our computers?  Sure, there is always a small group of enthusiasts who like the older stuff for novelty or collecting purposes, but Americans tend to prefer the most advanced technology that has had all of the bugs worked out of it, and which works at its most optimal.  Same goes for our firearms.

[mcurrier]

Not to mention that AR (Armalite Rifle) rifles are like Lego's.  They are infinitely configurable to the individual user's tastes and preferences.

 

As a funny/not-so-funny aside to what I just said -

 

SWAT Team Takes Down Man Armed With LEGO Gun

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/12/swat-team-takes-down-man-armed-with-lego-gun/

 

http://www.brickgun.com/Index.html

 

 

"...working in a downtown office on Friday when the replica gun made from LEGO that he’d ordered from online retailer BrickGun arrived."

 

"He assembled the model and later closed his office door for a conference call and that’s when someone who could see in his window from a neighboring building called police to report lone man sitting in an office with a gun. 

The SWAT Team was dispatched and the incident ended with the man cuffed against a wall while six officers armed with assault rifles and shotguns secured the LEGO."

[Guest brianhaas]

Had a blast today at Charlie Haffner's place. Charlie was awesome and incredibly friendly and welcoming to myself and our photographer.

 

And even more thanks to Bill Smith, who braved not only having his photo taken, but also print and video interviews. He did fantastic.

 

As for me... well, we were only shooting at the 25-yard target since it was my first time with the AR. Fortunately, I didn't have any trouble hitting the target.

 

Here's me not quite getting the hang of how to properly grip the gun yet. It was a beautiful gun. I was surprised at how little kick there was versus how loud and how concussive it was.

 

 

Great day, great people, great way to kick off my holiday vacation.

 

I'm off until January, when I'll probably be back reaching out to more folks to help flesh my story out. Hope everyone has a great holiday!

[Guest bkelm18]

You look like a natural. You've even got the tactical beard going.

[Guest brianhaas]

You look like a natural. You've even got the tactical beard going.

 

"Tactical beard." I love it.

[QuietDan]

Had a blast today at Charlie Haffner's place. Charlie was awesome and incredibly friendly and welcoming to myself and our photographer.

 

And even more thanks to Bill Smith, who braved not only having his photo taken, but also print and video interviews. He did fantastic.

 

As for me... well, we were only shooting at the 25-yard target since it was my first time with the AR. Fortunately, I didn't have any trouble hitting the target.

 

Here's me not quite getting the hang of how to properly grip the gun yet. It was a beautiful gun. I was surprised at how little kick there was versus how loud and how concussive it was.

 

 

Great day, great people, great way to kick off my holiday vacation.

 

I'm off until January, when I'll probably be back reaching out to more folks to help flesh my story out. Hope everyone has a great holiday!

 

Paying attention to Instruction from the amazing and gentlemanly Charlie Haffner, Jr - Check

 

Ear protection - Check.

 

Eye protection - Check.

 

Muzzle pointed downrange - Check.

 

Index Finger straight and off the trigger -- DOUBLE Check!

 

(Edit:) Tactical Beard -- PRICELESS!!

 

 

 

Build on the basics, and good on you!

Edited December 23, 2012 by QuietDan

[Guest brianhaas]

Paying attention to Instruction from the amazing and gentlemanly Charlie Hafner, Jr - Check

 

Ear protection - Check.

 

Eye protection - Check.

 

Muzzle pointed downrange - Check.

 

Index Finger straight and off the trigger -- DOUBLE Check!

 

 

 

Build on the basics, and good on you!

Much of the credit goes to Bill Smith who was responsible for 3 out of 5 of those things.

 

The beard?

 

That's all me.

Edited December 23, 2012 by brianhaas

[gregintenn]

Next story idea: Why the "ammo deserts" in Middle Tennessee? There isn't any ammo or magazines to be found at this time to feed these ARs.

[gnmwilliams]

[quote name="brianhaas" post="866738" timestamp="1356235972"]"Tactical beard." I love it.[/quote] http://www.duffelblog.com/2012/04/pentagon-study-finds-beards-directly-proportional-to-combat-effectiveness/

[G27]

Nice to see you continuing to properly research your articles, Brian. Much respect for your efforts to actually present the facts for your readers to decide, unlike many in your field. Thank you.