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1.3 Colt military models without model numbersĬolt has been the most visible producer of ArmaLite AR-15 pattern weapons, and the military designations M16 and M4 are heavily associated with the company.Sales of new Colt-made AR-15s may come to an end, but there are plenty of assault weapons available to the public, among whom may be potential mass shooters. Dick’s Sporting Goods stopped selling military-style semiautomatic rifles and large-capacity magazines in 2018.Ĭolt’s retreat on the AR-15 should not be seen as a signal of a breakthrough in the gun debate or a change of heart within the firearm industry. Walmart isn’t the only major gun seller recently to limit sales of certain firearms.
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In August 2019, after a shooter with an AK-47-style rifle massacred 22 people at an El Paso Walmart, company CEO Doug McMillon urged Congress to consider restoring an assault-weapons ban that was in effect from 1994 through 2004.
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Walmart, for example, stopped selling military-style rifles in 2015. Colt noted that the company will continue to focus on civilian handguns and military rifles.įrom the evidence, it appears Colt’s decision was different from other corporations’ actions, which clearly responded to concerns about mass shootings. The National Rifle Association’s “Shooting Illustrated” blog said some gun owners assumed Colt’s “halt in civilian rifle production had anti-gun motives.” But the NRA said the problem was lack of consumer demand for Colt-made AR-15s, which were often hundreds of dollars more expensive than similar models from other companies. Colt CEO Dennis Veilleux’s reasoning was clear in his statement that “ the market for modern sporting rifles has experienced significant excess manufacturing capacity” and as a result, “there is adequate supply of modern sporting rifles for the foreseeable future.” The company’s announcement of the change made no reference to mass shootings and went out of its way to say Colt remains “committed to the Second Amendment,” which guarantees Americans’ right to bear arms. More likely, though, the company is still recovering from its bankruptcy proceedings in 20, and wanted to drop an unprofitable product line, which it refers to as “ modern sporting rifles.” Not a matter of ideology It’s possible that by suspending AR-15 sales, Colt hopes to distance itself from the carnage connected to the use of assault weapons. It’s also legal and relatively easy in more than 40 states to buy semiautomatic variants of other large-capacity military-style weapons, such as the AK-47, originally a Soviet design. They’re often referred to generically as “AR-15-style” rifles or assault weapons. They are classified as semiautomatic because they automatically reload, but the shooter has to pull the trigger each time he wants the gun to fire.Ĭolt’s AR-15 patents expired decades ago, and today there are numerous imitations available. Unlike the military variants, which can unleash short bursts or a stream of bullets with each trigger pull, AR-15s and other civilian large-capacity rifles fire only a single shot at a time. The more ammunition, the more rounds a shooter can fire quickly before having to stop and reload. All are relatively lightweight, powerful and capable of accommodating large ammunition magazines, typically containing 30 rounds. gun massacres in recent years, including Aurora, Colorado and and Newtown, Connecticut in 2012 Orlando in 2016 Las Vegas in 2017 Parkland, Florida in 2018 and El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio in 2019.Ĭolt’s AR-15 is a close cousin of military rifles such as the M-16 and M-4. Assault weapons – AR-15s and others – have been used in some of the grisliest U.S.