In the 10 years since the Brady Bill and the federal assault weapons ban expired, the market for semiautomatic rifles has exploded in the United States. Among the most popular rifles on the market is the AR-15.
The demand has been so large that Joe Morrell, owner of Big D’s Gun and Pawn in Pocatello, is finishing the construction of a special room in his shop to display his collection of semiautomatic rifles for sale. He said they were taking up too much space where his shotguns were displayed.
Like an iPhone, there is no shortage of accessories and modifications on the market for AR-15 enthusiasts.
Most brick-and-mortar and online gun shops offer a variety of modification options to choose from. These include new barrels, larger magazines and suppressors, as well as hand grips, laser sights and scopes, along with bolt-carrier groups and trigger assemblies.
There are even a large variety of pink-colored accessories for female shooters.
“If you look at a regular bolt action rifle, you can’t really change the configuration of it,” said Morrell. “The AR-15 is a basic, simple gun that you can easily change around and play with.”
Sam Laoboonmi, the owner of Sam’s Guns in Pocatello, said that compared with other semiautomatic rifles, the AR-15 is among the most accurate.
“The AR-15s are like those old Volkswagen Beetles from the 1960s, you can easily find and change out parts,” said Laoboonmi. “The ammo is reasonably priced and readily available.”
The AR-15 is a sort of an anomaly compared with the other firearms available on the market. Though many use it for self-defense purposes, its size makes it difficult to conceal. Suited for small varmints and coyotes, it’s not designed to hunt large game with, unless its .223 stock caliber is converted to shoot larger rounds.
Morrell says its popularity lies with the enjoyment of firing it.
“The No. 1 reason people buy this gun is because it is so much fun to shoot,” he said. “Compared to the other semiautomatic rifles on the market, the AR-15’s are America’s gun.”
Despite its popularity as an affordable and adaptable rifle, AR-15’s have been involved in numerous high-profile mass shooting incidents in recent years. In response, pro-gun control advocates have tried to push legislation to ban semi-automatic rifles like the AR-15.
However, Bannock County Sheriff Lorin Nielsen says his department has not seen an increase in the number of semi-automatic rifles used in violent crimes. In fact, his department’s officers store AR-15 in their squad cars.
“In the old days, we used to have a shotgun and a rifle in each of our cars,” he said. “Now we carry shotguns with non-lethal bean bag ammunition and AR-15’s. The AR-15’s are not as heavy to carry, it’s easier to clean, and it’s overall a superior weapon. I think a lot of our officers are glad to have them.”
Nielsen also said that most police personnel in the state of Idaho are issued a semi-automatic rifle of some kind.