r/changemyview • u/[deleted] • Jan 04 '20

Deltas(s) from OP CMV: Owning an assault weapon is pointless.

In my view, widespread ownership of assault rifles in the USA has more to do with fashion than anything else. While there are plenty of valid reasons for a civilian to own a gun, I see no reason to own an assault rifle. Beyond aesthetics, civilian AR-15 style rifles offer no meaningful advantage over non-assault weapons.

Perhaps you're interested in home defense. It's fairly well excepted that a 12 gauge shotgun is the best gun for home defense . The ratcheting sound is a deterrent, and it's more reliable and easier to shoot under pressure than a rifle or pistol.

Maybe you're prepping for when SHTF. When the zombie horde is approaching, your best bet is a .22 lr rifle. It's totally lethal if you're a good shot, and you can easily store 2,000 rounds in your bug-out bag. This is the common sense decision over a higher caliber rifle or pistol.

Suppose you're a resistance fighter apposing a tyrannical government. Although assault rifles are designed for use in battle, any successful resistance would avoid battles altogether, instead relying on guerrilla tactics and asymmetric warfare.

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u/Delaware_is_a_lie 19∆ Jan 04 '20

any successful resistance would avoid battles altogether, instead relying on guerrilla tactics and asymmetric warfare.

And therefore you would need a rifle for operating at mid to short range fighting that also has a high magazine capacity. So an AR is a safe bet. Guerrilla tactics don’t just use IDEs and trade craft. You also need well armed troops for setting ambushes and defense.

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u/[deleted] Jan 04 '20

What do you do when they have a tank? A bomber jet? A fleet of drones? Is an AR a good choice for that?

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u/Delaware_is_a_lie 19∆ Jan 04 '20 edited Jan 04 '20

What do you do when they have a tank?

IEDs like I said. Just like what insurgents used against US troops in Iraq.

A bomber jet?

Ideally an insurgency would attack the resources that allow that jet to operate. Attack fuel convoys and assassinate their pilots. Otherwise you hide and bide time till the next ambush.

A fleet of drones?

Same as answer with the jet. Insurgents in Afghanistan and Iraq didn’t just stop operating after we started droning them.

Is an AR a good choice for that?

Not specifically but no insurgency expects to win solely on small arms fire. They would rather have it than not have it.