Trust me, AR-15s are ‘killing machines’

I served in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps for over 30 years and while not an expert I know quite a bit about weapons. I have put thousands of rounds down range, from a .22 caliber rifle to an 8-inch howitzer. Additionally, I was a West Point cadet during the 1960s when the academy’s Ordnance Department was involved in an extensive study of developing a replacement for the standard 30-06 rifle cartridge.

I am a gun owner, with various rifles, shotguns and pistols in my gun safe. I am a hunter and target shooter. However, I would never own an AR-15/M-16 designed rifle. That weapon was designed for one purpose. That is to permit a soldier to carry the most lethal rifle possible with the maximum rounds for extended combat.

It was never designed to be a target weapon, nor a hunting rifle for either small or large game. It is an extremely effective killing machine, as proven recently in mass shootings, as well as in combat. For personal home protection, if needed, I recommend a 12-gauge pump shotgun. Just the sound of the action racking is a great deterrent.

This story was originally published July 6, 2016 at 11:10 AM with the headline "Trust me, AR-15s are ‘killing machines’."