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Do you think AR-15 style rifles should be banned?
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Not surprisingly, the increasing number and subsequent misuse of assault weapons has resulted in a growing debate over their place in American society. The battle lines mirror those drawn over other such “gun control” issues as waiting periods for handgun purchases, bans on armor-piercing bullets, and restrictions on the sale of “plastic” firearms. On one side of the debate is America’s gun lobby. The other side consists of handgun restriction advocates and various police organizations.

America’s gun lobby—comprised of pro-gun organizations, manufacturers, and various publications—staunchly opposes any restrictions on the sale or availability of assault weapons. The leading voice of dissent belongs to the NRA. With 2.7 million members and a budget of more than $71 million, the NRA is America’s largest and most powerful pro-gun organization.

In the past, the “gun control” debate was easily defined. “Good” guns were long guns that were used for hunting and sporting purposes, while “bad” guns were easily concealable handguns that had limited sporting use and were prone to misuse. Previously the standard for restricting weapons involved concealabililty and a cost/benefit analysis: Is the harm done by a given category of firearm outweighed by any possible benefit? Yet, although assault weapons are frequently misused and many are more concealable that standard long guns, a new standard is emerging: For what purpose was this weapon designed? The first application of this standard came in 1986, when Congress voted to outlaw the future production of machine guns for civilian use. The number of criminal incidents involving legally owned machine guns prior to the ban had been few. Yet, Congress saw no reason for this category of weapon to remain in civilian hands.