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A series examining the AR-15, a weapon with a singular hold on a divided nation

Colt acquired the AR-15 patent and trademark from Armalite in 1959. The patent expired, leaving many companies to produce their own weapons, commonly called AR-style rifles. While Colt still holds the trademark, AR-15 has become a ubiquitous term for a popular style of gas-operated, magazine-fed semiautomatic rifles. For this reason, we refer to the rifle broadly as the AR-15 in this series.

The AR-15 is the best-selling rifle in the United States, industry figures indicate. Almost every major gunmaker now produces its own version of the weapon, which dominates gun dealers walls and websites.

Critics claim that the military-style gun has no legitimate civilian use yet about 1 in 20 Americans own one. So who chooses to buy an AR-15, and why?

The Washington Post and Ipsos asked nearly 400 AR-15 owners to explain their reasons for having the weapon, what they use it for and how often they fire it.

The survey found that AR-15 owners come from red, blue and purple states. Compared with Americans as a whole, AR-15 owners are significantly more likely to be White, male and between the ages 40 and 65. Theyre also more likely to have higher incomes, to have served in the military and to be Republican. And AR-15 owners are more likely to live in states former president Donald Trump won in 2020 than adults overall.

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Self-defense was the most popular reason for owning an AR-15. Other popular answers included recreation, target shooting and hunting, while some pointed to owning an AR-15 as their Second Amendment right.

Why people own

AR-15-style rifles

Q: In a few words, what are the main reasons you own an AR-15-style rifle? (Open-ended responses coded into categories.)

Self-defense/

Protect home/self/family

33%

Target shooting/

Take to range/

Competition

15%

Fun/

Recreation/

Sport

15%

Second Amendment/

It's my right/

Because I can

12%

Used in military/

Use as police

officer/

For work

4%

Like the way it looks/

Like it/

Because I want to

9%

Easy to use/Simple/

Accurate

6%

Customizable

platform/

Versatile

4%

In case of chaos/

Government tyranny

3%

Was a gift/

Inherited it

2%

Total does not equal 100 because up to two answers were accepted.

Angers liberals/

People want to ban them/

They make other people afraid

Source: Sept. 30-Oct. 11, 2022, Washington Post-Ipsos poll of 399 AR-15-style rifle owners with an error margin of +/- 5.5 percentage points.

Why people own AR-15-style rifles

Q: In a few words, what are the main reasons you own an AR-15-style rifle?

(Open-ended responses coded into categories.)

Self-defense/ Protect home/ self/family

33%

Target shooting/

Take to range/

Competition

15%

Second Amendment/

It's my right/

Because I can

12%

Like the way it looks/

Like it/

Because I want to

9%

Easy to use/

Simple/

Accurate

6%

Total does not equal 100 because up

to two answers were accepted.

Customizable platform/

Versatile

4%

Used in military

Use as police officer/

For work

4%

Source: Sept. 30-Oct. 11, 2022, Washington

Post-Ipsos poll of 399 AR-15-style rifle owners

with an error margin of +/- 5.5 percentage points.

In case of chaos/

Government tyranny

3%

Angers liberals/

People want to ban them/

They make other people afraid

2%

Was a gift/

Inherited it

2%

Why people own AR-15-style rifles

Q: In a few words, what are the main reasons you own an AR-15-style rifle? (Open-ended responses coded into categories.)

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Why do people own AR-15s? 33% of owners cited self-defense, poll ... - The Washington Post