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Why would someone own a military-style rifle?

(CNN) — One of the three guns Adam Lanza used to kill 20 children and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, was a military-style sem...
Assault Rifle

“Personally I don’t know how any ordinary citizen can justify owning an automatic or semiautomatic gun,” writes CNN commenter Mark Smerkanich. “Can’t we leave those guns to the trained military?”

Self-described gun owner Julie Jones-Hawkins comments, “I … fully support a ban on rapid-fire weapons. Any weapon that can take out an entire kindergarten class is a problem.”

Here are five reasons many gun owners say they want military style rifles:

‘Some people play golf, others bowl. I shoot’

“Every month or so I take my guns out to the range and shoot,” says iReporter Christopher L. Kirkman, who owns a Heckler and Koch MR556A1. “It’s thrilling, exciting and a great way to vent.”

“Sure, I could try to say that the reason I own these guns is self-defense, but the truth of the matter is that, although they will technically serve this purpose, they are not why I own them.”

iReporter Ethan Daniels describes his enthusiasm for his Lewis Machine & Tool MRP CQB (monolithic rail platform close quarters battle) rifle more succinctly, saying, “I like to shoot, and that is one heck of a fun carbine to plink with.”

Background can factor into a gun owner’s choice of weapon. “The AR-15 is what I am used to from my extensive training as an airborne infantryman,” says iReporter Nathan Lee. “Because of my training, it’s what I feel the most comfortable with.”

‘It’s cool’

It may not be the best or most important reason, but military-style weapons often appeal to the enthusiast side of the American gun owner. Just like many car lovers who dream of owning a Lamborghini, many gun owners get excited about the idea of owning an AR-15.

“There are people who buy certain types of firearms because they have a certain image — the AR-15 is one of them,” says Austin Nikel, an iReporter in Boulder, Colorado, and a former AR-15 owner.

“One thing about this country is how Hollywood has glorified the image behind those certain types of weapons. A lot of guys grow up with GI Joe, and that image is extremely attractive. It grabs you and affects you.

“A lot of people buy the AR-15 because, well, it’s cool.”
Apparently it wasn’t cool enough for Nikel to hold on to. He ended up selling his AR-15 to his father.

‘A part of history’

“Since coming of age — and in the decades since — I have collected many different firearms, some of them historical pieces, some for sport, some of them even the so-called “assault weapons” that are now a controversy,” says iReporter Hrothgar01.

“Guns like these are as much a part of the history of this country as the muskets carried by pioneers, the rifles toted by doughboys in the trenches, and the other arms that have served and protected throughout the years. To hold one in your hands, appreciate its history and design, and to be able to take that piece of history to the range and work — it is a feeling that many people in this debate do not understand or appreciate.”

‘Protecting my family’

“I believe the foremost person responsible for protecting my family and myself is me,” says iReporter Rowland Parks, who owns a pair of AR-15s. “These rifles provide me with the tools to perform that duty. I don’t own these guns to target shoot, though I do that with them. I don’t hunt with them, though I could in a pinch.”
Parks says he “would not hesitate to use one to simply defend my home and family from a single intruder if it became necessary.”

In some home-protection situations, fans say military-style rifles are generally more accurate than handguns. Rifles are generally easier to learn how to shoot, say military-style rifle owners.

Like most firearms, military-style weapons such as the AR-15 are semiautomatic — increasing protection because the shooter can fire off many shots without having to manually chamber a new bullet. With a bolt-action rifle or pump-action shotgun, firing multiple shots might take more time.
iReport: One gun owner’s solution

‘Fascination with the Second Amendment’

“I am a proud owner of an AK-47,” says iReporter INGunOwner. “It’s a terrific gun. Lots of fun to shoot. I own an AK because of my fascination with the Second Amendment, which I view as a backstop protector of freedom. Many people would argue that we have no use for it today because the government is trustworthy.

“However since it acts as a deterrent, we can never measure exactly how much it has been effective. Perhaps the notion that people feel safe with our government after over 200 years is a testament to the Second Amendment value in balancing power with the citizens.”

CNN’s Henry Hanks contributed to this report.

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