This question often comes up when considering attempts by Congress to pass unconstitutional gun ban legislation. The answer, given any honest historical context, is self-evident.

The first sentence of this year’s legislation indicates the intention:

To regulate the importation, manufacture, possession, sale or transfer of assault weapons, and for other purposes.

Subsequent sections include long lists of rifles, pistols and shotguns that are intended to be unlawfully infringed on by this legislation. (https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5087/text)

AR-15 use for “Assault” is Statistically Insignificant

First of all, an AR-15 is labeled “assault rifle” for effect. They are not used for assault to any significant degree as can be proven by FBI statistics that state an average of less than 300 murders per year involving a rifle. That is 300 out of a population of 325,000,000. That statistically approaches ZERO.

Further, the AR-15 rifle is only a tiny subset of the “rifles” category as reported by the FBI. The FBI doesn’t even publish statistics specific to AR-15s because the number would be embarrassingly low for gun-grabbers. In effect, banning the AR-15 would be statistically a useless act with regards to murder.

If you are tempted to disregard this data and claim “well, if it only saves one life”, then you are ignoring the hundreds of examples of lives saved when the AR-15 is used as a defensive tool. Here are some examples:

https://www.dailysignal.com/2018/03/14/8-times-law-abiding-citizens-saved-lives-ar-15/

The defensive utility and importance  of the AR-15 is profound. So, the question is really “why do you need a capable defensive rifle?” But let’s stick with a neutral version of the question for now, “why do you need an AR-15”?

So, “why do you need an AR-15?”

The needs satisfied by the AR-15s are broad and include defense, utility, marksmanship and fun. Here are a few points to consider:

1. Nasty governments, throughout history, have abused and then murdered disarmed populations.
2. Socialist governments become very nasty, throughout history, when they run out of other people’s money.
3. Throughout history, socialist citizens do not respect property rights or individual freedom and thus encourage socialist governments to be nasty.
4. Current lefties fit #3 and are demanding #2 more and more each month (and they haven’t even run out of other people’s money yet).
5. It’s a great home and property defense rifle. https://mic.com/articles/64663/5-people-who-used-an-ar-15-to-defend-themselves-and-it-probably-saved-their-lives#.VehsdlcpJ
6. Self defense is a natural right. As a free individual, I get to pick the weapon of choice for this, not you or your politician.
7. It’s a great community defense rifle. You need a good guy with a gun to stop a bad guy with a gun.  https://www.ammoland.com/2017/11/hero-ends-church-shooting-texas/#axzz5P0NTWyo3
8. The Constitution guarantees that the federal government “shall not infringe” on the right to guns. If you want to change this then you should seek a Constitutional amendment, not usurping legislation. Federal legislation cannot “infringe” in any way, per the Second Amendment.
9. The AR-15 uses relatively inexpensive ammo making it a good training rifle.
10. The AR-15 has limited recoil making it a good training rifle for all ages.
11. The AR-15 uses standard components so it is versatile and easy to customize.
12. It’s a great rifle for controlling pests like Coyotes and Hogs.
13. It’s a fun rifle to shoot.
14. I don’t have to “need” it, I might just want it and I am a free individual.

Finally, to those that would take individual rights away, “You may all go to hell”… this is a corollary because gun-grabbers will read this list and reply with “so what, we want the guns”. Well, that is a affront to individual rights and at that point they have taken on the role of the assaulter. Which brings me to the primary point.

A Planned Assault on Individual Property and Rights

The irony is that those that would ban guns they mislabel “assault rifles” are the ones “assaulting”. They intend to steal private property and natural rights from individuals.

In the context of the current socialist movement, their leaders know the following:

• The socialist plan is based on other people’s money and property.
• It’s implementation requires individuals to be denied absolute rights.
• It plans to tread vigorously on individuals, their families, their livelihood, their happiness
• Eventually they will run out of other people’s money.
• Historically, if the population is suitable disarmed, government force is then used.

Some of those that support socialist leaders understand this and support it. Many, which history refers to as the “useless eaters” are enticed by charismatic leaders, “free” stuff, a warped sense of justice, or claims of rights that are not rights at all (i.e. rights do not require other people’s money or services).  Regardless, the socialist movement is a planned assault on individual property and rights.

So, the primary answer to “Why do you need an AR-15?” really boils down to defending the individual from the incoming collectivist march. Obviously, this is not a new battle in the context of history. Arguably, it is the battle in the context of history. And given history as a guide, it is easy to see that the AR-15, even just the prolific ownership of it, is an important deterrent against those that would steal property and rights from others.

“From my cold dead hands.” is wise advice.