> anything else specifically designed to have the ability to reliably kill humans and bigger targets at long (rifle) range, up at the dangerous end of the spectrum.

So this would include all weapons intended for hunting anything bigger than a rabbit?

Fair enough, but this isn’t typically the argument - usually it’s presented as the AR-15 being a “weapon of war” and not needed for hunting, eliding the fact that many common hunting rifles are more powerful.

No, as I said, human or larger.

I think there's a fair argument that bolt action single shot is adequate for hunting.

Not all hunting is the same, I would not use a bolt action single shot out duck hunting (I use a 10 gauge auto with 3 shot capacity) and I would not use an AR out hog hunting. But if my primary goal was vermin control like prairie dog hunting, Coyote hunting, etc. I would absolutely choose a AR (personally it would be an AK) with a high capacity mag. For hog hunting I use a Saga-12 with a 20 round drum with a mix of slug and buck shot, which is a hell of a lot of firepower far more than any of the school shooters has ever packed. A 3 inch 00 buck is 15 30 cal rounds in a single shot, that is 300 30 cal projectiles down range in 20 trigger pulls. This much firepower is absolutely necessary if you run into a pack of wild boar. All three of these are nuance species who populations have become out of control and need hunter eradication to keep them in check.

In fact the only hunting I can think of where a bolt action suffices is stand hunting large herbivores such as deer, elk or moose. Which is exactly what most people think of when they think hunting.

I certainly would not want to go into bear country with a single shot bolt action. Not that I would hunt bear, but I would certainly have a firearm for protection.

I am not going to link to it as it may be sensitive viewing to some people but if you are not bothered by it, take a look at the YouTube videos, where ranchers are doing hog eradication via helicopter, they almost all exclusively use either the Saiga-12 or the AR-12 to do such eradication. It will give you a good perspective on how rapid the pace of eradication is and why such high capacity firepower is needed.

Take a look at coyote and prairie dog eradication as well.

Ok, but you don't _need_ an AR or a semi-auto weapon for any of that.

OK and how would you surmise that from my text. As I said take a look at the videos, packs of feral hogs, and prairie dogs can number in the 50's or more. You certainly need some form of high capacity gun that fires with every trigger pull, as after the first shot you have to make multiple quick follow up shots to eradicate the ones that are now fleeing. OK so I don't need an AR, but what would you suggest, I certainly need a rifle with a high capacity magazine, which can fire a shot with every trigger pull? Are we saying that it just needs to not look like an AR. Because it certainly has to perform like one, a Browning Automatic Rifle would suffice with a FAL high capacity magazine, but they are fairly expensive and actually do more damage than an AR (AR's are actually an under-powered gun for feral hog eradication and cause unneeded suffering), but they don't look like an AR, and look like a hunting gun. so we are back to wanting to ban cosmetics. Because there certainly is a legitimate use for high capacity magazines and semi-automatic rifles in nuance eradication. Many ranchers use an AR-10 or AK-12 for hog eradication, because they are the perfect tool.

All of my firearms are semi-autos, all of them where purchased for a specific type of hunting that I do. I actually don't own or have a need for a bolt action single shot, as I do not hunt deer, elk any large herbivores. I would love to have a .338 Lapua bolt action, but the funny part is, it would be a vanity gun purchase, as I have absolutely no need for it other than plinking long range shots. the exact thing most people accuse AR owners of purchasing their AR for.

On a personal note, I do not like the AR platform and personally think it is inferior to both the FAL and AK platforms.

Fair enough, license them to people who can demonstrate a legitimate need.

one of those legitimate needs is self defense. Which pretty much includes everyone that wants a gun for self defense and they absolutely need to match the firepower that they may come up against so they have a legitimate need for high capacity magazines and semi-automatic weapons.

Don't get me wrong I am not against regulations, but I will say I am leary of them given the absolute ignorance of the people that want to implement them.

Here are some common sense regulations that I think would be effective.

Handguns should be the most restrictive class, they are the most deadly and kill far more people that the emotionally manipulative narrative of AR mass killings. I believe everyone with even a misdemeanor should have to prove some form of reform before they can gain ownership of a handgun.

I believe the age to purchase a gun should be raised to 25. You don't see many people over 25 committing mass shootings or participating in gang violence.

I believe felons caught with a firearm should get an mandatory minimum of 20 years. They know they are not supposed to have them, they are up to bad intent just given the fact that they have one and they are the most likely to use them.

I believe if you buy a gun and provide it to another person that is not eligible to have it, you should be charged with all crimes that person commits.

I believe the instant background check should be available via a web page, where you enter your serial number and once validated that it is a valid ATF gun, you enter the purchaser info and it give you a yes or no on transfer. I believe if this is available and you transfer a gun to a person that is not eligible, that you are liable for their crimes.

I believe that a medical professional or a consensus of family members should be able to suspend your right to bear arms for a set and predetermined amount of time. If they petition a court (not the local PD). I believe that the accused should have the right to a medical tribunal to challenge said suspension.

Finally I think we should repeal the ban on automatic weapons after instating the above mentioned regulations. It's a stupid law and short of nearly point blank shooting that the mob did in the 1930's a full auto weapon is sub par to a semi-auto. I thing a removal of this ban would show that the powers that be are not out to grab the guns. Which is a valid concern given Beto's recent comments on the subject.

Deer weigh 150 lbs or more, same as humans.

Logically a rifle sized to kill a deer or larger animal will also be excellent at killing humans.

Most proposals for banning assault weapons exempt “hunting rifles”, but if your proposal is to ban all semi auto rifles larger than .22 caliber, it’s consistent although not what politicians are currently pushing on any side in the USA.