American Gun: The True Story of the AR-15
by Cameron McWhirter
View on GoodreadsWall Street Journal reporters Cameron McWhirter and Zusha Elinson's history of the AR-15 — from Eugene Stoner's 1950s design through military adoption as the M-16, the post-1994-AWB civilian explosion, and the weapon's central place in American mass shootings.
Core ideas
- The AR-15 was nearly a commercial failure for decades; the modern market is largely a post-2004 phenomenon, tied to the assault-weapons-ban sunset and to industry-led identity marketing.
- The cultural status of the weapon — as a symbol of armed citizenship — was deliberately built, with the NRA and manufacturers shifting it from utilitarian object to political identity marker over about twenty years.
- The mass-shooting use pattern is the result of specific design choices (intermediate cartridge, semi-automatic action, magazine capacity) that the military selected for combat effectiveness, now in civilian hands with minimal friction.
Published2023
Pages496
ISBN9780374103859
ReadOct 2023
