Sen. Mark Kelly Proposes AR-15 Ban, Focusing on Gas Operation System

Breitbart News reported, Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, has taken a definitive stance in advocating for an AR-15 ban, highlighting the firearm's gas operation system, a feature ingrained in its design for over six decades.

In collaboration with a cohort of Senate Democrats, including Sen. Angus King of Maine, Kelly unveiled the proposal for an AR-15 ban early Thursday. This initiative was accompanied by a shift in language, employing phrases like "lethal capacity weapons" and "gas-operated semiautomatics."

Kelly further emphasized these new catchphrases in a video posted on X later that day, elucidating on the proposal's core intent. He reiterated the ban's focus on the lethality inherent in the internal mechanisms of AR-15s and similar rifles.

Describing the proposed ban as a "renewed effort," Kelly specifically outlined the firearms in question as "semiautomatic, gas-operated rifles." However, notably absent was a mention of the longstanding existence of the gas operation system within the AR-15's design, dating back approximately 64 years to Colt's acquisition of the rifle's manufacturing license in 1959.

The mechanics of an AR-15 involve the utilization of gas emitted from a spent round, channeling it to the bolt carrier group to facilitate the reset, subsequently chambering another round ready to be fired upon the next trigger pull. It's crucial to differentiate this gas-operated system from non-gas-operated semiautomatics, like certain 9mm pistols, which operate based on recoil, cycling the action through the energy released during the firing process.

However, the classification of an AR-15 as "gas operated" doesn't alter the fundamental fact that it remains a semiautomatic firearm, discharging a single round per trigger pull.

Critics argue that designating a gun ban as a prohibition against "semiautomatic, gas-operated rifles" essentially targets the same firearms previously encompassed within broader "assault weapons" bans, asserting that it fails to present a substantial distinction in the context of firearm functionality and operation.

The proposal by Kelly and his allies reignites a contentious debate surrounding gun control, inviting deliberation on the efficacy of focusing on specific firearm features versus broader categorizations in legislative efforts.

The initiative is expected to spark further discussions within Congress as proponents and opponents gear up to engage in a vigorous discourse on gun policy reform.