Category: Gun Schtuff

‘Smart Gun’ Inventor Explains Why He’s Trying to Get a California Gun-Control Law Struck Down

The man behind the first gun with an integrated biometric lock set to come to market is backing a suit against one of California’s most restrictive gun laws.

Kai Kloepfer, Biofire founder, told The Reload his company wrote an amicus letter supporting plaintiffs in a case against the state’s Unsafe Handgun Act (UHA) because it believes the law holds back firearms safety innovation. That law bans the sale of any handgun that isn’t on the state’s approved roster, which hasn’t seen a new handgun model added to it since 2013. Biofire wrote to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals earlier this month urging them to strike down the law in Boland v. Bonta.

“Our argument is the roster doesn’t serve the needs of Californians because it arbitrarily restricts the options that are available,” Kloepfer told The Reload. “California is to guns as Cuba is to cars. You can’t take advantage of all the advancements in technology, including in safety, that have been made since the guns the roster grandfathered in.”

The company’s involvement in the case is at least a public relations win for the California Rifle and Pistol Association and other plaintiffs in the case. It could also help sway the appeals panel reviewing the case that the law does more harm than good in its stated goal of protecting Californians from unsafe handguns. The move also indicates how Biofire plans to convince gun buyers, who have long been skeptical of “smart gun” technology, it is working in their interests.

Kloepfer said the company, like other gun manufacturers, isn’t planning to become directly involved in general gun-rights legal activism. However, he said they do plan to pursue legal action when a law impacts their business.

“What we do engage in are areas directly involved with smart guns. And, in particular, we have this very strong stance of being against mandates of this technology,” Kloepfer said. “It doesn’t make any sense for the market. It doesn’t make any sense for our customers. It doesn’t make any sense for us. So, areas like Boland as well as, obviously, the now-repealed New Jersey mandate for smart guns and things like that. We do get involved in direct smart gun topics or topics that impact our ability to serve our customers.”

California passed the UHA in 2001. Initially, it barred the sale of any new handgun models without a loaded chamber indicator or magazine disconnect safety. In 2013, the state mandated new pistol models must include so-called microstamping technology. In theory, microstamping imprints an identifiable mark on every spent casing with the goal of helping police solve crimes. But, as Kloepfer pointed out, there has never been a production gun anywhere in the world that incorporates the technology, and critics argue the technology is impossible to implement in a practical firearm.

“Our understanding is that the roster requires microstamping, which has never been implemented in any sort of commercially available firearm,” he said. “Biofire does not have microstamping in it. Similar to every other manufacturer, we have not seen a viable approach there.”

The real-world effect of adding the microstamping requirement, which New York is now considering implementing, was a complete ban on selling any handgun models created after 2013. Outside of law enforcement officers, who are not subject to the handgun roster’s restrictions despite unrostered guns’ status as “unsafe,” Californians have been mostly limited to buying pistols first introduced to the market more than 15 years ago.

Boland v. Bonta is already changing that, though. In March, Federal District Judge Cormac J. Carney issued a preliminary injunction against the UHA because he found it likely unconstitutional.

“These regulations are having a devastating impact on Californians’ ability to acquire and use new, state-of-the-art handguns,” Judge Carney wrote. “Since 2007, when the [loaded chamber indicator] and [magazine disconnect safety] requirements were introduced, very few new handguns have been introduced for sale in California with those features. Since 2013, when the microstamping requirement was introduced, not a single new semiautomatic handgun has been approved for sale in California.”

California filed to appeal the ruling. However, it only requested a stay on Judge Carney’s ruling in regard to the loaded chamber indicator and magazine disconnect safety requirements. The court agreed to that request. That means the microstamping requirement will remain enjoined as the appeal proceeds.

Kloepfer said Biofire has a version of its gun that includes a loaded chamber indicator and magazine disconnect safety. But he argued those features shouldn’t be required either, and the company would continue to support the case against the law.

Biofire has already brought in thousands of pre-orders for its first “smart gun” model and plans to ship the first batch of $1,500-$1,900 firearms by the end of the year.

“We’ve seen really tremendous demand so far,” Kloepfer said.

The gun is only available for direct purchase through Biofire’s website at this point, but Kloepfer said the company hopes to expand in the coming months.

“We just very simply don’t have the inventory capacity to stock at distributors or things like that,” he said. “So, as we get larger and start to sort of fulfill a lot of this backlog of demand, the goal is definitely to build positive relationships with distributors, especially ones that our customers are excited about.”

Oral arguments in the Boland v. Bonta appeal have been scheduled for August 23rd.

 

Defense Distributed Once Again Proves Gun Control Obsolete With A 0% Pistol

Defense Distributed Once Again Proves Gun Control Obsolete With A 0% Pistol

AUSTIN, Texas — In 2013, Cody Wilson printed the Liberator. The Liberator was the first 3D-printed firearm. His goal was simple. It was to make all gun control obsolete.

The Complete Book of Tokarev Pistols

The Tokarev saga is a long and amazingly interesting one. The story began in the 1920s and spans nearly 100 years. It is fair to say that the Tokarev pistol was born out of the advances in small arms that were occurring at the turn of the 20th century, especially the trend of military forces in many countries to replace revolvers with semiautomatic pistols. While the Tokarev has links to the past, its use continues to the present day. The geographic distribution of the Tokarev is worldwide, as it has migrated from the soviet union to numerous countries around the globe. The Tokarev has been used for so long by so many countries that it is almost universally recognized. It has attained a longevity rivaled by few other pistols. 8.5×11; 1550 color photos/illustrations.

Why All the Hate for Smart Guns?

We’ve been hearing about “smart guns” for well over a quarter century. The dream (of some) has been a gun that recognizes its owner and will only work for that person. The idea is to make sure that people who aren’t authorized — thieves, children — are locked out and can’t use the firearm. That ideal is obvious and laudable. The history and execution, so far, have been less than impressive.

Lots of people have advocated a wide array of designs and hyped allegedly market-ready models. Some were well intentioned people who thought they could overcome the technological challenges involved. Some seemed more like snake oil salesmen who hawked not-ready-for-prime-time contraptions, some of which were downright awful.

But we’re living in a time of string theories and God particles. Anything is possible, right? Technology marches on and no one really doubted that one day, someone would develop and market a viable “smart gun” with systems of one type or another that would reliably (within reason) ID authorized users.

Then along came the legislative wizards in New Jersey state government who single-handedly stifled “smart gun” design for a couple of decades. Led by some very big brains like Senator Loretta Weinberg, they enacted a law that mandated that once a smart gun design was marketed to consumers anywhere in the US, all guns sold in the Garden State would have to have the technology.

In the grand tradition of Soviet central planning, Senator Weinberg’s mandate had some, shall we say, unintended consequences among rational economic actors who live and work out here in the real world.

To wit, the Jersey mandate put a damper on “smart gun” R&D. No one wanted to trigger the law and be responsible for condemning millions of Garden State gun buyers to having a choice of exactly one gun

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The Founders were well aware of continuing advances in arms technology
Building on what had come before, the Madison-Monroe research program led the way to the many innovations of the 19th century

During the 19th century, firearms improved more than in any other century. As of 1800, most firearms were single-shot muzzleloading blackpowder flintlocks. By end of the century, semiautomatic pistols using detachable magazines with modern gunpowder and metallic cartridges were available. Would the Founders be surprised by the improvements in ability to exercise Second Amendment rights? Perhaps not, given the tremendous advances in firearms that had taken place before 1791. And certainly not, given that James Madison, author of the Second Amendment, initiated a federal government industrial with the specific aim of vastly improving the quality and quantity of firearms manufacture.

Part I of this post briefly describes Some of the firearms advances before 1791. Part II describes the federal industrial policy for advancing firearms technology.

This post is based on my article The History of Bans on Types of Arms Before 1900. It is forthcoming in Notre Dame’s Journal of Legislation, vol. 50, no. 2, in 2024. The Post also draws on chapter 23 of my coauthored textbook Firearms Law and the Second Amendment: Regulations, Rights, and Policy (Aspen Pub., 3d ed. 2022).

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Show Don’t Tell – Preaching the Gospel of Gun Owner Normality

My life is so much better when I don’t have to engage the gun issue in America; I don’t know why I continue doing this to myself. Some days I think it is just the sunk costs of having spent 12 years of my life trying to bring light to an issue that seems more overheated every day. On other days, I am inspired by people I meet to press on trying to tell the story of American gun culture accurately and fairly. Last weekend I had such a day.

Since classes ended this spring, I have been in Northern California helping my newly-widowed mother and celebrating a landmark birthday for my oldest sister. I haven’t had too many free days in my schedule, but as luck has it, one of them coincided with a very interesting shooting event presented by a new organization, Open Source Shooting Sports (OS3).

The group’s abbreviation, OS3, is a play on computer “operating systems.” This and the “open source” idea that comes from computer programming is reflective of its founder, Trish (Resplendor) Sargentini. An automation engineer in the biotech industry, she is just a bit nerdy.

I will have more to say about the APA x Mother’s Day event on my Gun Curious blog later. Today I want to focus on what I learned at the event about representing responsible gun owners and gun ownership.

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If I didn’t have a PS-90 and wanted to make another SBR…………..
And why couldn’t they have come out with this last year?

  • MODEL NUMBER: 19303
  • CALIBER: 5.7X28MM
  • Capacity 20
  • Handguard M-LOK® Attachment Slots
  • Sights None
  • Receiver Material Aluminum Alloy
  • Receiver Finish Type III Hard-Coat Anodized
  • Barrel Feature Threaded
  • Thread Pattern 1/2″-28
  • Barrel Length 10.30″
  • Overall Length 16″
  • Barrel Material Aluminum Alloy
  • Barrel Finish Nitride
  • Weight 66.5 oz.
  • Grooves 8
  • Twist1:9″ RH
  • Available in CALIFORNIA No
  • Available in MASSACHUSETTS No
  • UPC7-36676-19303-5
  • Suggested Retail$999.00

Fact Check: New Mexico’s Democrat Gov. Claims an AR-15 Is an ‘Automatic Weapon’

CLAIM: During Friday’s airing of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) claimed an AR-15 rifle is an “automatic weapon.”

VERDICT: False. AR-15s are semiautomatic firearms.

Grisham made her comments during a discussion of the May 16, 2023, Farmington, New Mexico, shooting that left three people dead.

CNN identified the Farmington gunman as an 18-year-old male and noted his family had worried about his mental health. He used three different guns in the attack and was ultimately killed by police.

One of the guns was an AR-15, which Grisham described as an “automatic weapon.” She said:

Frankly, no one that isn’t in the military — this is a weapon of war — or a trained police department, in my view, no one in America who isn’t in one of those two situations should own an automatic weapon. There is no reason to own one of those.

Contrary to Grisham’s assertion, AR-15s are semiautomatic firearms. They fire one round, and one round only, per trigger pull.
The AR-15 has a safety on the lower that allows the owner of the gun to switch between “safe” and “fire.” Automatic weapons, on the other hand, have a select fire switch that allows the owner of the gun to switch between “safe,” “semiautomatic fire,” and “automatic fire.” (In some cases the choice is a three-round burst of auto fire instead of unlimited auto fire.)

M16s and M4s are exampled of automatic weapons with the select fire switch.

M16s and M4s are actual “weapons of war,” but the AR-15 is just a semiautomatic rifle that shoots one round per trigger pull.

Grisham’s claim that an AR-15 is an “automatic weapon” is false.

Federal judge upholds constitutionality of law against possessing guns without serial numbers
Judge William Martínez agreed that guns lacking serial numbers are not ‘typically possessed by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes’

Although a major U.S. Supreme Court decision last year made it easier to strike down gun safety regulations as unconstitutional, a federal judge agreed on Monday that a law banning the possession of guns that lack serial numbers does not run afoul of the Second Amendment.

Within months of his indictment for possessing a firearm with an “obliterated” serial number in Denver, Jonathan Avila moved for dismissal of the criminal charge, arguing the law violated his constitutional right to bear arms.

But in a May 8 order, U.S. District Court Senior Judge William J. Martínez disagreed, noting the Supreme Court has interpreted the Second Amendment as protecting the right to own weapons for the lawful purpose of self-defense.

“Reason and the experience of law enforcement counsel is that obliterating a firearm’s serial number serves another purpose: making the identity of a person who possesses a particular firearm more difficult to determine,” Martínez wrote. “This feature makes firearms with obliterated serial numbers useful for criminal activity.”

Consequently, he determined guns lacking serial numbers are not within the Second Amendment’s protection.

Martínez is one of many federal judges who have had to grapple with the fallout from the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen. The court’s conservative majority voided New York’s licensing regime for the public carry of weapons, but also laid down a new legal framework for analyzing the constitutionality of gun regulations broadly.

The government, when defending the constitutionality of a firearm law, “must demonstrate that the regulation is consistent with this Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation,” wrote Justice Clarence Thomas for the majority.

He added that if a law addresses a “general societal problem that has persisted since the 18th century,” the lack of a regulation from the 1700s comparable to a modern restriction is “relevant evidence” that current policies are unconstitutional.

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Is It Right For You?
There are many different kinds of pistols out there, and what’s right for one person might not be right for you.

When doing gun reviews, the duty of the gun writer is to be as objective as possible. My personal opinions are not as important as an honest report on the gun’s quality of manufacture, accuracy, form and function. You, the consumer, on the other hand, should approach the same gun from a very subjective position. Let me give you an example.

As a young peace officer I carried a Smith & Wesson 4-inch Model 19. It was a good gun and I liked  it. However, several of the best marksmen in our department shot Colt Pythons. Naturally, I had to try one and bought a Python at the earliest opportunity. With no better idea, I chose to shoot the Colt on our standard department qualification course. After shooting the course several times, over a period of weeks, I came to the conclusion that the Python was not for me.

The Colt, being a slightly larger frame that the S&W, just did not fit my hand as well. I also had trouble with the way the DA trigger stacked prior to the sear being released. And, finally, I found the gun a bit more difficult to conceal for off-duty carry.

Now, to be very clear, the Colt Python is, and was, a fine revolver. But, based upon my subjective evaluation, it just didn’t suit me as well as the Model 19. And that certainly doesn’t mean that it isn’t well suited for other shooters. By the way, the Colt being a quality piece of work, I was easily able to trade it off for other stuff, including my first every 2½-inch Model 19.

It is an excellent idea for the consumer to establish a uniform method of evaluating new guns. I suggest developing a standard shooting drill by which all guns are evaluated. This drill should involve shooting from very close to the target and on out to at least 25 yards. It should involve precision shooting to test accuracy and speed shooting to determine suitability for personal defense. With each gun being put to the same test, it is much easier to determine the one that suits you best.

Just as I had to find out for myself about a suitable revolver, I can’t possibly tell you which gun is best suited for you. I can tell you which guns are well made. I can give you an ideas of the potential accuracy. But, you have to decide for yourself which ones are best suited for your particular needs and preferences. That requires trips to the range and putting lead in the air. And that’s also a fun day, so there really isn’t a downside. Good shooting!

So, using your magazines is the only thing that really wears them out

BLUF
Conclusions
Common wear and tear from everyday use is more likely to degrade the overall quality of a firearm magazine than the spring failing on its own from being loaded to full capacity and stored for long periods of time.
Since it’s not economical for a shooter to monitor their spring’s quality with force gauges, the only true way of knowing if your magazines are functioning reliably is from actual use during training.
So, unless you’re part of the group of individuals that actually shoots thousands of rounds down range on a weekly basis for training or completion reasons, the whole issue of worrying about the lifespan of your magazine springs is somewhat trivial.

Other, Larger Concerns
If you’re prepping for a SHTF situation, simply load your mags and set them aside. You can now use all the extra spare time figuring out if you want a Menu 18 beef patty or Menu 14 Spicy Penne Pasta MRE!

As for mags, there are many other factors to consider before worrying about magazine spring failure. First, address the overall quality and cleanliness of your firearm, magazine housing, guide rod, buffer tube spring, ammunition choice, the list goes on. Magazine springs are relatively cheap items that can ultimately fail, just like any other man-made item before it. Luckily, they are easy to replace once identified as the cause of a malfunction.

Turns Out, Using Your Mags is Really the Only Thing That Degrades Them

Magazine Spring Stress Tests

A massive gun magazine stress test to determine how long magazine springs will last and if we can determine outside variables that impact their longevity.

We set out to test magazines. How long do they last and what can you do as a shooter to help ensure they’ll function properly for as long as possible? In this project, we’re going to give the quick answers up front and then we’ll dive into some of the details about our testing protocol and what we learned.

Spring Test Summary

For about a year, we loaded, unloaded, and function tested thirteen different magazines.

Magazines Field Tested

  1. Magpul Gen 2 Pmag (30 round)
  2. Magpul Gen 3 Pmag (30 round)
  3. Magpul Gen 3 Pmag (40 round)
  4. Amend2 AR-15 Magazine (30 round)
  5. Lancer AR-15 Magazine (30 round)
  6. USGI AR-15 Magazine (30 round)
  7. Smith & Wesson Shield 9mm Magazine (8 round)
  8. ETS Glock 17 Magazine (17 round)
  9. Glock 17 Factory Magazine (17 round)
  10. Magpul Glock 17 Magazine (17 round)
  11. Glock 17 Factory Magazine (33 round)
  12. USGI 45 ACP 1911 Magazine (7 round)
  13. Wilson Combat 45 ACP 1911 Magazine (8 round)

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The best 3D printers for beginners.

Even 3D printers for beginners can feel intimidating if you’re not familiar with the process. For instance, a recent 3D Printing Sentiment Index survey by Ultimaker revealed that 71 percent of professionals surveyed are aware of 3D printing. However, 29% of businesses that could potentially use 3D printing have no current familiarity with the technology. Nevertheless, engineers and entrepreneurs continue to use 3D printers in some very inventive ways: Astronauts plan to use a 3D printer on the International Space Station to print out elements of a human knee and engineers at Columbia University in New York have recently figured out how to replicate a seven-layer cheesecake. What’s encouraging is that in the last 12 years, 3D printers have also gotten more affordable.

But what exactly does a 3D printer do? Most consumer-grade 3D printers produce, or print, a three-dimensional object using a technology called “additive printing.” The process creates a three-dimensional object by building it layer upon layer using various materials, such as plastic or metal that adhere together during the process to eventually form the object. (The design of the object is based on a digital file, which is most often made using computer-aided design software, or CAD.) You’ll have to get over the initial learning curve, but watching that first print take shape can feel downright magical. The best 3D printers for beginners offer a simple setup, intuitive interfaces, and enough flexibility to grow with your skills.

How we chose the best 3D printers for beginners

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This was found at an estate sale -unlisted- in a pile of rusty guns

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. is pleased to introduce the Super Wrangler family of single-action revolvers. Building on the success of the affordably-priced Wrangler line introduced in 2019, the Super Wrangler features a robust steel cylinder frame and ships with two cylinders, allowing you to convert between inexpensive .22 LR ammunition and powerful .22 WMR ammunition.

Built on the legacy of the popular Ruger Single-Six, the Super Wrangler complements Ruger‘s rich history of producing quality, rugged, reliable single-action revolvers. The attractive price, combined with the affordability of rimfire ammunition, make this revolver ideal for learning to shoot, introducing friends or family to the sport, or just experiencing the fun of single-action shooting.

With the introduction of the Single-Six in 1953, Bill Ruger pioneered the use of modern investment casting in firearms manufacturing to usher in a new level of affordability in single-action revolvers. Through the use of modern CNC-machining methods and lean manufacturing techniques, the Super Wrangler continues this tradition and sets a new bar for affordability while maintaining the rugged reliability that is the hallmark of Ruger firearms.

Initially offered in three attractive Cerakote models – black, silver and bronze – the Super Wrangler features an adjustable target sight and 5.5-inch barrel. The standard checkered black grip panels can be swapped for Single-Six panels, allowing for a variety of customized options. The Super Wrangler will fit in Single-Six holsters that accommodate 5.5-inch barrels. Cylinders are unique to the Super Wrangler, and are not interchangeable with standard aluminum-frame Wrangler or Single-Six Convertible cylinders.

And they kept that blasted crossbolt safety…….Lawyers.

Ruger Reintroduces the Marlin Model 336 Classic Lever-Action Rifle

  • Model #: 70504
  • Caliber: 30-30 Win
  • Capacity: 6+1
  • Stock: American Black Walnut
  • Material: Alloy Steel
  • Finish: Satin Blued
  • Front Sight: Brass Bead with Hood
  • Rear Sight: Semi-Buckhorn
  • Weight: 7.5 lb.
  • Overall Length: 38.625″
  • Length of Pull: 13.38″
  • Barrel Length: 20.25″
  • Barrel: Cold Hammer-Forged Alloy Steel
  • Twist: 1:12″ RH
  • Grooves: 6
  • UPC: 7-36676-70504-7
  • Suggested Retail: $1,239.00
  • Instruction Manual:  Model 336 Classic

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The  – virulently – antigun Washington Post did the poll?
That means the percentage is likely much, much higher.

Poll: One in Twenty Americans Own an AR-15

Tens of millions of Americans own an AR-15.

That’s according to a new Washington Post-Ipsos poll released on Monday. The poll surveyed Americans more broadly to gauge gun ownership and found that 31 percent of adults report owning guns. Of those, the poll found that 20 percent own an AR-15 rifle. 

“Taken together, the polls find that 6 percent of Americans own an AR-15, about 1 in 20,” Post reporter Emily Guskin wrote. “The data suggests that with a U.S. population of 260.8 million adults, about 16 million Americans own an AR-15.”

The survey is the latest evidence to confirm the popularity of AR-15s and similar rifles, often dubbed “assault weapons” by critics, among the American gun-owning public. The extent of their ownership could factor heavily in the political debate over their continued legality as multiple blue states mull bans and gun rights groups prepare to contest them.

That finding provides new insight into ownership of the popular rifle, which is valued by gun-rights advocates for its versatility and modularity but reviled by gun-control activists for its use by shooters in a number of high-profile attacks.

The poll’s estimates land in the ballpark of previous estimates. The National Shooting Sports Foundation has previously estimated that there are over 24.4 million AR-15s and similar rifles—which it calls “modern sporting rifles”—in civilian hands as of 2022. The National Firearms Survey, conducted in 2021 by Georgetown professor William English, found that 30.2% of gun owners, about 24.6 million people, indicated owning an AR-15 or similarly styled rifle.

In its landmark Heller decision, the Supreme Court found that the Second Amendment protects arms “in common use” by “law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes.” Whether ownership among tens of millions of Americans is enough to fall into that camp may help determine the constitutionality of AR-15 bans. Although, a federal judge in Delaware ruled on Monday that state’s ban can stand despite the popularity of the rifle.

Self-defense was the most popular reason AR-15 owners in the poll gave for buying the gun. Around one-third listed it as the main reason for ownership, but nearly two-thirds said that it was “a major reason” for purchasing the rifle. Other popular answers given in roughly equal numbers included recreation, target shooting, hunting, and exercising their Second Amendment rights.

The poll found that AR-15 owners were around 20 percent more likely to be male than other gun owners and 30 percent more likely to be male than the U.S. adult population. Only 19 percent of AR-15 owners self-identified as female. AR-15 owners were also more likely than the adult population as a whole, and about equally likely as other gun owners, to be white. Three-quarters of AR-15 owners said they were white, while 11 percent said they were Hispanic, and nine percent said they were black.

AR-15 owners were also more likely to live in a suburban area, have a higher income, identify as politically Independent, and fall between the ages of 40-64 than other gun owners and the population as a whole. They were also significantly more likely to have served in the military, though nearly three-quarters of AR-15 owners said they had not served.

The poll identified a regional divide in AR-15 ownership as well. Nearly half of all AR-15 owners reported living in the South, while roughly one-quarter and one-fifth reported living in the West and Midwest, respectively. Only ten percent of AR-15 owners said they lived in the Northeast.

This Washington Post-Ipsos poll was conducted from September 30-October 11, 2022, among a random national sample of 2,104 gun owners, including 399 AR-15-style rifle owners. The margin of error for the sample of AR-15-style rifle owners is 5.5 points.