So The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) publishes the Modern Sporting Rifle Comprehensive Consumer Report [available to members]. The industry lobby group first surveyed some 22k assault rifle MSR owners back in ’10. They’ve updated the info for ’13. Not a lot’s changed. Most military-style weapon MSR owners use their gun for target practice and own more than one. “Most modern sporting rifles were purchased from an independent retail store, with the average cost $1,058, which is $25 less than the average from the 2010 study.” [NB: may not apply to Wilson Combat AR-15 above.] Despite Emily Miller’s contention on MSNBC that half of MSR owners are ex-military or law enforcement the actual stat is 35 percent, down from 2010’s 44 percent. Additional findings in the report include . . .
Of those who own only one MSR, 49 percent said they purchased their first in 2012 or 2013, with 82 percent of recent purchases AR-platform rifles.
The amount owners spent on accessorizing their ARs rose from an average of $211 to $381.
Those who own multiple MSRs are more active shooters, with 92 percent target shooting, almost 50 percent of them hunting and 19 percent using them in competition.
Those who own 4 or more MSRs are more likely to own an AK-platform MSR.
Over a third of MSR owners gained interest in the rifle through a friend.
YOU can be that friend! Meanwhile, we can safely say that the report establishes that assault rifles MSR’s meet the Supreme Court’s “common use” standard, as mooted by the Heller decision. Which is a stupid standard as federal regulation has made sure that fully automatic machine guns MSRs are not in common use. Another story for another time . . .