If you’re waiting to buy the firearm you’ve been eyeing for a while, now is the time. Don’t wait until the presidential election. We don’t know what’s going to happen, but regardless of who is elected into office, the chaos and violence are likely to grow larger.

You may get lucky enough not to be affected by the chaos, but if anyone does something illegal with a firearm, you can bet there will be new gun control laws that will adversely affect law-abiding citizens.

Get your AR-15 rifles, parts, and ammunition while you still can

Unfortunately, gun control legislation seems to target some of the best firearms, especially the AR-15 rifle. If that’s your go-to rifle, you may want to consider buying your rifles, parts, and ammo online. Prices are already higher than normal, and if the state passes legislation making them harder to get, the price will only go up further. By that time, parts will be harder to obtain as well as ammunition.

The AR-15 has been the target for gun reform legislation perhaps more than any other in recent years. The AR-15 has been dubbed an “assault weapon” and is a target because it’s been the weapon of choice for numerous mass shooters.

While it’s true that many mass shooters have chosen to use the AR-15 rifle, it’s not because the rifle itself provides any particular advantage over others. It’s a good semiautomatic rifle, but the affordability has probably contributed to its popularity more than anything.

Gun laws are about to get more strict

Current Arizona legislation from the Senate seeks to require owners of “assault weapons” to either register or surrender their guns. On the surface, this sounds reasonable to most people, and the legislation has potential to get passed. However, the term “assault weapon” doesn’t mean what people think it means.

The term “assault weapon” is an arbitrary term not used by firearms manufacturers or even the military. Term definitions widely vary by state. Generally speaking, a firearm can be considered an “assault weapon” if it possesses one or more of the following traits:

  • A detachable magazine
  • A pistol grip
  • A barrel shroud
  • A vertical forward grip
  • A threaded barrel for attachments
  • A flash suppressor

Based on this list, even a pistol can be considered an “assault weapon” if it utilizes detachable magazines. For instance, a pistol with a detachable 10-round magazine can be considered an assault weapon. An identical pistol that requires a tool to detach the magazine is not considered an assault weapon.

The over-use of this term is likely to make buying any semi-automatic rifle difficult in the future. If you have the chance to buy one now, don’t wait until the election when there will only be more uncertainty with gun legislation.

Assault weapons vs. assault rifles – the critical difference

The term “assault rifle” is a military term for a rifle that has selective fire capabilities. This class of rifles can be fired in semi-automatic, automatic, or burst mode. Owning one of these weapons is heavily restricted and requires a class III stamp from the government.

The majority of people don’t know that semi-automatic rifles, including the AR-15, don’t have automatic and burst firing capabilities. Not knowing this critical difference means more support for stricter laws.

Buy now before demand drives prices even higher

The demand for firearms and ammunition has skyrocketed since the beginning of 2020. This has made prices go through the roof. For example, most ammo now costs $2 or more per round and the price of many firearms has doubled or tripled.

Right now, prices are high, but they’re about to get higher. As we get closer to the presidential election, we’re seeing an increase in demand like nothing before. Many of the current sales are being made by first-time gun owners who just want home protection. If things get more chaotic, we’re going to see even more first-time gun owners making big purchases and as the supply decreases further, prices will rise even higher.

It might be too late to stop the potential gun control legislation from becoming law. You could soon be required to register your semi-automatic rifles once legislation is passed, but at least if you buy now you won’t have to jump through hoops (and spend a fortune) to make your purchase.