— Many of us feel stigmatized as potential mass murderers and thrown under the bus by our political representatives.
So describes Filip Örnerkrans, arms writer at Svensk jakt, the mood in hunting circles after the announcement that the government, together with the Sweden Democrats, intends to restrict access to certain semi-automatic firearms for hunting.
"A matter of appearance"
According to arms dealers, it is primarily the appearance that distinguishes AR-model firearms from other semi-automatic firearms. AR firearms look like modern military firearms, while others resemble military firearms from the 1800s.
They are absolutely no more dangerous than other semi-automatics, says an arms dealer.
The appearance does not make the firearm more dangerous in itself, according to the government inquiry that first proposed a ban. But a more military appearance makes the firearm seem more intimidating and therefore more attractive, especially to criminals who are keen on their violent capital, reason the investigators.
AR firearms are also compatible with high-capacity magazines.
For AR firearms, it is possible to buy magazines with 50 rounds, while for traditionally designed semi-automatic hunting firearms, it is only possible to buy magazines with a maximum of 20 rounds.
"Substantially more dangerous"
The firepower increases with a larger magazine, and the firearm becomes substantially more dangerous, according to the investigators, who point out that it can then be used to shoot a large number of people in a short time.
But at the same time, a well-trained shooter can change magazines in two seconds, Örnerkrans argues, and he wonders if the difference becomes so great between a 50-round magazine and, for example, two 20-round magazines.
The danger is determined by how accurate and fast the shooter is, not the firearm itself, he emphasizes.
Easy to customize
A third factor highlighted by the investigators is that AR firearms are easier to convert to fully automatic firearms. However, this requires knowledge and acquisition of parts that are not available on the legal market.
The outrage in hunting circles is due to the fact that all focus is now on a firearm model that was not used in the mass shooting in Örebro, and that a ban on AR firearms for hunting reduces the freedom of choice. AR firearms are easier to customize and can also be used in sports shooting.
AR stands for Armalite Rifle, where Armalite is the name of the American arms manufacturer that originally developed the rifle models. Today, they are manufactured by many different companies.
In Sweden, AR firearms were allowed for hunting in August 2023.
The firearm model is also used in the sports shooting discipline IPSC.
Just like in other semi-automatic firearms, gas pressure or recoil force is used to repeat a new cartridge after a shot is fired.
In the government inquiry SOU 2024:31, several arguments are presented for a ban on AR firearms for hunting:
The possibility of using larger magazines. For AR firearms, there are magazines with 50 rounds available, while for other semi-automatic firearms, there are magazines with a maximum of 20 rounds.
Appearance. The external resemblance to a military firearm gives a more intimidating impression.
The possibility of converting the semi-automatic AR firearm into a fully automatic firearm. Ready-made parts for such a conversion are easier to obtain for AR firearms than for typical hunting firearms.
Advantages that arms dealers highlight with AR firearms are that they are easier to disassemble and clean than other semi-automatic firearms and that they are easier to customize.
