@trz4747@mstdn.social To be clear, I was not trying to "make a different argument": IIUC they generally do quite a bit more damage per hit than most pistols, all else being equal. I'm sure they make fine hunting rifles, but I am not trying to make a political point by noting that.

My only point here is "assault rifle" bans, as I've seen them at least, seem pretty stupid. Mass shootings probably aren't that much easier to carry out or more deadly if the rifle used has a flash suppressor, for example.

Along those lines, saying AR-15s are "assault rifles" muddies things. Assault rifle bans don't ban all AR-15s, for example, so it misleads in that context. The "assault rifle" bans don't ban them because they do more damage; that is clear. They instead address other silly unrelated things.