Assault Rifle For Kids Says It Fires 'Just Like Mom And Dad's'

An American gun manufacturer has been criticised for designing an assault rifle for kids that shoots 'just like mom and dad's'.

The extent of gun culture influencing youths in the UK (or certainly in Scotland, in my case) extends little beyond stupidly shooting your pals with BB guns purchased from dodgy hardware stores and Sunday market stalls. Actual firearms are not the norm over here; better yet, they're pretty much illegal bar a few exceptions (farmers and armed police units, basically).

Across the pond, the second amendment's right to bear arms is upheld to varying degrees, from millions of homes equipped with a handgun for emergencies, to groups like the National Rifle Association and families posing with rifles for Christmas.

Did you know that this year alone, there's been more than 5,800 gun violence deaths across the US? At least 2,503 of those are related to homicides, while others have been people taking their own lives. There's also been 55 mass shootings since the start of 2022.

So it's not really a surprise to see backlash surrounding Wee 1 Tactical, an Illinois-based manufacturer, which recently unveiled the JR-15 long rifle — 'smaller, safer, lighter' than its larger counterparts, but still capable of inflicting deadly damage.

'Our goal was to develop a shooting platform that was not only sized correctly, and safe, but also looks, feels, and operates just like Mom and Dad’s gun,' the company's brochure reads.

'Safety was so much at the forefront of our thought process that we developed and patented a tamper resistant safety that puts the adult in control of the firearms safety switch. The WEE1 and Schmid Tool Team brought their collective experience in the firearms business, specifically the AR platform, to the table to launch the JR-15. We are so excited to start capturing the imagination of the next generation to enter the shooting sports.'

The complaints are rather obvious, and there's plenty if you search the gun's name on Twitter. 'This is VILE. A skull & crossbones with a pacifier on weapon of war. Made to look 'cute' to appeal to kids. The manufacturer calls this a 'JR-15.' Every NRA-backed politician should condemn this,' California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote.

Yet, it has its defenders. 'The JR-15 would normally be a gun control advocate's dream — a small-calibre rifle with an advanced safety that ships with a 1-round magazine. But because it's aimed at helping teach children gun safety, they've done everything in their power to demonise it,' one user wrote.

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