AR-15 as machine gun: Colion Noir on Virginia AG's Supreme Court brief

Key points: AR-15 machine gun Colion

• Noir quotes the brief saying AR-15s bear nearly all the same features that take machine guns outside Second Amendment protection.
• The line he builds on says AR-15s are machine guns except that they, at least to start, have semi-automatic fire rather than automatic fire.
• He answers with Justice Thomas in Garland v. Cargill, the bump stock case: semi-automatic firearms that require re-engaging the trigger for every shot are not machine guns.
• He reads "at least to start" as a concession, because the argument then depends on someone illegally converting the rifle.
• He argues the same logic would reach a Glock, an M1 Garand and most handguns, citing Justice Kavanaugh's point that AR-15s and most handguns are semi-automatic.
• His explanation of the motive is that machine guns are already vilified, so attaching the word makes the AR-15 easier to ban.
• Noir says the court is about to decide the AR-15 question and that every ban state is watching.

About this Drama and Gripe video

AR-15 machine gun claim from Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones gets a direct answer from Colion Noir. He reads the Supreme Court brief backing an assault weapons ban, which calls AR-15s machine guns except that they, at least to start, have semi-automatic fire, and sets it against Justice Thomas in Garland v. Cargill. Noir argues the brief relies on the word rather than the law, and that its logic would reach a Glock and an M1 Garand. This is pointed commentary, not a neutral legal analysis.

Transcript: AR-15 machine gun