An Illinois company was criticized by anti-gun activists for making a “vile” version of the popular AR-15 rifle marketed to children. The weapon is smaller, lighter, and allegedly safer than its adult-sized equivalent.

Unveiled at last month’s SHOT show in Las Vegas, the “JR-15” is a lightweight .22 caliber rifle aimed at the young shooter. Manufacturer WEE1 Tactical says it’s got some extra safety features that full-sized AR-15 rifles don’t — like a tamper-resistant safety switch controlled by an adult — but “looks, feels, and operates just like Mom and Dad’s gun.”

Aside from its military styling and kid-friendly engraving, the JR-15 is technically no different to the single-shot .22 rifles commonly used to teach marksmanship to children across the U.S. While the rifle can be outfitted with multiple-round magazines, it comes as standard with a single-round detachable magazine.

Under U.S. federal law, there is no restriction on the possession of long guns and ammunition by minors.

Gun violence has soared across the U.S. since 2020, with 20,822 gun murders recorded in 2021, up from just over 15,000 in 2019, according to figures from the Gun Violence Archive.

SD-Agencies