Give credit where credit is due

That is good that large retailers are adopting the "modern sports rifle" nomenclature. Definitely a step in the right direction.

The accurate term is "civilian version of military/police assault rifle".

I see this as a good thing.

Thanks for sharing.

Just bought some 30-06 and .410 there a few minutes ago. Go Wal-Mart!

Exactly WalkAlong, this is no more than a marketing attempt for WalMart, while it is a nice example, make no mistake about it, $$$ signs are their minds and they know they have a public anxious to "flaunt" their freedom in the face of the "grabbers"

Glad to see they have figured out what some of their market wants. They have been "going the wrong way" for a while.

The Rule of AAA in Advertising

It reads: Avoid AR, AK, and Assault.

Good sign. Walmart is not known to start controversies. They made a business decision based on the current situation. Five years ago they were "rolling back".

I think it's great!

I notice they don't have a shoulder thing that goes up.

Walmart has really impressed me by staying true to us during all of this chaos. It seems so easy for major retailers to get on that popular anti path and do something like Dicks did with the modern rifles. Walmart has earned my business.

jmace57 said:

I notice they don't have a shoulder thing that goes up.

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Dang, beat me to it!

I probably shouldn't complain, but I prefer the simple term "rifle" (in association with a photo or drawing of an AR) because using the term "sports" or "sporting" helps perpetuate the myth that these are the only legitimate uses of firearms. But still, I'm glad that Walmart decided to "draw the line" at this point, and it makes for good marketing for them.

EBay does not allow any mentioning of the dreaded AR. This two letter word generates a system alarm that knocks your listing off line and gives you points for non-compliance. You can however say Stoner, Mil Spec Semi Auto, A Certain Direct Impingement Unnamed Rifle, and so forth. I think Sporting Rifle is brilliant by Walmart. Because it's true!

The euphemisms make us happy. Good bye, old people. Hello, mature adults.

PabloJ said:

The accurate term is "civilian version of military/police assault rifle".

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I disagree. Many police departments use semi-automatic ARs, so that is not always accurate. I also don't think the M-16 or the M-4 were really ever described as an "assault rifle" anyway. They are just rifles. I would really prefer to get away from that term of "assault rifle" at all costs. What does it mean anyway? If I am shooting at targets, am I "assaulting" anything anyway, even if I am using an "assault rifle"? It's a term that the media loves to use because it conjures up fear and mystique.

You wish. Assault rifle is the term held dear by the anti2A. Suppose pigs fly, and it becomes a repeating sporting blah blah. The proper reference by CNN will be "formerly known as an assault rifle".

TX1911fan said:

Many police departments use semi-automatic ARs, so that is not always accurate.

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Most ARs our military uses are not fully automatic anyway, and are usually used in semiauto mode on top of that. But who cares because a mass murderer doesn't need automatic fire or a rifle or a firearm of any kind, for that matter, to kill and wound many people. Haven't we seen enough examples by now? (not addressed to you, but to people in general who focus on guns rather than evildoers)

TX1911fan said:

I also don't think the M-16 or the M-4 were really ever described as an "assault rifle" anyway. They are just rifles.

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That's all they are--exceptionally modular and versatile, but still just rifles, nothing more.

TX1911fan said:

I would really prefer to get away from that term of "assault rifle" at all costs. What does it mean anyway?

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To the average person, I suppose it implies that the owner necessarily intends to assault people with it.

TX1911fan said:

If I am shooting at targets, am I "assaulting" anything anyway, even if I am using an "assault rifle"? It's a term that the media loves to use because it conjures up fear and mystique.

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Yep, and if they say it enough times, then it'll stick, bypassing what little remains of the public's ability to think critically. Words are powerful when used (abused) in certain ways, as are emotions--we have to work much harder in order to get people to actually think. It just takes a little thought, but even that's not easy.

That is outstanding.