A recent study by the Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC) has found that while ownership of AR-15 and AK-47 rifles has surged to record levels, homicides committed with rifles have steadily declined over the past three decades.
Ownership Surge, Homicide Decline
According to the report, ownership of AR-15s and AK-47s has jumped from just 1% at the end of the federal assault weapons ban to 10.2% in 2025—an unprecedented tenfold increase. Despite this dramatic rise, rifles accounted for only 2.67% of murders in 2025, down from 4.8% in 1994, when the ban was enacted.
Ban Era Saw Highest Rifle Murders
The study noted an ironic twist: the highest number of murders committed with rifles occurred between 1994 and 2004—when the federal assault weapons ban was in effect. This finding raises questions about the effectiveness of such legislation in curbing gun violence.
Rifles a Small Fraction of Homicides
FBI crime data cited in the study indicates that knives and cutting tools were used in twice as many homicides as rifles in 2021, while in 2020, stabbing deaths outnumbered rifle-related killings by more than three to one. Additional research from Pew in 2023 found that all rifles, including so-called “assault weapons,” accounted for just 4% of gun murders nationwide.
The report comes amid ongoing political debates over gun control legislation, with Democrats frequently targeting weapons like AR-15s while gun rights advocates argue the focus should be on violent offenders rather than firearms.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/2nd-amendment/2026/11/07/study-ar-15-ak-47-ownership-hits-all-time-high-as-murders-with-rifles-decline/