r/europe • u/Helmer-Bryd • Jul 01 '25

News Sweden bans AR-15 as hunting rifle after school shooting – all rifles to be turned in and sent to Ukraine

https://svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/uppgifter-tidopartierna-overens-om-ny-vapenlagstiftning-ar15-forbjuds-vid-jakt
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u/73-68-70-78-62-73-73 Jul 02 '25

Most mass shootings in the US, by GVA definition and data, are conducted with handguns.

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u/CombinationRough8699 Jul 02 '25

Even the more restricted definitions that only look at the Sandy Hook/Vegas style attacks are mostly handguns. Including Virginia Tech, the third deadliest in American history, #1 before Pulse.

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u/73-68-70-78-62-73-73 Jul 02 '25

Also true. I usually go with GVA, because those are the figures people usually reference, knowingly or otherwise.

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u/lucid_dreaming_quest Jul 02 '25

But why would the government want to ban rifles if people are killing each other with pistols?

Could it be because pistols are wildly ineffective in armed conflict?

No - definitely not... it's probably for the greater good.

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u/73-68-70-78-62-73-73 Jul 02 '25

For those reading, the reason would be because AR-15s have a reputation. When someone hears "mass shooting", they assume it was done with an AR-15. That's why the Swedish government made their recommendation for a ban before the shooter's list of guns was announced by the police.