Many people in this country hunt to live

[Eleanors38]

211. Since the OP was about hunting, but now is drifting into gun-control politics...

Please note that most "hunting rifles" developed from military-types. The nice walnut furnished .30-'06 an old family member used on deer was a knock-off of Springfield, Mauser, Krag, etc. "military-type" rifles. Similarly, the "military-type" Garand M1 became the foundation for semi-auto hunting rifles, though some pre-dated* even the Garand. These semi-auto "military-type" rifles are now considered obsolete for the military, which provides its soldiers with rifles capable of FULL-AUTO fire. So, once again the military sheds its armored skin, and civilians can choose to update with modified versions of what-were-once military weapons.

In many if not most hunting situations, you cannot use extended magazines, and some states ban the .223 caliber round (the type used in the murders in Connecticut) for hunting as being too weak for a "clean" kill of large game. So many of these AR rifles are re-chambered for bigger rounds, and doused in camo patterns. Why? They are becoming the new hunting weapons.

*The Remington Model 8 and later Model 81, has been around for over 100 years (production ceased in 1951). It has a fat .35 caliber cartridge, and fires semi-automatically. It was the first big-caliber semi-auto weapon made in the U.S.

And it was designed ground up as a hunting weapon, though police used some modified versions (SEE: Bonnie & Clyde's demise).