OK, Weapon it is from now on.

I understand that gun loons universally DON'T like the use of the word WEAPON...since it really has minimal good connotation. They prefer gun or firearm or apparently "sporting rifle" for impression's sake.

Let's call 'em what they are: Weapons.

Want a free assault rifle, provided by the government?

If you really want to exercise your "Second Amendment |right", then you can get a free assault rifle and all those other military toys.

Do you really like being played for fools?

From this article:

That is how a kinda-savvy gun company commodifies the dissent of unsavvy gun nuts. Never mind that anyone who thinks an AR-15 or its shorter cousin, the M-4, is a valuable home-defense weapon is a shit-for-brains lemming. The gun's high-velocity, low-caliber, low-weight slugs won't stop shit up close, as those guys in Somalia and Iraq and Afghanistan have learned pretty succinctly. If you really want a home defense weapon, if you really want to open your family up to the high statistical probability that one of them will be killed or maimed at your well-intentioned hands, get a shotgun, or a large-caliber pistol, and get some training.
But I know, I know. The AR-15 and M-4 are the "it" guns now. So, fine. If you want to take down hajjis at distances greater than 50 yards, or you want to lay down suppressive fire for your squadmates' flanking maneuvers, or you want to massacre kindergartners, or you want to start the race war, or you want to shoot the shit out of peaceable moviegoers while blocking the exits, then yeah, at $1999.99, the nasty black assault rifle is your piece. 

Of course, all the right wing talking heads tell you that you need one and you rush off to buy them.

While a riot shotgun (or a shotgun in general) is a much better bet for home defence.