AR-15 Enthusiasts Say Firing the Rifle Builds Confidence

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Currents News Staff

Anna Thomasson learned how to shoot an AR-15 style rifle back in 2015 after a battle with breast cancer sidelined her from running marathons.

“Being a girl in my family, that was what the boys did,” Anna said. “So I had never learned how to do that before.”

It energized her so much she became an instructor, and along with her husband, Bryan Wertz, is now teaching others how to use it.

“It’s softer shooting than most,” said Bryan. “It doesn’t have a lot of recoil. And it almost feels like shooting, like an air gun as opposed to something that’s really heavy.”

Bryan also likes the AR-15 style because he says they’re easier and safer to handle than handguns, so you don’t need to spend as much time and money on training.

“The thing about easy that matters is that when you defend yourself, it’s more accurate,”

Bryan said. “So if you’re in a home and your family is all there, you’ll be more accurate with that.”

Bryan and Anna use their AR-15 style rifles for target practice, but mainly for their own protection.