It’s a common refrain in anti-gun circles to claim that the AR-15 isn’t useful for self-defense. After all, if they acknowledge it is, then people will question just why in the world they’re interested in banning it. It doesn’t make sense for them to acknowledge its usefulness from a political standpoint.

Of course, some of them are just clueless enough about guns to believe what they’re saying.

However, over at the Washington Free Beacon, Stephen Gutowski talked with a few women and guess what their home defense choice is?

Speaking with the Washington Free Beacon on Friday, five female firearm owners and advocates said the AR-15 platform offers several features that are ideal for women specifically. Robyn M. Sandoval, executive director of A Girl & A Gun Women’s Shooting League, said the rifle is both more effective and safer for female shooters.

“ARs are an excellent choice for women for home defense,” Sandoval told the Free Beacon. “The platform is relatively lightweight and easy to hold and customize so that the firearm fits her body correctly. Having a rifle that is the right size for the shooter makes it more comfortable to shoot and therefore more accurate and safer.”

Many Democratic politicians, including 2020 frontrunner Joe Biden, have long decried the AR-15 as both dangerous and an impractical or unnecessary firearm for civilians, especially women. But the female firearm owners the Free Beacon spoke to rejected the logic of these pro-gun-control men.

“AR-15s are perfect for women,” Mary Chastain, a writer and gun owner, said. “Despite the size, they are lightweight and have hardly any kickback. This allows us to aim well and shoot the target where we want to.”

This flies in the face of claims by people like Joe Biden that an AR-15 is a difficult weapon to handle and fire accurately.

Of course, I doubt Joe Biden has ever handled an AR-15 in his life. As Chastain notes, it’s a lightweight firearm with low recoil. It’s not a particularly powerful round, either, which makes it easier to fire follow-up shots should they be required.

Other women Gutowski spoke with had other reasons for liking the weapon, all of which are perfectly valid. Former police officer turned gun rights activist Dianna Muller called it the “Mr. Potato Head for the gun connoisseur,” a term which refers to the way one can accessorize the weapon, making it more useful than originally configured when it comes to home defense. For example, mine has a flashlight on it. That’s a popular accessory because it helps with home defense.

Investigating a bump in the dark is a lot easier when you can make it far less dark.

While anti-gunners will continue to claim that the AR-15 isn’t useful for home defense, we also have to remember that they’re speaking from a place of ignorance at best. At worst they’re outright lying.

After all, we have multiple examples of it being used for just that purpose. The most recent is a woman who defended her family with an AR-15. She’s just the latest in a string of people who have defended their lives with the very weapon these anti-gunners claim is ill-suited for such a purpose.

Frankly, people need to use what they’re comfortable with and what they’ll train when it comes to defending their life. If that’s an AR-15, it’s not the place of any politician to argue otherwise.