Most Liberals and many conservatives simply don't understand guns and ammunition. "Scary" scares. The AR15 looks scary. So therefore, it must be.
Have a look at this chart below.
The AR15 basically uses a .223 round. You'll see it on the far left of the chart. It was designed for small game - varmints and predators. Those are usually animals like a fox or a coyote.
I know very few people who will use a .223 round for deer hunting, because unless the shot is accurately placed, often the deer is maimed and will run after being hit only to die later or live a wounded life. I hunted most of my life with a .243 round, slightly larger than the .223. It wasn't quite the power you need to effectively kill deer but I was effective with it. I've recently switched to a 7mm-08, and have hunted with a .270 and a .280.
The AR15 is less deadly than your common hunting rifle.
Now, there's the issue of the bullets themselves which can be designed with hollow point tips, etc that cause the bullet to explode, expand, etc. Those can be made for nearly any bullet.
The fact remains the .223 is only slightly larger than a .22, a very small caliber.
