The venerable gun manufacturer Colt is suspending production of the popular and controversial AR-15 and other long rifles for civilian use, as lawmakers continue the fraught gun debate following a series of mass shootings.
The gun-maker, based in West Hartford, Connecticut, said its decision is purely market-driven and made no mention of any public pressure over the AR-15’s use in several mass shootings in the United States.
The company’s president and chief executive, Dennis Veilleux, said that the consumer market has “experienced significant excess manufacturing capacity,” and that Colt believes there are enough rifles on the market for the foreseeable future.
Colt will instead focus on fulfilling military and law enforcement contracts.
Colt holds the trademark to the name AR-15, having bought it from the original manufacturer, ArmaLite. But many other gunmakers produce similar AR-15-style semi-automatic rifles. The National Shooting Sports Foundation estimates there are now about 16 million AR-15s or similar models in the hands of American civilians.
