Gun Control & RKBA

IMO self-defense is an extremely detailed and individual area of effort. A really complete assessment of one's overall situation is the place to start. My standard for myself in what I would be comfortable with in training would exceed the time and money I have to devote to it.

Many folks, especially those with a larger property and multiple structures, in suburban to rural areas may have regular use for a "ranch rifle" or a shotgun. A good example of ranch rifle is a Ruger mini-14 which looks different than an AR but functions pretty much identically. I'm inferring a bit here but those folks may not have the time to practice with 2 different guns and may not be able to afford 2 different sets of ammo and such. Also, some folks enjoy shooting as a hobby and an AR is like a computer that you can somewhat customize them for your particular circumstances and uses.

Many states now have no license requirement to carry in public but most (I think) require you to carry concealed. Concealing an AR is probably impossible. I don't like open carry especially with a rifle. Those folks are mostly just trying to be provocative.