NV is correct, in the US firearms are not something that are owned by a co-op or the ladies bridge club. The soldiers in Vietnam complained about the M16 weapon because early versions developed a reputation for unreliability, frequently jamming and fouling, especially when not kept clean, a next-to-impossible task in the dust and mud of many Vietnam battlefields. They called it a Mattel gun because the grips were made by Mattle and had their logo.If I were caught with an AR in the UK I'd go to prison, probably for several years. No, I'm thinking about the US.
Your post matches what I have read elsewhere and fits my own prejudices.
But perhaps others have some objections?