Gun violence in the U.S. is mostly driven by illegal handguns, not the legal rifles that dominate the ban debate — a framing that shifts the fight away from partisan politics.

• Most gun homicides are committed with handguns, not AR-15-style rifles.
• Over 80% of those killings use guns that were obtained illegally.
• Banning AR-15s did not lower homicide rates in the states that tried it.
• The real target should be illegal guns, an area where both sides can agree.

Outlook: Expect more pushback against rifle bans and a push to focus enforcement on illegal handguns instead.