Can Rifles Tear Society Apart?

Yes indeed:

The proliferation of high-powered assault rifles in societies with weak institutions can have devastating effects. … it's not just about the people who are killed by these weapons. Assault rifles in the hands of youthful thugs or gangsters often end up dissolving the fabric of society itself, condemning the survivors of violence to live with the long-term consequences of weakened institutions and Hobbesian anarchy. It's a process I've seen at work during my stints reporting on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.