Just what is an Assault Weapon???

[mtelkhntr]

Of every rifle, revolver, pistol or shotgun I've owned or shot, I'd consider all of them something to hunt with or to defend myself with but none that I would call an Assault Weapon. On one hand there are folks like me and on the other there are liberals throwing out the label "Assault Weapon" so just what are they? On second thought, I don't want to know.

 

[805moparkid]

Any Full auto or switchable fire gun. i think that the only true criteria, i dont think SBR even come into play...

 

[venomballistics]

thats a good question.
its first interpretation was as 805 has stated.
since then, some would seem to wish to expand the definition to include as much as possible, others, like myself, see only firearms without any such definitions to segregate them.

 

[Freeway]

I remember it being described as a gas-operated, shoulder-fired weapon capable of full automatic fire by many older, wiser Marines I served with.

In my opinion, no semi-automatic firearm is an "assault weapon."

 

[jj2am44]

Then again, a baseball bat could be construed as an assault weapon. So could a flower vase, a stick or a rock.

 

[sipowicz]

For many married men, an assault weapon is two lips and a tongue.

 

[LedFowl]

I think an assault rifle also has to use ammo more powerful than pistol caliber, but more compact than full-blown battle rifle ammo.

That's my highly technical reply, thank you.

 

[rockyrider]

definition of assault rifle.

As far as i know, it's a firearm which has the option of select fire.

 

[HotRoderX]

I have wondered the same thing my self. I wish someone could give us a legal definition of a assault weapon. Googling it is completely pointless there are 900 answers.

 

[gdnagle]

I think whatever the law makers want it to be they make their own defination of them...

 

[venomballistics]

I think whatever the law makers want it to be they make their own defination of them...

I think in the sense that a screwdriver is well defined as an instrument that drives screws, and the assault weapon seems very flexible in terms of its definition, it may very well be that there is no such thing as an assault weapon.

 

[Ruger Nut]

When I was in the Army my M-16 assaulted me all the time. I shoot left handed and my brass was always flying at me. Sure,I used a deflector clip,sometimes. But when qualifying I didn't. That's how I was able to qualify expert all the time.

 

[Dave_n]

The German STG 44 or "Sturmgewehr" translates into "assault weapon" and was a select fire, intermediate cartridge firing weapon (8mm x 35) if I remember correctly. This was the first one in roughly 1944. On the other hand, Feinstein and Schumer consider any weapon that uses more than 3 rounds an AW, unless their bodyguards are carrying one, in which case it is a necessity. Dave_n

 

[LVSteve]

Then original assault weapon issued was the German Sturmgewehr 44 of WWII. It was a select fire weapon, semi or full auto, and fired a 7.92x33 intermediate round from a 30 round detachable magazine. The standard German rifle round of the time was the mighty 7.92x57 Mauser and their pistol round, also used in submachine guns, was the good old 9x19 or 9mm as we generally called it. This weapon set the definition of an assault rifle, select fire using an intermediate cartridge with large capacity quick change magazines.

Various state laws and the infamous AWB of 1994 had many semi-auto rifles and carbines defined in law as assault weapons. I stick to original definition as I believe it is correct. In fact, the legislation of the 1930s and the "no more NFA tags" declaration of the 1980s make owning a proper assault weapon difficult and expensive.

 

[mc5aw]

The below listed information is from a document on AWs I saved some time back. As per forum rules on copyrighted materials, I will credit this text as coming from BATF as a source document, although I am not 100% certain BATF is the original source.

Definition of "semi-automatic assault weapon":

(A) Any of the firearms, copies, and/or duplicates of the following firearms (in any caliber):

(1) Norinco, Mitchell, and Poly Technologies Avtomat Kalashnikovs (all models),
(2) Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI and Galil,
(3) Beretta Ar70 (SC-70),
(4) Colt AR-15,
(5) Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR, and FNC,
(6) SWD M-10, M-11, M-11/9, and M-12,
(7) Steyr AUG,
(8) INTRATEC TEC-9, TEC-DC9 and TEC-22, and
(9) Revolving cylinder shotguns, such as (or similar to) the Street Sweeper and Striker 12;

(B) A semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least two of the following components:

(1) A folding or telescoping stock,
(2) A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon,
(3) A bayonet mount,
(4) A flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor,
(5) A grenade launcher;

(C) A semiautomatic pistol that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least two of the following components:

(1) An ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip,
(2) A threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward hand grip, or silencer/suppressor,
(3) A shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the non-trigger hand without being burned,
(4) A manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded, and
(5) A semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm;

(D) A semiautomatic shotgun that has at least two of the following components:

(1) A folding or telescoping stock,
(2) A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon,
(3) A fixed magazine capacity in excess of 5 rounds, and
(4) An ability to accept a detachable magazine.

 

[Evil Dog]

If Feinstein gets her way, any firearm will be an assault weapon. Capable of using a magazine that holds more than 10 rounds.... can you say Ruger 10/22? Now that's an assault weapon for sure.

 

[andrewstorm]

Hitler coined the term assault weapon,and later thought it was inferior to the 8mm mauser bolt action,he thought it wasted ammo and didnt hit hard ,generals lied to the furer,in order to get more mp 44s to thore front,they called it a machine pistol.

 

[jlrhiner]

Sturmgewehr, Literally, storm rifle. As in to storm an objective.

The Allies assaulted positions, thus, assault rifle.

At least that was how I always understood it.

 

[crofoot629]

I oddly never took offence to the term considering them like any other gun I own.

Only better ad CQB than most of my other firearms.

Emory

 

[rwsmith]

Germany defined it in WWII

The Sturmgewehr 44 (Storm Rifle). Intermediate cartridge, select fire with full auto capability, detachable magazine. The Soviets came under fire from it and developed the AK-47 for themselves as a result. The rest is history.