What Do You Think of

There is no very clear definition of "Assault Weapon." That's a term made up by politicians and it can mean all sorts of things depending on what state's law you're reading, and even more stuff depending on which ignorant newscaster is using the term.

"Assault RIFLE" (from the German, Sturmgewehr)is a legitimate technical term that describes a carbine able to be fired in both automatic and semi-auto modes, and which fires an "intermediate" cartridge, rather than a pistol round (that would be a submachine gun) or a full-power rifle cartridge.

So there are LOT of true Assault rifles. The M16s of course, as well as the Kalashnikov variants, and ... well, might as well go to "the" source: http://world.guns.ru/assault-e.html

So sure, a Kalashnikov is a perfectly reasonable base model of an Assault Rifle, if you need a mental picture. There've been more of them made than any other, by far.

Assault WEAPON?

Maybe this?

Maybe this?


Maybe this?


Maybe this?

Who knows?

I was reading today and the words ASSAULT WEAPON came up. The text I was reading made no mention of any particular weapon. I automatically pictured an AK47.

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I pictured a Marlin Model 60 in NJ ...

"assault weapon" is a vague and contradictory term dreamed up by anti-rights activists in order to push an agenda.

Very broadly, it gets applied to pretty much anything that is semi-auto, takes detachable magazines, and looks scary.

Of course, it's such a broad term, I've even seen antis apply the term to pump-action shotguns and M1 Garands.

Ultimately, it's a term that encompasses any gun they don't want you to have, and therefore can be expanded at any time.

It depends on the context in which I see the term. If I see it in the MSM, I do not visualize any sort of specific item, I "see" a misuse of language.

As others have said, the term bears no formal definition.

However, if you were to press me for a word association,
the image of an AK-47 seems fair. Mass media has done
a thorough job of using that particular firearm's silhouette
as a graphic component to accompany generic references
to 'assault weapons'.

I am from the Philippines, where AK-47's are actually still
used as 'assault weapons' (albeit the M16 is just as, if not
more commonly used) by insurgents.

I'm nnot sure how you can correlate such an association
with AK-47 popularity as a civilian purchase in the US:
such a popularity predates the term 'assault weapon'.

I suspect the difficulty of obtaining one during the Cold War,
and into the mid-80's, helped fuel its popularity, which
commercial interests then moved to exploit when they
could. Anti's saw what was popular, and focused on it.

I've had this discussion several times with people that don't understand firearms. My definition of an "Assault Rifle" is a military rifle. Most AKs and ARs in civilian hands are not "Assault Rifles" because no military in the world would issue those to their troops. My Mosin Nagant however fits my definition of and "Assault Rifle".

I've had this discussion several times with people that don't understand firearms.

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Uh, but...

My definition of an "Assault Rifle" is a military rifle. ...My Mosin Nagant however fits my definition of and "Assault Rifle".

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That's kind of like saying this is a good example of a sports car.



You can have your own definition of a word that isn't like the definition of that word, but you probably shouldn't pick on others for doing the same thing.

Now this is a salt rifle

well you did good. you passed the test. the media asked you answered.

WALKERs210 said:

Gotta get one of those for the wife. She has a thing about flys and other bugs.

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it can be fun OUTSIDE but in the home you have assault granules everywhere.

When I think of "Assault Weapon"; I picture a mangonel, onager, trebuchet, ballista, etc.

Even better is when some clueless reporter describes some civilian rifle or other as an "assault gun".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_gun



To the OP, all "assault weapons" under the expired Federal non-ban, state bans, and proposed Federal bans have been non-automatic. "Assault weapon" is scare-speak for non-automatic Title 1 civilian guns the prohibitionists want to outlaw, as opposed to Title 2 restricted assault rifles or other automatic weapons. Often they key in on modern ergonomic features like protruding handgrips as opposed to 19th-century-style straight stocks.

For me... Neither.

Just as with "SUV" in a news item spoken or read, my mind leaps to the presenter's agenda more than picturing a Tahoe, Expedition or whatever.

With firearms, after all these years and given my personal perspective, seeing SUV or Assault Weapon elicits an immediate - and counter to the presenters intentions - reaction of; "what kinda load is this guy(gal) selling.

or

I picture neither but rather an image of some tool about to "handle" me as a news consumer.

Really, I get an image of some post collegiate, leather patch wearing, goatee sprouting, espresso smelling, study waver getting ready to preach from his high horse. One PETA approved.

But not a firearm - ever.

I get what you mean. As a child of the 80's, I grew up with images of the AK-47 in use in pop culture and the news. The AK-47 was the rifle of the enemy, the bad guy. When a phrase is used like "assault weapon", or "assault rifle" or whatever, it connotates an aggressive or evil act. In other words bag guys commit assault with a weapon. So since bad guys use AK's and bad guys commit assault, AK-47's are assault weapons. Associative reasoning fill-in-the-blank style.

Conversely, a WWII German soldier, when asked to identify an assault weapon might mention a PPSh-41 or M1927. And a Vietnamese soldier might think of an M16 as an assault rifle more so than his own AK.

a WWII German soldier, when asked to identify an assault weapon might mention a PPSh-41 or M1927.

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Ha ha! That's like saying if you ask a kid from New York to name a ball game, he might mention bocce or pachinko!

If you're asking the folks who INVENTED the assault rifle, they're going to say THE "Assault Rifle" ("Sturm Gewehr").

Doesn't the NFA define assault rifle as any rifle capable of fully-automatic fire?

Anyway, that's pretty much what I think of when I hear assault rifle - any firearm with a stock that fires, or can fire, in full-auto. It may be an AK47, an M4, whatever.

What I hear or read the term assault weapon, I don't think of any sort of firearm at all; I just think of the American media.

There is no NFA definition of assault rifle.

Doesn't the NFA define assault rifle as any rifle capable of fully-automatic fire?

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Nope.

Here is some interesting history on the derivation of the term: http://everything2.com/title/assault+rifle

Assault is a verb, not an adjective.

to me this is the most common "assault weapon"

1911 guy said:

Assault is a verb, not an adjective.

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Actually, it's both. There are many commonly used phrases that consist of a verb that describes the noun which follows it:

• Running shoes (the shoes are for running)
• swimming shorts
• Driving gloves

Examples specific to firearms?

• Shooting glasses
• Hunting rifle

Assault weapon is perfectly correct; it's simply a weapon being used in/for assault. The problem is that it's very broad (indeed, every example in this thread qualifies), and thus, misused.

Listening to NPR earlier. They had a segment with the reporter that was detained in MO yesterday. When describing the weapons LEO's had he used terms like "very heavy weapons" and "heavy artillery". He's using words that are not accurate, but are useful in getting an emotional response from the listener. IMO, similar to saying assault weapon.