The antis use “Assault rifle” to describe any semi-auto. They use the misnomer “assault” to scare the ignorant in the same way the German generals used it to impress (ignorant) Hitler.
Thanks. I was certain that an assault weapon was synonomous with an automatic weapon. I didn’t even think it had to do with semis. So I looked it up. Of course, as in most cases, the confusion has to do with politics.
Assault weapons vs. Automatic weapons
Primarily limited to the United States, the term assault weapon is a political term, separate from the military definition, used to describe a variety of semi-automatic firearms that have certain features associated with military or police firearms. The 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban, which expired on September 13, 2004, defined the rifle type of assault weapon as a semiautomatic firearm with the ability to accept a detachable magazine, and two or more of the following:
A common public misconception persists that the assault weapons ban restricted weapons capable of fully automatic fire, such as assault rifles and machine guns. Fully automatic weapons, however, were unaffected by the ban, and have been continuously and heavily regulated since the National Firearms Act of 1934 was passed. Subsequent laws such as the Gun Control Act of 1968 and the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986 also affected the importation and civilian ownership of fully automatic firearms, the latter fully prohibiting sales of newly-manufactured machine guns to non-law enforcement.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_rifle#Assault_weapons_vs._Automatic_weapons
I don’t believe this is correct. Most of the gun ignorant people I’ve crossed paths with have been absolutely certain that “assault guns” are machine guns. They believe that no normal person should own a machine gun and are fully in agreement with assault weapon bans.
They also tend to believe that a glock auto pistol is a fully automatic one handed machine gun. I think they get these silly notions from the old fashioned movies showing al capone and such with tommy guns. An M16 is way more modern than a tommy gun so it obviously must be way more powerful and way faster shooting than the old tommy gun of the gangster movies.
I think this is how their logic works.
BTW, you would be surprised how many people actually think the brass and the slug fly out the barrel together intact and penetrate their target as a unified undeformed projectile. Most gun ignorant people think that ammo is mini rockets that spew propellant out the back as it flys.