Wether you are pro or anti gun at least know the definition of what an assault rifle is.
I love hearing an AR15 is an assault rifle. Sorry but no it is not. Style yes, actually one no.
46-50, M
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Graylight · 51-55, F
It's not quite that easy. And the bottom line is, [i]any[/i] weapon capable of taking such life and causing such discussion needs to be reviewed, labels aside. We're splitting hairs when we want to be exact about the weapon that's literally killing America.
The AR was designed for fast reloading in combat situations, capable of firing dozens of rounds in seconds.
The U.S. Army defines assault rifles as "short, compact, selective-fire weapons that fire a cartridge intermediate in power between submachine gun and rifle cartridges."
In a strict definition, a firearm must have at least the following characteristics to be considered an assault rifle:
It must be capable of selective fire.
It must have an intermediate-power cartridge: more power than a pistol but less than a standard rifle or battle rifle.
Its ammunition must be supplied from a detachable box magazine.
It must have an effective range of at least 330 yards.
Semi-automatic-only rifles like the Colt AR-15 are not assault rifles because they don't have select-fire capabilities. That's it.
Most importantly, The term "assault [i]rifle[/i]" is sometimes used interchangeably with the term "assault[i] weapon[/i]". Assault rifles are capable of fully automatic firing and "assault weapons" are semiautomatic and not synonymous with assault rifle.
But you know what? Either will rip a head and several lives apart in about a millisecond.
Sources:
Taylor The Fighting Rifle: A Complete Study of the Rifle in Combat, ISBN 0-87947-308-8
F.A. Moyer Special Forces Foreign Weapons Handbook, ISBN 0-87364-009-8
J. Scroggie, F.A. Moyer Special Forces Combat Firing Techniques, ISBN 0-87364-010-1
Musgave, Daniel D., and Thomas B. Nelson, The World's Assault Rifles, vol. II, The Goetz Company, Washington, D.C. (1967): 1
Jane's Gun Recognition Guide. Ian Hogg & Terry Gander. HarperCollins Publishers. 2005. page 330
The AR was designed for fast reloading in combat situations, capable of firing dozens of rounds in seconds.
The U.S. Army defines assault rifles as "short, compact, selective-fire weapons that fire a cartridge intermediate in power between submachine gun and rifle cartridges."
In a strict definition, a firearm must have at least the following characteristics to be considered an assault rifle:
It must be capable of selective fire.
It must have an intermediate-power cartridge: more power than a pistol but less than a standard rifle or battle rifle.
Its ammunition must be supplied from a detachable box magazine.
It must have an effective range of at least 330 yards.
Semi-automatic-only rifles like the Colt AR-15 are not assault rifles because they don't have select-fire capabilities. That's it.
Most importantly, The term "assault [i]rifle[/i]" is sometimes used interchangeably with the term "assault[i] weapon[/i]". Assault rifles are capable of fully automatic firing and "assault weapons" are semiautomatic and not synonymous with assault rifle.
But you know what? Either will rip a head and several lives apart in about a millisecond.
Sources:
Taylor The Fighting Rifle: A Complete Study of the Rifle in Combat, ISBN 0-87947-308-8
F.A. Moyer Special Forces Foreign Weapons Handbook, ISBN 0-87364-009-8
J. Scroggie, F.A. Moyer Special Forces Combat Firing Techniques, ISBN 0-87364-010-1
Musgave, Daniel D., and Thomas B. Nelson, The World's Assault Rifles, vol. II, The Goetz Company, Washington, D.C. (1967): 1
Jane's Gun Recognition Guide. Ian Hogg & Terry Gander. HarperCollins Publishers. 2005. page 330