sig228
Member
No need to respond, just vote please. We have another lengthy thread devoted to this issue. I started this as a poll only. I'm curious as to how THR members refer to these.
AR-15 and AK-47's - What do we call them?
- Thread starter sig228
- Start date
- Status
"No need to respond"...this is a forum.
Because the AR-15 is mentioned, as opposed to the military-specific variants, it is semi-automatic and therefore is not considered an assault rifle.
Sporting Rifle suggests they are limited in scope to sports, while they can be used in hunting (which can be a sport, but I prefer to think of hunting as a food-providing activity) or self defense, neither of which are "sport".
Utility rifle works, as does "military style rifle", but semi-automatic rifle or semi-automatic carbine would be technically correct.
Because the AR-15 is mentioned, as opposed to the military-specific variants, it is semi-automatic and therefore is not considered an assault rifle.
Sporting Rifle suggests they are limited in scope to sports, while they can be used in hunting (which can be a sport, but I prefer to think of hunting as a food-providing activity) or self defense, neither of which are "sport".
Utility rifle works, as does "military style rifle", but semi-automatic rifle or semi-automatic carbine would be technically correct.
OP
OP
sig228
Member
"No need to respond" means we already have an 8 page thread on this and I'm simply trying to avoid duplication.
hammerklavier
Member
Semi-auto assault rifle
civilian version of m4\ak
semi-auto rifle makes me think of a 10-22 or bar (hunting rifle)
civilian version of m4\ak
semi-auto rifle makes me think of a 10-22 or bar (hunting rifle)
Inebriated
Member
Semi-auto.
There's nothing special about it.
There's nothing special about it.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
HDR's = Homeland Defense Rifles.
rc
rc
Assault Weapon 
I chose Semi-Automatic rifle. Although I do like saying Semi-Automatic Sporting Rifle sometimes. It can't be referred to as an Assault Rifle because it has no automatic feature, therefore it would be a poor choice in a military assault.
I chose Semi-Automatic rifle. Although I do like saying Semi-Automatic Sporting Rifle sometimes. It can't be referred to as an Assault Rifle because it has no automatic feature, therefore it would be a poor choice in a military assault.
The_Armed_Therapist
Member
"Modern Sporting Rifles" sounds the most proud and robust. I'll go with that. 
I know everyone who is a gun person reviles the term "assault rifle" and insists that it can only apply to guns with full-auto or burst capability. But it's my understanding that a lot of current and recent warfighters rarely, if ever, take their M4/HK416/other carbine/rifle off semi. The defining characteristics of an assault rifle as military technology were the changeable box magazine, the intermediate-power round, and some kind of auto fire. A semi-only AR still has two of the three characteristics. Rather than invent some new term, isn't it far more clear and sensible to call it a "semi-auto assualt rifle/carbine"? If you say that, everybody knows exactly what it is.
If that's deemed too politically-vulnerable, I suppose we could call them semi-auto intermediate-caliber rifles, and leave people to assume the box mag. I just cannot get behind the intentionally-obfuscatory terms like "utility rifle" or "modern sporting rifle" or "black rifle" (a heck of a lot of "black rifles" seem to be FDE these days...).
If that's deemed too politically-vulnerable, I suppose we could call them semi-auto intermediate-caliber rifles, and leave people to assume the box mag. I just cannot get behind the intentionally-obfuscatory terms like "utility rifle" or "modern sporting rifle" or "black rifle" (a heck of a lot of "black rifles" seem to be FDE these days...).
mljdeckard
Member
Rifles.
I usually just say clone of AR or AK. Then when the question is asked, "why do you call it a clone" (or other opening) I get to go through my spiel on the differences between my clone and the dreaded military assault rifle. Only works with people who do not know the difference. But can be fun.
benEzra
Moderator Emeritus
They're simply rifles or carbines, depending on configuration. If you wanted to specify action type, they would be semiautomatic rifles/carbines or self-loading rifles/carbines, depending on whether you were talking to someone who knows what the word "semiautomatic" means. (A lot of non-gunnies think "semiautomatic" is synonymous with machinegun, thanks to gullible media types.)
If you want to refer to their styling, as opposed to how they function, do so: rifles with modern styling. They are not "assault" anything, any more than your granddad's Remington 700 is a "sniper" anything.
If you want to refer to their styling, as opposed to how they function, do so: rifles with modern styling. They are not "assault" anything, any more than your granddad's Remington 700 is a "sniper" anything.
allaroundhunter
Member
They are all semi-automatic rifles, end of story, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
Many of them are also fielded as modern sporting rifles in competition or hunting, but not all of them.
Modern utility rifles? Sure, but not all of them are used as such so I will not use that term to describe all of them.
Evil black rifles? Well, mine doesn't have a mind of it's own, so I have to say no.
Assault rifles? Not capable of select fire, means that is a no.
Many of them are also fielded as modern sporting rifles in competition or hunting, but not all of them.
Modern utility rifles? Sure, but not all of them are used as such so I will not use that term to describe all of them.
Evil black rifles? Well, mine doesn't have a mind of it's own, so I have to say no.
Assault rifles? Not capable of select fire, means that is a no.
HorseSoldier
Member
I go with "rifles," personally. If the speaker has sufficiently limited grasp of firearms that they don't know what I'm talking about, I elaborate to "semi automatic versions of the XYZ" or some such.
mljdeckard
Member
I don't feel the need to call them semi-automatic rifles. Why does THIS category of rifles need to have a prefix next to it, like a sex offender registry? Do we refer to other rifles as my bolt action rifle, my lever action rifle, my pump action rifle, etc? If you add the semi-auto, you are letting the antis label them FOR you.
allaroundhunter
Member
I refer to my Remington and Savage as my bolt rifles. I refer to the .30-30 as a lever rifle. And while I don't have a pump-action rifle, if I did I would refer to it as such.
Sent from my HTC One X
Jorg Nysgerrig
Member
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2006
- Messages
- 7,822
Yes, actually we do. I differentiate between bolt action rifles and semiautos, just like I do between pump, semi, O/U and SxS shotguns.
When I mention my little Henry .22, I pretty much always say, "A .22 lever action."
meanmrmustard
Member
I call them expensive fun.
Quentin
Member
They are semi-auto rifles and it's to our advantage to refer to them as that and encourage others do the same. We play into the gun-grabbers hands when we call them "assault rifles".
Modern sporting rifle doesn't make much sense either since the designs go back to the 1940s and 1950s. Of course they're still current but they've been around many decades.
Modern sporting rifle doesn't make much sense either since the designs go back to the 1940s and 1950s. Of course they're still current but they've been around many decades.
silicosys4
Member
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2012
- Messages
- 3,684
When I think about it, I never call them anything other than what they are. An AR-15 or and AK-47. I don't call my Mak90 an AK-47 though.
- Status
