I'm still wondering what an assault weapon is.
The only correct answer so far!
This discussion may have been valid in the early 1990s and during the previous AWB, however the definition of "Assault Weapon" has changed since then.
While many of those in the gun community may still believe they know what the term "assault weapon" refers to, they would be wrong.
It is not an AR, it is not an AK.
Some of the latest bills to "renew" have expanded the term to practicly any semi auto at will.
The term can include shotguns, pistols, or weapons with magazines that exceed a set number. Not just the scary looking ones people could cite off the top of thier heads either.
Since
the term is a legal term, not a real one,
the definition can continue to change and expand (and has) with new legislation.
What was not an "assault weapon" in 1995 can be and often is one today in some states.
If you think you know what an assault weapon is then you are playing into the hands of the antis. Who have already applied the definition to other things.
A single shot .50BMG is an "assault weapon" in California.
A pistol over 50 ounces in weight was an assault weapon requiring no other features. It still is in some states like New York.
So if you explain to people that a semi auto AR or AK is an "assault weapon" and the particular individual agrees with them being too scary or not concerned with thier restriction, then they think they agree with a definition that has since expanded dramaticly.
You do not know what an assault weapon is, the definition varies greatly from state to state in states that choose to define the term in legislation.
They cannot give up the term because everyone has heard it. It was once effective (and still is some places) and combines two scary sounding words. After all who needs a weapon to "assault" people except a criminal.
If the line in the sand was moved you can be sure eventualy it would get to "hunting" rifles, better known as "sniper rifles" by those who wish to restrict them.
The antis might even point out they are even more powerful and worse than something already banned (assault weapons) in thier "logic".
Brazil went down all these paths before. Where anything that could defeat body armor was a "cop killer" round. They now cannot have any rifle cartridges (except one less powerful than many pistol cartridges) and no pistol more powerful than a .38 special.
The officialy stated logic leading up to that gradualy being anything that could defeat then common body armor posed a danger to the nations' LEO/military.
The ability to pose a danger to agents of tyranny is the very purpose of the USA's 2nd Amendment. Would those enforcing tyranny have body armor? Of course. The Redcoats today would be wearing the latest and most effective body armor available. There were after all the premier empire of the world at the time.
So while your information is true, don't think it is something the thoughtful antis planning legislation have missed.
They know full well that a black "military assault weapon" is less powerful than the average hunting rifle.
They know terms like "semi-automatic assault weapon" confuse people that don't know what the term "semi-automatic" means.
I have heard people voice thier belief that "semi-automatic" was guns like the 3 round burst military's M-16. It was "semi" "automatic" meaning partialy fully automatic by thier deduction!
Of course then you tell them no, that is a machinegun by law, semi-auto just fires one round per pull of the trigger.
But that is only the legal definition of "machinegun", the military would never consider such a firearm a "machinegun", and they have been using the term longer than the NFA or laws defining "machinegun have existed. That should really confuse them.
Then you can describe what a LMG and HMG is.
Creating terms and then redefining terms to encompass more is an old anti strategy. "Assault weapon" will continue to change meaning.
Under HR 1022 any semi-auto firearm used by any federal LEO at any time, or by the military at any time was automaticly considered "unsporting" unless the Attorney General (now Eric Holder) said otherwise. It was presumed unsporting just by having such a history,
and any make or model similar or based on a similar design was also automaticly presumed unsporting unless exempted.
They became "assault weapons".
Still think you know what "assault weapon" means? There is more examples.