What defines an "Assault Rifle"?

[Sindawe]

My apologies if this has been covered. I searched but found no matches.

What makes an assault rifle? I know about the differences in the round size and power when compared to a pistol (say 9mm) and a rifle (say 7.62 NATO). What about mode of action (one trigger pull =one round discharged vs. one trigger pull = many rounds discharged)?

I've always grouped 'em as follows:

Full power rifle round, self-loading, one shot/trigger pull, no select fire = battle rifle. Example - M1 Garand or DS Arms FAL clone.

Intermediate rifle round, self loading, one shot/trigger pull, no slect fire = carbine subclass (for lack of a better term). Example - Ruger Mini-14 or AR-15

Intermediate rifle round, self loading, select fire = assault rifle. Example - M-16 or an AK w/ da switch.

Yes? No? Maybe?

I'm so CONFUSED /Vinny Barbarino

 

[R.H. Lee]

Well, in California, there is the Assault Weapons Identification Guide, all 96 pages of it. If/when you figure it out, please explain it to me.

 

[MDG1976]

Assualt Rifle: Noun. A firearm used only by drug dealers, terrorists, and crazed rednecks to commit crimes against the innocent. Assualt rifles have no place in civilized society and will turn anyone who handles one into a murderer.

 

[Tony Williams]

Now now, gentlemen, please maintain the distinction between assault weapon, which is a strictly US political term which means whatever the politician using it wants it to mean, and assault rifle, which is an internationally recognised term for a class of military weapon. :banghead:

The definition I use (as in the article on the history of assault rifles and their ammo on my website) is:

"A military rifle, capable of controlled, fully-automatic fire from the shoulder, with an effective range of at least 300 metres".

You can quibble about the wording of course: 'selective fire' could be in there, and also something about weight to keep out the muscle-bound BAR brigade

Tony Williams: Military gun and ammunition website and discussion forum

 

[Polishrifleman]

As stated by Tony, there really is no such thing but I would like to quibble about the word "effective". and add my own definition of:

"Whatever rifle your wife hits you with when you have been out with the boys late and come home smelling like booze, cigars, and cheap perfume".

 

[Sindawe]

Tony Williams: Do you happen to have a source/citation for that definition? I see the references at the footer of the article on your site, but wonder which one its pulled from, if any.

Oh, nice site. Thanks for the link.

 

[Tony Williams]

Tony Williams: Do you happen to have a source/citation for that definition? I see the references at the footer of the article on your site, but wonder which one its pulled from, if any.

Yup - the source is my site

I made up the wording myself in order to encapsulate the various charateristics shared in common by those weapons which are generally agreed to be assault rifles.

Tony Williams: Military gun and ammunition website and discussion forum

 

[ks_shooter]

I remember reading a news article several years ago where the nitwit reporter said that the criminal had used an "assault revolver". I kid you not.