My View on the Defintion of "Assault Weapons"

[ItsjustmeIthink]

I consider an "assault weapon" a sort of common sense phrase. What I mean by this is that it should be simple for one to infer as to what makes a weapon an "assault weapon." No, I don't mean a gun is only a assault weapon if used to assault someone, lol.

Common sense and Con$ don't mix, so heres a long ass explanation.

Guns are such an ingrained part of America I'm surpised that the word "gun" isn't part of our nation's title, haha. I seriously do not know anyone around here that has less than 2 guns, and for good reason. Say you have a robber in your house, one need only to rack a 12-guage, let alone fire it, to send him running for dear life; and once he tells his buddies, you can probably sleep a little easier knowing they probably don't want to be shot. Apart from being an extremely effective psychological deterrent to crime, guns are, by far, the preferred instrument of hunters.

Guns are not a bad thing, I think they're great. However, a gun in the wrong hands... you know how it goes. So obviously the issue here is not to issue an across the board gun-ban, but to examine America's current handling of firearms with a microscope and mend any dysfucntions accordingly. However, there is a category of gun that has so little practical use, its insane! These are the Assault Weapons. It doesn't matter if you're defending yourself, or hunting big game, you simply do not need something like a Ak-47, M4 Carbine, M16, AR-15,Bushmaster ACR, etc etc. The bullets fired from these would only cause a slow death in big game and good luck proving to a judge you were acting in self defense when you shot your attacker 15 times at point-blank.

The problem with an "Assault Weapons Ban" is that relativly few people know what the term "Assault weapon" encompasses. At it's simpest level, an Assault Weapon is a military-style, automatic weapon. As we all know though fully automatic weapons are so heavily regulated they may as well be illegal in the United States. So defining an "assault weapon" as a "Full Auto, Military style firearm" simply isn't suffiecent.
Truth is, Its pretty hard to define an "Assault Weapon". Definitions on the internet vary from state to state and a whole mess of people have tossed in their two cents, further complicating the matter.

So this is how I view Assault Weapons: On it's broadest level, an assault weapon is any type or varation of a firearm that has little-to-no practical use in civilian life. Hunting and self-defense are considered to be practical uses of firearms, murder isn't.
Assault Weapons: Any type or varation of a firearm that has little to no practical use in civilian life. i.e., AK-47, all variations of the AK, AR-15, all variants of the AR, Calico M-900, SETME Sporter, HK94, Valmet M62S, SIG PE57, and the list truly does go on and on and on.
I pray I've listed enough examples to generate an idea in some peoples' seemingly dormant brains....

 

[Bigfoot]

An "Assault" weapon is one that is equipped with a select fire mechanism. None of the weapons used in the Colo. shootings were so equipped. If a U.S. citizen wishes to own a selective fire weapon then they have to posses a special class 3 license which most of the general population does not.

 

[Defiant1]

I consider an "assault weapon" a sort of common sense phrase. What I mean by this is that it should be simple for one to infer as to what makes a weapon an "assault weapon." No, I don't mean a gun is only a assault weapon if used to assault someone, lol.

Common sense and Con$ don't mix, so heres a long ass explanation.

Guns are such an ingrained part of America I'm surpised that the word "gun" isn't part of our nation's title, haha. I seriously do not know anyone around here that has less than 2 guns, and for good reason. Say you have a robber in your house, one need only to rack a 12-guage, let alone fire it, to send him running for dear life; and once he tells his buddies, you can probably sleep a little easier knowing they probably don't want to be shot. Apart from being an extremely effective psychological deterrent to crime, guns are, by far, the preferred instrument of hunters.

Guns are not a bad thing, I think they're great. However, a gun in the wrong hands... you know how it goes. So obviously the issue here is not to issue an across the board gun-ban, but to examine America's current handling of firearms with a microscope and mend any dysfucntions accordingly. However, there is a category of gun that has so little practical use, its insane! These are the Assault Weapons. It doesn't matter if you're defending yourself, or hunting big game, you simply do not need something like a Ak-47, M4 Carbine, M16, AR-15,Bushmaster ACR, etc etc. The bullets fired from these would only cause a slow death in big game and good luck proving to a judge you were acting in self defense when you shot your attacker 15 times at point-blank.

The problem with an "Assault Weapons Ban" is that relativly few people know what the term "Assault weapon" encompasses. At it's simpest level, an Assault Weapon is a military-style, automatic weapon. As we all know though fully automatic weapons are so heavily regulated they may as well be illegal in the United States. So defining an "assault weapon" as a "Full Auto, Military style firearm" simply isn't suffiecent.
Truth is, Its pretty hard to define an "Assault Weapon". Definitions on the internet vary from state to state and a whole mess of people have tossed in their two cents, further complicating the matter.

So this is how I view Assault Weapons: On it's broadest level, an assault weapon is any type or varation of a firearm that has little-to-no practical use in civilian life. Hunting and self-defense are considered to be practical uses of firearms, murder isn't.
Assault Weapons: Any type or varation of a firearm that has little to no practical use in civilian life. i.e., AK-47, all variations of the AK, AR-15, all variants of the AR, Calico M-900, SETME Sporter, HK94, Valmet M62S, SIG PE57, and the list truly does go on and on and on.
I pray I've listed enough examples to generate an idea in some peoples' seemingly dormant brains....

You should have just posted "I don't know what I'm talking about" instead of wasting the time to type all that gibberish.

 

[oldernwiser]

So this is how I view Assault Weapons: On it's broadest level, an assault weapon is any type or varation of a firearm that has little-to-no practical use in civilian life. Hunting and self-defense are considered to be practical uses of firearms, murder isn't.
Assault Weapons: Any type or varation of a firearm that has little to no practical use in civilian life. i.e., AK-47, all variations of the AK, AR-15, all variants of the AR, Calico M-900, SETME Sporter, HK94, Valmet M62S, SIG PE57, and the list truly does go on and on and on.
I pray I've listed enough examples to generate an idea in some peoples' seemingly dormant brains....

This is the same drivel which Ireland and a few cities in this country have used to ban pit bull dogs. It's the breed, NOT the handler.

 

[ItsjustmeIthink]

Wow. I was hoping to avoid the argument where one side says, "All guns are the same" and the other says, "No, they're different".

Looks like I failed, oh well.

 

[Oddball]

[

Just answer me one thing, is it practical to have an Valmet M62S?
Please don't say it is for self-defense, as I really think there is a difference between wanting to defend one's self, and wanting to kill someone in the process.

Your view of "practical" is irrelevant.

 

[oldernwiser]

Wow. I was hoping to avoid the argument where one side says, "All guns are the same" and the other says, "No, they're different".

Looks like I failed, oh well.

You failed when YOU asserted that they were, in fact, different in your OP.

The fact is, you can't logically sustain an argument against "assault weapons" without also endorsing the removal of our constitutionally guaranteed right to possess firearms.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Wow. I was hoping to avoid the argument where one side says, "All guns are the same" and the other says, "No, they're different".

Looks like I failed, oh well.

Your definition is Unconstitutional. In 1939 the Supreme Court ruled that a weapon must be in use, of use or previously used by the military to qualify for protection under the 2nd Amendment. If you want YOUR definition to apply you need an Amendment to the Constitution.

The second amendment establishes 2 rights, one to the citizenry and one to the States. Individuals have a protected right to own and possess militia usable weapons ( ie in use by the military, of use by the military or previously used by the military) the State right is to form and maintain a State Militia of which part is not available to the US Government.

Supposed assault weapons as defined by you are EXACTLY the type of weapon protected by the 2nd Amendment. By the way? Your definition of practical is wrong. Semi automatic weapons with detachable magazines are one of the best weapons for self defense. Why? because they provide a large capacity magazine which is easily replaced. Self defense does not just include the luck of a single shot disabling or killing your attacker, it includes he ability to trade fire with an attacker.

Further the second amendment is not just about self defense and hunting, its PRIMARY goal is to establish a well armed populace for the purpose of a citizenry militia in times of National emergency insurrection or war. Again the weapons you listed fall perfectly into that role.

 

[OODA_Loop]

It doesn't matter if you're defending yourself, or hunting big game, you simply do not need something like a Ak-47, M4 Carbine, M16, AR-15,Bushmaster ACR, etc etc. The bullets fired from these would only cause a slow death in big game and good luck proving to a judge you were acting in self defense when you shot your attacker 15 times at point-blank.

Practically every law enforcement cruiser in America has an AR15 variant.

5.56 is a very effective, single shot stopper and with proper ammo / barrel length selection provides excellent fragmentation to prevent over penetration.

Additionally, an AR15 with reflex or red dot type optics greatly increase hit proabability and are far easier to score COM than any handgun.

It is the 21st Century equivalent of the flintlock musket in common useand as such distinctly protected by the affirmations inHeller vs DC.

You are out of your lane.