Article on Slippery Definitions of "Assault Weapon"

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DEB
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Re: Article on Slippery Definitions of "Assault Weapon"

#16

Post by DEB »

I see us, (pro-firearm folks), playing catchup with words that define our world. I believe the only Nation that used the word, Assault Weapon, until recently that is, was Germany with the Sturmgewehr (StG44). I don't have any problem with the wording, as the left will use everything to destroy what I believe in, including my Religion. To me, when we protest about a word, we are falling into their trap, by saying, "Oh, No it is not an Assault Rifle, it is a sporting rifle", or whatever. I spent 21 years in the US Army, never did call an M16 of whatever variant, an Assault Rifle, even went to multiple Boards, such as Soldier of the Month, Promotion or whatnot and when I gave the Nomenclature of an M16 series rifle, never used the word Assault Rifle as part of its description. Same as those hung up on the word "Clip" versus "Magazine". Almost all of my Korean and Vietnam Wars Veterans, used the word "Clip", like, "throw me a Clip". I understood what they meant, heck still hear them use that same word today. I dare anyone to go to these Old Vets and tell them the difference between a Clip and a Magazine. Shoot I, as a Combat Engineer, didn't even get access to a 30 Round Magazine unless I was overseas, otherwise the issued Magazine was the 20 rounders. Now I can buy one anywhere. I guess I am just tired of attempting to justify my beliefs to the Left. I am an America First, Bible believing Christian, that's right I said Christian, White Male, been married for 40 years to the same Woman, (even had to ask my Company Commander Permission to get Married), Combat Veteran, carry a gun (sorry Drill SGT Toth about the description, but folks nowadays get hurt if you say carry a Weapon), and own multiple real Assault Weapons, (1903 Springfield, M1 Garand, K98K, Type 38 Nogoya, and etc. These weapons were probably actually used in assaulting enemy positions). With the words I just used for my description the Left will say: I am a Homophobic, AntiSemite, gun crazed, assault weapon owning, PTSD suffering Racist. Well Heckal, so be it. :thumbs2: I am tired of arguing with them and no longer will do so. It continues to surprise me that we haven't Balkanized.
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G26ster
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Re: Article on Slippery Definitions of "Assault Weapon"

#17

Post by G26ster »

DEB wrote: Mon Jan 14, 2019 8:48 am Same as those hung up on the word "Clip" versus "Magazine". Almost all of my Korean and Vietnam Wars Veterans, used the word "Clip", like, "throw me a Clip". I understood what they meant, heck still hear them use that same word today. I dare anyone to go to these Old Vets and tell them the difference between a Clip and a Magazine. :biggrinjester:
I'll have to disagree a bit. This old vet never used the word clip other than when I was issued a M1 Garand in 1963. When I was issued an M14 in Korea in 1964, everyone I knew in my infantry units said magazine, even the older Korean War veteran NCOs. Same with M16 I was issued in RVN. In 1964 I was issued a 1911 and we got magazines with them, not clips. All of my retired military friends today say magazine, not clip. But I agree, other than one being a pefectonist or trying to be technically accurate, who cares. Oh, and in 23 years as an enlisted man, NCO, and Officer, I never was issued, or heard the term, Assault Rifle for the Garrand, M14, or M16 used in any unit in which I served. :tiphat:
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Re: Article on Slippery Definitions of "Assault Weapon"

#18

Post by G26ster »

AndyC wrote: Mon Jan 14, 2019 1:21 pm
gtolbert09 wrote: Mon Jan 14, 2019 8:44 am Last time I checked the Military Nomenclature for a M16a2, the word "assault" doesn't show up anywhere in the description.
Irrelevant. "Assault rifle" is simply a category. The US DIA defines assault rifles as "...selective-fire weapons that fire a cartridge intermediate in power between submachine gun and rifle cartridges."
Andy, by that definition, the AR-10, AK-47, and M14 are not assault rifles as they fire rifle cartridges.
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Re: Article on Slippery Definitions of "Assault Weapon"

#19

Post by Paladin »

The best definition of an "Assault Weapon" the gun grabbers want to ban is from the 2004 Federal Report: "Updated Assessment of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban: Impacts on Gun Markets and Gun Violence, 1994-2003"

Assault Weapons are weapons rarely used in gun crime.
AWs were rarely used in gun crimes even before the ban...Should it be renewed, the ban’s effects on gun violence are likely to be small at best and perhaps too small for reliable measurement...it is not clear how often the outcomes of gun attacks depend on the ability of offenders to fire more than ten shots (the current magazine capacity limit) without reloading.
So why ban weapons rarely used in crime? The private ownership of arms = democracy. A ban on "military-style weapons" is a direct assault on democracy and our Constitutional rights.
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Re: Article on Slippery Definitions of "Assault Weapon"

#20

Post by Ameer »

AndyC wrote: Mon Jan 14, 2019 4:01 pm My point concerns more the fact that SELECT-FIRE rifles do exist and they're already heavily-regulated; semi-auto rifles such as AR15s and the like are in no way "assault rifles" simply because they share a cartridge and looks. I reject the "assault weapon" term as it attempts to tie the 2 broad categories together in order to treat them ALL as select-fire rifles, just as the article states:
The primary purpose of the made-up, political term "assault weapon" is to confuse the issue and spread disinformation. It's a variation of their highly successful campaign of identity politics to divide and conquer and sucker people into voting against their long term best interests.
I believe the basic political division in this country is not between liberals and conservatives but between those who believe that they should have a say in the personal lives of strangers and those who do not.
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Re: Article on Slippery Definitions of "Assault Weapon"

#21

Post by Liberty »

I always believed we spent to much time arguing semantics. I was Army int the 70's, They called them Magazines or clips. Most of us younger guys didn't have a clue of the real meaning of a clip. The Army isn't always right anyways, I just assumed my DI was an idiot and played along when they told us an M16 wasn't a gun but a rifle. I also didn't try to explain to him that pistols and cannons howitzers and the big guns on a tank ore also rifles. I've seen arguements with people insisting that semi-automatic handguns are pistols, but revolvers are not.

I don't know why we as firearms enthusiast play right along with the banners and bloomers. I've been jumped on when I claim that even the M16,and M4s are AR15s also. The AR 15 was designed to be select-fire automatic capable. civilian sporting models were modified to be semi-automatic only. Every M16 M4 is an AR15,

I made an attempt on my blog to explain what an AR-15 is and some of it capabilities to the uninitiated. I think I made a pretty good case on why the AR 15 is no more threat to polite society than any other weapon.

I did make the precaution for my AR 15 of getting it in dark earth. I figure that when they come for y'alls Evil Black Rifles thay will leave me and my pretty brown gun alone.
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