We can argue the technical merits of "assault rifle" all day but it seems that various laws have defined it and that definition was relatively narrow.
We can, we have, and I'm sure we will again.
To be precise, Assault Rifle is a technical term used in the shooting community, defined as "select fire, intermediate power cartridge", etc. The origin of the term comes from the German
Sturmgewehr, fielded in the last couple years of WWII.
Before all the hysteria began, the shooting community itself was rather lax in applying the term, and often used it tongue in cheek referring to semi auto military lookalikes.
Assault Weapon is a term coined in the early 90s, during the run up to the 94AWB. It was created by the anti gunners, because we kept pointing out how they were in ERROR using the term "assault rifle".
There is no definition if Federal Law for "assault rifle", because under the law, they are machineguns, and referred to as such.
ASSAULT WEAPON became defined in law in the 94 AWB, and those state laws that generally copied it. Assault WEAPONS are semi autos, with certain cosmetic features. Rifles, pistols and shotguns.
Because people are sloppy in their use of language, (or are deliberately misleading) a firearm that is a rifle, and fits the law's description of an assault weapon, gets called an "assault rifle", inaccurately. And now we have come full circle.
"Powerful weapon" is indeed ominous sounding. And it is ANYTHING they choose it to be. The observed "standard" for use of that term, in the journalistic (and political) community for many decades has been anything more powerful than a .22LR is a "powerful weapon".
Its their default setting. A centerfire rifle is a "powerful weapon". Period, end of information, that's all the public needs to know.
Everybody's deer rifle is a powerful weapon. The AR round is a powerful weapon (after all, the military uses it), etc.
What we know as correct, doesn't matter to them. Their standards are not our standards. And, they WANT to frighten people.....
