Assault Rifle - this isn't a real term...right?

2015-02-22T21:40:09-05:00

Response by LTC Yinon Weiss made Feb 22 at 2015 9:55 PM

2015-02-22T21:55:30-05:00

Assault Rifle is a political term with political definitions. It is not a reference within the US military that I have ever heard.

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made Feb 22 at 2015 10:44 PM

2015-02-22T22:44:06-05:00

I didn't think it was. I am arguing with someone that its not a real term.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Feb 22 at 2015 11:18 PM

2015-02-22T23:18:52-05:00

I'm so so frustrated. I wrote a long detailed response and lost it by fat fingering your profile. Short version, term is highly politicized but originally so named to distinguish from a 'rifle' (normally .30 cal or above and heavy) intended for lightly equipped rapid moving 'assault forces.' (As opposed to support)

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2015 11:39 PM

2015-02-22T23:39:56-05:00

Tactical is more appropriate. I don't think there is a gun manufacturer that would be stupid enough to use the more 'assault' with any of their weapons. Assault is a liberal stance use especially when. A shooting is involved.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2015 11:45 PM

2015-02-22T23:45:22-05:00

Assault Rifle is not a real term. It is made up by those who oppose weapon ownership. Hence the reason I am a Lifetime Member and supporter of the NRA.

One poster utilized a dictionary definition which he found. What that individual fails to realize is who is possibly approving that terminology. Think of how many Academicians enjoy a Liberal philosophy. That is who writes those things.

AR stands for "Automatic Rifle" :)

Response by COL Charles Williams made Feb 23 at 2015 12:25 AM

2015-02-23T00:25:29-05:00

Only in the media... In the military we call it an individual weapon.... In Missouri, they call it a recreational weapon, a hunting rifle, or a personal defense weapon.

Response by SSG Christopher Parrish made Feb 23 at 2015 9:15 AM

2015-02-23T09:15:19-05:00

I have never understood that term. I've been a firearms owner for decades and not once has one of my guns assaulted anyone. I train with them for defense, so mine should be labeled "defense rifles".

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 23 at 2015 9:16 AM

2015-02-23T09:16:09-05:00

It's a PC term to make any civilian weapon that looks intimidating appear dangerous. Weapons are only dangerous in the hands of the untrained or criminals.

Whether it's the pump action on my shotgun or the bolt carrier group of my AR sliding home, I want it to be intimidating enough that it will make an intruder think twice to prevent a last-resort reaction.

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made Feb 23 at 2015 9:54 AM

2015-02-23T09:54:59-05:00

Fully automatic assault pistol capable of killing two people with each bullet and firing up to 50 rounds!

The horror!

Response by SPC Thomas Bourland made Feb 23 at 2015 2:48 PM

2015-02-23T14:48:03-05:00

the Ar-15 name was derived from one of the many makers armalite also interestingly enough toy makers also made the M-16 my very first issue was made by mattel. circa 1985 an actual assault rifle might be something along the lines of the b.a.r rather heavy but very hard hitting weapon.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 23 at 2015 3:14 PM

2015-02-23T15:14:42-05:00

I "love" this term. When one of my more left-leaning friends brings it up, I typically wad up a small piece of paper & hit them w/ it. I then pose the question to them, "should we now ban assault paper?" Typically they are taken aback by this question until I explain to them that 'assault' is a verb. It is not a descriptive word. If it were correctly used, it would be 'assaulting rifle', but that, again, would be incorrect as the rifle is just the instrument used in the assault. The real perpetrator of the assault, would be the person holding the rifle.

"But rifles kill people!"

I then ask them how they are still alive. Again they are confused. I ask them how it is that they are still alive when I have an AR locked up in my residence? By their logic, my rifle should've not only killed me, but all of my visitors & neighbors - ALL BY ITSELF!

Response by 1SG Michael Blount made Feb 23 at 2015 3:43 PM

2015-02-23T15:43:19-05:00

I wasn't making up my first post, but only wanted to (1) reinforce PO3 Sackenheim's post and (2) provide additional support. http://world.guns.ru/assault-e.html Understand that English is a dynamic language. What "assault" once meant does not necessarily mean the same thing now.

Modern Firearms - Assault Rifles

Assault rifles. Machine guns and assault rifles. The difference between a submachine gun and assault rifle. According to the adopted in the USSR / Russia classification, assault rifles can be considered the second generation of automatic rifles. Kalashnikov assault rifles, machine guns, modern machines.

Response by GySgt Joe Strong made Feb 23 at 2015 4:17 PM

2015-02-23T16:17:38-05:00

Basically, it is a real term.
And it has two meanings.

One Historical that begins with the Stg 44 around 1944.
One Political that originates (anecdotally) with Diane Feinstein around 1993.

The discussion among all the other posters pretty well lays it out.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2015 3:34 AM

2015-02-24T03:34:26-05:00

The term assault rifle originated with the StG-44 Sturmgewehr, meaning storm rifle. To storm as to assault. There is some debate as to whether Hitler himself coined the term. While the StG-44 did use a weaker round than the K98 Mauser there is no such thing as an assault round as one person posted. All libtard definitions aside, an assault rifle is a magazine fed, select fire weapon.

Response by SCPO Joshua I made Feb 24 at 2015 10:38 AM

2015-02-24T10:38:43-05:00

I'm pretty sure the Germans would say it's a real term... sturmgewehr

However, as currently used by politicians, it means anything scary that looks like it might be military.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 15 at 2015 2:05 AM

2015-03-15T02:05:34-04:00

According to FSTC-CW-07-03-70, "small arms identification and operations guide - Eurasian Communist countries" US Army Materiel Command, page 67
"Assault rifles are compact, selective-fire weapons that fire a cartridge intermediate in power between a submachinegun and rifle cartridges."

Not to be confused with assault weapons, defined in the expired 1994 federal assault weapons ban. That defines an assault weapon as a semi automatic firearm with the ability to accept a detachable magazine and any two or more additional options:
A folding or telescoping stock, a pistol grip, a bayonet mount, a flash suppressor, a threaded barrel that accepts a flash suppressor, or a grenade launcher.

I haven't seen any legislation that affects fully automatic weapons coming down the pipe, but the national firearms act of 1934 pretty much has those locked down. And if that wasn't bad enough the gun control act 1968 and the firearms owners protection act of 1986 which modified it have all the good guns since 86 locked out.

Response by LCpl Kasey Woods made Oct 28 at 2015 2:00 AM

2015-10-28T02:00:40-04:00

Its a category, as is sub-machine gun, shotgun, ect ect

Response by SSgt W. Aaron Gregory made Jun 20 at 2016 7:31 PM

2016-06-20T19:31:48-04:00

Like most things spun by the media, it is a made up phrase to make something far more shock and awe than it really is. It still requires a human hand and finger with motive or drive, to pull the trigger.

Response by SSgt W. Aaron Gregory made Jun 20 at 2016 7:33 PM

2016-06-20T19:33:38-04:00

Reminds me of a joke. Do you know what my 40 cal S&W did last night?

Response by Cpl Benjamin Long made Jun 22 at 2016 11:19 AM

2016-06-22T11:19:58-04:00

A rifle meant to assault is an assault rifle... therefore all rifles are assault rifles... Just keep calling it your "weapon"... Keep it simple so that you aren't distracted when you are beating the enemy with your "weapon"