Assault Weapons”

NSSF® FAST FACTS BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON SO-CALLED “ASSAULT WEAPONS”

The term “Assault Weapon”, coined in the 1980’s in an effort to ban semiautomatic rifles, has arguably become one of the most successful antigun public relations tools in modern history. The term “assault weapon” is now broadly used by antigun activists to describe any and all semiautomatic firearms “The public’s confusion over fully-automatic machine as taboo and undesirable for private guns versus semi-automatic assault weapons — anything civilian ownership, despite being that looks like a machine gun is presumed to be a legally owned and used by millions machine gun — can only increase the chance of public of Americans. Antigun politicians support for restrictions on these weapons.” and misinformed media have perpetuated this erroneous moniker for decades to drive public opinion distinguish the firearm from other severely restricted from civilian of semiautomatic firearms into the “non-assault weapons.”): ownership under the 1934 National gutter. As a result, many think that • A folding or telescoping stock Firearms Act. A so-called “assault a semiautomatic firearm is a so- • A pistol grip weapon” is functionally no different called “assault weapon” based on than any other “legal” firearm. These • A bayonet mount its cosmetic features or assume that guns fire in the same manner as the firearm is in fact a fully automatic • A flash suppressor, or threads any other semi-automatic firearm machine gun. to attach one (one shot per trigger pull — no What has incorrectly been • A grenade launcher spray firing), they shoot the same termed an “assault weapon” is a ammunition as other guns of the None of these features figure semi-automatic firearm that fires same caliber and are no more into the criminal misuse of firearms, just one bullet with each pull of the powerful. What differentiates a so- regardless of their appearance. trigger (versus a fully automatic called “assault weapon” from other firearm — machine gun — which guns is cosmetic; for example, the SEPARATING FACT FROM continues to shoot until the trigger type of stock on the gun, which FICTION is released). Specifically, legislation makes the conventionally operating There is a tremendous amount has incorrectly defined an “assault firearm look more like a military of misinformation surrounding weapon” as a semi-automatic firearm. the issue of so-called “assault firearm that can accept a detachable The gun-ban lobby understands weapons.” Below are several of magazine and has one or more of that the confusion over what is and the more misleading allegations the following cosmetic features what is not an “assault weapon” related to these firearms followed by (it is these cosmetic features that only benefits them. Consider this corresponding statements of fact: statement from Josh Sugarmann of the Violence Policy Center: Claim: A commercially-sold “assault “The public’s confusion over weapon” is a machine gun and has fully-automatic machine guns versus no place in civilian hands. continued Fact: A so-called “assault weapon” is NOT a machine gun or automatic firearm. Automatic firearms were semi-automatic assault weapons — Control — hardly a pro-gun entity firearm of choice for conceal carry anything that looks like a machine — looked at the full panoply of licensees, have recently garnered gun is presumed to be a machine gun control measures — including attention from antigun lawmakers, gun — can only increase the chance the “assault weapons ban” — and as evidenced by their inclusion of public support for restrictions on concluded that none could be under the “assault weapon” umbrella these weapons.” proven to reduce crime. Homicide in legislation. This practice is statistics demonstrate that the becoming more commonplace as Claim: Semi-automatic “assault miniscule use of so-called “assault the efforts to conceal true intentions weapons” are high-powered guns weapons” in crime (less than 1 of banning all privately owned that are meant for war. percent) continued to decrease after firearms are diminished. Banning the ten-year ban expired in 2004 all semiautomatic firearms is now Fact: So-called “assault weapons” and their manufacturing and sales the goal of the antigun lobby who are more often than not less powerful resumed. know that the common criminal than other hunting rifles. The term Another study, commissioned will not be affected by such bans “assault weapon” was conjured by Congress, found “the banned and legislation. Labeling every up by anti-gun legislators to scare weapons and magazines were never semiautomatic firearm as an “assault voters into thinking these firearms used in more than a modest fraction weapon” plays on the emotional are something out of a horror movie. of all gun murders.” response of the public who may These guns are used for many The report also noted that not be educated on how firearms activities. In fact, the Colt AR-15 so-called “assault weapons” were work and their everyday use by law and Springfield M1A, both labeled “rarely used in gun crimes even abiding citizens seeking to defend “assault weapons,” are the rifles before the ban.” themselves and their families. most often used for marksmanship Legislation to curb crime should be competitions in the United States. CONCLUSION the priority, not laws that will only And their cartridges are standard Legislation to ban so-called “assault disarm and endanger those who hunting calibers, useful for game up weapons” typically targets rifles that follow the rules. Semiautomatic to and including deer. are in common use and rarely used firearms are the most common in crime. According to the 2019 FBI type of firearm in the United States Claim: The 1994 “assault weapons Uniform Crime Report, from 2015 and are used for a wide variety ban” helped to reduce violent – 2019: Knives, Blunt Objects, and of legitimate purposes, including crime. Personal Weapons (fists and feet) hunting, small game control, target exceeded rifles of all kinds for cause shooting, competition, and personal Fact: A recent comprehensive of death every year.i defense. study by the Centers for Disease Semiautomatic pistols, the They should not be banned.

i https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/tables/expanded-homicide-data-table-8.xls