Assault Weapons

[Feathers and Fins]

link isnt working for me Ness.

[Haris122]

I love shooting my "assault rifle". For one the kind I got, made it much more economical to shoot for fun than a lot of other rifles and even a good chunk of pistols short of something in 22lr (now with ammo demand and prices up into outer space that's momentarily not so), the reliability of it certainly provides some peace of mind, the few accessories I bother to get for it were comparatively cheap, and lastly, it looks cool (there's the completely dumb reason everyone was waiting to hear).

Aside from maybe reliability and magazine capacity, it doesn't perform as well as any one particular less controversial gun type (not as concealable or useful up close as a pistol, not as accurate and powerful as a real hunting rifle especially further out, and not as easy to point and shoot out to medium range (50-75 or so yards for me) as a shotgun (maybe if the shotgun has slugs the advantage does tilt to the rifle but I don't know). However as to the basic question as to why someone would want a firearm like that, I would say because on a budget it tends to incorporate so many of the good qualities from all the other gun types that it makes it quite versatile.

That being said, I can see why it would cause people to be even more uneasy in the presence of someone with one, than a firearm of another type, especially with all the reckless, stupid, and even unstable individuals that easily manage to get a hold of guns without any sense of responsibility. I don't think there's a gun rights advocate here, that wouldn't feel the same sense of extra unease when encountering and having to turn their back to such an individual when holding a gun like that. Especially when you don't have the same type of firepower on you at the time.

Obviously when stuff like the recent shooting happens you got to take some things into perspective, so I'll admit this, I wouldn't mind being inconvenienced with more stringent/thorough background checks (including looking into potentially unstable family members being taken into consideration of you having that gun) regardless of what rifle I buy, but especially semi autos frequently fed by high capacity magazines, IF one the flip side that would ensure that the "ban assault weapons" crowd wouldn't single these weapons out like they're custom made in hell (and for the most part simply due to non-technical superficial reasons like "ohh, it looks dangerous because it has a pistol grip and the barrel is threaded to allow some type of device on the muzzle" or even something dumber like considering iron sights one of the no more than 2 features that automatically make a gun a weapon of mass destruction.) I also don't consider it unreasonable to only be able to have a set amount of higher cap mags in possession (though that seems really difficult to regulate), and to be able to get in hot water for carrying more than a set amount of loaded high cap magazines per rifle while driving somewhere even if it isn't in the rifle itself.

Anyways just wanted to mention how I feel about the situation. I'm not against adopting some added measures to prevent idiots intent on doing something similar with such a rifle, even if the frequency they get used in these situations isn't already high. And I am open to some restrictions on magazine capacity as long as it's not completely trying to take advantage of the situation to make it very unreasonable. But at the same time I think it's stupid to outright ban these types of rifles altogether, especially by people that just about never bother to educate themselves on these firearms before they judge them as if they're made in hell.

[fishinwrench]

I think it's stupid to outright ban these types of rifles altogether, especially by people that just about never bother to educate themselves on these firearms before they judge them as if they're made in hell.

I don't think it's where they are made as much as where they originated from..... I'm out on a limb here but I think it is safe to assume that the development didn't begin as a thought that came to someones mind while in a tree stand, a duck blind, or at a target range.

For someone to pretend that they just can't understand why some people see assault type rifles in a different classification than sporting guns is pretty lame.

Everyone, especially the folks that own or want to own them, know darn well why.

[Flysmallie]

What if you are hunting multiple animals? While prarie dog hunting, it is common to go thru several hundred rounds a day. That is where the AR and a 30 round mag comes in handy.

Crazy talk. If the speed limit was 120 mph I could get to STL a lot faster. Why can't we change that.

[Feathers and Fins]

Wrench; the first “assault style weapon” of the modern age was the German Sturmgewehr 44, and it is where in 1989 the term was struck as its meaning in German is storm (or assault) rifle. It was a select fire weapon capable of full-auto. The STG44 looks very much like the AR Platform guns and AK style guns.

I would love to own one as a ww2 buff and I have shot one, It was the perfect close quarter combat weapon for the time in the range it was designed for. Other nations Militaries quickly tried to catch up to the German gun the AK from the Soviet Union and the M16 from America. Both those were select fire weapons just as the STG was. 300meter or under weapons, and they were fairly reliable the AK being probably the most reliable gun of that type and class.

Then came the civilian market for these weapons, just as throughout this country’s history of military weapons working themselves into the civilian market place. Or in some cases the reverse, the civilian weapons however are single shot weapons, pull the trigger one time and one bullet comes out.

The civilian weapons though IMO have progressed far beyond their intended role as a military weapon, you have 22cal plinking rifles and 22 cal set up for squirrel hunting to 300 winmag and even a few guys playing with the 408 cheytac. They can easily be called one of the most produced hunting rifles and sporting rifles.

Honestly the only assault characteristic these guns have is high capacity magazines but you still have to depress the trigger each time for a bullet to go out. And they are black, I wonder if we painted them to look like a rainbow if they would be less scary?

Now I do agree with you some people want them for no more a reason than they look military, however more and more people getting them are building weapons that far surpass the accuracy and ability of their military counter parts it is a platform that is suited for endless modification. But I cant look at you and say you can’t have it because you want a military looking gun when I have one that I built for hunting.

I was with a friend for a while yesterday who finished his latest build, it’s a 308 cal, AR10 platform but by the time he had the custom barrel, custom work to both upper and lower adding a bi-pod forward and mono-pod back and a swarovski scope I can guess he has close to 9grand in the gun and it’s a sub moa gun. It is in no way a assault rifle but on first look appears to be one. And here we are back to looks.

[fishinSWMO]

Crazy talk. If the speed limit was 120 mph I could get to STL a lot faster. Why can't we change that.

It might get more people killed when you have

an accident?

[Feathers and Fins]

This is a letter im writing to my representitives, its almost done needs gramatical checking but almost ready..

To the honorable

I am a concerned firearms owner and have been listening to all the talk regarding potential further restriction on firearms by our elected officials and felt it was my responsibility to take time to write you as a constituent of yours on my views.

I would like to point out that the first modern era infringement of our right to keep and bear arms came in 1934 in an effort to stop violence by gangsters using fully automatic machine guns and sawed off shotguns. This was a law that came about because of criminal activities that restricted the rights of the American people to own weapons under those classifications.

In 1994 the second modern era firearms ban came in response to violent criminals using such weapons in commission of crimes. In fact its common name was “Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994”

Both weapons infringement laws came about because of the actions of criminals, now we are in 2013 and are looking at our government talking about further infringement on our Second Amendment rights because of the actions of criminals.

Neither of the above two previous firearms laws reduced nor stopped the actions of criminals, historical records show that the criminal elements continued to use these “banned weapons” during the bans. All the bans did was to infringe on the law abiding citizens rights of this nation.

As an American I am becoming more and more concerned why our government is placing infringements on our rights because of the acts of Criminals or Mentally ill persons, the mass majority of gun owners are law abiding citizens who use guns for legal purposes from simple target shooting to hunting. We are guaranteed the right to keep and bear arms by our constitution. I hear Anti-gun advocates talk constantly about the Second Amendment as regarding Military yet in reading it a common since person can see it is two parts.

Part 1 is.

( A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, ) this was written to insure each state had the ability to defend itself and to quickly mobilize to aid another state in time of need, such as Indian attack, Slave uprising or other insurrection or threat.

Part 2 is

(the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.) in this part it guaranteed to the people of the nation the ability to own and in time of need to bear arms. The dictionary and common meaning of infringe is;” to take over land, rights, privileges, or activities that belong to somebody else, especially in a minor or gradual way” the last part of that is most disturbing to me as we keep seeing laws that do exactly that “ gradually remove our rights”

To the first part I do not foresee in any near future event where our states need to have a instant militia as our Federal Military is second to none in the world and our States National Guards work with the Federal Military and I believe those two forces would quickly be able to protect our Nations soil.

Next I would like to take a few more minutes of your time to discuss “Assault Weapons” the first “assault style weapon” of the modern age was the German Sturmgewehr 44, and it is where the term (Assault Rifle) was struck as its meaning in German is storm (or assault) rifle. It was a select fire weapon capable of full-auto. The STG44 looks very much like the AR Platform guns and AK style guns.

Then came the civilian market for these weapons, just as throughout this country’s history of military firearms working themselves into the civilian market place. Or in some cases the reverse, the civilian weapons however are single shot weapons, pull the trigger one time and one bullet comes out. The civilian weapons though have progressed far beyond their intended role as a military weapon; you have 22caliber plinking rifles and 22 calibers set up for squirrel hunting to much larger caliber rifles used in big game hunting or recreational and competition events. All by law abiding citizens for the intended purpose whatever they may be to that person.

The only assault characteristic these guns have in common with their military counterpart is high capacity magazines but you still have to depress the trigger each time for a bullet to go out. However more and more people are purchasing these firearms to build a firearm that far surpass the accuracy and ability of their military counterparts; it is a platform that is suited for custom modifications to suit the owner’s needs and desires in accuracy. As a hunter it is my responsibility to ensure the cleanest possible harvest of the game I pursue and these firearms and the customization made to them are ensuring that, which is in following with the highest morals and ethics of a sportsmen.

I am also concerned about any type of National registry of Guns or of mentally ill persons, if you look at applications to buy a firearm they ask if you are questions pertaining to mental illness and therefore anyone answering untruthfully is committing a crime. I believe no restriction to law abiding citizens can prevent a criminal from committing a crime if they so desire.

So in closing as a voting constituent I oppose any law banning or restricting my Second Amendment Right! I oppose any National Firearms or Medical database and all further infringements to law abiding citizen’s rights or medical history. Our medical history is one of the most private parts of our lives and to infringe upon that is to deprive us of our privacy. I urge you to vote against any infringement to our gun rights and invasions of our medical privacy.

Thank you for your valued time in reading this

Sincerely

[ness]

I think that's a good letter. Drop that and a check for $50,000 in the mail and sit back and wait for a call from him.

[fishinwrench]

There is a bit more to assault rifles than looks and magazine capacity, and I'm surprised that y'all don't know that.

The biggie is in the way they are designed to dissipate heat and deal with wet and/or gritty conditions and keep fuctioning at a rapid fire pace.

You can slap a 30 round clip in a BAR or a ADL all ya want....but chances are it will freeze up on you before you empty the magazine if you squeeze them off rapid fire without a cooling down period.

[Haris122]

Even full auto assault rifles aren't supposed to be shot full auto for prolonged amount of time. That's the job of squad machine guns, which if I understand right, the BAR was used as, and probably could handle about as much continuous rapid fire as the average assault rifle at least. There is footage of people shooting AK's or M16's full auto or rapid semi auto and after several magazines the handguards and stuff literally catch on fire. Assault rifle rapid fire is meant to make it safer to close the distance while assaulting. Not to continue firing it full automatic endlessly. Actually most newer models of assault weapons don't even have the full auto capability anymore. They something like 3 round burst, after which you got to pull the trigger again. I'll give you that primarily these things were initially made to "hunt" people within 300 yard conditions instead of anything else, but that doesn't make them solely useful for just that.