I say let's trust the NAZIs when it comes to their own word.
BTW, their involvement in the nomenclature is sufficient reason to reject using the term "assault weapon" out of hand.
The actual term was "Sturmgewehr" which wikipedia translates into "assault rifle" but literally translates as "storm rifle".
It's use is in the final "storming" of a position, where you have to have the ability to fire rapid suppressing fire as you charge the position. In the US military, this phase is called the "assault".
An "assault rifle" is a rifle used in the assault in the military (as opposed to legal) sense of the term. An "assault weapon" is whatever Sarah Brady says it is.assault
(DOD) 1. The climax of an attack, closing with the enemy in hand-to-hand fighting. 2. In an amphibious operation, the period of time between the arrival of the major assault forces of the amphibious task force in the objective area and the accomplishment of the amphibious task force mission. 3. To make a short, violent, but well-ordered attack against a local objective, such as a gun emplacement, a fort, or a machine gun nest. 4. A phase of an airborne operation beginning with delivery by air of the assault echelon of the force into the objective area and extending through attack of assault objectives and consolidation of the initial airhead. See also assault phase; landing attack.