[holymoly]

Just to nitpick, that's 40 years out of date. Regular infantry has been issued assault rifles for decades.

To nitpick even further:

"Assault weapon" is a propaganda term, used by anti-gunners to demonize virtually any firearm with a detachable magazine.

RE: H.R. 1022: To reauthorize the assault weapons ban, and for other purposes

"Assault rifle" is a selective-fire weapon, the term coming from the German "Sturmgewehr".

The terms "assault weapon" and "assault rifle" are not interchangeable.

:o)

[Melas]

Agreed, which is why I used assault rifle and not assault weapon. I think a butter knife could would qualify as the latter if used in an assault.

[AnAmericanMother]

I'll part company with you on "assault weapon" versus "assault rifle".

"Gewehr" is more general than "rifle" - it comes from the verb "wehren" to resist or fight, and is thus closer to the general term "weapon" than the term for a specific weapon. A gun is a "Schießgewehr" - a "shooting weapon". A rifle in German is a "Büchse", as opposed to a "Schrotflinte" which is a shotgun (the name must be rather an old one as it appears to have originated when they still had flints!)

(you never know when 10 years of German (in jr high, high school, and college) is going to turn out useful. Any native speakers/shooters welcome to tell me where & if I've gone wrong . . .)