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I never mentioned this earlier, but what the hell is an assault rifle?

A select fire rifle or carbine firing an intermediate power cartridge.

But the law in question is about "assault weapons", which are whatever the legislators define them to be. Basically whatever guns they are afraid of. There is no such animule in Texas, nor under Federal Law.

California, Massachusetts, Illinois, well those are "different", and each has it's own definition.

The definition in HR 1022 from the last Congress is likely to be pretty much what gets incorporated into the reinstated, improved and permanent, AW ban that The One has promised.

Besides a whole list of "by name" firearms, (Including the M1 Carbine and the Mini-14, in addition to the "usual" AR's AK's H&K, FN/FAL etc) they have the following definition (for rifles, there are others for pistols and shotguns).

A semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine, and that has--

`(i) a folding or telescoping stock;
`(ii) a threaded barrel;
`(iii) a pistol grip;
`(iv) a forward grip; or
`(v) a barrel shroud.
...
`(L) A semiautomatic rifle or shotgun originally designed for military or law enforcement use, or a firearm based on the design of such a firearm, that is not particularly suitable for sporting purposes, as determined by the Attorney General. In making the determination, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that a firearm procured for use by the United States military or any Federal law enforcement agency is not particularly suitable for sporting purposes, and a firearm shall not be determined to be particularly suitable for sporting purposes solely because the firearm is suitable for use in a sporting event.'.

Also they define a few terms to suit themselves:

Pistol Grip- The term `pistol grip' means a grip, a thumbhole stock, or any other characteristic that can function as a grip.

Barrel Shroud- The term `barrel shroud' means a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel of a firearm so that the shroud protects the user of the firearm from heat generated by the barrel, but does not include a slide that encloses the barrel, and does not include an extension of the stock along the bottom of the barrel which does not encircle or substantially encircle the barrel.

So it pretty much would have banned all semi-auto centerfire rifles with external magazines.

The bill would have also banned private transfers, of both the assault weapons and the "large capacity ammunition feeding devices".

And remember, Eric Holder will be the Attorney General overseeing the BATFE and FBI as they enforce this monstrosity.

But this bill would have still grandfathered in existing weapons. Don't expect the Obama version to do that. Oh maybe at first, but then when the first "incident" occurs, they'll repeal that provision. Although they might amend it out right away with a last minute "voice vote" at O Dark thirty. Ya never know.

If the ban is part of the Economic Recovery package, as the original was part of the Omnibus Crime Bill (AKA Bill's Crime), expect it to be a lot worse.