As defined by most militaries, an assault rifle must be capable of fully automatic fire. When activists and media refer to “assault rifles,” however, they are often referring to firearms like the AR-15; semi-automatic long guns bearing features originally designed for use in combat. The United States gun control debate has zeroed in on so-called assault rifles in recent years largely because they keep getting used in mass shootings. The arbitrariness of the “assault rifle” label gets even more ludicrous when it comes to handguns. But here again, singling out “assault rifles” glosses over whole categories of firearms that can spit out bullets just as quickly.

Source: National Post March 29, 2018 18:05 UTC