5 ms·

This exactly describes the gun debate going on today. Is it a terrorist or a freedom fighter? = Is it an assault weapon or a rifle?

chrisrhoden 14y ago
I don't think that's really a fair comparison. Assault weapon is a strictly legal term which refers to a specific subset of the category we refer to as rifles. The word rifle usually brings to mind a class of weapons that were specifically not covered by the assault weapons ban. A more apt analogy would be Religious Conservative : Taliban :: Rifle : Assault Rifle My point being that, in this case, it's not simply a matter of perspective. Now, if the debate were much more polarized, one could see something like Terrorist : Freedom Fighter :: Murder Machine : 2nd Amendment Rights
- sp332 14y ago
  Lately, "assault" weapons are (legally) characterized by the amount of ammo they can hold. For example this 30-round magazine is illegal no matter which gun you put it in, whereas the same gun with a different-sized magazine may well be legal. http://www.mediaite.com/online/nbcs-david-gregory-displays-30-round-magazine-on-tv-matter-is-under-investigation-by-police/ http://www.mediaite.com/online/nbcs-david-gregory-displays-3...
  - AngryParsley 14y ago
    Magazine restrictions are a separate law in most states. California has an assault weapon ban which restricts features such a pistol grips, collapsible stocks, and flash hiders. They have another law restricting the possession of magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds. Old magazines are grandfathered in, so you can use them in legal rifles. It looks like the law is similar in DC. Possession of a magazine with >10 round capacity is a crime. Other firearm laws are irrelevant to the case you linked to.
    - sp332 14y ago
      OK, interesting. I know my home state of NH also has an "assault weapons ban" that just bans certain magazines, although we probably have other laws too that one bugged me.
- jff 14y ago
  An assault weapon is a legal term concocted by lawmakers who wanted to ban scary-looking guns. An assault rifle is a rifle designed to shoot lower-power, lower-caliber ammunition for use in assaults, as compared to the fewer, larger shots from a typical bolt-action rifle (or, as we like to call them, "Fudd" rifles :)
  - betterunix 14y ago
    If I remember my history correctly, assault rifles replaced "battle rifles," which were similarly designed but fired much heavier and more powerful cartridges (and were necessarily larger and heavier). The way I learned it, armies discovered that typical infantry engagements were at distances of hundreds of yards, rather than the mile-long distances guns like the M1 Garand could fire at, and that the weight of the ammunition and recoil of the guns were making soldiers less effective.
- cabinguy 14y ago
  I think it is a fair comparison. If by guns we are talking about those used to kill animals... / If by guns we are talking about those used to kill people... The only real difference between an "assault rifle" and a "regular" rifle is the color/design. One is painted black and looks scary. The other is usually wood tone. They are equally dangerous. You can find high capacity clips/magazines for virtually any brand or style semi-automatic rifle (and handgun) made.
  - sageikosa 14y ago
    Even more basic, I don't think I'm going to be jumped by ninja, but that doesn't stop me from practicing martial arts. I see no reason why someone who likes to shoot shouldn't be allowed to. In fact, I'd rather they learn to shoot safely then not.
  - jamieb 14y ago
    "If by guns we are talking about those used to kill people..." Though the second amendment is strictly about protecting this latter use.
    - JasonFruit 14y ago
      One of the points of having your militia "well-regulated" is that it can now and then refrain from killing people.
      - jff 14y ago
        Most adults are, by law, part of the unorganized (inactive) militia.
        JasonFruit 14y ago
        Is that militia well-regulated? I understand that firearms are well- (maybe even over-) regulated, but I'm thinking about the militia itself. My understanding is not as thorough as I would like.

chrisrhoden 14y ago

I don't think that's really a fair comparison. Assault weapon is a strictly legal term which refers to a specific subset of the category we refer to as rifles. The word rifle usually brings to mind a class of weapons that were specifically not covered by the assault weapons ban. A more apt analogy would be Religious Conservative : Taliban :: Rifle : Assault Rifle My point being that, in this case, it's not simply a matter of perspective. Now, if the debate were much more polarized, one could see something like Terrorist : Freedom Fighter :: Murder Machine : 2nd Amendment Rights

sp332 14y ago
Lately, "assault" weapons are (legally) characterized by the amount of ammo they can hold. For example this 30-round magazine is illegal no matter which gun you put it in, whereas the same gun with a different-sized magazine may well be legal. http://www.mediaite.com/online/nbcs-david-gregory-displays-30-round-magazine-on-tv-matter-is-under-investigation-by-police/ http://www.mediaite.com/online/nbcs-david-gregory-displays-3...
- AngryParsley 14y ago
  Magazine restrictions are a separate law in most states. California has an assault weapon ban which restricts features such a pistol grips, collapsible stocks, and flash hiders. They have another law restricting the possession of magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds. Old magazines are grandfathered in, so you can use them in legal rifles. It looks like the law is similar in DC. Possession of a magazine with >10 round capacity is a crime. Other firearm laws are irrelevant to the case you linked to.
  - sp332 14y ago
    OK, interesting. I know my home state of NH also has an "assault weapons ban" that just bans certain magazines, although we probably have other laws too that one bugged me.
jff 14y ago
An assault weapon is a legal term concocted by lawmakers who wanted to ban scary-looking guns. An assault rifle is a rifle designed to shoot lower-power, lower-caliber ammunition for use in assaults, as compared to the fewer, larger shots from a typical bolt-action rifle (or, as we like to call them, "Fudd" rifles :)
- betterunix 14y ago
  If I remember my history correctly, assault rifles replaced "battle rifles," which were similarly designed but fired much heavier and more powerful cartridges (and were necessarily larger and heavier). The way I learned it, armies discovered that typical infantry engagements were at distances of hundreds of yards, rather than the mile-long distances guns like the M1 Garand could fire at, and that the weight of the ammunition and recoil of the guns were making soldiers less effective.
cabinguy 14y ago
I think it is a fair comparison. If by guns we are talking about those used to kill animals... / If by guns we are talking about those used to kill people... The only real difference between an "assault rifle" and a "regular" rifle is the color/design. One is painted black and looks scary. The other is usually wood tone. They are equally dangerous. You can find high capacity clips/magazines for virtually any brand or style semi-automatic rifle (and handgun) made.
- sageikosa 14y ago
  Even more basic, I don't think I'm going to be jumped by ninja, but that doesn't stop me from practicing martial arts. I see no reason why someone who likes to shoot shouldn't be allowed to. In fact, I'd rather they learn to shoot safely then not.
- jamieb 14y ago
  "If by guns we are talking about those used to kill people..." Though the second amendment is strictly about protecting this latter use.
  - JasonFruit 14y ago
    One of the points of having your militia "well-regulated" is that it can now and then refrain from killing people.
    - jff 14y ago
      Most adults are, by law, part of the unorganized (inactive) militia.
      - JasonFruit 14y ago
        Is that militia well-regulated? I understand that firearms are well- (maybe even over-) regulated, but I'm thinking about the militia itself. My understanding is not as thorough as I would like.