The Assault On Weapons

What is an 'assault weapon'?

An assault weapon is a machine gun, meaning it can fire completely automatically by pulling the trigger. Bullets continue to fire if it's been set for that particular modality.

What is the difference between a handgun and an 'assault weapon'?

Most assault weapons are machine guns which are usually rifles, very few handguns or machine guns.

What is an assault rifle?

An assault rifle in the United States Army is the M16. In most of the rest of the world they use AK-47's.

Why would anyone need a high-powered firearm?

A high-powered firearm is required for hunting. The civilian version of the military assault weapon is called the AR-15, and that calibre, and that rifle, is actually prohibited for use in hunting because it's not powerful enough to, every time, take down an animal. It's much more likely to wound, and you never find the animal. So in several states of our country, those are actually prohibited.

How dangerous are assault weapons?

Assault weapons are no more dangerous than any other firearm and when used properly they're excellent for keeping the peace. When used improperly, well then we need to get rid of the person that's using them improperly.

Are assault weapons bans effective?

The assault weapons ban had no effect on crime whatsoever and it was likely that, that would be the case because they had no effect on crime before the ban and they've had no effect on crime following the removal of the ban. There's just been no use of these guns in crimes that's significant at all. The New York State Police found that when they were studying this prior to the ban going into effect nationally in 1994 that you are some five times more likely to be killed by somebody using hands and feet than by somebody having one of these firearms called an assault weapon.

What is a 'semi-automatic assault weapon'?

Technically, there's not a semi automatic assault weapon. An assault weapon technically has to be capable of firing as a machine gun, completely automatically. The semi automatic requires one pull of the trigger for each round that is fired. And it's incapable of firing any other way.

Are assault weapons used in crimes?

Assault weapons are very seldom used in crime.

What is 'ATF crime gun trace data'?

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is capable of doing a trace of a particular firearm because it will be identifiable by brand and serial number. They can go back to the manufacturer and say, "When did you sell this numbered gun to the first person?"Then they go to that distributor. Then they go to the dealer. Then they go to the other dealers that might have been involved until eventually they know perhaps, where the gun is and where it went because people in most states in this country can give guns to other people. They can sell guns to other people and there is no record of it kept.

Does the ATF crime gun trace data show the assault weapon ban to be effective?

The tracing of fire arms done by the bureau of American fires and explosives has not shown any pattern of crime risk by this firearms the confusion has a reason in this issue has derive from people thinking that any trace of a firearm means that the firearm was used in a crime its not simply not the case, there often subjected to a trace simply define out who might been the owner of those restoring them.