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kill large mammals by hydrostatic shock alone. |
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kill large mammals by hydrostatic shock alone. |
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In California, unlicensed ownership of weapons resembling assault rifles is a felony (See <http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate?WAISdocID=35675128432+5+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve>;). This law was extremely controversial. The Association of California Cities, a prominent supporter, said that California law enforcement agencies feared that some groups in large cities might undertake successful rebellions against civil order if armed with modern weapons. Prominent members of black churches in L.A., as well as Senators Boxer (D-CA) and Feinstein (D-CA), have said that the only real purpose of such weapons is to kill people, and therefore there is no reason to permit them. In contravention to some claims of both the above anti-gun forces and the California Rifle and Pistol Association (CRPA), the California legislature clearly permitted conventional semi-automatic rifles and ammunition, including military calibres and velocities, especially on private property. However, possession of fully automatic weapons is felony in California, unless a state license is procured. The licensed exception may be a concession to the state's entertainment industry. This legislature was clearly opposed to disarming the state's citizens, yet clearly opposed to private ownership of military weapons. Interestingly, Californians retain rights to sufficient types of arms for practical self-defense, and possibly even rebellion. Members of the California Rifle and Pistol Association see civilian style "assault weapons" as collectors' items, or realistic training aids for civilian enthusiasts. Some have said that they see them as useful for civil defense in times of civil disorder or invasion. Based on engineering differences, the ease of modification, and their high level of expertise, CRPA members see nothing special about civilian "assault rifles" except their appearance... which is exactly what the collectors and civl defense enthusiasts want. In summary, CRPA members say that a ban based on appearance is faulty. The California legislature chose to outlaw threatening weapons. |
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/bans |
Some well known assault rifles are:
...Mission:
The typical identified mission of an assault rifle is to provide fire support at ranges to 200yds by ordinary troops. That is, it is designed for massed anti-personnel fire at short ranges with simple maintenance. Studies by the U.S. army indicated that most conflicts between soldiers occurred at ranges of 100yds or less.
As a massed military weapon, assault rifles share common features: light weight, good pointing (for unaimed "intuitive" fire), bayonet lugs (to provide lethality without ammunition), selectable fire rates, high reliability, large magazines, and simplified operation. Many lightweight civilian rifles provide similar features, but omit selective-fire and bayonet lugs.
Assault rifles' ballistics are designed to cause injuries rather than death, with the least weight of expended ammunition. The low weight of ammunition eases logistics, including especially air transport and pack weights. The propensity to injure rather than kill strains enemy logistics with medical care and evacuation- the formal justification. An intent to injure is also merciful, and this is important to many soldiers. Besides assaulting enemy logistics, injuries decrease an enemy's will to fight more than deaths. Mercy also helps soldiers to pull the trigger. U.S. Army studies indicate that fewer than 20% of soldiers cause more than 80% of enemy deaths.
The M-16 for example, uses a low-weight, high velocity round. The AK-47 uses a slow round with a shifting soft lead interior that causes it to tumble in flesh. In contrast, most hunting and sniping rifles use high velocities and heavy bullets that kill large mammals by hydrostatic shock alone.
Assault rifles often include a setting for full-automatic fire. Many military organizations limit troops' access to fully automatic fire, either by training or equipment, in order to improve aim and logistics. It is famously hard to hit targets with a fully-automatic rifle in a long burst. For examples of enforced limits, the fastest select-fire setting of the U.S. M-16A engages a complicated three-part automatic sear that fires "optimal" three-round bursts for each pull of the trigger. Also, an important improvement in most later models of Kalashnikov automatic weapons is to reduce the rate of fire, with rates below five rounds per second considered best.
Effects on Doctrine and Organization:
To reduce logistic problems, and still provide high rates of fire, most current military doctrines employ a "squad automatic weapon" used by one or a few specially-trained soldiers in a squad.
A significant capability lost with the adoption of assault weapons was sniping by ordinary troops. Russian and derived doctrines therefore include squad-level snipers.
Effects on governance
Bayonet lugs, flash-suppression, large magazines and selective-fire are the significant functional differences between an assault rifle and a low-powered, lightweight hunting rifle. These are not large differences. Large capacity magazines and flash suppressors are easy to install. Lightly trained persons can simulate selective fire with any type of repeating rifle, including old-west lever-actions. Bayonet lugs serve only dire military situations.
Thus, as one would expect, forces armed primarily with true assault rifles are relatively ineffective except against unarmed persons. Non-governmental organizations with expedient arms have successfully resisted them.
In the U.S., most civilian weapons labelled "assault rifles" lack selective fire. Their magazines contain ten rounds or less. They fire once for each pull of the trigger, and have no way to act as "machine guns." This allows owners to avoid paying the $200 treasury fee and licensing required to own a small automatic weapon in the U.S. The weapons threaten members of civil government simply because they are effective small arms. Many owners see this as a check on tyranny, and training for civil defense.
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