Who cares if people label it as an assault rifle or assault weapon. Bottom line is that it is a short barrelled firearm with hi-rate semi automatic fire and high capacity magazine. It is a firearm adapted from one designed for shooting and killing people. It is a great firearm for target shooting and very enjoyable to shoot. It doens't need to be banned to reduce it's use for tragic events like it has become known for. Something drastically needs to change though.
In Canada any semi-automatic center fire rifle or shotgun with a barrel shorter than 470mm (18.5") or overall length shorter than 670mm (26.4") (in a mode capable of firing, ie: folded/tele stock) is restricted. Restricted firearms (pistols included) require registration, special licensing, and special transportation and usage rules. This means they can still be owned, used, and enjoyed by avid sport shooters. These regulations effectively reduce their availability and laxity around their handling. The owners name is also attached to the individual firearm thereby applying criminal responsibility if it falls into the wrong hands.
These laws still allows the sporting use of restricted firearms but it is illegal to have magazines with a capacity of more than 5 cartridges. Doesn't mean they aren't around but it definitely means there are a LOT less of them. Same goes for the firearms, only the truly dedicated responsible (theoretically) owners will go through the trouble of owning them. Yes there will always be illegally owned ones especially in the US, if they miraculously do get restricted there are so many out there and so many fanatical owners that it will take many decades for them to become legitimized or reduced but it has to start somewhere.
March 5, 2018, 12:43 p.m. - rockpunk
Who cares if people label it as an assault rifle or assault weapon. Bottom line is that it is a short barrelled firearm with hi-rate semi automatic fire and high capacity magazine. It is a firearm adapted from one designed for shooting and killing people. It is a great firearm for target shooting and very enjoyable to shoot. It doens't need to be banned to reduce it's use for tragic events like it has become known for. Something drastically needs to change though. In Canada any semi-automatic center fire rifle or shotgun with a barrel shorter than 470mm (18.5") or overall length shorter than 670mm (26.4") (in a mode capable of firing, ie: folded/tele stock) is restricted. Restricted firearms (pistols included) require registration, special licensing, and special transportation and usage rules. This means they can still be owned, used, and enjoyed by avid sport shooters. These regulations effectively reduce their availability and laxity around their handling. The owners name is also attached to the individual firearm thereby applying criminal responsibility if it falls into the wrong hands. These laws still allows the sporting use of restricted firearms but it is illegal to have magazines with a capacity of more than 5 cartridges. Doesn't mean they aren't around but it definitely means there are a LOT less of them. Same goes for the firearms, only the truly dedicated responsible (theoretically) owners will go through the trouble of owning them. Yes there will always be illegally owned ones especially in the US, if they miraculously do get restricted there are so many out there and so many fanatical owners that it will take many decades for them to become legitimized or reduced but it has to start somewhere.