I didn't think I made any sort of claim as to the origin of the term assault weapon. It is somewhat telling though that the manufacturers have used this term as a marketing tool to try and sell more firearms. Telling in the sense of the attitude that seems prevalent around firearms.
Re your statement that you can interchange most every part of an AR-15 with an M16 or M4 may be true, but not so for the critical components that would make the AR-15 fully automatic. Those parts aren't readily available (also cost $$$$$) and apparently one would have to do some machine work in order to make it so.
I don't have total ignorance of firearms nor am I trying to spread disinformation. The point I was trying to make is that how we use language to frame an issue is important as it will dictate how the conversation flows and whether people will engage in a meaningful way.
**_*_* EDIT** **_**_**
**eMck** - Seeing as I can't reply to your comment I'll state it here and hopefully you'll see it. 1st I'm not sure where you or Cam got sporting rifle from, I never made such a comment.
2nd - I've stated a few times why I've made an issue out of the name and the way an argument is presented. I am 100% for reasonable gun control similar to what we have in Canada, but I don't see any value in entering into a discussion in a manner that that will antagonize those who have a different viewpoint that you. If one of the goals of a discussion is to sway differing opinions then an approach that doesn't rebuff those with differing opinions is needed. Based on most of the posts in this thread, anyone with more of a pro-gun attitude seems to not care to much what the anti-gun people have to say.
March 7, 2018, 8:46 p.m. - Mark
I didn't think I made any sort of claim as to the origin of the term assault weapon. It is somewhat telling though that the manufacturers have used this term as a marketing tool to try and sell more firearms. Telling in the sense of the attitude that seems prevalent around firearms. Re your statement that you can interchange most every part of an AR-15 with an M16 or M4 may be true, but not so for the critical components that would make the AR-15 fully automatic. Those parts aren't readily available (also cost $$$$$) and apparently one would have to do some machine work in order to make it so. I don't have total ignorance of firearms nor am I trying to spread disinformation. The point I was trying to make is that how we use language to frame an issue is important as it will dictate how the conversation flows and whether people will engage in a meaningful way. **_*_* EDIT** **_**_** **eMck** - Seeing as I can't reply to your comment I'll state it here and hopefully you'll see it. 1st I'm not sure where you or Cam got sporting rifle from, I never made such a comment. 2nd - I've stated a few times why I've made an issue out of the name and the way an argument is presented. I am 100% for reasonable gun control similar to what we have in Canada, but I don't see any value in entering into a discussion in a manner that that will antagonize those who have a different viewpoint that you. If one of the goals of a discussion is to sway differing opinions then an approach that doesn't rebuff those with differing opinions is needed. Based on most of the posts in this thread, anyone with more of a pro-gun attitude seems to not care to much what the anti-gun people have to say.