The History of Assault Weapons by Curtis Cappellano

The definition of a so-called “assault rifle” or “assault weapon” changes as needed – or more specifically, as leftists redefine words to fit their agenda.

Originally the term assault rifle was a term Germans used in World War II for their lightweight, select fire, box magazine fed machine gun – the Sturmgewehr. It was a propaganda term attributed to Hitler that was meant to instill fear.

The term assault rifle was changed to assault weapon around 1989. Prior to 1989, the term “‘assault weapon” did not exist in the lexicon of firearms. “Assault weapon” is a political term developed by anti-gun advocates to convince people that some guns are too scary, effective, ergonomic (or something), for U.S. citizens to own and the term was used for the advancement of gun control legislation.

In 1994 the federal assault weapons ban was enacted which defined an assault weapon as a semi-automatic rifle with a detachable magazine (that had the appearance of a machine gun) and had TWO “scary evil features” such as a foldable stock or a bayonet lug. Some other guns were thrown in, as well, such as shotgun with a revolving cylinder.  (The law was repealed in 2004 as even the left recognized it was ineffective.)

Then came the 2013 NYS “un”SAFE ACT, which defined an assault weapon as a semi-automatic rifle with a detachable magazine that had ONE “scary evil feature”, such as a foldable stock or bayonet lug. Do you see how the assault weapon definition is changing?  Don’t stop reading.

Now the NY State Bar Association is pushing the trend further by their definition of an assault weapon as “high-powered semi-automatic firearms that are capable of autoloading a new cartridge into the chamber after the gun is discharged,” with NO evil features specified! (November 2020). As it is written, it includes handguns too. (https://nysba.org/nysba-recommends-new-laws-to-reduce-mass-shootings)

This interpretation is also being used by Maura Healey, the Attorney General of Massachusetts, who interprets “copies” of the AR-15 or AK-47 to be assault weapons, even if they have NO evil features.  But she says she won’t enforce a confiscation for grandfathered rifles at this time.  (And the time is 11:40.)

So now you see the “assault weapon” definition evolving (creeping) as the leftists change it to meet their agenda. Next the attempt will be made to include all semi-automatic rifles (we are seeing this trend now), even currently compliant ones, as well as semi-automatic shotguns and semi-automatic pistols.

The next time someone says the term “assault weapon”, tell them that term is a garbage term. It’s made up and manipulated by politicians and gun-grabbers so that they keep changing it to suit their agenda.