02/01/2023
According to the Defense Intelligence Agency, “assault rifles” are “short, compact, selective-fire weapons that fire a cartridge intermediate in power between a submachine gun and rifle cartridges.” All assault rifles are capable of automatic fire. Examples include the U.S. Army M-16, the Soviet AK-47, and the German Sturmgewehr. No guns that are dubbed “assault weapons” are assault rifles—but some of them do look similar, because the small parts that make a gun automatic are internal and not visible.
THAT is the official definition of an assault rifle so that leaves out the AR platform seeing they are not capable of automatic fire.
