The term “assault rifle” is one of the most misunderstood and deliberately misrepresented terms in the American gun debate. Anti-gun politicians, media talking heads, and gun control groups have distorted the phrase to demonize law-abiding gun owners and their firearms. Let’s set the record straight with facts — because when it comes to our Second Amendment rights… the truth matters.
What Exactly is an “Assault Rifle?”
The term “assault rifle” comes from the German word “Sturmgewehr,” which was used during World War II to describe the Sturmgewehr 44 rifle (StG44). This rifle was a select-fire military rifle capable of fully automatic fire and chambered for an intermediate cartridge. The key here is select fire, meaning the weapon can toggle between semi-automatic, burst, or full-automatic modes of operation.
The U.S. military defines “assault rifle” with specific criteria:
- Capable of select fire (semi-auto and full-auto or burst modes).
- Uses an intermediate cartridge.
- Utilizes a detachable magazine.
Now, here’s the kicker: your typical AR-15 — the firearm most commonly smeared by anti-gunners — is not an assault rifle. Why? Because it lacks the select-fire capability.
AR-15: America’s Rifle, Not an “Assault Rifle”
The AR-15 is a semiautomatic civilian firearm designed by Eugene Stoner in the 1950s. The “AR” stands for ArmaLite Rifle, the original manufacturer, not “assault rifle” or “automatic rifle,” as some ignorantly claim. One trigger pull equals one round fired – period – even with devices such as forced reset or binary triggers. The AR-15 shares cosmetic similarities with its military counterpart, the M16 or M4, but functionally, they’re worlds apart.
The M16 and M4 are true assault rifles (notice no quotations around that one) because they feature full-auto or burst-fire options, making them military-grade weapons. The AR-15, on the other hand, is a civilian firearm designed for self-defense, sporting, hunting, and competition. The inability to fire in full-auto mode means it cannot, by any legitimate definition, be classified as an assault rifle.
Why the Confusion?
The confusion and (let’s be honest) outright deception is intentional. Anti-gun advocates use the term “assault weapon” (a legally ambiguous and often fabricated phrase) to lump semi-automatic firearms like the AR-15 with military-grade firearms. This linguistic sleight of hand is a scare tactic to mislead the public and push for broader weapons bans.
To them, it doesn’t matter that the AR-15 is functionally no different from a semi-automatic hunting rifle. They hope that slapping the sinister label of “assault rifle” will trick people into supporting restrictions on the most popular and effective self-defense firearm in America.
The Colorado “Assault Weapons” Ban Model
Take Colorado as an example of how far anti-gun politicians are willing to stretch their agenda. In 2024, the State Legislature attempted to pass a sweeping ban on the sale of so-called “assault weapons.” But this wasn’t your grandfather’s 1994-style “assault weapons” ban. The proposed legislation was deliberately written with vague, all-encompassing language that would have banned nearly every semi-automatic firearm on the market.
Under this bill, iconic and widely used firearms like the Glock 19 — arguably one of the most popular handguns for self-defense in America — would have been outlawed simply because of its standard features, such as a pistol grip, the ability to accept threaded barrels and a detachable magazine. Likewise, the Mossberg 930, a reliable and widely favored semi-automatic shotgun for home defense and hunting, would have been swept up in this ban for the same reason. The absurdity didn’t stop there: countless semi-automatic rifles, shotguns, and even handguns would have been prohibited, not based on their functionality or lethality but solely because they didn’t fit into the anti-gun agenda’s narrow, arbitrary definitions.
This wasn’t about public safety or curbing crime — it was an outright assault on the Second Amendment and the ability of law-abiding citizens to exercise their fundamental rights. The language of the bill revealed its true intent: to systematically disarm Colorado residents by targeting the most effective tools for self-defense, recreation, and sport. What’s worse, this ban didn’t even attempt to justify its overreach with evidence-based reasoning. Instead, it relied on fearmongering and the purposeful conflation of semi-automatic firearms with military-grade weapons, perpetuating the lie that civilian-owned guns are responsible for criminal violence.
Let’s be clear: laws like this don’t target criminals — they target responsible, law-abiding gun owners. The Glock 19 is the choice of millions of Americans for concealed carry and self-defense precisely because it’s simple, reliable, and effective. Similarly, the Mossberg 930 isn’t a weapon of war; it’s a tool for turkey hunting. Proposals like Colorado’s 2024 ban are a blatant attempt to chip away at the Second Amendment under the guise of “common sense gun control,” all while ignoring the fact that criminals don’t follow laws to begin with.
Colorado’s example serves as a stark warning to gun owners nationwide: the anti-gun agenda is coming for all firearms, not just the AR-15s or so-called “assault weapons” they demonize in the media. Their ultimate goal is clear — total disarmament — and they’ll use every trick in the book, from vague legislation to emotional appeals, to strip away your right to keep and bear arms.
Why This Matters
The truth is the AR-15 is the quintessential American firearm. It’s versatile, accurate, customizable, and has become a symbol of individual liberty and self-reliance. It’s also the best tool for defending your home and loved ones in a world where violent criminals don’t follow gun laws. Denying Americans the right to own an AR-15 under false pretenses is an attack on the very core of the Second Amendment.
And let’s not forget: the Second Amendment wasn’t written for hunting deer or turkey — it was written to protect our rights against tyranny and ensure that “We the People” are the ultimate check on government overreach. The AR-15 is the modern embodiment of that principle.
Don’t Be Fooled
So next time someone claims the AR-15 is an “assault rifle,” call them out. Demand they show you the select-fire switch that toggles to full-auto. (Spoiler: they can’t, because it doesn’t exist.) Educate them on the actual definition of an assault rifle and remind them that the fight for our gun rights is the fight for our freedom.
The anti-gun crowd thrives on fear, ignorance, and lies. It’s up to us — America’s law-abiding gun owners — to stand firm, speak the truth, and defend our Second Amendment rights with passion and resolve. An educated citizenry is their worst nightmare. So, let’s keep spreading the truth: the AR-15 is not an assault rifle, but it sure is America’s rifle.
The Case for Full Restoration of Second Amendment Rights
At the National Association for Gun Rights, we don’t just defend the right to keep and bear arms; we advocate for its complete restoration. That includes the legality of actual assault weapons in their true form — firearms with select-fire or fully automatic capabilities. These firearms are not only a fundamental part of America’s military history but are also protected by the Second Amendment. The artificial restrictions placed on them by outdated, unconstitutional gun control laws are a direct affront to the freedoms guaranteed to the American people.
This is why we support repealing the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA), the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA), and the Hughes Amendment of 1986. These laws, rooted in fear and misinformation, were designed not to prevent crime but to disarm law-abiding Americans and restrict their access to firearms arbitrarily deemed “dangerous.” The result? A gradual erosion of our rights and a dangerous precedent for further government overreach.
The Supreme Court’s landmark Bruen decision in 2022 affirmed what we’ve always known: any gun control must align with the text, history, and tradition of the Second Amendment as understood at the time of America’s founding. These 20th-century infringements fail that test miserably. The Founders didn’t just intend for the American people to have access to muskets — they intended for them to have the same arms as any standing army. They knew the balance of power between the people and the government hinged on this principle.
It’s time to correct these unconstitutional mistakes. The National Firearms Act, which turned the purchase of suppressors, short-barreled rifles and machine guns into an expensive and heavily regulated nightmare, must go. The Gun Control Act, which created arbitrary categories of “prohibited persons” and banned the direct interstate sale of firearms, must be repealed. And the Hughes Amendment, which outright banned the civilian purchase of machine guns manufactured after 1986, must be reversed.
The Second Amendment is crystal clear: “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” There’s no asterisk, no footnote, no exception for firearms the government finds scary or politically inconvenient. It’s time for liberty-minded Americans to stand united and roll back these infringements. The 21st century demands bold action to reaffirm our nation’s founding principles.
We must restore the Second Amendment in its fullest form to preserve freedom for future generations. The rights of the people do not shrink with time; they endure. And we at the National Association for Gun Rights will continue to fight until every unconstitutional gun law is thrown onto the ash heap of history where it belongs.
Shall not be infringed means precisely that.
