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An assault rifle is a selective-fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles came into vogue during WWII, replacing earlier weapons that were often called battle rifles.

Sturmgewehr 44

The StG 44, adopted by the Wermacht in 1944.

Note that many modern military weapons, even if derived from assault rifles, don't technically qualify, having dispensed with automatic fire capability. For instance, the Colt AR-15, a weapon used by police and military forces, is capable of only semi-automatic fire.

Confusion over terminology[]

The term assault weapon is sometimes confused with assault rifles. An assault rifle is a term for a specific class of military-style rifle with characters as described above. An assault weapon is a semi-automatic firearm designed for high-volume fire; in the USA it is a term that historically described weapons as classified for sale to civilians. A battle rifle is a general term for a long-range military rifle used in mass combat.

External Links[]

Assault rifle at Wikipedia

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