10/11/2015 huffingtonpost.com: Bernie Sanders Stresses Gun Control, Calls For Assault Weapons Ban

Here's the problem as I see it. If you want to ban something I would think you would first have to define what that something is.

Therefore, what is an assault weapon?

        Assault: A threat of bodily harm coupled with an apparent, present ability to cause the harm.
        Weapon: A dangerous or deadly instrument that is likely to cause death or great bodily harm.

        By definition the term 'assault weapon' would cover everything from a M2 Browning .50 Cal Machine Gun to a baseball bat. Surely Sen.
        Sanders does not want to ban baseball bats.

Is an assault weapon defined by its firing characteristics:

        Automatic: fires multiple rounds each time the trigger is pulled.
        Semi-automatic: fires only one round each time the trigger is pulled.

        If automatic, the 1986 Firearm Owners Protection Act banned the sale or transfer of new machine guns to civilians and heavily regulated the transfer
        of machine guns manufactured prior to the acts effective date. Try to buy or sell one and the under cover ATF agent will slap the cuffs on. No
        additional regulation is necessary.

        If semi-automatic, it would include not only AR and AK style weapons, but automatic shotguns, double action revolvers and magazine fed pistols and
        hunting rifles. Roughly 50% of all firearms sold. Totally unacceptable.

Is an assault weapon defined by military style features; pistol grip, folding or telescoping stock, a flash suppressor, overall length, etc.?

        Military style features such as those noted above add nothing to the lethality of a firearm. They have no impact on the rate of fire or the accuracy of a weapon. To suggest military style features
        make a rifle an assault weapon is ridiculous.

Is an assault weapon defined by its magazine capacity? 30, 20, 10, 5 rounds?

        Given that anyone, with minimal practice, can do a magazine change in less than three seconds, I submit that magazine capacity has almost no impact on the overall lethality of an active shooter.
        When it comes to defense, years ago I taught a friend to shoot. I instructed her; "If assaulted just keep pulling the trigger as long as the gun goes bang". The more rounds, the better.

Is an assault weapon defined by its menacing, scary looking features?

        How about I color an AR-15 pink and put a Hello Kitty sticker on it? Would it then be acceptable?

There is no unanimous, official definition of 'assault weapon'. It appears that the best gun control advocates can come up with is "I know it when I see it". It is a political term used by anti-gun advocates to stir up anti-gun passions by confusing the American public. A term designed to be used as a stepping stone to disarmament of American citizens in violation of the second amendment.

To Senator Sanders and all gun control advocates; an assault weapon is a fully automatic firing weapon. A machine gun. It fires continuously as long as the trigger is pulled. The United States has sufficient laws governing the sale, purchase and possession of assault weapons.