AP stylebook new guidance avoids “assault rifle” as it “convey little meaning”

https://twitter.com/APStylebook/status/1547309549488640000

by koolba • 4 years ago

12 10 4 years ago

koolba• 4 years ago

Most of the content of the tweet is in an image so bit of editorializing on my part to compress it into an HN-length title.

jleyank2• 4 years ago

Odd given that Wikipedia has an extensive page on them, and also given that they have a visible and significant role in the history of combat since 1943 or so. Perhaps the confusion comes from the civilian look-alikes that are supposedly reduced capability? Although this reduction did not and does not seem to be a hard reduction.

Are the definition writers going to decide that “rifle” conveys little meaning and switch to “really long pistol” or that there’s no logic in differentiating things and use “gun” or “firearm”? Or go all in and stick to “weapon”, as that’s pretty broad?

CodeAndCuffs2• 4 years ago

The AP isnt saying that assault rifles dont exist. They are saying the term has a definition that doesnt apply to most situations, and when it does is still vague. AR-15s aren't, by Wikipedias definition[1], an assault rifle.

Rifles have a definition. In the U.S. they have a very specific one regarding cartridge size, barrel length, and rifling of said barrel (which differentiates them from muskets, which have smooth bores)

The issue isn't that the term Assault Rifle is too specific, its that its too inaccurate. A fully automatic machine gun in a high powered cartridge isn't an assault rifle. An AR-15 that shoots semi-auto is not an assault rifle. A fully automatic 9mm is not an assault rifle. To call them such is like saying a moped is a motorcycle, a hang glider is a plane, or an M1 Arbams is a truck

Very few shootings in the US have happened with assault rifles. Most people already cant access (legally or otherwise) assault rifles. Semi automatic rifles or sporting rifles are largely available, and generally just as dangerous.

Most lay people wouldn't consider a Ruger Mini-14[2] an assault rifle, and it isn't. However it is a rifle that comes with a 20 round magazine that fires the same cartridges as an AR 15 at similar ranges, and is of similar size. Its a dangerous weapon, its a rifle, but its not an assault rifle by any widely accepted definition. The same applies to the AR-15

[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_rifle [2]https://www.ruger.com/products/mini14RanchRifle/specSheets/5...

jleyank2• 4 years ago

Reading comprehension: “Perhaps the confusion comes from the civilian look-alikes that are supposedly reduced capability? Although this reduction did not and does not seem to be a hard reduction.”

Decades ago, I was told by an avid hunter that a little work with a file made the ar-15 behave like it’s military cousin (m-16). Bump stocks seem to do this as well. HN readers are familiar with jargon and abbreviations, so “assault rifle” meaning it’s look-alikes as well should be a familiar extrapolation. Perhaps “high powered” would be of use but the ability to shoot quickly is key.

Many people lie or dissimulate by being quite specific with words. Relying on niggling details re rifles strikes me as a good example of it.

h2odragon• 4 years ago

The words "assualt rifle" as used by the media over the last 40 years have conveyed no more meaning that the word "gun" would have, alone.

I've seen the words "assault rifle" used to describe plain slide shotguns carried by police, without even the "tacticool" crap everyone likes so much now.

CodeAndCuffs2• 4 years ago

Per Wikipedia, "An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine"

Selective fire means it has a fire mode other than semi-automatic(one trigger pull fires 1 round), such as 2 or 3 round burst, or fully automatic.

The Assault Weapons Ban of 94 basically scored weapons based off of sometimes irrelevant features (e.g. pistol grips, bayonet mounts, telescoping stocks)

One popular work around these days is "AR-15 pistols", which have an AR-15 style lower and upper, but instead of buffer tube assembly being placed in the stock, it sticks out the read of the weapon. Some manufacturers make "arm braces" to "attach it to your forearm" that look a lot like stocks, but aren't, because that would make this a short barreled rifle.

As a cop, I had a Colt AR-15. This was not an assault rifle, as it was semi-auto only. If someone has an m2 50 caliber machine gun, that would not be an assault rifle, as the .50 is not considered an "intermediate cartridge". In the 90s, Colt made what appeared to be a smaller fully automatic M-16, which fired 9mm rounds. This was also not an assault rifle, because it fired pistol rounds, not considered intermediate cartridge. This weapon would be an assault carbine or a submachinegun.

The media use of the term 'Assault Rifle' has been a meme among firearms owners for years. This was a good call by the AP

dingosity• 4 years ago

"Assault Rifle" had a perfectly acceptable and clearly defined meaning in the 80s. It was a rifle used by someone's military as a primary infantry weapon: M-16, AK-47 (and AKM, AK-74, etc.), HK G3, FN FAL, etc. Then we randomly decided the term meant any rifle that "looked dangerous." You people are all crazy. Get off my lawn.

Though I will say I've heard the media sometimes use the phrase "Assault Style Rifles" to refer to things like AR-15s, MAK-90s and HK 91's and though it rubbed me the wrong way, it was technically correct: it was a rifle styled to look like an assault rifle.

battery_glasses• 4 years ago

If it helps avoid the truly dumbest of all straw man arguments surrounding gun violence, then fine.

news: A person killed 19 schoolchildren with an AR-15 assault rifle today.

average American: wow, we should really enact some basic laws to keep powerful weapons out of the hands of known unstable people.

gun lobby brainwashee: AR doesn't stand for assault rifle you libtard, you have no idea what you're talking about and all of your opinions on this matter are invalid.

aaaaaaaaata• 4 years ago

Did you mean "enforce"?

aaroninsf• 4 years ago

Don't matter what you call them

They need to go

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FX9FUPFVsAAFlHm.jpg

AP stylebook new guidance avoids “assault rifle” as it “convey little meaning”

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