Is the M1A considered an assault rifle?

11 Responses

1. Gun Curmudgeon

   January 7th, 2010 at 10:49 pm

   I live in Virginia Beach too and know damn well you can buy ANY rifle as long as you’re over 18. That includes AR15′s! Whoever told you that you couldn’t buy an AR15 until you’re 21 is dead wrong. Go to The Armory at Kempsville and Indian river Roads and ask them. Better yet call them. Now to answer you’re question. By definition, no it;s not an assault rifle, it is not capable of full auto fire.

2. Cougars & Texans

   January 7th, 2010 at 10:49 pm

   Depends on what your state defines as an "assault rifle".

3. ronaldofan66

   January 7th, 2010 at 10:49 pm

   It depends, if it is a M1A socom than yes it’s an assault rifle. If it’s a springfield than no.

4. John de Witt

   January 7th, 2010 at 10:49 pm

   I don’t know where you live, and such bizarre laws are something of a puzzler. Normal people, though, would not consider the M1A to be an assault rifle because (1) it’s semi-automatic and (2) it fires a full-sized rifle cartridge. The usual definition of an assault rifle is that it’s capable of either fully automatic or burst fire, and that it uses an intermediate-size cartridge.
   Of course, politicians are known to redefine any words they find inconvenient in their original meaning, so God help you with that.

5. WC

   January 7th, 2010 at 10:49 pm

   To anti-gunners and the news media , ANY semi-auto rifle, whether or not it resembles a military rifle, is considered an assault rifle.

6. airgun_target

   January 7th, 2010 at 10:49 pm

   I’d call it a Battle rifle, like M-14, FN FAL or H&K G3. M-16 is an assault rifle. AR-15 may or may not be an assault rifle, but it certainly isn’t a battle rifle either.

7. Chris M

   January 7th, 2010 at 10:49 pm

   No its not considered an assault rifle, you could not buy it if it was. You are thinking of the term "assault weapon" which is the term designated by the ’94 assault weapons ban. An "assault weapon" is any

   Semi-automatic rifles able to accept detachable magazines and two or more of the following:

   * Folding or telescoping stock
   * Pistol grip
   * Bayonet mount
   * Flash suppressor, or threaded barrel designed to accommodate one
   * Grenade launcher (more precisely, a muzzle device which enables the launching or firing of rifle grenades)

   Semi-automatic pistols with detachable magazines and two or more of the following:

   * Magazine that attaches outside the pistol grip
   * Threaded barrel to attach barrel extender, flash suppressor, handgrip, or suppressor
   * Barrel shroud that can be used as a hand-hold
   * Unloaded weight of 50 oz (1.4 kg) or more
   * A semi-automatic version of an automatic firearm

   Semi-automatic shotguns with two or more of the following:

   * Folding or telescoping stock
   * Pistol grip
   * Fixed capacity of more than 5 rounds
   * Detachable magazine

   So yes you can buy it.

8. acmeraven

   January 7th, 2010 at 10:49 pm

   The left wind haters who are trying to destroy our great nation regard BB guns as assault weapons; just get used to it as a fact of life.

9. mack_9

   January 7th, 2010 at 10:49 pm

   Federal law says that you have to be 18 to buy a rifle. I can’t imagine Virginia deviating from that. An M-16 and M-4 are assault rifles. An AR-15 is a semi-automatic firearm. An M-14 is an assault rifle. An M1A is a semi-automatic firearm. Assault rifle is a military term for full auto or select fire weapons.

10. Cristi S

    January 7th, 2010 at 10:49 pm

    Depends who to talk to…one thing that is for sure is that the the M1A is an awesome rifle!

11. dca2003311@yahoo.com

    January 7th, 2010 at 10:49 pm

    * Yes * That was my Assault Rifle in the U.S. Army.* Great accurate Rifle.* They also were made and marketed for civilian use also.*

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