Terms...

I hate having my own ignorance used against me. I decided to look up 2nd Amendment terms being bandied about. Being a writer, you never know when odd bits of information will come in handy. I'm simply taking you along on my internet exploration. Yes, I'm quoting almost exclusively from Wikipedia. I'm breaking it up so it's easier for me to understand:

Assault Rifle: Wikipedia: "a selective fire (selectable among either fully automatic, burst-capable, or, sometimes, semi-automatic modes of operation) rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine."
Merriam-Webster: "any of various automatic or semiautomatic rifles with large capacity magazines designed for military use"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_weapon

Assault Weapon: Wikipedia: "when used in the context of assault weapon laws refers primarily (but not exclusively) to semi-automatic firearms that possess the cosmetic features of an assault rifle that is fully automatic."

Semi-automatic firearms: Wikipedia: "fire one bullet (round) each time the trigger is pulled; the spent cartridge case is ejected and another cartridge is loaded into the chamber, without the manual operation of a bolt handle, a lever, or a sliding handgrip."

"has a detachable magazine, in conjunction with one, two, or more other features such as a pistol grip, a folding stock, a flash suppressor, or a bayonet lug."

"Most assault weapons are rifles, but some are pistols or shotguns."

Interesting note: "Proposed legislation formerly under consideration attempted to define the term even more broadly to mean any semi-automatic firearm, any firearm with a detachable magazine, or handguns holding more than 10 rounds which includes the majority of all firearms, but died in committee before even coming to a vote."

So, what you're telling me is that we aren't all talking about the same thing.

Did you know that if you hover over the number, a little box opens with more information? Cool.

"The use of the term "assault weapon" is also highly controversial, as critics assert that the term is a media invention,[7] or a term that is intended to cause confusion among the public by intentionally misleading the public to believe that assault weapons (as defined in legislation) are full automatic firearms when they are not.[8]"

"Semi-automatic firearms, when fired, automatically extract the spent cartridge casing and load the next cartridge into the chamber, ready to fire again. They do not fire automatically like a machine gun. Rather, only one round is fired with each trigger pull.[10]"

Onward:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clip_(ammunition)

Clip: "device that is used to store multiple rounds of ammunition together as a unit, ready for insertion into the magazine or cylinder of a firearm."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magazine_(firearms)

Magazine: "an ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a repeating firearm"

Okay. I have a much better grasp on the subject now. I've gone shooting twice. Had fun both times, especially when I was told I was a natural. I've used a variety of weapons, semi-automatic rifles and pistols and revolvers. Wish I'd done this homework first so I wasn't so much like a deer-in-the-headlights with all the information shared. I was so busy trying to keep the simple stuff straight I missed the detailed information. Lesson learned.

And I'm probably on some watch-list now. Lucky me.

Never lose your sense of humor. If it wanders off, hunt the puppy down and drag it back. Can't live without it. :-)