An SKS is not an assault rifle.

Furthermore, the SKS was not defined as an “assault weapon” under the 1994-2004 AWB law, nor would have been considered one under the renewal bill introduced this year (which died in committee).

But that’s the yellow press. . . They never let facts get in the way of a good story!

Before believing news reports that say things like “…a high powered assault weapon, fast becoming the gun of choice for gang members…” check the FBI statistics: Although in a few cases a year assault weapons are used in crimes, it is incredibly, incredibly rare. The most used weapons in crimes are the pump shotgun and cheap revolver, usually a .38. Trailing distantly are some of the cheap crap versions of the 9mm semi-automatic pistol. You won’t find a single assault rifle on the FBI’s list of guns most frequently reported as used in crimes throughout the country.

Honestly, though, reading through that Miami story you linked to — there are so many factual errors in there about assault rifles and the laws surrounding them its hard to believe anything in the article.

No. It has to do with the killing power of such weapons, which exceeds the bounds of legitimate self-defense.

DarwinCatholic said:

“And given that there is absolutely no history of these guns being used in crimes and suicides, there’s really no reason to ban them except as a “screw you” to the gun lobby.”

No history?

From:
http://cbs3.com/topstories/omaha.mall.shooting.2.603308.html

Shooting At Nebraska Mall Leaves 9 Dead
Man Kills At Least 8 Before Turning Gun On Self
CBS News Interactive: Crime Beat
OMAHA, Neb. (CBS News) ― A man opened fire with a rifle at a busy department store Wednesday, killing eight people in an attack that sent holiday shoppers screaming through a mall as others barricaded themselves in dressing rooms.

Witnesses said the gunman sprayed fired down on shoppers from a third-floor balcony of the Von Maur store. Police recovered an SKS assault rifle believed to have been used by the gunman.

From:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20781848/

MIAMI – The spray of bullets that killed a police officer and hurt three others this week came from something increasingly common on this city’s streets: a high-powered assault weapon, fast becoming the gun of choice for gang members and violent criminals.

“It’s almost like we have water pistols going up against these high-powered rifles,” said John Rivera, president of the Dade County Police Benevolent Association. “Our weaponry and our bulletproof vests don’t match up to any of those types of weapons.”

I think I can bring a little bit more of a factual angle to things here as I hold a FFL03 license from the Feds. Although I personally collect WW2 era rifles (thus all bolt action except my M1 Garand) I get the dealer catalogs from all the military surplus rifle importers and generally know the military rifle community pretty well.

First off, for anyone not familiar with the “assault weapon” controvery: An assault weapon is a legal category bassically including rifles with certain military characteristics including: semi-automatic fire (all auto fire guns have been illegal in the US since the ’30s, and you can only get one with a special license from the Feds), bayonette mount, flash surpressor, large capacity magazine, and a couple other things. None of these really have any relevance to committing civilian crimes, and as several people have pointed out assault weapons are almost never, ever used in crimes.

There are several different categories of “assualt rifles” and they have different reasons for popularity. The AK-47 (really a whole family of Eastern European and Chinese variants on the Kalashnikov design) is popular for basically three reasons: It’s fairly cheap (I only know wholesale pricing, but the importers generally list them for 350-450), it’s incredibly rugged and easy to take apart and put together again, and the ammunition for it (a .30 calibre bullet with a .233 size charge behind it) is very cheap and plentiful. Thus, someone on a tight budget can afford to go down to the range and go through 300 rounds, while US made hunting and target rounds often cost over $25 for a box of 50. These kind of rifles (and I’d include in this some of the cheap — under $800 — American AR-15 knock offs and other “tactical” weapons) are not terribly accurate, especially beyond 200yds, and a they’re more for the plinker or casual shooter than the serious target shooter.

The other category of “assault weapons” includes rifles like the M-14/M1A, the AR-15/M-16, and a few Western European imports. These rifle are expensive — to get a good one you’ll probably spend over $1000. And they are in fact incredibly accurate. While Matt Talbot is right that his Remington 700 would own any AK shooter, he’s be in for a serious run for his money against the guys who compete in the National Match competitions — at which the categories are for the three US service rifles: M1 Garand, M-14 and AR-15. Ranges for those go out to 1000 yards, and all three rifles (if properly turned and maintained) are very, very accurate out to that distance. Why use those instead of a Remington 700? People enjoy the history attached to the guns, and also keep in mind: many of the military rifle competitions are iron sights only — no scopes. US military rifles have very, very good iron rights, and there is definitely an added challenge in target shooting out to 1000 yards without a scope.

So, that’s pretty much what the interest in them is. And given that there is absolutely no history of these guns being used in crimes and suicides, there’s really no reason to ban them except as a “screw you” to the gun lobby. (Given that gun owners sided with McCain by a decent margin, and generally vote Republican, it’s perhaps not surprising that a combination of ignorance and vindictiveness would lead to that kind of law.)

Does anybody believe that mobsters or drug dealers go through the usual process of passing a background check and observing a waiting period at Joe Bob’s Ammo Shack? All their guns are hot hot hot. Pass a ban on AR15s or other assault rifles and the criminals will shrug it off and continue to get their guns the way they get them now: illegally.

They seem to be used in actual crimes at about the same frequency that civilian AR-15′s are used in actual crimes. Which is to say, not.

What does the popularity of the Rambo movies say about our society, Blackadder? Why does our society make a habit of glorifying war?

No doubt the fact that the Rambo movies are so popular says a lot about all these things as well. Few people, however, would suggest that this justifies preventing people from watching Rambo movies.

I’m guessing they don’t have bombs hanging from them, though.