Above, a San Jose (Calif.) police officer effectively explains the differences between fully automatic military rifles and semi-automatic military look-alike rifles and why there is confusion about them.
Over the last several weeks, hundreds of stories have appeared nationwide on an increase in firearm sales due to gun owners' concerns about President-elect Obama and a Democrat-controlled Congress. Retailers report that many customers are buying semi-automatic rifles that have a military look to them.
There is much confusion among the public and the media about how these rifles function and about their legitimate uses for target shooting and hunting. Often incorrectly referred to as semi-automatic "assault weapons," they are the type of firearms that President-elect Obama has indicated he would seek to ban by making permanent the expired 1994 so-called "assault weapons" ban. To help promote accurate reporting about these firearms, NSSF has produced a resource page for members of the media: Background Information on So-Called "Assault Weapons"
NSSF has launched a new blog aimed at hunting down and correcting inaccuracies about firearms, the firearms industry and the shooting sports. The blog, titled "Aiming for Accuracy," is updated regularly with news, links and other helpful resources for members of the media. Read it onlineorsubscribe via
NSSF Blog Targets Inaccuracies
