assault rifle

assault rifle

noun

: a gun that can shoot many bullets quickly and that is designed for use by the military

Full Definition of ASSAULT RIFLE

:  any of various automatic or semiautomatic rifles with large capacity magazines designed for military use

First Known Use of ASSAULT RIFLE

1972

Other Weapons and Explosives Terms

automatic, carbine, cudgel, muzzle, rapier

assault rifle

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Military firearm that is chambered for ammunition of reduced size or propellant charge and has the capacity to switch between semiautomatic and fully automatic fire. Light and portable, yet able to deliver a high volume of fire with reasonable accuracy at modern combat ranges of 1,000–1,600 ft (300–500 m), assault rifles have become the standard infantry weapon of modern armies. Their ease of handling makes them ideal for mobile assault troops crowded into personnel carriers or helicopters, as well as for guerrilla fighters engaged in jungle or urban warfare. Widely used assault rifles are the U.S. M16, the Soviet Kalashnikov (the AK-47 and modernized versions), the Belgian FAL and FNC, and the German G3.