The National Shooting Sports Foundations (NSSF) has created an excellent resource for anyone who needs to learn the difference between a full-auto assault rifle and “assault weapons”.
What has erroneously been termed an “assault weapon” is a semi-automatic firearm that fires just one bullet with each pull of the trigger (versus a fully automatic firearm — machine gun — which continues to shoot until the trigger is released). Specifically, legislation has incorrectly defined an “assault weapon” as a semi-automatic firearm that can accept a detachable magazine and has two or more of the following cosmetic features
There’s also a fantastic writer’s guide to firearms and ammunition.
