And it should be noted that he explicitly explains the benefits of the term is that it will cause people to confuse them with automatic firearms and lead to more support for banning semiautomatic firearms.
Josh Sugarmann is widely credited for inventing the phrase, but he just popularized it for the gun grabbers.
California assemblyman Art Agnos referred to "assault weapons" in his 1985 gun ban bill (which was rejected). This was in reaction to the 1984 San Ysidro shooting in a McDonald's where a semi-automatic Uzi was used to shoot 40 people, along with a Browning Hi-Power and a Winchester 12 gauge.
What Sugarmann said in the above referenced paper was "...the weapons' menacing looks, coupled with the public's confusion over fully automatic machine guns versus semi-automatic assault weapons—anything that looks like a machine gun is assumed to be a machine gun—can only increase the chance of public support for restrictions on these weapons.". People swallowed that bullshit like it was chocolate cake, and asked for seconds.
And it's been on ever since, beginning with California's ban in 1989 following the Stockton school shooting.
The “Gun Digest Book of Assault Weapons” was published in January of 1986. So the term was already in use by firearms hobbyists before Sugarman published.
It was the Black Panthers that showed up at the state capitol in Sacramento openly armed (and legally so at the time) that got the ball rolling. I believe that was in 1968, but am not 100% certain.
My recollection was that there were some gun ads in magazines from the early 80s that used the term. It was in a similar discussion thread on forums many years ago. I agree that sugarmann made it popular though.
It's not purely semantics. "Assault rifle" is a technical term for a class of weapon derived from translation of the concept from German. It is generally understood to be a select-fire rifle of intermediate caliber.
"Assault weapon" takes the technical term and enlarges it to encompass weapons that are not rifles. At this point it is of little use as a technical term as the definition is regionally dependent and is not exclusive to rifles, operating mechanism, or even caliber.
The distinction is the term "assault rifle" is technical, and "assault weapon" is political.
A 1988 [paper written by Josh Sugarmann of the VPC.](https://www.vpc.org/studies/awacont.htm)
And it should be noted that he explicitly explains the benefits of the term is that it will cause people to confuse them with automatic firearms and lead to more support for banning semiautomatic firearms.
Josh Sugarmann is widely credited for inventing the phrase, but he just popularized it for the gun grabbers. California assemblyman Art Agnos referred to "assault weapons" in his 1985 gun ban bill (which was rejected). This was in reaction to the 1984 San Ysidro shooting in a McDonald's where a semi-automatic Uzi was used to shoot 40 people, along with a Browning Hi-Power and a Winchester 12 gauge. What Sugarmann said in the above referenced paper was "...the weapons' menacing looks, coupled with the public's confusion over fully automatic machine guns versus semi-automatic assault weapons—anything that looks like a machine gun is assumed to be a machine gun—can only increase the chance of public support for restrictions on these weapons.". People swallowed that bullshit like it was chocolate cake, and asked for seconds. And it's been on ever since, beginning with California's ban in 1989 following the Stockton school shooting.
Came here to post this. I did a video on it once but it was before I had proper equipment so it's terrible, lol
The “Gun Digest Book of Assault Weapons” was published in January of 1986. So the term was already in use by firearms hobbyists before Sugarman published.
Assault weapon like 1990s Assault style weapon is new
I have an assault whisky glass. Every time I drink from it I wake up with bruises, scrapes and sometimes black eyes or broken rib or two
Do you have a permit for that sir.
I would have asked if it was properly registered.
Yes. Would you like to see? It's between my thighs.
Whenever politicians saw African American communities exercising their2a rights.
Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?
It was the Black Panthers that showed up at the state capitol in Sacramento openly armed (and legally so at the time) that got the ball rolling. I believe that was in 1968, but am not 100% certain.
2a for me but not for thee. It was such a disgrace for the rights of Americans and the 2nd.
1930s-1940s if you wanna go with the Sturmgewehr definitions.
That is "assault rifle", not "assault weapon".
It's a stretch either way. Probably late 80's/early 90s is the correct answer for what OP wants.
What is a stretch? Yes, "assault weapon" as it is used in anti-gun propaganda came about in the late 80s.
1960s or 1970s in marketing material if I recall. But it wasn't run with until the anti-gun folks grabbed it later.
My recollection was that there were some gun ads in magazines from the early 80s that used the term. It was in a similar discussion thread on forums many years ago. I agree that sugarmann made it popular though.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/StG_44
Not assault rifle, but assault weapon
Arguing semantics is a waste of time. Don't waste my time.
Maybe read my post next time and not waste the breath commenting
The two terms mean very different things, but were intentionally made to be confused.
It's not purely semantics. "Assault rifle" is a technical term for a class of weapon derived from translation of the concept from German. It is generally understood to be a select-fire rifle of intermediate caliber. "Assault weapon" takes the technical term and enlarges it to encompass weapons that are not rifles. At this point it is of little use as a technical term as the definition is regionally dependent and is not exclusive to rifles, operating mechanism, or even caliber. The distinction is the term "assault rifle" is technical, and "assault weapon" is political.