If it was redesigned as an assault rifle? It wouldn't be an SU16 now would it? It would be an assault rifle because you just said, redesigned as an assault rifle for military service.
I agree that the redesigned version with select-fire would be an assault rifle. But that would not make the previous models (similar in every way except for lack of select fire) into assault rifles overnight.
Following this, the 'redesigned for civilian purpose' AR15 is not an assault rifle, it is lacking select-fire capability.
If adding select-fire turns a gun firing an intermediate cartridge into an assault rifle, why wouldn't removing select-fire and leaving only semi-auto take it out of the class?
Read what I quoted. Busa Bob said auto fire and semi auto. the M16 A2 doesn't have auto fire. Read acarefully so you comprehend the entire conversation and its context.
I am aware of what you were responding to, which (I believe) was a misstatement by Busa Bob that the commonly held 'US military' definition strictly included full-auto, while my understanding was that it simply required select-fire. Though at the time of the first written known definition by a US military source(according to my understanding), burst fire was not a feature on any US rifles. So, someone could make an argument, based on inferences, that full-auto capability would be a must. I hold simply that select-fire is a criteria that makes more sense.
If you mean that you were simply adressing something that you considered a misquote, that was unclear to me.
I'm talking about the ATF, law, definition and resulting conviction. ATF is a NATIONAL agency so, I don't know what "every state may have" has to do with anything.
I did a quick search and could not find an ATF charge specific to 'assault rifles', but if you are aware of one(speifically the 'possession of a semi-automatic assault rifle' charge you referred to), or where I can find what you're refering to, point me in the right dirrection.
The business concerning different states relates to US states having their own criminal codes, so you might be able to find a state-level law which makes mention of assault rifles.
Someone post why Websters is not the authority on word definitions first off, then someone post why "semi automatic assault rifle" isn't an actual thing.
Please don't reply with "because mall ninjas say so on the internet".
Websters attempts to define words as they are commonly used, and I'm not sure you could find the exact methodology they used to come up with the definition. The interesting thing abut that is since our usage of words changes, so does our definition. Word usage is also very regional. I know people who call grouse partridge, and in their town everyone calls grouse partridge, despite the fact that they are different species. The majority of people at my old job called my little 250 japanese bike a harley. They were in the majority, their use was common, but that as a measure of correctness doesn't quite sit well with me.
It is interesting to note that the webster definition on the same page shows a 'concise encyclopedia' entry
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.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assault rifle
Here's what you wrote earlier:
Here's the dictionary definition of the word.
Assault weapon : any of various automatic or semiautomatic firearms; especially : assault rifle
You're talking about 'assault weapons' here, which is an even more convoluted term and by that definition includes any semi-auto handguns or hunting rifles or shotguns.
I guess I have to tell my hunting buddies to be extra careful with their assault hunting weapons:
You know your guns, probably much better than I do. I just don't understand your methodology for defining what an assault rifle is, or even what definition you use.