Gun Violence
I support a permanent ban of assault style weapons as well as high capacity magazines. To be clear, any gun control legislation should not be passed with the intention to punish legal gun owners and law abiding citizens or to violate anyone's civil rights, but to keep those weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of criminals.
The primary purpose of an "assault weapon," specifically a semi-automatic firearm designed for military use, is to inflict maximum damage with a rapid rate of fire and high muzzle velocity, enabling a shooter to engage multiple targets quickly. These weapons are designed for battlefield combat, where sustained and high-volume fire is necessary.
Here's a more detailed breakdown.
Rapid Fire: Assault weapons are semi-automatic, meaning each pull of the trigger fires a bullet and automatically loads the next, allowing for rapid deployment of fire.
High Muzzle Velocity: The high muzzle velocity of the ammunition fired from an assault weapon can cause greater damage to the human body compared to a handgun.
High-Capacity Magazines: These weapons are often used with large-capacity magazines, allowing for a high volume of fire without reloading, further increasing their destructive capacity.
Military Origins: Assault weapons, particularly assault rifles, are typically semiautomatic versions of weapons originally designed for military use.
Civilian Market Concerns: The design features of assault weapons, such as rapid fire and high-volume capacity, make them a significant concern for public safety when in civilian hands.