whats the difference between an automatic and semi automatic firearm?
- Thread starter Lifer
- Start date
- Oct 28, 1999
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semi auto - pull trigger and fire one bullet, repeat until empty.
automatic - hold trigger down until out of bullets.
Any rifle or shotgun that can hold more than one shell/bullet at a time that is automatically put into the firing chamber by the gun after firing the previous round is a "semi-automatic" rifle.
Nothing to be concerned about, but SERIOUSLY overblown by the press.
automatic - hold trigger down until out of bullets.
Any rifle or shotgun that can hold more than one shell/bullet at a time that is automatically put into the firing chamber by the gun after firing the previous round is a "semi-automatic" rifle.
Nothing to be concerned about, but SERIOUSLY overblown by the press.
ultimatebob
Lifer
- Jul 1, 2001
- 25,134
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The simple explanation is that you need to pull the trigger for every shot on a semi-automatic weapon, where as pulling the trigger on a fully-automatic weapon will cause it to fire a stream of bullets until the trigger is released.
I'm sure that someone else will have a better explaination, but that's the ghist of it.
I'm sure that someone else will have a better explaination, but that's the ghist of it.
ok, that's what i thought.
so are all automatics illegal to own by a citizen?
is there anything "suckier" than a semi-auto? maybe load, fire, reload, fire, etc.?
so are all automatics illegal to own by a citizen?
is there anything "suckier" than a semi-auto? maybe load, fire, reload, fire, etc.?
All automatics manufactured or imported after 1986 are illegal to transfer to a private citizen, according to federal law. There are exemptions for police officers who are authorized by their employing agency to have an automatic weapon.
Automatics produced or imported before 1986 are perfectly legal for private citizens to own provided that you aren't a 'prohibited' person (e.g. felon) and you register the transfer (pay a $200 tax), according to federal law.
Many states prohibit the possession of machine guns or automatic weapons by civilians, so even if federal law says its ok, state law may prohibit it. Many states do not prohibit the possession of machine guns or automatic weapons by civilians.
There are something like 150,000 machine guns and automatic weapons owned by civilians. I forget the number, but that's a ball park figure.
"suckier' is a matter of opinion. You can get bolt action, lever action and something called a rolling block. Bolt actions and lever actions require hand motions to remove the empty shell and load a new round into the chamber, while slower then a semi auto they can still be pretty fast. You will never see a marksman or serious target shooter with a automatic or even semi auto, they trade speed for accuracy, both bolts and lever actrion rifes are more accurate then a semi auto (we won't even mention the accuracy (or lack of) of a full auto!). The most accurate rifles are of the rolling block type, these are pretty slow to load but fire very consistently, this is what is needed for repeatable accuracy.
So a bolt or lever action is "suckier" then a semi auto if your only concern is rate of fire. There is more to shooting then simply throwing lead around.
lol! That's why semi-automatics are required for certain Olympic shooting events. Nope, no "serious" competitors at the Olympics, I'm sure. Rob Latham and Jerry Barnhart, not "serious" target shooters. lol!
The standard target rifle at the National High Power Championships at Camp Perry is the AR15 Service Rifle, which is available in both standard and match configurations. I'm sure none of the participants of the National Championships are "serious" marksman or target shooters, including eight-time National High Power Rifle Champion David Tubb, who won using both bolt-action and semi-automatic high power rifles.
But you know, I'm sure compared to you, Tubb's a novice. lol!
That was just one of those profoundly stupid assertions that make you go 'Wow I'm such a dumbass! What was I thinking?' Sorta like 'No serious musician plays electric guitar or drums, they only play classical instruments like the piano or cello.'
Yeah buddy! You keep repeating that to yourself over and over in the mirror and it might even come true!
Pardon me for existing!
I think the true idiot has indeed spoken, and it has nothing to do with knowledge of firearms.
Perhaps these competitions require semi autos for other reasons then that they are the most accurate weapons available? I did say target shooters, right? What I had in mind was bench shooting, and I did not mean to imply that other weapons were not used in competion, sorry if that is what you read.
I will maintain that a rolling block action is the most repeatable and there fore the most consistantly repeatable action. The spring mechanism which enables a semiauto do to its thing is an inherent souce of variablility.
Of course I am cabable of error, different from you.
Perhaps semi-automatics are required because it takes more skill to shoot them accurately? Kind of like making PGA players shoot from the back tee instead of the middle one?
Select fire weapons/automatics and other various things require a Class 3 license. Kind of expensive and it takes a while, but once you're approved (if you are in the first place), you can buy automatic weapons.
CubicZirconia
Diamond Member
- Nov 24, 2001
- 5,193
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Good Lord! I'm sure he was just trying to make the point that bolt action/single shot style rifles are typically more accurate, therefore not necessarily "suckier." No need to explode.
Thanks for the support!
I did indeed mispeak on a couple of points. First of all there are very serious competitors with every sort of progectile, from the shot put to a artillery piece, I did not mean belittle other forms of competition.
Also it is not a rolling block but a Falling Block action
This is the first link I found. I'll bet there are lots more.
Originally posted by: Lifer
whats the difference between an automatic and semi automatic firearm?
The'll get 2 steps closer to you before you finish mowing them down...
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