While I agree with the fully automatic outlaws, (many do not). . . I also look at an assault weapon based on the caliber and type of round fired.
Assault weapon rounds are designed specifically for the killing of human beings.
Now if the weapon was redesigned for a less lethal round. . . One perhaps that isn't designed to tumble when entering the body, then maybe they wouldn't bother me.
But it does bother me that the public has access to AR-15's and Kalashnikov's (sp?) of various types, all of which where designed for rounds ment to tumble upon entry, and also often enough to defeat body armor.
Reducing it from fully automatic to semi-automatic doesn't make it any less lethal.
Here in Canada, fully automatic weapons and assualt rifles which can be easily converted to full auto are prohibited, as is anything .50 cal. and larger except for muzzle loading weapons; yes, you can have a black powder cannon. Hand guns are restricted to target practice only, no carrying, no hunting with them; good plan I figure.
I love varmint hunting. I use a Remington in bolt action in .223 (same as nato mil. round, but loaded with hollow points for groundhogs, solid points for fox and wolf (min. damage to the hide).
I used to use a .22-.250; way more powerful than the Mil. cal. with a lot more range. It was a heavy rifle; and I'm getting older
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Point is most rifle calibers are former or current Mil. cals. Some I have owned; .303, 7mm Mauser (still have that, It's my deer rifle) 8mm Mauser, 6.5 X55 mm Mauser.
If you want a sporting rifle that's not a mil. cal., then there are the so called "wild cats", but then they are all based on mil. brass, and usually exceed the performance of the mil. cals.
The good and the bad depends on the use of anything. Anything in the wrong hands can be lethal and destructive.