Two Major Newspapers, Which One Got It Right?

When it comes to knowing the difference between fully automatic and semi-automatic firearms, the mainstream media can't seem to get it right. As one reporter, who in a recent story wrote "machine gun" to describe a semi-automatic rifle, said, "I was using the term loosely." Maybe we are using the term "reporter" loosely to describe that individual.

Read these differing accounts of patients slain at a drug rehab center in Mexico that appeared in today's issues of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal:

The Times: "Several masked men armed with automatic weapons stormed into a drug rehabilitation center . . . ."

WSJ: "Gunmen armed with semi-automatic rifles burst into a drug rehabilitation center . . . ."

Well, which one is it, automatic or semi-automatic?

Reporters who want to know the difference (and there is a big difference) can refer to NSSF's "Writer's Guide to Firearms and Ammunition," available online or as a printed booklet, both free of charge.

Reporters confuse these two terms most often when attempting to describe a modern sporting rifle based on the AR-15 platform, which has a semi-automatic action capable of firing only one round with each pull of the trigger. These civilian rifles look like military rifles capable of fully automatic fire--a machine gun--but their similarities are cosmetic only. The modern sporting rifle one of today's most popular rifles and used for hunting and target shooting.

We believe that professional reporters want to get their facts correct and that mistakes of this sort happen because America’s urban-based media has little contact with firearms and, consequently, does not fully understand their uses or operation. NSSF offers itself as a resource to all media who want to report accurately about firearms and firearms-related issues and makes a number of resources available in the Media Resources Section of its Web site.

Here are the definitions:

ACTION, AUTOMATIC
A firearm that loads, fires and ejects cartridges continually as long as the trigger is depressed and there are cartridges available in the feeding system (i.e., magazine or other such mechanism). Automatic action firearms are machine guns. Note: Since 1934 it has been unlawful to sell or possess an automatic firearm without special permission and licensing from the federal government, in addition to other requirements.

ACTION, SEMI-AUTOMATIC
A firearm in which each pull of the trigger results in a complete firing cycle, from discharge through reloading of the chamber. It is necessary that the trigger be released and pulled for each cycle. These firearms are also called “auto-loaders” or “self-loaders.” The discharge and chambering of a round is either blowback operated, recoil operated or gas operated. Note: An automatic-action firearm loads, discharges and reloads as long as ammunition is available and the trigger is depressed. A semi-automatic firearm only discharges one cartridge with each squeeze of the trigger.

Comments

[Justthenews]

What does it mean when someone converts an Uzi from "semi-automatic" to "full auto"? Is it not possible to convert semi-automatic weapons to full auto? I know it is illegal to purchase a fully automatic weapon, but isn't it possible for criminals to convert semi-automatic weapons to fully automatic ones? (Please remember, criminals don't care about the legality of these weapons.) Also, this incident happened in Mexico. What does a law passed in 1934 in the USA have to do with Mexico?

Since you are offering to help reporters, I think it might help if you could answer the questions above. Also, what does "illegally modified" mean to you?

[flockofone]

Justthenews:

1)That depends. (on whether it is a legal conversion)
2)That depends. (on what weapon is attempting to be converted)
3)You are wrong it is not illegal, and that depends. (see number 2 above)
4)Nothing.

Also 5)It only matters what it means to those who enforce the "illegallity".

[Scott]

To Justthenews- Any semi auto firearm that fires from an open bolt (1928 Thompson, Uzi, Mac, and others) is since 1986 considered a machine gun by the ATF because they are fairly easy to convert to full auto fire. It is quite a bit more complicated to convert an AR or semi auto AK variant or any of the other semi automatic firearms designed to fire from a closed bolt. It usually requires multiple machining operations as well as modifications to the receiver of the firearm.
What the 1934 NFA has to do with it is that the NFA created a tax stamp for machine guns, short barreled rifles and shotguns, suppressors and destructive devices. In 1968 a registry of these items was created as well as barring interstate sales of handguns, the purchase of firearms by mail unless you are an FFL or own a C&R license. This means Title II firearms (full auto) are easily traced by the ATF because they have the names of the legal owners of all 217,000 weapons of that classification. Anyone who sold a machine gun to a Mexican citizen who then got it confiscated by the Mexican government is going to be in a world of hurt. There has been one instance of a registered machine gun being used in a crime since 1934 and that was committed by a cop.
Illegally modified means a firearm that violates any of the many regulations on the ATF books. A couple easy examples, a rifle with a barrel of under 16" or an overall length less than 26" or a shotgun with a barrel under 18" in length. Another example would be a pistol with a buttstock because that turns it into a SBR. HTH and that I didn't make any mistakes. A couple websites with lots of info would be thefiringline.com and thehighroad.us they are often willing to answer questions from the uninitiated. They also have pretty high moderation standards so you are unlikely to be flamed for being a member of the MSM.

[Scott]

Oh I forgot, it is not illegal to possess a fully automatic weapon in most states, just amazingly expensive and frustrating. There is a fixed supply of those firearms since the registry was closed in 1986 that has made prices go through the roof. A transferable Sten a firearm that cost at the outside $10.00 to make now goes for several thousand. A M16 will run 8 to 16 grand to own, a registered sear (the main component necessary for full auto)for an M16 is on average 10K. The frustrating part is that one must submit to a background check by the FBI complete with fingerprinting, get the approval of your local sheriff or other LEO agency and wait anywhere from 3 to 6 months to take possession after paying for the item oh and a $200.00 dollar tax stamp. The paperwork must accompany you anytime you are transporting or shooting it, if you plan on traveling interstate you must get prior approval from the ATF and make sure your route doesn't go through a state that bans possession of the item. The NFA of 1934 did exactly what it was meant to do which is discourage civilian ownership of military grade firearms with the GCA of 1968 and FOPA of 1986 further restricting the right to keep and bear arms.

[md]

Let's carry this a bit further.

Actually someone with the time, machining equipment and design capability could conceivably convert many manually-operated firearms, including flintlocks, into a semi or fully-automatic device. John M. Browning, as I've seen a drawing, had a "Rube Goldberg" setup for a lever action Winchester Model 94 - perhaps America's most famed deer rifle.

As far as that goes, such a skilled person might also make a firearm out of thousands of metal toy truck designs.

However, the legalities involved are daunting. In fact, from a machinist's perspective, it might well be far easier to manufacture a full-auto arm from scratch than to make conversions from even many semi-automatic arms.

It seems, however, that non governmental institutions, legal or otherwise as perceived by governments, prefer to acquire manufactured arms that fit their inclinations rather than to manufacture their own.

[Gary Brennan]

"ACTION, AUTOMATIC
A firearm that loads, fires and ejects cartridges continually as long as the trigger is depressed and there are cartridges available in the feeding system"

Only open bolt designed machine guns will load prior to firing. M16 type machine guns must have a round chambered to get the sequence moving. The same for most Semi-Automatic weapons

[Jim Stell]

I don't think the MSM cares about whether their terminology is accurate, only that it is inflammatory. The first time we let them get away with calling a simple semi-auto an "assault rifle", we lost Round One. Look at CNN's Aug18 coverage of the protest in Phoenix; MSM's definition is "Black & Ugly = Assault Rifle"

[Spitter]

I have to agree that accuracy is not MSM's highest priority, its what makes for "good" copy that gets a thumbs up!

However, in our own industry, we are to blame. We talk about "weapons", "semi-automatic" firearms... the public at-large cannot dsitinguish the difference, we have to offer better "word-choices" when talking about firearms.

If we are serious about correcting things, we need to proactively fight back, politely embarrassing media who are known to be hostile - continously using incorrect terminology, while nurturing friendly media - fixing inadvertent flaws in their articles.

Old adage fight - fire with fire... no one wants to appear ignorant, possibly losing more print or TV audience... media is suffering while folks like FOX are on the rise.

[Cortaflex]

Is this a trick question? None of them got it right - they are newspapers!