In addition to those points indicated by kamamer above, several other significant advances were produced by the German WWII weapons designers. These were namely:
The latter point is key to recognizing an assault weapon.
According to several websites (the actual work is not online), the
United States Department of Defense's
Defense Intelligence Agency handbook on
Small Arms Identification and Operation Guide explains, "assault rifles" are "short, compact, selective-fire weapons that fire a cartridge intermediate in power between submachinegun and rifle cartridges."
The first assault rifle, the Maschinerkarabiner (Mkb) 42, had both features and was employed to great effect by elite German Kampfgruppen. The next major advance was the AK-47, Avtomat Kalashnikova invented in 1947. It also boasted a selector switch, allowing single shots or fully automated fire. See also The AK is OK!
To review.
The assault rifle:
- is compact, and can be carried easily by battlefield infantry, and used during an assault;
- fires a cartridge of intermediate power, allowing the recoil to be controlled, and therefore accuracy to be maintained;
- has selective fire.