Assault rifle

An assault rifle is a type of combat rifle, that typically has a high rate of fire, a moderately-powered cartridge, and is easy to handle. Assault rifles evolved during World War II as a compromise between long rifles like the M1 Garand, and submachine guns like the Thompson submachine gun. The smaller cartridge is still strong enough for most combat situations, but light enough to allow the user to carry more and to handle the gun with less recoil and more accuracy.