Ill-defined term that attempts to distinguish between weapons used specifically for military purposes and those for other uses such as sport or self-defense. Military usage is associated with extreme firepower and ammunition capacity as well as appearance. The term is generally applied in the discussion about assault rifles as well as to certain modifications for handguns, such as extended magazines (projecting below the grip of the gun). One criticism of this term is that just about every firearm has had military use at some point.
