Well, it only "means nothing" if you ignore that it was a defined term in the Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 - you know, a
law. That definition is:
In general, the AWB defined any firearm with a detachable magazine and at least two of certain other characteristics as an assault weapon.
For rifles, those characteristics included:
- Telescoping stock
- Pistol grip
- Bayonet mount
- Grenade launcher
- Flash suppressor
For shotguns:
- Telescoping stock
- Pistol grip
- A capacity to hold more than five rounds
For handguns:
- Threaded barrels made to attach a barrel extender, handgrip or flash suppressor
- A barrel shroud that can be used as a handhold
- Weight of at least 50 oz. when unloaded
Nineteen models of firearms were specifically named in the legislation as assault weapons, while other models were included under the umbrella of the law’s definition of assault weapons.