[DaveinGermany]

Assault rifles are military grade weapons which can fire on full automatic, one trigger pull & the magazine 20/30 rounds can be emptied in a single burst. Semi automatic weapons recock "automatically" after every shot & require the shooter to pull the trigger to fire the next round.

As you stated Mark, it's immaterial if you're shot with one weapon or another the damage will be done regardless. But as R6 pointed out, by banning automatics the rate at which victims are shot & injured will be slowed but not prevented.