Automatic weapons are very hard to obtain. You either have to be rich or politically connected or both. The fully auto weapons available on the market are all from the vietnam era and before. I challenge you to try and legally buy an automatic weapon. You'll find it to be cost prohibitive and very hard to get the signatures required for ownership. What you see in gun stores are semi-automatic weapons. The assault rifles look mean but it's just a look. They have been made to function the same way a non-bolt action hunting rifle does.