When I was in the Corp full auto use was always taught as a more or less last ditch effort. You're being overrun to the point that you pretty much couldn't help but hit something when holding the trigger down. Called "final protective fire" back then, don't know what they might call it now.
If I recall the 3-shot burst was a direct response to the fact that full auto use by most soldiers was not only ineffective, but wasteful of their ammunition. Three round burst being determined as the max amount of sustained fire that could be controlled with any degree of effectiveness by the average soldier.
Personally, it's fun, but given a choice between a full auto only firearm and a semi-auto only, I'd take the semi. My preference.
Another issue....
If you've done your time full fire arm rights should be restored. Hmmm. I have mixed feelings. As pointed out, some felonies are more serious than others so I could see my way to cutting some slack in that regard. Tax evasion is a bit less threatening to the general population than say, armed robbery using deadly force resulting in the death of 1 or more.
The problem is if someone does something once, their likelihood of doing it again bears thinking about. Repeat offenders abound. I know that sounds like convicting someone based on what they might do, but think about it like this, and be honest with yourself.
Would you send your kid to a preschool where a known, convicted child sex offender worked? He's done his time, but still.
I would not.
