The shot ration in a specific amount of time is irrelevant. Bolt action rifles have been known to produce rates of fire in the right hands that rival automatic weapons. The Lee Enfield is the notable one:
"The fast-operating Lee bolt-action and large magazine capacity enabled a trained rifleman to fire between 20 to 30 aimed rounds a minute, making the Lee-Enfield the fastest military bolt-action rifle of the day. The current world record for aimed bolt-action fire was set in 1914 by a musketry instructor in the British Army — Sergeant Instructor Snoxall — who placed 38 rounds into a 12" target at 300 yards (270 m) in one minute." This is well known among Military circles and shows that even bolt action rifles (though not being all big, black and scary to the eunuchs of gun control as that AR-15), can be comparable to modern day "assault" weapons.
The amount of fire is useless if that amount is not aimed and carried through efficiently. I believe one of the worst things to happen in warfare was automatic weapons. It gave armies the false notion that more bullets were better. The reality is that the quality of fire used with proper tactical suppression gives armies the advantage. That is a big reason why our guys have their M-16's with the 3 round burst setting. The automatic fire is really functionally useless unless it's purpose is to flood a particular area with fire-power. In those circumstances, that is when air-support is called in.
Overall, The great thing about AR-15's , Ak-47's, and any other rifle is that it gives the civilian the advantage of being able to defend themselves from their government. The sale and possession of such weapons is important for that alone, and anyone who seeks to disable the citizenry from that
right, ultimately undermines their humanity and jeopardizes all their other rights as well.
ATL