Rifle vs. Gun

[Bob Womack]

I fell in love with the Colonial term for hand-held weapons a while back. In that period, by the very name they emphasized the most important part of a daily use weapon and the hardest to get right with current technology, the safety and ignition system. They called that portion of the weapon the "lock." The generic name of any hand-held weapon was a "firelock." Thus, the command given to the British soldiers to surrender their arms at the British surrender at the end of the Revolutionary War Battle of Yorktown and reported by the Colonial observers was, "Ground your firelocks!"

Firearms of all types have become so controversial that I've taken to labeling anything weapons-related that will be carried in a public place by this term. It has style and leave's 'em wondering...

Bob

[bonnie]

When I was on the job and ordered (screamed/yelled), "drop the gun!", they always knew what I was talking about.

A gun is generic. A rifle, pistol, revolver, shotgun, BB gun, etc., is specific.

[DICKX]

In 1959 if the DI heard you call your rifle a gun all hell broke loose. Push up's and maybe even KP duty or and to this day I never call a rifle a gun.
Dick

[CINDERS]

From memory I had heard that were called rifles or Rifled barrels and not guns I think it was on a vid with the 15" L-5 weaponry on the IOWA class they referred to which in WWII they stated would defeat the enemy. I would say the Yamato and an IOWA class would have been an interesting stoush the earlier mounting 18.1", some armour was 36" thick and each turret weighed as much as a large WWII destroyer. The A.P projectile weighed 1.46 tonnes Max range 40,050m Altitude 11,900m Flight time 98.60 sec
Yes had been told it is always a rifle the gun is for other stuff

[fn111557]

Anything that isn't a revolver is a pistol. Sometimes a revolver is a pistol but mostly a revolver, depends on my mood. A rifle is a rifle, a shotgun a shotgun. All are weapons and can be referred to as such. Rarely I do say gun it depends on context. If you call anything a Gat, Deuce Deuce, Burner, Chopper, Four Fifth, Nine, or an Automatic, Heater, Problem solver, Toaster or any other street slang,,,rest assured I will ignore you.

Oh come on. . . how can you ignore someone who says “Chicago Typewriter” ?

[latigo 1]

I agree with the above posts by bonnie and woodsy. "GUN" is generic for firearms. That is why there are gun stores, gun safes, gun laws, gunsmiths, etc. Rifle, pistol, revolver, shotgun is descriptive as to type of gun.

[WarPig1976]

Oh come on. . . how can you ignore someone who says “Chicago Typewriter” ?

Cus, if I don't the conversation may lead to a "New York reload"...

[Colonel Enfield]

I remember having to do pushups in the Army for not saying "weapon."

To avoid this 25 years later I still say weapon.

In this part of a world it is absolutely forbidden (well, discouraged in the strongest possible terms) among licensed firearms owners to describe a firearm as a "Weapon" - weapons are for using on people; firearms are a sporting implement, tool, or piece of history for target shooting, hunting/pest control or collecting.

I remember very clearly one day being in a gun shop when someone who had just got their firearms licence came in and told the chap behind the counter he wanted to buy a weapon. The chap behind the counter told him straight up "Sorry mate, we don't sell weapons here. Plenty of guns for hunting and shooting targets, though."

As for the whole "rifle vs gun" thing - all firearms are guns. "Gun" is a perfectly acceptable catch-all term for all firearms, with further deliniation to Longarms (Rifles, Shotguns, Air Rifles, Muskets etc), and Handguns (Revolvers, Semi-automatics, Air Pistols, etc). "Pistol" is a synonym for "Handgun" and has nothing to do with the gun's action.

[WarPig1976]

firearms are a sporting implement, tool, or piece of history for target shooting, hunting/pest control or collecting.

You fellas are dealing with a difficult forbidden subject situation so I can see the play on words. We do the same thing to a lesser degree. I have yet to visit a fun shop that sells "Assault rifles" but they do sell modern sporting rifles. I don't own any "High capacity magazines" but I do own standard capacity magazines. Every single firearm I own is or can be used as a weapon. It's an interesting view into different cultures.

[13Echo]

During Basic at Ft. Polk in 1967 the drill sergeants very pointedly made the distinction between weapons, rifles and guns. Later at the Ft. Sill Artillery school it was made even more clear. Very , almost crystalline, clear. To this day I cannot call a rifle or pistol a gun. Guns, unless it is a shotgun or machine gun, start at about 20mm. Everything else is a weapon, rifle, or pistol.