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How about those that deliberately call a Remington a "Remmy" or a Winchester a "Winnie". That just sounds too sweet.
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10-09-2010 10:11 AM
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There was a fellow in Melita, Manitoba, called Fred Jensen, who built some of the most accurate rifles ever put together in Canada
. That there aren't more of his rifles around is down, mostly, to the fact that almost NOBODY could get along with Fred. He would yell and scream at people for things that you or I would regard as harmless foibles. That he sold any guns at all was due to the fact that nobody could build a rifle which could out-shoot his. I have seen called 2-shot groups from a Fred Jensen 7mm Remington Magnum (Sako L-61 action, Douglas Supreme barrel fitted and chambered by Fred, stock started off as Bishop, if I recall correctly, laminated thin maple and walnut but was fitted, bedded and finished by the late Gavin Tait) that I had to borrow a quarter from a friend, just to measure: point-nine inch at 598 yards by the surveyor`s chain. Fred regarded this as NORMAL performance for that round! He shot Africa with the 7mm Rem a year before the Remington factory team and he was the first to hunt Afrca with the .458 Winchester. When he passed away a few years ago at a mere 96-and-a-bit, his trophy room, containing everything from Elephant to MOUSE, became part of the local Museum.
If Fred had heard these clowns talk about their Winnies and Remmies, (and likely Tikkies and Mousies and Savvies as well) they would have been thrown bodily out of his shop, their money following by air express and they would NEVER have been allowed back in the door, or even on his property.
But that was Fred. Me, I just laugh at the sheer idiocy of it all.
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Last edited by smellie; 10-12-2010 at 02:32 AM.
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The one that irritates me is referring to an SMLE as a "smellie". I learnt to shoot as a CCF cadet half a century ago. Believe me, we adolescents had jokey nicknames for everybody and everything. But I never heard the SMLE referred to as a "smellie" until I read it on Internet forums in the last few years. Until someone produces documentary evidence from the past, I am sceptical that the average soldier would use such a denigratory term for the weapon upon which his life might depend. Of course, as Peter Laidler would say, I may be wrong.
As has been pointed out, some people seem to think that if they use these terms, they are establishing their insider credentials. For me, it is rather the reverse.
Patrick
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@Patrick. Sounds like we learned just about the same time, but the term was current around here with the long-range guys, ALL of whom were WW2 veterans. They generally showed up with a mixture of rifles, anyway, Number 4s and SMLEs, Number 4 for close-range shooting, but the SMLEs came out at 800 and over.
One thing: if you confused the rifles in the Militia and called a Number 4 a "Smellie", you got a Severe Talking-to from a Sergeant who had enough ribbons on his chest to wrap a Christmas gift.... and if you did it a SECOND time, you were sure for 2 weeks' defaulters.
I picked it as a screen name because what I thought were all the good ones were taken and I wanted something that I could remember.... and it was distinctive and just a little irreverent, so I grabbed it. I don't think the modern guys have twigged to it yet, either, so that's nice in a way.
One thing I DID notice is that NO veteran of the Great War (of my acquaintance, at least) used the term: it was always "Short Lee-Enfield" or "Ross Rifle", NEVER a nickname. So we are both right.... I think, sort of, anyway, perhaps.....
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Thanks for your comments smellie. That seems to confirm my suspicion that the nicknaming was not usual in wartime, when it was all deadly serious, but has in fact has grown up in recent years (decades) with the rifles being more and more regarded as "boys' toys". Not that it's a matter of world-shattering importance, but I would be curious to see if anyone can produce an early written reference to the use of the term.
Patrick
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Hey I know let's call a National Postal Meter carbine a POSTIE! Or a Smith Corona a SMITHY and a Standard Products carbine a STANDY. Gee this is fun!!!!!
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We just had a good natured joust over on another forum dealing with the question, "What is the Crown Jewel of Mo(i)sin Nagants?" or something to that effect. One fellow posted that he wished that topic would go away forever, as he wasn't interested in what he couldn't have anyway. I guess we need to step back once in a while and see if we can determine if we might be making sense or not. I gave a oil rigger guy a ride home one time. He was talking about his job, using all the handy-dandy terms that these guys use. I had no clue as to what he was talking about. I did a stellar job, though, of making like I was following right along.
