Arm Yourself With The Proper Gun Terminology – IOTW Report

Arm Yourself With The Proper Gun Terminology

TFB: Let’s talk about the importance of words, a little terminology 101. After all, you never know when you might learn something new – or find something worth passing on to a newbie (or even if it isn’t exactly new, it might serve as a gentle reminder of its value). And if you love guns like I do (passionately, ridiculously, and possibly obsessively), you’ll probably be nodding your head in agreement as you go, even as you roll your eyes. Yes, we love guns, so please, let’s get a few things straight.

It’s Not a Clip!

The old clip-versus-magazine discussion. In the world of journalism, there’s a joke about learning gun terminology to ensure the greatest possible accuracy in writing: it’s a clip. It’s a clip, it’s a clip, it’s a clip. The “it’s a clip” comment is often made by many who know better. For example, a friend going through the police academy grew frustrated listening to an instructor give a speech where he yelled, “You put it in your gun; you don’t read it, so it isn’t a magazine!”

What’s the difference? I’m so glad you asked (or are being forced at gun point to read this…whichever…).

There’s a simple explanation: MORE

42 Comments on Arm Yourself With The Proper Gun Terminology

  1. Is this really worth getting in an uproar over? I just finished “To Hell and Back” and Audie Murphy repeatedly mentioned putting a new clip in his carbine (not Garand) or tommy gun.

  2. I use clips and magazines. And I don’t call loaded cartridges “bullets”. Ain’t I special.

    And, and. I just ordered some bullets and a new die set for a rifle that takes clips and magazines. Can you imagine that? And a case trimmer for 7.62×39. Damn. Shit howdy.

  3. To pick a couple of nits.
    He is using the term ‘gun’ when what he means is ‘firearm’. The only time the word ‘gun’ should be used is when the discussion includes guns that are not firearms.
    Secondly, many firearms send the entire round out of the end of the barrel along with the projectile (not always a bullet coming out of the end of a barrel).

  4. All I know for sure is that if a bad guy is pounding my door down I’m going to grab the closest gun or firearm, a couple extra clips and magazines, and if I see them, some extra bullets and cartridges, and hopefully blow the perp right off my deck or porch!

  5. some things aren’t well defined.
    Generally, if it is fired from the shoulder or a fixed platform it is considered a long gun.
    John Wayne fired carbines without shouldering them, and cops tend to call their pistol gripped short shotguns ‘long guns’.

  6. Brad,
    Duuhhh, there are two items in the pic: a binder clip and a banana. But you ask us to name the item (singular). So, to get us all out of this disagreeable binder, how about we call it a banana clip?

    Hmm. Banana clip. Didn’t hippies wear their pubic hair that way back in the 70s?

  7. They call all rifles long guns. This is on the scanner.
    Like this:BOLO FOR ROBBERY SUSPECTS:
    Dude and his partner each have long guns.
    They never say rifles. Which I think is odd.
    I never hear anyone say long guns. Always rifles or AR’s
    But what do I know.

  8. Bradly, first of all I would never google anything unless I wanted the communist version. Same goes for Wankerpedia.
    The real question though, is who you are responding to.
    I have never discussed the definition of a carbine here, you should go back through the posts and figure out who you intended to respond to.

  9. I have to say that you are getting better Brad For Brains.
    Usually when you F-up you get belligerent and start threatening people.
    Someday, maybe, you will admit a mistake, but these things take baby steps and it is good to see you making progress.

  10. Yup. Those are guns.

    There are long guns, scatter guns, hand guns, trunk guns, BBQ guns, BB guns, air guns, and cap guns. And that’s just for starter guns. (-:

    And, yeah, of course it is a banana magazine – but when was the last time you heard anyone call ’em that who wasn’t even more pedantic than I am?

  11. JohnS, You’re right JohnS and I owe it all to you. Continually communicating with some one like yourself that is a master on literally every topic is tough to compete with. Dude, how many times have you been divorced? Just wondering. I’m sure they were all ignorant people.

  12. “Yup. Those are guns”.

    I’m more impressed with people that know how to use them expertly than what ever label you want to put on the tool. The term clip does drive me nuts though.

  13. Al, I see a couple of both manufactures every week. What a butt ugly gun. Part of the allure of a firearm is it should look clean, almost sexy. That design is not cutting it. By the way everyone knows here, I think, I’m a 1911 freak. Love the gun. Shoot the gun well. But my favorite weapon of all time is the Single Action Armies. What an awesome gun.

  14. The Rhino’s receiver is CNC machined from a solid block of high tensile aluminum.
    “Is this a big deal Brad? Your a machinist right?

    Virtually all of the components are CNC machined, this manufacturing process yields a very precise fit with minimal tolerances. The Rhino is chambered for the .357 Magnum, 9mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, or 9×21mm cartridges. Its most distinctive feature is that the barrel is on a low axis compared to most other revolvers, since it fires from the lowermost chamber of the cylinder, rather than firing from the topmost chamber. This is intended to reduce muzzle flip by directing the recoil into the shooter’s wrist, rather than over it. Another distinctive feature is that the cross-section of the cylinder is hexagonal instead of cylindrical (though with rounded corners); this is intended to lower the weapon’s profile in concealed carry applications.[1][4][6][7]

  15. Geez dude. Go do some forearm and grip exercises if you want to control recoil. You would need to sneak up on your holster with that ugly hunk of metal.

  16. Ted, I missed your comment. Yes I’m a machinist and not by choice, a gungineer.
    Hee Hee, I just made up a new word. I would not own a 1911 with an aluminum frame and a revolver is even worse. By high tensel strength aluminum they are referring to 7075 t6. Still aluminum. Not that much stronger than any other aluminum.

  17. Ted, there’s more to this than I typed. Coefficient of expansion, hardness, malubility. If you want more specifics ping me tomorrow. Keep in mind AR’s are different. When they go into battery there’s no aluminum involved

  18. Brad, divorce and business failure are obviously a large part of your life.
    I have had to reinvent my business many times. Most recently a year and a half ago.
    The idea of just quitting and waiting for someone to come along and save me never occurred to me.
    Maybe you really are smarter.
    In the meantime I keep my shop and toys. Luckily I am not so old or unskilled or lazy that I cannot keep them up.
    Hopefully Trump starts writing you a check every month and you will achieve success.

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