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Author Topic: what does the press mean by "high caliber ------", or high power firearm?  (Read 2329 times)

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Offline Dand

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what does the press mean by "high caliber ------", or high power firearm?
« on: May 26, 2011, 09:12:30 PM »
It drives me nuts and shows the press ignorance, but often any article about some shooting or guns or event will include the reference to a "high caliber" rifle, pistol or whatever.  Some times I see them talk about the shooter used a "high power" ---- whatever.   Any clue what they really mean or is it just some effort to sensationalize the article?

More to the point, I've wondered if its worth trying to rebut the comments. 

These days, I would think that nearly all firearms other than maybe a .22 rimfire would qualify as high power or high velocity.

Anyway I heard this the other day and just had to post this to get it off my chest and to see what others think.

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Offline flintlock

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Re: what does the press mean by "high caliber ------", or high power firearm?
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2011, 01:45:44 AM »
Decades ago I had an older gentleman tell me you don't argue with someone that buys their ink by the 55 gallon drum...I try not to waste my time on negative energy, just isn't worth it...Go for a long walk or take a fishing trip instead... :)

You see this in many areas, even some of the guys that write for outdoor mags...

One on One, I'll make my point...But I have better things to do than try to argue in print (or on internet forums)...
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Offline lakota

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Re: what does the press mean by "high caliber ------", or high power firearm?
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2011, 04:36:42 PM »
I would assume anything more powerful than a cork gun would qualify as "high powered" or "high caliber" in the eyes of the 4th branch of government-the media.
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Offline mcwoodduck

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Re: what does the press mean by "high caliber ------", or high power firearm?
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2011, 05:37:33 PM »
I heard high Power as a speed point.  Such asd 22 Savage high power.  2400 FPS or faster.
High caliber is a combination of speed and bullet diameter.  Usually .25 and larger diameter.
Most of the military calibers from the turn of the century fit into this catagory.
These are old terms from the turn of the century with the advent of smokless powders.
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Offline Empty Quiver

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Re: what does the press mean by "high caliber ------", or high power firearm?
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2011, 05:48:22 PM »
It means,  OOOOHH, BE AFRAID BE VERY AFRAID. You gots your cap guns, you gost your shotguns, you gots your high calibre and then then you gots your, wait for it... assault rifle.

Wouldn't you like to throw a bucket of range brass in front of one of these clowns and have them sort out the high calibre from the assault rifle, from the hunting rifle ammo?
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Offline mauser98us

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Re: what does the press mean by "high caliber ------", or high power firearm?
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2011, 07:07:18 PM »
They don't know what they mean. Just a standard phrase the far left uses.
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Offline BW56

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Re: what does the press mean by "high caliber ------", or high power firearm?
« Reply #6 on: May 28, 2011, 11:16:49 AM »
If its bigger than mine, its a high cal, If its faster than mine, its high power. Just means i need to get another bigger faster gun.   
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Offline subdjoe

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Re: what does the press mean by "high caliber ------", or high power firearm?
« Reply #7 on: May 29, 2011, 01:17:10 PM »
What does the press mean?  "How can we make this gun seem to be more than what it is?"  or "How can we scare the most people?"

Most of the members of the press know somewhat less about firearms than the average 5th grader knows about paleo-cosmology.   That is why we have phrases like "assault weapon" and "high powered assault rifle" and "cop killer bullet."  And the idea that guns with polymer frames were designed to keep LE from taking fingerprints from them and that the "plastic guns" wouldn't set off metal detectors.
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Offline gypsyman

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Re: what does the press mean by "high caliber ------", or high power firearm?
« Reply #8 on: June 01, 2011, 04:17:31 AM »
A couple years ago, we had a news report of a guy here in the Toledo area. News made a big deal out of ''explosive's'', he had. Come to find out, gasoline and paint thinner in the garage. OK  How many of us qualify in that dept?
Right after the OK city bombing, for the next 2 years, the neighbor I had, had to jump thru hoops to get fertilizer for farming. Even thou he had been farming since a kid, with his dad and uncle, and everybody at the co-op knew each other. Press made a big deal out of how to make such a bomb, and all the farmers around here, had been blowing stumps and making bigger openings for well heads for years before that event.
As far as most news nowdays, I don't consider them much better than the supermarket tabloids like the Enquirer of World News Daily. According to them, Jesus has been coming for the last 20+ years. gypsyman
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Offline Pat/Rick

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Re: what does the press mean by "high caliber ------", or high power firearm?
« Reply #9 on: June 01, 2011, 06:07:28 AM »
Marketing an agenda.  Its all in how to make something appear more evil using dramatic phrases. The line I like was from a few years ago when a Portland,OR channel reported a firearm as "fully semi automatic".  My favorite is when a definition is completely bypassed to press home a point. My favorite is assault weapon. A true AW has the ability to go from semi to full auto by means of a selector switch (pentagon def.). The modern armored fighting vehicles have auto matic transmissions, are made of steel, can accelerate from zero to thirtyfive miles an hour without shifting gears; How many folks out there complain of assault eapons, when they in fact drive assault vehicles?  Yep, its all in the marketing.  ;)
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Offline yellowtail3

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Re: what does the press mean by "high caliber ------", or high power firearm?
« Reply #10 on: June 27, 2011, 12:21:38 PM »
as a couple others have mentioned, it's supposed to be scary - that bad guy had a high-powered weapon! Mayhem! And if it was high-powered, there's a good chance it was also fully loaded!

Combine High-Powered and Fully Loaded (only a criminal or a cop would have a fully loaded weapon!) and the reader should know we're all at peril....
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Offline subdjoe

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Re: what does the press mean by "high caliber ------", or high power firearm?
« Reply #11 on: June 27, 2011, 03:25:10 PM »
Quote from: yellowtail3 on June 27, 2011, 12:21:38 PM
as a couple others have mentioned, it's supposed to be scary - that bad guy had a high-powered weapon! Mayhem! And if it was high-powered, there's a good chance it was also fully loaded!

Combine High-Powered and Fully Loaded (only a criminal or a cop would have a fully loaded weapon!) and the reader should know we're all at peril....

"Fully loaded"...that would be power windows, CD changer, a/c, power locks?
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