The oft used word "weapon"

[Ranger99]

I know I'm a newcomer here, so a lot
of folks will say I'm speaking out of turn.


Is there any way to reduce hunters, campers,
and outdoor sportsman's use of the word weapon?


I have quite a few firearms, and pieces of cutlery,
but I don't have any weapons.
I have to sit and watch or read in the various media
of someone "with a cache of weapons" or " a large
arsenal of high powered weapons".
The one that kills me is "Police recovered a a large
arsenal of weapons".
Were they lost or stolen?
If they "recovered" something, I think that something
would be an item or items that had been lost or
stolen instead or saying "knife collection" or "gun
collection".


I just don't like giving the libs fuel for the fire.

[gcrank1]

Ranger, I agree with you 100% and have thought long it too. Words do make a difference. When among a fellow group of enthusiasts we may get lax in our terminology and nobody misconstrues it, then we go out into the world and........
Sad thing is that we, in this land of Freedom of Speech, have to watch what we say and how we say it lest it be used against us (and be sure, 'they' will use is against use).
I am reminded of a quote (know not by whom)," we must not only avoid imprepriety, but the appearance of imprepriety" and one by me,"be sure your words will bite you in the....netherregions".

[Victor3]

 I was at the range a while back shooting paper with a rimfire target rifle and another guy noted, "that's a nice weapon you have there." I just smiled and said thanks. The term didn't fit the rifle, but if it were one of my milsurps or a Glock it would have. Those were designed to kill people.


 Regardless, weapon or not I call it a rifle, pistol or most often just the plain ol' generic "gun." Same with knives; dirk, stiletto, dagger, etc. are all simply referred to as knives.


 What makes me cringe is when guys use ghetto terms like "shottie," or "nine," etc.


 As to folks who don't like guns/knives, terminology means nothing; they're all "weapons" to them no matter what we might call them.

[reliquary]

I usually call them "hand tools" when around nonbelievers, or just the descriptor rifle-pistol-revolver-shotgun. 

[mcwoodduck]

I correct people all the time at the range.
The word weapon implies intent. To do bodily harm to someone either in the offensive or defensive roll.
I found most of the guys calling it a weapon are usually EX military or gunsite grads.
While I own some firearms as home defense guns when at the range it is a piece of sports equipment and part of the target match I am involved in or the practice session for those matches.
A hammer is a tool, unless you use it as a weapon.
A base ball bat is a piece of sports equipment, unless you use it as like Al in the untouchables.
Calling it a weapon gives the anti gun people more power.

[Graybeard]

I mostly own guns and knives BUT I do have weapons. I have self defense concealed carry weapons and home defense weapons. I hope I never have a reason to use any of the weapons in a self defense situation but I do have them just in case my life or that of my family is in danger.

All the rest are just guns I use to hunt or plink or target shoot with.

[keith44]

until deployed as a weapon my guns and knives remain tools

[bobg]

  Never liked the word weapon and i don't use it. Another word i don't use is kill. If i am with a bunch of people and a hunter i know asks how deer season went my answer is yes or no i didn't get one this year. Never know what some looney is going to say if you say you killed a deer.

[keith44]

  Never liked the word weapon and i don't use it. Another word i don't use is kill. If i am with a bunch of people and a hunter i know asks how deer season went my answer is yes or no i didn't get one this year. Never know what some looney is going to say if you say you killed a deer.

In the business of harvesting game, I substitute take or harvest for the word kill

[Rock6.3]

I have hammered this point many times in person by showing them my ball point pen.
"Is this a weapon?"

They always say "No."

I then raise it up and hold it like a dagger in an attack posture, "Is it a weapon now?"

They always say "Yes" as they step back.

I then explain that "I own tools like pens and rifles.  The word weapon implies intent, please do not refer to my tools as weapons."

[mattmillerrx]

I have a lot of tools 


I also dislike the term "assault weapon" or "assault rifle"...The media on the other hand seems to love the term and applies it to just about any rifle.

[keith44]

an assault rifle, according to the media, has more to do with the stock and magazine than the action.  We all know their biased.

[hunt-m-up]

It's always interesting when the media wants to be dramatic and say that a suspect had several hundred or thousands of rounds of ammunition; couple bricks of .22 and a case of shotgun shells would pretty much do it. 
There have been a lot of "weapons-grade" claw hammers that have been used in crimes throughout the years, but Lowes and Home Depot still seem to sell them without a background check.

[Ranger99]

using an object for no good is in the
heart, the hands, and the mind of
someone bent on doing no good.


a stick, a brick, a piece of broken glass,
anything can be a weapon.


i consider my cutlery and firearms as
tools to do a job and at times that job may be
saving myself or loved ones or property from harm.

[Ranger99]

the "law enforcement officials recovered----"
always kicks me in the teeth.

[keith44]

the "law enforcement officials recovered----"
always kicks me in the teeth.

Makes it sound like they issued or lost the item(s) in question

[Victor3]

It's always interesting when the media wants to be dramatic and say that a suspect had several hundred or thousands of rounds of ammunition; couple bricks of .22 and a case of shotgun shells would pretty much do it. 

  Another favorite is to say that a suspect had an "arsenal."
 
 An arsenal is a facility where multiple copies of the same types of firearms are stored, serviced, etc. Term doesn't apply to your gun safe.
 
 I have to laugh when the police raid a home, then lay all of the "weapons" out on the front lawn for the media photo op. Often times I've seen pellet guns, single shot rifles, machetes, etc. among them. If there happens to be a school (horror of horrors) closer than a mile away they like to mention that too.
 
 Then you've got your gun "buy-backs" where Grandma takes her dead Husband's rusty .22 squirrel rifle out of the shed and trades it in for a $100 gift certificate (at taxpayer expense). Yippee.... Another deadly weapon "off the streets."
 
 Wish I could organize a local knife buy-back. Heck, "If only one child is saved..."

[jamaldog87]

from en.wikipedia.org.
 
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used in order to inflict damage or harm to living beings—physical or mental—artificial structures, or systems. In human society, weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, and warfare. Weapons are employed individually or collectively. A weapon can be either expressly designed as such or be an item re-purposed through use (for example, hitting someone with a hammer). Their form can range from simple implements such as clubs to complicated modern implementations such as intercontinental ballistic missiles and biological weapons. Weapon development has progressed from early wood or stone clubs through revolutions in metalworking (swords, maces, etc.) and gunpowder (guns, cannon), electronics and nuclear technology.

In a broader context, weapons may be construed to include anything used to gain a strategic, material or mental advantage over an adversary on land, sea, air, or even outer space or virtual space.
 
to me something is a weapon if it was made for  one  purpose and used for one  purpose of  killing like a RPG, IED or 30mm GAU-8/A Avenger.

[gcrank1]

A weapon is the one pointed at me, my defensive arm is the one I fire back...........