Do you call firearms 'weapons?'

[PsychGuy274]

It kind of bugs me when people call firearms/guns 'weapons.' I believe this is just one of those little things that solidifies in people's minds that firearms are solely tools of violence.

When it comes to the word 'weapon' I don't believe there is any object in the world that is a weapon. I believe that a weapon is a state of an object and any object has the potential to become a weapon, but nothing is inherently so.

I use a knife as a tool to cut meat until someone attacks me. Now it's a stabbing device.

I use a baseball bat to play baseball until someone attacks me. Now it's a blunt object.

I use a gun for fun and target practice until someone attacks me. Now it's a high-velocity projectile launcher.

What say you fellow Calgunners?

[paul0660]

When I hammer nails with my pistol I call it a tool. When I stir gravy with it I call it a utensil. Given some odd circumstance and a degree of inebriation, maybe a marital aid. When it has bullets in it, a weapon.

[Ergo the Qualmed]

I imagine it differs between civvies and military.

Me, well, my rifles are firearms first, weapons second. Mainly because I use them for target shooting first, and if I ever needed to use it as a weapon, only then would it become a weapon. I think it is all about intent. Hell, whenever they find a sharpened stick in a cave, it's a "primitive tool," not a primitive weapon, right?

[Ron-Solo]

Yes, but I don't play word games. Lots of things besides firearms are weapons.

[Ape]

LOL..... I laugh because a LGS in my area that's been around forever always corrects someone when they call a "gun" a "weapon".

They do it kind of half heartedly by sayign they don't want to give the Liberal Anti Gun types more ammo to try and take away 2A rights. But I still find it half humorous and half annoying.

Whether or not I use a gun at the range or for self defense, it's STILL a weapon no matter what PC name you apply to it.

[PsychGuy274]

When I hammer nails with my pistol I call it a tool. When I stir gravy with it I call it a utensil. Given some odd circumstance and a degree of inebriation, maybe a marital aid. When it has bullets in it, a weapon.

I guess it comes down to what the ultimate purpose is for woning it. I know some people that only have firearms for home defense. They don't target shoot outside of practice, don't shoot competitions, don't particularly enjoy shooting as a sport or hobby, etc. In this context I believe that it could be viewed as a weapon at all times.

But most of us here seem to fit in the categories listed above. I own guns for collecting purposes, interest, gunsmithing and I shoot guns for fun, skill building and personal challenge. The vast majority of my firearm use is as a tool and hobby so I don't see the label of 'weapon' as necessary.

But again, I guess it comes down to the purpose that you have it to begin with.

[renzoku]

Far as I see it, weapons are a subset of the tool classification which is, itself, a subset of the object classification. Now what constitutes a weapon? All kinds of things, really, anything that can deal physical damage to a human being.

So yeah, guns are weapons. So are cars, planes, nukes, and nail files.

Now, how often do I refer to a gun as a weapon? Fairly often. Off the job it reminds me to treat a gun respectfully and carefully, observing all safety procedeures. On the job, I'd be working to shape perspectives, getting bystanders on my side over the side of an assailant. Luckily I haven't been forced to use the term in the latter parlance, but in the former it's been very effective in its goal: maintaining my proper mindset.

It's a term of classification, and yes, it has certain connotations. But the term itself is a tool, and can be used for good or ill (to promote safety or generate fear.)

[FuzzyBrows]

i like to keep it simple. i really do consider my firearms as weapons for self defense as its primary reason is to keep my family and me safe. plinking and target shooting is done more to keep me proficient in handling them although its super fun at the same time. for every task theres a perfect tool. example: there are many knives in my house. steak knives i use to cut meat, utensil; razor knives i use to cut boxes, wires, paper, etc., utility knife; and then theres my swords and m9 bayonet... i would only use it to stab stuff. i would call that a weapon. i would classify an item for what its intended purpose is and to be brutally honest, i own guns to take down bad guys if the occasion arises. the other stuff i do with it is a bonus lol. just because you can use something for other things doesnt change the fact that is it what it is. then again, its totally true the vise-versa hahahaha.

ranting aside: it depends on how u look at it.
military soldier - weapon
LEO - regulator
comp shooter - sporting item
hunter - tool
females - equalizer
red neck - plinker
every day gun owner - 'all of the above'

[Ape]

Are we so conditioned by "PCism" that we really need to worry about calling a gun a weapon?
I mean come on....lets throw off the shackles of Liberalism at it's it's best and avoid falling into the PC trap.

[rojocorsa]

I do call them weapons, because firearms are weapons.

I know that's terrible circular logic.

But the word 'firearm' itself has the word weapon in it anyway. (arm) IIRC, "arms" comes from Latin.

[tileguy]

when i was in the army [combat engineer] always, nothing else it was my weapon.that was years ago. now i call them firearms, guns, pistol, my babies,but calling them weapons not to often it depends who iam talking with.

[PsychGuy274]

i like to keep it simple. i really do consider my firearms as weapons for self defense as its primary reason is to keep my family and me safe. plinking and target shooting is done more to keep me proficient in handling them although its super fun at the same time. for every task theres a perfect tool. example: there are many knives in my house. steak knives i use to cut meat, utensil; razor knives i use to cut boxes, wires, paper, etc., utility knife; and then theres my swords and m9 bayonet... i would only use it to stab stuff. i would call that a weapon. i would classify an item for what its intended purpose is and to be brutally honest, i own guns to take down bad guys if the occasion arises. the other stuff i do with it is a bonus lol. just because you can use something for other things doesnt change the fact that is it what it is. then again, its totally true the vise-versa hahahaha.

ranting aside: it depends on how u look at it.
military soldier - weapon
LEO - regulator
comp shooter - sporting item
hunter - tool
females - equalizer
red neck - plinker
every day gun owner - 'all of the above'

I like this way of thinking about it.

[ChrisTKHarris]

I call them "gats".

jk

When talking to educated pro-gunnies or friends I sometimes refer to them as "weapons", but to people I don't know I refer to them as "firearms".

[Ergo the Qualmed]

Actually I call whichever I am holding at the time "the rifle"

[Sespe]

Most of my things that go bang: firearms
most of my things that slice: knives
most of my things that chop: axes
my things most likely to harm other people: family cars.