Certainly one should never say "clip" for "magazine" or "bullet" for "cartridge", but I don't see what's wrong with "gun". According to the war movies from which I get all my information, a rifle is for fighting, a gun is for fun. I get the impression the point is to distinguish between rifles and things like ship's guns and artillery pieces. But they're rifles too, aren't they? They certainly aren't smooth bore muskets.
Dare I throw in the term "assault rifle" for vernacular correction? IOW, use a phrase or word long enough, and it becomes part of the language, even earning a dictionary entry.
So my hackles no longer get raised by such things. A wise old chief master sergeant once told me, "Choose your battles carefully, son!" Clip, magazine, thing that goes up, whatever...
I used to be a member of a skeet club where everyone referred to shotgun shells as "bullets." It grated on me at first but eventually I just got used to it. Somehow that broke the Terminology Misuse Alarm area of my brain and since then, I don't even blink when I hear someone say "clip" for magazine or "shell" for cartridge. Moral of the story: don't hang out with people who mix up their firearms jargon.
I don't even let it bother me anymore. Too many customers, not enough time to correct them. "These come with hi-cap clips?" It's annoying, but not as annoying as some of the manufacturers. "Look at that Bushmaster A3M4! It's an M4, must be full auto!" I blame Bushmaster for that, the damn thing is an AR-15 in the M4 style, not an M4, it's not even mil-spec.
Don't get me started on the guys who want 12-gauge pistol grip Mossbergs for dove hunting. Or the guy who insisted I should sell him a gun, after he got caught carrying illegally (yes, that will make me sell you one...). Somedays, I feel like you just can't win...
Just Remember, every time you call a magazine a clip, a gun angel dies. No amount of clapping can bring them back either. Maybe lots of shooting can though.
"The bullet comes out the barrel,
ReplyDeletethe cartridge goes into the breech.
As you are careful with your apparel,
be mindful of your speech."
That's actually a paraphrase as I do not have the Jeff Cooper quotation in front of me.
Shootin' Buddy
Yeah, that "magazine/clip" thing has always bugged me.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I like tripping up pedants by casually mentioning "clips" for my Garand, and trolling for ignorant corrections.
Steve, I believe that's also the only clip I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteTjbbpgoblll-
ReplyDeleteAlso Stripper Clips.
Examples
SKS
Most if not all WWI and WWII bolt actions.
Broom-handle Mausers
and my favorite the Grendel P-10
MSJ, of course "stripper clips" which are only used to charge magazines and not actually hold for firing per M1 Grand. My bad
ReplyDeletetjbbpgoblll,
ReplyDeleteOf course, Mannlicher-system rifles such as the Steyr, Carcano, and Berthier also use en bloc clips.
Well Tam, thank you I didn't know that.
ReplyDeleteDoh!!!
ReplyDeleteMoon Clips.
Since most people who use bad grammar are equally careless of their appearance, perhaps a different simile would be more productive of change.
ReplyDeleteEn bloc clips are also referred to as "chargers." (Or is that stripper clips? Damn!)
ReplyDeleteChargers if you're British. Magazines have springs in them.
ReplyDeleteCertainly one should never say "clip" for "magazine" or "bullet" for "cartridge", but I don't see what's wrong with "gun". According to the war movies from which I get all my information, a rifle is for fighting, a gun is for fun. I get the impression the point is to distinguish between rifles and things like ship's guns and artillery pieces. But they're rifles too, aren't they? They certainly aren't smooth bore muskets.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDare I throw in the term "assault rifle" for vernacular correction? IOW, use a phrase or word long enough, and it becomes part of the language, even earning a dictionary entry.
ReplyDeleteSo my hackles no longer get raised by such things. A wise old chief master sergeant once told me, "Choose your battles carefully, son!" Clip, magazine, thing that goes up, whatever...
I used to be a member of a skeet club where everyone referred to shotgun shells as "bullets." It grated on me at first but eventually I just got used to it. Somehow that broke the Terminology Misuse Alarm area of my brain and since then, I don't even blink when I hear someone say "clip" for magazine or "shell" for cartridge. Moral of the story: don't hang out with people who mix up their firearms jargon.
ReplyDeleteI don't even let it bother me anymore. Too many customers, not enough time to correct them. "These come with hi-cap clips?" It's annoying, but not as annoying as some of the manufacturers. "Look at that Bushmaster A3M4! It's an M4, must be full auto!" I blame Bushmaster for that, the damn thing is an AR-15 in the M4 style, not an M4, it's not even mil-spec.
ReplyDeleteDon't get me started on the guys who want 12-gauge pistol grip Mossbergs for dove hunting. Or the guy who insisted I should sell him a gun, after he got caught carrying illegally (yes, that will make me sell you one...). Somedays, I feel like you just can't win...
-Rob
If I clip a magazine onto my tacticool belt, can I call it a clip?
ReplyDeleteJust Remember, every time you call a magazine a clip, a gun angel dies. No amount of clapping can bring them back either. Maybe lots of shooting can though.
ReplyDeleteSome guy at the range gave me a little saying to help me keep it straight:
ReplyDelete"Magazines are for reading, clips are for hair."