[JDSlack]

I was watching an episode of Law and Order: Special Victims the other day. In the course of the investigation of a suspect, one of the detectives states that the guy has an "arsenal" according to NYPD firearms records. Later on it comes out that they guy has five handguns. Damn, if that's an arsenal, I must qualify as the equivalent of a third world army.

Further evidence that New York/Hollywood script writers need to get out more.

[AZTOY]

What makes an arsenal anyway?

The question should be wants not a arsenal.:banghead:

If you ask the media anything over 1 gun is a arsenal.:banghead:

[cordex]

As you know, words like "arsenal" or "stockpile" are not objective. They are subjective terms generally describing someone else's property in a fashion that implies that they have more than they "need" or more than they should have.

[C.R.Sam]

Cordex right.
Arsenal is in the mind of the bethinker.

Sam

[mete]

In my experience over the years it seems that anything over 3 guns is an arsenal according to the media. Of course sometimes they fudge it like they did in Florida , adding full auto weapons etc. Also if there is any reloading equipment that's called an ammunition factory. I remember one arsenal that made me laugh , in NJ , all of 5 guns , including one very dangerous Nambu pistol !!

[Jake]

When I have enough firearms to properly arm a entire infantry battalion. Then and only then will it be refered to as a arsenal.

[kenehsr]

You know in Men in Black II where the go into that families house and the wall opens behind them and the start picking guns. Now that's an arsenal:D

[TallPine]

2 air rifles and a box of 500 pellets :rolleyes:

edit: one of the airguns is broke and the box of pellets is half empty

[Daedalus]

Something I aspire to possess :D

[Old Fuff]

The media wonks have their own language:

Arsenal = What used to be a "collection."

Handgun = Subsitute term for "pistol" or "revolver."

Semi-Automatic = Anything that holds over one cartridge and shoots.

Assault Weapon = Anything that doesn't look like a deer rifle.

20,000 Bullets = One box of 20 rounds.

Possible Terrorist = Anyone with a gun who isn't a cop.

Probable Terrorist = Anyone with a "Semi-Automatic Assault Weapon."

Gun Show = Place where Red-Necks and Criminals get guns.

You get the idea ......

[Carlos Cabeza]

The dictionary definition is pretty vague, but the media/sheeple term is any two guns and a couple of boxes of ammunition. I'm sure most if not ALL gun enthusiasts have what media anchor hopefuls define as an arsenal.
I do.

[4v50 Gary]

Well, there's the traditional military application of the term and then there's the media/politico definition of the term.

We have collections. The military has arsenals. The media hates us all. OK?

[dustind]

so whats bigger, an arsenal or a cache?

[Standing Wolf]

'Twas only a few years ago we took pride in being the arsenal of democracy.

[Zedicus]

Over here the media thinks that anything over 1 rock and 2 sticks is an arsinal....:rolleyes:

[Hkmp5sd]

Get a C&R. Then, by the grace of Uncle Sam, you are officially recognized by the United States government as a collector and the 100+ guns you own are a collection. :)

[twoblink]

If you have more guns than Tamara, then you might have an arsenal..

If you have less.. keep working at it!!

:D

[DMK]

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=arsenal ar·se·nal ( P ) Pronunciation Key (ärs-nl)
n.
1) A governmental establishment for the storing, development, manufacturing, testing, or repairing of arms, ammunition, and other war materiel.
2) A stock of weapons.
3) A store or supply: an arsenal of retorts.


http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenal Arsenal

Arsenal, an establishment for the construction, repair, receipt, storage and issue of warlike stores; details as to materiel will be found under Ammunition, Ordnance, etc. The word arsenal appears in various forms in Romanic languages (from which it has been adopted into Teutonic), i.e. Italian arzanale, Spanish arsenal, etc.; Italian also has arzana and darsena, and Spanish a longer form atarazanal. The word is of Arabic origin, being a corruption of daras-sina'ah, house of trade or manufacture, dar, house, al, the, and sina'ah, trade, manufacture (with jana'a, to make). Such guesses as arx navalis, naval citadel, arx senatus (i.e. of Venice, etc.), have been discounted.

A first-class arsenal, which can renew the materiel and equipment of a large army, embraces a gun factory, carriage factory, laboratory and small-arms ammunition factory, small-arms factory, harness, saddlery and tent factories, and a powder factory; in addition it must possess great store-houses. In a second-class arsenal the factories would be replaced by workshops. The situation of an arsenal should be governed by strategical considerations. If of the first class, it should be situated at the base of operations and supply, secure from attack, not too near a frontier, and placed so as to draw in readily the resources of the country. The importance of a large arsenal is such that its defences would be on the scale of those of a large fortress.

The usual subdivision of branches in a great arsenal is into A, Storekeeping; B, Construction; C, Administration. Under A we should have the following departments and stores: Departments of issue and receipt, pattern room, armoury department, ordnance or park, harness, saddlery and accoutrements, camp equipment, tools and instruments, engineer store, timber yard, braking-up store, unserviceable store. Under B: Gun factory, carriage factory, laboratory, small-arms factory, harness and tent factory, powder factory, etc. In a second- class arsenal there would be workshops instead of these factories. C: Under the head of administration would be classed the chief director of the arsenal, officials military and civil, non-commissioned officers and military artificers, civilian foremen, workmen and laborers, with the clerks and writers necessary for the office work of the establishments.

In the manufacturing branches are required skill, and efficient and economical work, both executive and administrative; in the storekeeping part, good arrangement, great care, thorough knowledge of all warlike stores, both in their active and passive state, and scrupulous exactness in the custody, issue and receipt of stores.

In England the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, manufactures and stores the requirements of the army and navy. The London football club Arsenal F.C. was named for this establishment.

[campergeek]

Alternate definition:

Arsenal : What the British tried to sieze from the American colonists, sparking off the first battle of the American Revolution. See "Freedom".

Personally, my favorite definition is one I saw posted by someone on this site: An arsenal is one gun more than you own.

[Hkmp5sd]

An arsenal is one gun more than you own.

That is Tamara's motto.

[BigG]

I looked up arsenal in my Funk & Wagnalls and they had a picture of Tamara's gun cabinet as an example. :p

[foghornl]

When, during a time of emergency, [riot/flood/looting, etc] the local National Guard unit calls and asks to borrow weapons from you...well you MIGHT have an arsenal

[hso]

Is a "collection" of all of the US military long arms from WWI to the present an "arsenal"? Is a brush gun, bean field rifle, elk rifle, goose gun, quail gun, and a .22 waiting for season make an "arsenal"? Does it become an "arsenal" when they're all Rugers, or S&W, or even 1911s or CZs?

What an aresnine idea!

[BrokenPaw]

Arsenal is in the mind of the bethinker.CRSam, as in, "Ah be thinkin' that's one o' them arsenals"? :D
-BP

[Hkmp5sd]

the local Sheriffs department meets you outside your house with the burglar alarm going off, you ask them to go ahead and clear the house before you enter, they ask how many guns are in the house and when you give them an approximate number, they request more backup. When they finally have about 10 deputies and a canine, they verify the house is empty of badguys. After looking in the closet where you store your ammunition, one of the deputies states they know where to come if they happen to run out at the local substation and need to borrow some. Yep, you might just have an arsenal.

And yep, it really did happen. :)

[goon]

I don't know what your definition is, but I know that I am not there yet.:D