When Ed Ames said
I think weapon is a fine word and should be used. People can detect dissembling and frankly firearms ARE weapons.
just note that calling a rifle a rifle or a firearm, rather than calling it a weapon, is not dissembling, and it will flow naturally off the tongue. It doesn't hurt to use the word weapon from time to time, if it happens naturally, and you are referring to the specific use of a firearm as a weapon. However, it is overkill and possibly a little bit of grandstanding to shoot paper targets with your "weapon". Many other examples. When teaching youngsters gun safety and maintenance, it is grandiose to be constantly referring to the gun as a weapon, as in "next we'll show you how to safely repair the rocket engine of an ICBM weapon".
Of course, I
was a little side-tracked from discussing assault rifles with antis. My caution against using the word "weapon" is more specifically applicable to interaction with law enforcement and court personnel, for ex. after you have had to draw or use your sidearm in self-defense. In that and similar situations, anything you say matters and can be used against you. In this regard, I may be a bit overly sensitive because I am from Virginia, USA. Apparently, we've had some court cases where this came into play - I do not have citations handy, but could find them. Also, in VA we have CHPs = Concealed Handgun Permits, not CCW permits. Just because you hold a CHP does NOT mean you can carry a switchblade long knife, for ex., or other non-firearm weapon, unless it would be OK for anybody and everybody to be carrying such weapons.
Generally, I agree, that it would be ideal if we could use the word "weapon" interchangably with "firearm", "gun", etc. That would mean that everybody understands and agrees that Americans have a Constitutional right to be armed with "weapons", which we do, but only if they are firearm-type weapons. And not everybody understands and agrees. The Constitution clearly gives special "standing" to firearm-type weapons over all other types of weapons. I think we should respect that distinction in our speech.