Does the term "packing heat" bug you as much as it does me?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Alot of these responses seem a little sensitive to me. If I'm in serious company, as in just been pulled over or going somewhere off-duty and have to ID myself, I'm armed. Any other time, particularly if I'm among friends, family, or colleagues I'll usually use similar terms to "packing heat" to describe my "state of ccw". I've never thought of carrying a gun as something that needs to be so seriously described, so, for me, concealed carry slang works just fine. I'd certainly use packin', carrying, strapped, wearing, going heavy, or any number of other cliches before I ever called it CCW'ing. If I ever heard that in conversation I'd probably laugh out loud.
IMO, in this case, as with most things in life, it's probably better not to take ourselves too seriously.
 
Quote:
gun ownership as a throwback to earlier, more violent times
Click to expand...
What's wrong with that? I pack iron, stow a hog leg, and burn down rogue ptarmigan. This *IS* the frontier.
Click to expand...

The implication is that modern society is more "advanced", and has "evolved" beyond the need for guns. Thus, gun ownership is regarded as an anachronism, and anyone who embraces it is viewed as living in the past.
 
Bingo

Quote: The implication is that modern society is more "advanced", and has "evolved" beyond the need for guns. Thus, gun ownership is regarded as an anachronism, and anyone who embraces it is viewed as living in the past.
...

Exactly, and is the exact reason, when anyone hugs me, then gets those big eyes, and kinda looks down, I answer immediately:

Yep, I'm glad to see ya.


LS :)
 
Quote:
How bout "skin that smokewagon and see what happens."
I've seen that term all over the net, in about a dozen variations. I know it's from a movie, but I can't for the life of me figure out what it means. I guess I had to see the movie to get it, eh?
__________________
Click to expand...

From Tombstone, which is on my all time top 10 movie list.

basically, Wyatt Earp is calling Johnny Tyler out.

"throwdown boy!" *smack*

"You gonna do somethin....or just stand there and bleed?"
 
Not as much as, "Why don't you just call the Police"?

Or, "Nobody needs guns in civilized society".

How about, "Why do you need a gun? Are you going to off somebody"?

Calling it "packing heat" would be great up here. I would call it "wearing" or "carrying", but if somebody called it "packing heat" I would have no truck with it.
 
I don't care for the term, and it is not something you are likely to ever hear me say.

But if you want to say it, more power to you. I'll just cringe inwardly. :)


-- John
 
I don't let much bug me these days and I'm happier this way. As far as "packin' heat" goes, it depends on who is saying it. A 'sidewalk kommando'? Maybe just a tiny bit.
A Veteran of various kinds (military, cop or street)? You've earned the right.
In any case, it's really none o' my bidness.

Biker
 
Monkeyleg

It's an emotionally-loaded term. It implies some sort of reckless conduct on the part of those who go through the process of training, background checks, and licensing to carry a weapon.
Click to expand...

That's why I like it, and use it in reference to myself, usually in a flip way. Somebody mentioned "surrendering" the term to the antis, ands someone else mentioned fleeing from these issues. I regard its usage in the same way that some ethnic and other groups can use self-referenced pejoriative terms amongst themselves.

And I can get away with it since I'm a very responsible, conservative and unhip gun guy.

Hk996

not as much as the media using the term "clips" instead of magazines.....
Click to expand...

Good thing you weren't at the Tanner Gun Show in Denver last weekend. Some exhibitor had a big sign saying "CLIPS" over his table. Probably a function of signage space, though. MAGAZINES is a bigger word.

For myself, I don't care -- outside of technical treatises, if the meaning is clear from context, me knickers don't get wadded up over it. What does still bother me a little is homonym reversal, like muzzle break instead of muzzle brake. Don't know why. Saw that at the gun show, too. Me knickers got all wadded up and pinchy.

FCFC

OTOH, some very responsible, conservative and unhip gun guys use the term.
Click to expand...

There. See? I told ya so.

tinygnat219

I HATE cliches in any size shape and form.
Click to expand...

I agree. I avoid them like the plague.

What elshe would you call carryin' a Roscoe, schweetheart?
Click to expand...

Great Bogey characterization, Clipper.
 
Doesn't raise any eyebrows here.

Not a big deal, but I admitt I don't use that terminoligy as it sorta sounds Hollywood tacky to me.
 
"And I can get away with it since I'm a very responsible, conservative and unhip gun guy."

You may view yourself that way, your family and friends may view you that way, but I can guarantee that the media does not view you that way.

"Packing heat" is a perjorative term used by the anti's and the media to discredit any efforts to establish shall-issue CCW laws, or improve upon existing laws.

When the term "assault weapon" arrived on the scene back in the late 1980's, many of us tried to correct the media's use of the term, but to no avail.

Today, the term "assault weapon" is used to describe anything more than a BB gun.

Those who control the language control the debate.
 
+1 to hating cliches.

Other than that I am packing heat, stowing a rod, carrying a piece, wearing an iron, protecting my family, and strapped, the list goes on and on.

Does it bother me, NO. It is what I am doing at the moment. Mostly I am exercising my 2nd ammendment right to keep and bear arms.

PS: Who cares if someone says clip or magazine? Stop splitting hairs! Either term lets people know what you are saying, same difference as motor or engine. Everyone knows it is a powerplant;)
 
No, it does not bother me.

My personal feelings on CCW, which I have, is that if someone asks me if I am carrying the answer is always no. Otherwise it is not concealed. It is not a question of honesty. It is a question of implied brandishing, which is illegal in almost all situations.

dzimmerm

P.S. One exeception to my rule, if a member of the constablitory asks, I am required by law to answer truthfully.
 
Last edited:
Monkeyleg:

"Packing heat" is a perjorative term used by the anti's and the media to discredit any efforts to establish shall-issue CCW laws, or improve upon existing laws.

When the term "assault weapon" arrived on the scene back in the late 1980's, many of us tried to correct the media's use of the term, but to no avail.
Click to expand...

I still like to use it. Repetition diminishes and trivializes the impact of the term. And we weren't smart enough to realize how bad the anti-gun sentiment was back then (eg, the soon-to-be GCA 68, to which you're referring , I'm sure.)

For all his immanent evil, Joseph Goebbels was a pretty smart cookie when it came to Public Relations. "Tell a lie often enough..."

And I am told that the Propaganda Machine was very effective in demeaning and diminishing the Poles with Polish jokes before September of 1939*. Also, with some other significant ethnic groups.

So nowadays some of our own minorites and protected class citizens have realized that "taking back the pejorative terms" is an effective means of countering this kind of propaganda.

So I like it. I pack a rod.

----------
* Subject to verification. I was told this a long time ago from a presumably reputable source, a Holocaust survivor, but I have not seen historical references to it, however. Yes, he still had his blurred number tatooed on his arm.
 
It doesn't bug me, it just sounds cheesy.

Hey Tony, you packing heat? If you got your iron we're going to rub a guy out sees. That wise guy stool pigeon will be called in and we'll wack 'em. Then we'll take the swag to the fence and lay low watching for the fuzz. No one muscles in on our territory. What vig does that shylock charge anyway?

It just sounds to me like something people that don't carry say. Its the same feeling you get when you hear some people talk about drugs and throw in the cool lingo.
 
230RN said:
Good thing you weren't at the Tanner Gun Show in Denver last weekend. Some exhibitor had a big sign saying "CLIPS" over his table. Probably a function of signage space, though. MAGAZINES is a bigger word.
Click to expand...
Yes, but "MAGS" is even shorter than "CLIPS" :)

Personally, I don't use the term, and cringe when my friends use it to describe me. This is probably because to me anyway, it is used in a derrogatory sense.
Recently my roommates and I were looking at a house for rent, and when I was getting dressed, as usual, I put my XD .45 in my IWB holster, and in my pants. He asked, "You're not taking that to the walkthrough, are you?" I answered the obvious, "Of course I am. I take it everywhere I go, you know that."
Now in other situations he might have used the term "armed" like I do to describe me, but in this case, he said in an attacking tone, "You're not seriously going to be packing heat (emphasis) when we're looking to rent someone's home?! Leave that here man!"
The discussion we had after that was besides the point. The fact is that using the term "packing heat" or "packing" or "strapped" or the like, unless used in a joking manner to parody thugs and lowlifes is insulting to me. I will make clear to anyone who uses that term unintentionally that I prefer "armed" or the everpleasing term: "prepared".

Let it also be known though that although it may qualify me as a "prude", I also don't allow anyone, even when making a joke, to call me their N-word or Wigger. G and Thugg are acceptable though :)

2cents.
 
some of my "less informed" friends use terms like packing heat and it generally bugs me but not too much. My favorite way to suggest discreatly if somebody is carrying is to simply say "Are you naked?" but thats a long running inside quote in my circle of friends.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

2
  • Locked
Bug Out Bag… Bugging out from what?
Replies
12
Views
966
hso
hso
GatorHunter
  • Locked
Multi caliber hunting/bug out kit
2 3 4
Replies
76
Views
3K
Oldschool shooter
O
B
  • Locked
The Term "Weapon"
2 3
Replies
53
Views
2K
Sam1911
S
Ru4real
  • Locked
Are you Pro Gun or Pro Gun Safety?
2
Replies
40
Views
1K
GEM
G
E
  • Locked
"Tactical" is going to give the antis everything they want
2 3 4
Replies
80
Views
4K
rbernie
rbernie
Back
Top