Gun superstitions/phrases

[sawdeanz]

I heard for the first time about a superstition that says it is bad luck to light 3 or more cigarettes with one match. Apparently this originated from WW1 when doing so could get you killed by a sniper. I don't know how true this is, since I don't smoke but I was wondering what other common superstitions or expressions come from gun firearms.

 

[xxjumbojimboxx]

Im just commenting now so I can see what comes up later

 

[Speedo66]

Lock, stock and barrel, shot in the dark, take a shot, shotgun wedding, she's a pistol, run and gun.

 

[DeepSouth]

I was told the term "deadline" came from Andersonville Prison, GA during the War of Northern Aggression. Apparently at some point they built a "expansion" that was little more than a single board fence, but if you happened to get caught crossing the fence you were immediately executed. That obviously earned it the nick name "the deadline"

It's semi-related, and I'm not sure if it's even true, but the OP reminded me of the tale.

 

[gspn]

I heard for the first time about a superstition that says it is bad luck to light 3 or more cigarettes with one match.

Dude...it's bad luck to be superstitious.

 

[psyopspec]

"Beware the man with one gun, he probably knows how to use it."

The couple of experiences I've had with folks who only owned one gun, the only thing to beware was their lack of safe handling. That one gun got bought or inherited years ago, shot once or twice if at all, then shoved into the back of the closet for years of neglect.

 

[Robert]

Going off half cocked came from I believe the Brown Bess sometimes firing from the half cock position.

In an unrelated note, my great grandfather was commandant at Andersonville for a short time.

 

[bangswitch]

I heard it was bad luck to bring a knife to a gunfight.

 

[Hardtarget]

One I like.
The phrase "the whole nine yards" to mean you "got it all done" comes from WWI fighter pilots meaning they shot all their ammo. The machine gun was fed with a 27 foot (9 yards) ammo belt. I hope that is really true.

I also like "flash in the pan".

Mark

 

[kayak-man]

Old Mexican proverb: when a man with a 45 meets a man with a rifle, the man with a pistol is a dead man

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XSswcQOTGgc

 

[9mmfan]

Off the top of my head, "calling shotgun" i.e. calling the front seat, from "riding shotgun". My understanding is this comes from the fellow sitting next to the stage coach driver with a, well, shotgun.

I had heard the three smokes on a match about snipers thing. Not necessarily attributed to WWI, just wartime in general.

As I think of more, I will add them. Unless some other wiser head gets the drop on me.

 

[rcmodel]

WWI fighter pilots

WWII fighters actually, I think.

A .50 cal BMG belt was 9 yards long.

A WWI fighter couldn't get off the ground carrying that much ammo.

But there are varying theory's on where it came from.

See this about that.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_whole_nine_yards

It could date to sailing ship days and has nothing to do with guns.

rc

 

[cfullgraf]

"Shot your wad" and "shotgun approach".

 

[rcmodel]

Shotgun wedding?

Wonder what that means?

How about 'Aim Small, Miss Small'!

That was always a good rule to shoot by!

rc

 

[cfullgraf]

Shotgun wedding?

Wonder what that means?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_wedding

Looks like an unplanned wedding coerced at the point of a father's shotgun.

 

[xxjumbojimboxx]

Isnt a shotgun wedding a forced wedding that came about because someone knocked someone up.

"You better marry me Billy-Ray, er ol paw's gunna shove his shotgun in yer face"

Yep.

 

[basicblur]

You don't have to aim a shotgun...

 

[rcmodel]

Looks like an unplanned wedding coerced at the point of a father's shotgun.

Yes, I know what it means.
It was supposed to be a joke.

Guess it wasn't?

rc

 

[Cump]

probably a lot of individual and familial superstitions. preparations for hunting, for instance, that are habitual can approach superstition.

 

[hamp sandwich]

First off, I despise superstition, but I find some of them comical.

Anyone hear that it's bad luck to close a pocket knife that someone else opened? I figured it was started to keep a superstitious thief from jacking your knife.

I love the old sayings. I heard "balls to the wall" referred to the throttle knobs on a WW2 fighter plane. Goes with the "whole 9 yards" thing.

 

[Bobson]

There's a surprisingly prevalent idea that putting up a sign on a property will prevent people from bringing guns onto it.

That's about as superstitious as it gets.

 

[fallout mike]

Can't believe no one has stated the ones we hear nonstop. Gun crime, guns kill people, gun violence

 

[ku4hx]

One I like.
The phrase "the whole nine yards" to mean you "got it all done" comes from WWI fighter pilots meaning they shot all their ammo. The machine gun was fed with a 27 foot (9 yards) ammo belt. I hope that is really true.

I also like "flash in the pan".

Mark

I heard the "9 yard" thing was based on the capacity of concrete trucks of the time with nine yards of the slurry being a full load.

I like your explanation far better.

 

[jcwit]

How bout, having your back to the wall.

 

[oneounceload]

One I like.
The phrase "the whole nine yards" to mean you "got it all done" comes from WWI fighter pilots meaning they shot all their ammo. The machine gun was fed with a 27 foot (9 yards) ammo belt. I hope that is really true.

MY understanding was that it was from WWII, not WWI