Let's call them what they are MODERN.

Status
Not open for further replies.

Owen Sparks

member
Joined
May 27, 2007
Messages
4,523
As most of us are aware, liberals tend to appeal to peoples emotions rather than using facts, reasons or logic to sway peoples opinions on gun issues.

"Assault weapon" is a term with a strong negative connotation. This phrase carries the presupposition that these weapons are suitable only for committing a criminal assault. Our enemies in Congress knew what they were doing when they named the Assault weapons bill.

Using loaded language to exploit the subtle shades of words meanings, neutral or even pleasant things can become unpleasant. Conceder the difference between:

fragrant and smelly a mobile home vs a trailer inexpensive vs cheap

Using this method it's easy to take something as innocuous as your scoped mini 14 ranch rifle and turn it into a high capacity semiautomatic assault rifle with no legitimate sporting purpose, the weapon of choice of disgruntled snipers.

Now how can we counter this? Let's look at some facts and reasons.

One of the most effective ways of doing this is to use "loaded" words and phrases.
Certain words have negative connotations that invoke an emotional response.

Suppose you read a news story that starts with the phrase "disgruntled former employee". You immediately start thinking "Another nut goes on a murderous rampage" simply because you have heard that word used so many times in that context even though the word disgruntled simply means disappointed and unhappy.

Even a purely technical term like "semi automatic" can evoke negative emotions in uninformed people whose primary exposure to that term has been in connection with story's about crime and mass murder.

Since the invention of the musket, men have endeavored to make firearms more accurate, handier, faster to load and to increase the number of shots.

Muskets have to have long barrels to get even marginal accuracy. With the advent of rifled bores, this was no longer true. Although long barrels were retained for military rifles because no one wanted to give up the extra reach they afforded in a bayonet charge. Also, with iron sights the farther apart they are the more accurately they can be aimed.

Now days bayonet charges are no longer in vogue and improved sighting systems make long cumbersome barrels unnecessary.

Traditional firearm stocks were made of wood. With the development of synthetic stocks more ergonomic shapes evolved. Pistol grip stocks feel more natural in the hand but were difficult to make out of wood which tends to split along its grain. That's not a problem with plastic.

Since the invention of the self contained cartridge faster and easier ways to load have evolved. Semi automatic operation and detachable magazines eliminated down time.

To put it all into perspective, these so called assault weapons are simply

MODERN FIREARMS

which are in use by every established military in the world. Just like the brown Bess musket was in 1776! (remember, everyone who ever lived lived in modern times)

So the next time you debate an anti gunner be sure to call these guns what they really are

MODERN FIREARMS !

Why Senator Foghorn, Do you really believe the second amendment is not meant to apply to modern firearms?
 
Modern

Another point worth invoking is that all rifles are...by design and intent..."Assault Rifles." In 1775, the Brown Bess Musket was an assault rifle. In 1860, it was the Enfield and the Springfield Rifle Muskets. In 1873 and 1874, the Trapdoor Springfield and the Sharps rifles filled that role. In 1896, the bolt-action Mauser took over, and in 1936, the M1 Garand ruled the day.

Don't expect it to sway very many though. "My mind's made up. Please don't confuse me with facts."
 
yup, yes, agreed, affirmative, and "what he said."

Oleg, this is a meme that should be spread far, wide, and high. It should also be coupled with demonstrations / explanations that emphasize the internal similarity of many cosmetically different guns; a "21st century look" (or really, a "last several decades look") isn't worth getting bent out of shape about, if the shape-bender is pretty OK with guns that look like what granddad might have had.

timothy
 
I dont think a true 'assault rifle' term fits anything until the MP44. Anything before that I call a 'battle rifle'.
 
Good idea. But I would go even a step further.
We all know how some interest groups have taken it upon themselves to redefine certain words to put themselves in a better light. One clear example is the homosexual communities appropriation of the word "gay". It was clearly done concisesly to make themselves look more acceptable.
We need to do the same. If we redefine the term "assault weapon", we go on the offensive. We should agree on a word that not only puts those firearms themselves into a more acceptable light, but those of us who chose to own one as well. My suggestion would be Homeland Defense Weapon. It not only connotes a positive image, it also paints us as "the good guys". What do you think?
 
If we redefine the term "assault rifle"

But they (the antis) rarely use the term assault rifle, they use the more vague 'assault weapon' as it allows them to include any type of firearm, not just rifles. Uzis? Assault Weapon. (machine pistol, it would be hard to call it an assault 'rifle'.)
Assault rifle has an exact definition, while an AW does not.
 
I dont think a true 'assault rifle' term fits anything until the MP44. Anything before that I call a 'battle rifle'.

Correct in the sense that the German "Sturmgewer" was the forerunner of the modern assault weapon. The point is that rifles are primarily instruments of attack. The Sturmgewer filled the gap between the MBR and the sub machinegun.
 
I dont think a true 'assault rifle' term fits anything until the MP44. Anything before that I call a 'battle rifle'.

Correct in the sense that the German "Sturmgewer" was the forerunner of the modern assault rifle. The point is that rifles are primarily instruments of attack. The Sturmgewer filled the gap between the MBR and the sub machinegun.
 
Quote:
If we redefine the term "assault rifle"
But they (the antis) rarely use the term assault rifle, they use the more vague 'assault weapon' as it allows them to include any type of firearm, not just rifles. Uzis? Assault Weapon. (machine pistol, it would be hard to call it an assault 'rifle'.)
Assault rifle has an exact definition, while an AW does not.

Excellent point! I just edited my post. Thanks.
 
An assault rifle is a select fire carbine that can be fired full auto. None of the guns any of you own are assault rifles unless they are class III and you paid big bucks for em. Sorry ;) What you really should do is correct people when they hear or refer to a semi auto rifle that looks "evil" as an assault rifle. I don't know how many times I've seen a news blip about a shooting, and they flash a picture of an SKS on the screen and use the term "assault rifle". It's sickening the misinformation they perpetuate.
 
I don't know how many times I've seen a news blip about a shooting, and they flash a picture of an SKS on the screen and use the term "assault rifle".

Yup. This happened today on the radio, on WHIO. They were talking about a shooting in Springfield Ohio and played a sound byte of a policeman saying what weapons the shooter had in his car, "he had a X, an X, and a SKS-AK47" As if the SKS were a version of the AK. The SKS entered service in the final stages of World War II and predates the AK's wide spread usage by several years.
 
Interestingly enough, this thread mirrors a discussion we had today at the highest levels of the industry. Rather than "modern weapons," we're sort of liking the phrase "high-tech weapons/firearms" for all the reasons outlined here. We're thinking about a pretty major campaign on this...does "high-tech" fill the bill?

Michael B
 
Michael,
Depending on how the campaign is structured, "high tech" could be good. While not "technically" correct, (That is, black rifle and combat pistol technology has been around for decades), that term does, in fact, invoke "the very best". Everyone except the most strident Luddite appreciates and wants the very best available technology available in any and every field.
I can envision the juxtaposition of images of our finest young men and women equipped with "high tech" weaponry next to one of an honest citizen armed with that same "high tech" Homeland Security Weapon. ;)
No gang banger image there....
 
Modern, General Purpose

I like "modern" although, truth be told, some of our "modern" designs are anywhere from 50 to more than 100 years old.

Our good friend, the late Derby FALs, favored "Homeland defense rifles."

I have tended to lean toward "General Purpose Rifle" or GPR.

It has come up before in a thread or two, and I think I may have mentioned my preference for that term more than once.

I've grown kind of fond of the term.

Think I'll stick with it.
 
1984.

It's always been recognized that she who defines the language wins the arguement. Study any communist, totalitarian, repressive govt (or wannabe) and you will find excellent examples of this.
 
God I love how THR can be both educational and asskicking at the same time.
 
While we're at it:
Let's switch from "high" capacity magazines to full (or standard) capacity magazines.
 
The problem aren't the terms themselves, the problem is the associations and connotations that has been attached to the terms. Perception is reality for the most part, since most people won't have a chance to experiance a lot of things first hand. And the mass media controls perception for the most part. If you don't control the media you don't control the idea or how it's percieved. You can call them "Fairy Dust Spewing Giggle Sticks" (FDSGS) for all the good it'll do you.
 
"Homeland Defense Weapon" is, seriously, the dumbest phrase I've ever heard. That's a half step better than a "concealed-carry badge."
 
My preference is "militia rifle" (as referenced in the Second Amendment.) It ties the idea of the weapon to the idea of the Constitutional right. I think it would be very useful if the NRA added a "miltia rifle" category to High-Power competition.
 
It's a mystery:

Why do 'tree huggers' want us to kill a bunch of trees to make stocks when we could use modern materials and spare the forest??

Maybe instead of calling them black rifles we should call them 'green' rifles!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top