More gun slang "Cap"

[Vonderek]

The recent discourse on the "mags: vs "clips" got me to thinking about another term often used which makes no sense to me.

Where did the term "cap" come from as it pertains to shooting somebody or shooting in general? Such as "bust a few caps"....or "I capped his a**"", etc. I thought it was some gangbanger nonsense until I read of its usage in a historical sense (I will have to try to dig it up but I think it was in an early 20th century military context.)

I'm thinking it must go back to the pre-metallic cartridge cap-and-ball era. Any ideas?

 

[Blakenzy]

I bet on the "cap and ball" explanation.

Gang Bangers must be huge history buffs, as they seem so fond of all these terms from bygone eras...

A hundred years from now, colloquial language will have it that shooting someone will be "yo yo yo I'm gonna primer yo azz, yo!"

 

[Aran]

Cap guns. Duh.

 

[Sediment]

The image of a cap and ball musket come to mind when the words is used in reference to firearms.

 

[CZguy]

It's a term that I've always heard Marines use. I guess gang bangers just copied it.

 

[wishin]

I'm with the cap gun camp, only because the gangbangers probably know more about cap guns than gun history!

 

[mcdonl]

Yet they seemed to have missed the invention of the belt.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Many old timers called primers "Caps".

I suspect the hoods picked it up from the movies, like they learn everything else that's wrong or stupid.
Like they wear their hats backward but they don't know why.
I suspect that came from some movie when a sniper turned his ball cap around to keep the bill from hitting the scope.

 

[BURN]

just asked an ex gang banger now LEO guy that I know and he says "Cap Guns" as in the old toy guns....

 

[rmfnla]

As long as we are talking about gang bangers, a friend sent me some hysterical photos of handguns with the sights on the side for that stupid shooting style.

I can't find the photos right now; has anyone else seen those?

 

[BURN]

As long as we are talking about gang bangers, a friend sent me some hysterical photos of handguns with the sights on the side for that stupid shooting style.

I can't find the photos right now; has anyone else seen those?

do a google search for "birdman pistol"

 

[dmazur]

has anyone else seen those?

This is so funny it's worth wasting bandwidth to repeat it -

 

[rmfnla]

That's it; thanks!

 

[JShirley]

It may have come from "kneecapping" someone, but not only do I not see this thread going anywhere productive, it's already degenerating, so...