Firearm or weapon?

NRA materials use the term firearm. That’s the correct term in the context of safety and marksmanship training. In the context of gun control, the correct term is weapon.

Gun control is all about items usable as weapons. If it wasn’t, then knives, sprays, even sticks wouldn’t be so heavily regulated. It takes more legal hoops to get a baton permit in many states than to get one for a firearm. The 1938 Nazi prohibition on Jewish weapon ownership specifically mentioned sticks and batons as prohibited items. Predators know that sticks and stones can break their bones. Exhibit one: Goliath.

The rifle in the picture above could be a single shot benchrest gun in 6mm PPC or a 4-shot .30-06 M70 of Carlos Hathcock fame or a 10-shot 50BMG from Serbu — to the foes of civilian gun ownership, all are anathema. They understand correctly that any one of these can send them to well-deserved hell. The only reason why we, the lawful gun owners, care about the details is that we value the defensive properties of small arms. An AR15 is much better for rebuffing determined close-range assaults by numerically superior foes than a single-shot Sharps. For sniping the enemies of individual freedom, almost any gun would do fine. That the gun owners of America haven’t focused on that fact speaks volumes of their patience and forbearance.

That the gun control pushers are focusing on the defensive firearms also speaks volumes of their intentions. Since Americans have no access to other short-range defensive tools, they have to rely more heavily on guns and any reduction in the availability of proper equipment becomes immediately detrimental to our safety. Not only the guns become less capable, but our training immediately becomes mismatched to the equipment and must be renewed at great cost in money, ammunition and time.

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8 Responses to Firearm or weapon?

  1. Redclay7 says:

    Sorry to nitpick, Mr. Volk – but during the Vietnam era when Sgt. Hathcock was doing his job as USMC sniper I believe the Marines were issued Win. Model 70s in 30-06 Match. I am not sure exactkt when, but 7.62X51 was adopted a bit later…just my .02…best, redclay7 2/1

  2. Lyle says:

    Excellent points. Good post.

  3. Old NFO says:

    Excellent points all Oleg.

  4. Rob Morse says:

    Thank you for you post. You often speak directly to the essentials.

    We are the one of very few countries where citizens retain arms and where power quite literally comes from the people. We are sovereign. Gun control means politicians need not listen to citizens. An armed populace must frustrate some politicians who thing THEY are sovereign.

    Bad things happen when governments stop talking and start pushing. Very bad things.

  5. Bubblehead Les says:

    Wow. Right under my Nose and I didn’t see it! You are Right! The Anti-Gun Control Crowd seems to aiming at the High Capacity, Short-to-Medium Range Defensive Weapons that are the 21st Century equivalent of the 19th. Century Lever Gun.

    We know that a Good Scoped Deer Rifle can be used for Sniper Work, but is not the Best Tool for Interior Use. We know that a Modern, High Capacity Pistol is great for Interior Defense against multiple Attackers and for Street Defense, but not so good for Distance work. Shotguns are Good, but not for Long Range, and the reload time is slow.

    You’re right. It seems that the Proposed AWBs and the High Capacity Magazine Bans, along with Specious Back Ground Checks are ALL designed to place at a Tactical Disadvantage any Homeowner who would offer Resistance to a Dictatorship coming into Power and Control.

    So the purpose is to reduce the Arms that a Citizen will be “Allowed to Own” to a Level BELOW that of the Government “State Security Forces” who would be sent in to ensure “Compliance” with the State.

    I GET IT! Thanks, Oleg!

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  7. Henry says:

    Seems to me according to the media it’s a ‘firearm’ when it’s in my gun case & it’a a ‘weapon’ when I wear/carry it,use it,or get busted for DUI.

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