weapons

rodkayak

Well-Known Member
A close friend recently dropped dead; he owned several shotguns. I arranged for them to be added to my licence until his grandson was of age. It really disappointed me when a lady in South Wales firearms licensing described them as WEAPONS. I felt like asking her if she described her kitchen knives a weapons. It is a term that l used in this military and obviously reflected her mind set.
 
called weapons in Germany also.... your permit is a weapon owner card (waffenbesitzkard)...
 
The term 'weapon' is used against the shooting community all the time. The public perception of civilians with weapons (running amok in field and woods - it's only a matter of time before they come into a town and go mad you know) is held up time after time by the media and politicians when they call for a ban or further restrictions.

The anti's use the word 'weapon' as a weapon and if the shooting community refuses to play the spin game as well we don't stand a much of a chance.:coat:
 
The anti's use the word 'weapon' as a weapon and if the shooting community refuses to play the spin game as well we don't stand a much of a chance.

I think that although describing sporting firearms as weapons does seem rather odd to shooting folk, we must bear in mind that 'air weapons' are so described in the Firearms Act (I suppose because technically they ain't firearms). Is my No4 Rifle a weapon, I wonder?

I take the point that the word might impart spin against shooting-folk - but I can't help feeling that it is mainly shooting folk themselves who feel that spin: gun, rifle, weapon, firearm are, I suspect, more or less synonymous in the minds of the Great British Public.

I can't help but feel that if the British shooting community does indeed 'not stand a chance' then the reasons for that are so profound that the use for the word weapon by antis pales into insignificance.
 
Change the language, change the thought. In very few cases does it happen quickly - all the more reason to start fighting clever on our rights.

See what I did there? Bet for a significant proportion of readers the word 'fight' caused a brief mental jarring. It's just a written word, yet it got inside your head.

People are fighting against your rights to shoot. Whether you believe it, wish to push back etc or not - there are people deliberately out to remove your sport wholesale and they can access a passive majority who do not think about the subject one way or another - but have been influence by rather clever message manipulation for decades now.

Baloney? Look at the 'advances' made by other minorities in our society in the last twenty or so years.

Language - verbal, visual and written is a direct route to the mind. Billions of pounds are spent 'marketing' - targetting exactly those routes to our decision making.

The military has spent millions developing systems like NOLS ( Neurologically Offensive Linguistics - though cricketers have used sledging successfully at little or no development cost for years! )

Think about it ;)
 
In my experience the use of the word 'weapon' is ingrained within the Criminal Justice System and legal profession for items we would call 'guns'. Not really so for knives, baseball bats and golf clubs, all often used as weapons in criminal acts. I think it is a cultural thing – amongst the general public there is an inherent fear of guns, not helped by the perception they are ‘weapons’ or the media’s continued use of the term.

In my case all I can do is use the general term gun rather than ‘weapon’ in relation to work. I also try to introduce as many friends and family to guns and shooting as possible, so they see guns as tools of the trade for some and sporting equipment for others, not killing machines.

We are up against it right enough, but ironically once many people overcome their fear of guns they really enjoy shooting.



Wasn’t expecting such a philosophical debate first thing on a Saturday!


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I have to say I do not like looking at my guns as weapons as, as I say to my sons, they are tools but one mans tool is another mans weapon. In the shooting world we perceive our tools as not being weapons but it is like the law says "a kitchen knife is no longer a kitchen knife when it is put into ones pocket and used as a weapon on the street", where the definition of weapon comes from is when an object is then used for lethal intent so unfortunately your Firearms lady is right as unless you are target/clay shooting then we do use our tools for lethal intent, do we not?

I know the use of the word weapon is used by anti's to attack up but they have no other words that can be used to describe our tools. I had a pair of gloves once that had to be proved in court that it was for safety use and not as a weapon and I often hear (in court) some of the strangest things being termed as a weapon including a sock that was used to attempt to strangle someone one night.

I think it is something we just have to live with or are we looking for way to defend ourselves against the antis at every step instead of getting on with what we do. Don't get me wrong I know some people come across antis on a regular basis but I for one find no hassle from them as I just get on with my day to day without worrying about the thoughts of others. I think we have to be a little less sensitive on the small things when there is so many big things that effect our sport and way of life. I do not disagree for many of us attitudes should change but that has to be said on both sides.
 
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What really disappointed me was that the license department should use this language

I am not sure what other word they can use though, I often use the words "guns" instead of shotgun or rifle, in some aspects of the shooting fraternity rifle shooting is seen as a different world as shotgun shooting, like course fishing and fly fishing some members may will tell you one is proper one is not.

would it be nicer for to mention that it is hunting equipment? but that would alienate the skeet world and target shooters that have no interest in hunting, it is a tough one to combat.

The word firearm implies the word weapon as it has the term "arm" in it. The english language has so many meaning for one small word :)
 
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I have to say I do not like looking at my guns as weapons as, as I say to my sons, they are tools but one mans tool is another mans weapon. In the shooting world we perceive our tools as not being weapons but it is like the law says "a kitchen knife is no longer a kitchen knife when it is put into ones pocket and used as a weapon on the street", where the definition of weapon comes from is when an object is then used for lethal intent so unfortunately your Firearms lady is right as unless you are target/clay shooting then we do use our tools for lethal intent, do we not?

I know the use of the word weapon is used by anti's to attack up but they have no other words that can be used to describe our tools. I had a pair of gloves once that had to be proved in court that it was for safety use and not as a weapon and I often hear (in court) some of the strangest things being termed as a weapon including a sock that was used to attempt to strangle someone one night.

I think it is something we just have to live with or are we looking for way to defend ourselves against the antis at every step instead of getting on with what we do. Don't get me wrong I know some people come across antis on a regular basis but I for one find no hassle from them as I just get on with my day to day without worrying about the thoughts of others. I think we have to be a little less sensitive on the small things when there is so many big things that effect our sport and way of life. I do not disagree for many of us attitudes should change but that has to be said on both sides.

The common thread in all the instances you cite is that all the implements (including the sock) were used against humans.
An alternative dictionary definition of "weapon" I have seen is "an implement used for fighting", Under that definition a sporting firearm is not a weapon.
Even when used to kill an animal, it can be argued that a rifle/shotgun/pistol is still not a weapon. As soon as any item is used to inflict injury on or cause the death of a human, it is. That's my take on it, based on the definition above.
 
As shotguns & rifles are variously defined as S1 or S2 "firearms" under the "Firearms Act" then this is obviously the correct term to use within the context of recreational/hunting guns.

"Weapon" is a much more general term that relates to use, in particular in relation to inflicting bodily harm, e.g. Nuclear, Biological, Chemical weapons etc. It would therefore be totally incorrect to use "weapon" to describe a clay pigeon or target shooters gun as no bodily harm is intended whilst they are in use.

atb Tim
 
The common thread in all the instances you cite is that all the implements (including the sock) were used against humans.
An alternative dictionary definition of "weapon" I have seen is "an implement used for fighting", Under that definition a sporting firearm is not a weapon.
Even when used to kill an animal, it can be argued that a rifle/shotgun/pistol is still not a weapon. As soon as any item is used to inflict injury on or cause the death of a human, it is. That's my take on it, based on the definition above.

That's my view of it as well. I'm sure when I put in a for a variation the form was worded "Weapons in your possession" which really riled me. I felt like crossing out Weapons and replacing it with Firearms but thought it best not to fall out with my new FLO when asking for another calibre.
 
If the law deems them as weapons and thus giving us the right to own and use a weapon is it such a big deal though???
 
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Like rodkayak I'd have been shocked if my FLO had used that term to me as well. 'Weapons' are used offensively against people! I'm sure like others on the forum I've carried many weapons in the past but since returning to 'Mr' I've only possessed sporting firearms. The word does seem to be in the official mindset but things can be changed by simply objecting if you are told you possess 'weapons'. I'd have certainly given my FLO a verbal kick on the shin. The No4 referred to above was certainly once a military weapon but has now retired into the world of sporting rifles. Association with 'weapons' isn't something we need - something the owner of a localish shop, '.... Airweapons', needs drilling into him.
 
While the name weapon might not seem suitable for sporting firearms it may in fact fit.

weapon: definition of weapon in Oxford dictionary (British World English)

A sporting firearm is designed to inflict harm (to whatever quarry we are shooting at) therefore it's a weapon. The definition of weapon is not exclusive to a device designed for inflicting harm to people.

Thank you thats all I was getting at , The term never crosses my mind as I am passionate about what I do but to me it is more of a tool than a symbol but having that tool allows me to be in the place I most love, taking the shot to me is not the most important part of what I do, yes I love the feel the look and the capabilities of the tools I own but what I love more is the sounds, smell and the feeling I have when I am out in the middle of nowhere with noone around to bother me and how relaxed i feel. So you see whether it is termed weapon or otherwise should not cause us concern as we cannot change the ENglish language but we can change peoples perception of what we do by aiming our thoughts and our concerns conservatively to those who need to be educated on what we do.
 
This isn't derogatory toward Tulloch and I hope he accepts it in that spirit. But his own phrase - 'If the law deems them as weapons and thus giving us the right to own and use a weapon is it such a big deal though???' at #14 above

Really provides a great example of just what I was talking about. Nowhere to my knowledge in respect of Section 1 or 2 Firearms does 'the law' - by which I take to mean Statute - apply the word weapon. Particularly in respect of 'legitmate' sporting uses of those 'tools'.

I'll say it again - that is not a criticism of Tulloch in any way; I'm very much obliged to him for his input, views etc. But does show how language and mindset interlink.

In the same vein, picking up with his earlier comment - whether directly faced by anti's or not, those elements are actively pursuing an agenda to remove his right to partake in those activities. He has complete freedom to choose how to respond to that threat and whether we basically agree or not, I respect and defend his right to that freedom.
 
This is one of the silliest debates that keeps surfacing. The law describes firearms as weapons. You notify transfer/disposal with a weapons transfer form. You list weapons in your possession. The word weapon is used multiple times throughout the Firearms Act.

Stop getting in a tizzy over it. You have weapons.
 
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