The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

It is time to get something off my chest.

Why do people refer to firearms as toys? So many times on so many forums I read of someone's latest 'toy' We are talking about rifles here, guns, firearms, even weapons as they are referred to by my FEO. Are they really toys in the eyes of some shooters or is it just me being overly sensitive on a Sunday morning?

Depends on how you see it.

Firearms are not toys in the sense that the stuff sold in a toy shop. However for many shooters they are the things we play with in our leisure time and are a source of pleasure an therefore in that context then they could be construed as toys.

Clients have referred to me as the rifle fairy!

I would NEVER use the term weapon but I have used 'toy' in the past. I also use the same term to discuss the cars that I have got, they are 'adults toys' (note the presence of the s!).

Referring to firearms as toys in the presence of muggles also serves a purpose when two shooters want to discuss their weekend activities without others necessarily knowing what they do. Unfortunately in this day and age there is the perceived need to no broadcast our sport to all and sundry. I also use the term 'going fishing' when people see us loading up in the street because I don't want all of the kids knowing what's in our house.

All of that said, from the point that I open the cab and touch a firearm for any reason, it's game face on, deadly serious time. Everyone of us on this forum knows that you don't mess about with firearms, loaded or not.

As an aside and I don't know why I'm linking these together, I was a little nervous when I saw that Uzi at the shooting show. I can't explain why but I just felt uncomfortable with it, that actually looks like a toy and it's not for me.

As Charlotte says, I use the generic term 'Toys' to refer to anything that brings a little pleasure into my life, cars, motorcycles, guns..... Surely part of the appeal of collecting firearms and shooting them is because things that go 'bang' appeal to our inner nine year old. As does riding bikes.

Know what you mean but i suppose toys are fun and are guns and shooting are fun. I have heard them called the obsesion and the cabinet refered to as a cupboard of doom ,so it could be worse

The Weapon thing really annoys me, I have said to people many times, nothing is a weapon until you intend to use it as such, unfortunately like your FEO Ovenpa my FEO insists on referring to all guns as weapons

*snarls*

We were taught that all guns are designed as weapons, just some people choose not to use them as such...

meles meles wrote:*snarls*

We were taught that all guns are designed as weapons, just some people choose not to use them as such...

Look through a "firearms encyclopedia" and you'll see that a huge chunk of gun designs are far removed from being a weapon.... you were taught wrong.

I think you are just being overly sensitive on a Sunday morning Opa.

Joe

If you have a gun for self defense, then it's a weapon - if it's for hunting, it's a tool...but if you just have them to go to the range with your friends and see who can shoot the most bulls-eyes, which is essentially 'play', then it could be considered a toy...

...if you are competitive, it could be called 'sporting equipment'...but this would be a very cold term for some guns, especially classics which have character and history...which is why I confess to calling mine 'beauty' sometimes razz

I do know what you mean though, in that the word 'toy' may suggest that the user is not taking it seriously - but I think shooters are in a league of their own for making a potentially hazardous sport incredibly safe while still having a lot of fun...it's a mind-set that unfortunately many others who play with 'big boys toys' don't always have; like those who regularly come a'cropper playing with speedboats, jet-skis, sports cars etc....