MD,
I had always considered myself a rifle sucker. I own a bow so I can be in the woods before deer season and I own a shotgun so I can shoot turkeys (I pretend it's a rifle, and aim it). I am enough of a rifle sucker to plan all my travels by the best used rifle racks, and I spend ghastly and unjustifiable sums on obviously superfluous and redundant pieces that I have no use for, just to stick them in dark safes and clean them a few times a year. I confess that I couldn't keep myself from being mildly put off by having found features in Rifle Magazine's Hunting Annual involving shotshells and arrows.
Speaking for myself, when I read the term "Rifle Loony", instantly I knew how Cinderella felt when she slipped her foot into the glass slipper. Angels sang. It just fit, and was much more literate than "Rifle Sucker".
So, I say, consider the source. The source of the term Rifle Loony. A thoughtful and talented wordsmith, whose work shows both classical training and natural humor.
It is worth noting that I have never, ever, felt "talked down" to in your work, as I have been by some of the well known writers. Your respect for your reader is always evident. To the author who challenged you, I say: It is better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you are a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt.
But first I gotta git me one'a them Gun Ho caps...
Sourmash
(Dutch back to the 14th century, never mind about before
that)
PS: Maybe you should just abbreviate to "RL", we know who we are...
