Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Rifle Loony? Or something else?

I say stay with Loony.

All this confirms my wife's long-held suspicion concerning my almost total insensitivity. It never occurred to me that Mule Deer has been slyly insulting me from the pages of a magazine in my own home. And my immediate response to the reader's letter in "Rifle" was "Screw'im if he can't take a joke." Clearly, the sensitivity training is not working for me.

I can nevertheless understand Mule Deer's concern, but looking over the list of alternative terms, I failed to find one that would not offend someone somewhere for the reasons many of you have mentioned. If someone is looking for a problem, then they will generally find one--however inconsequential it might be.

Truthfully, my only complaint with the word "loony" is its slight inaccuracy. "Loony" is derived from "lunatic", which refers to an individual subject to periodic bouts of insanity. I don't know about the rest of you, but I am irrational on the subject of firearms pretty much all of the time. Frankly, I believe that I am a rifle idolator in both senses of the term: 1) a worshiper of idols and 2) a person that admires intensely and often blindly one that is not usually a subject of worship. I suspect, however, that few members of the board would appreciate that label.

Thus, I suggest that Mule Deer use whatever term he thinks best fits his writing style and his readers, and the "Rifle" reader who raised the issue should ensure that he does not in the future miss the morning pill cart.

I'm a self-confessed rifle loony, and proud of it. Somebody design a t-shirt and I'll buy one. To me, a fancier is someone who might, as in the apocryphal story, order a best quality custom rifle built without a chamber because it was meant to be admired, but never fired. An enthusiast might own several rifles and enjoy shooting them, but might be content with factory ammo. Only a rifle loony would lie awake at night trying to figure out how to get his 1" deer rifle to shoot half-inch groups, reduce the concentricity of his handloads for his elk rifle under .002", or convince his spouse why he needs a .280 to fill the gap between his .270 and .30-06. JB said it best when he said that if gunwriters were merely journalists (as opposed to rifle loonies who write well), they could condense all the hunting rifle articles ever written into something like this: buy a small rifle, a medium rifle, and a big rifle. Mount quality optics on them, adjust their triggers to suit, and then practice a lot. Use the small rifle on small game, the medium rifle on medium game, and the big rifle on big game. While this might sound completely practical and sensible to the layperson, only a true rifle loony can see through this fallacy. Here's to you, JB. Take comfort in knowing that your rifle loony brethren have got your back. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Toss me into the "loony" bin, too, I was never offended by it, in fact, it describes me perfectly.

Thanks again, guys. I have used "gun slut" and "rifle slut" on one or two occasions, but don't think that would make it by my editors as often as loony. Plus, I only occasionally feel like a real slut. Most of the time I'm just loony.

JB

I kinda like the sound of "rifle crank" but some may think you're refering to a bolt handle or some other mechanical part. "Gun slut" works for me but everyone isn't as secure in their maleness as am I. I think "looney" refers to the odd little water bird that makes silly noises. Show a rifle looney a custom piece and I think you'll see just how appropriate that appellation is.

After reading this entire thread I am confirmed in my original opinion that the appellation is relatively harmless, but I still don't like it.

I often refer to other gun people as gunheads.

MD,

A couple thoughts.

First, your editors must not have anything much on their
minds if they are really focused on such trivia. Are they normally
such a bunch of anal thumb-suckers easily made anxious by
any flake complaint?

Two, you are a known recidivist, having used the loony term
several times before. Why. once in the same 2000 article on the joys
of recoil, you called yourself and a woman guide -- gasp! --
"rifle lonnies" w/o any flap. Why are they making a federal
case out of it now? Office politics at work? Have they been recentl;y
infested by lawyers?

Three, this site is a poor sounding board for determining
the margins of good taste or constructive discourse. The guys
know rifles but, judging by the constant gratuitous, use of
"sucks" and "sluts", the sensitivity scale here is off kilter.
It is kind of like asking NASCAR drivers for tips on alternative
fuels.

Don't let the b******s grind you down.
1B

I'm loonier today than I was 18 years ago. Just sayin'.....

The Sneezer

This, unfortunately, is true. Be who you are.

John,

I like the term loony. It is descriptive of our devotion for rifles, and in my opinion any rifle loony who is offended by the term has a problem.

For me, loony is a cool, affectionate way of calling other members of our gun locos brotherhood.

So please carry on, and don't let this modern wave of political correctness stupidity influence you.

Kind regards from Spain,

Alvaro

I for one am glad you did not kneel to the "cancel culture of the day" some twenty years ago.

Rifle Loony? Or something else?
#301488 06/03/04

Take it from the guy who fashions himself a Cervid Serial Killer: Rifle Loony is spot on.

Before I came to the 'Campfire, I might have thought the term was a bit over the top. However, when I see what some of y'all daft buggers argue over, I realize I was barely wetting my toe in the ocean. Sometime over the past 20-some years, you even have me now fretting over this stuff, and I just added yet another gun cabinet to the bedroom to take the overflow.

Tell the yobs at the magazine that anti-gunners don't worry about reality. If they have nothing to twist, they make stuff up. It matters not a whit whether the term is "Loony" or "Enthusiast." It is all anathema to them and they want it exterminated.

308ld,

Thanks for bringing up this old thread! I had forgotten about it.

It's interesting partly because quite a few Campfire members who posted in it back then haven't logged on in years, for whatever reason.

Might also mention that years ago Eileen decided to get some rifle loony caps made--even she designed the logo, which has a circle around Rifle Loony, and in smaller letters above and below, "Grade A" and "Certified." Quite a few folks have e-mailed photos of them in their RL caps in various places around the world, from Alaska to Africa.

On a trip to tour the Sako/Tikka factory in Finland a few years ago, one of the dozen or so other writers on the trip was from France--and when he introduced himself to me described himself as a "rifle loony." (He also informed me that French gun laws aren't nearly as restrictive as many Americans believe. At the time he owned close to 50 rifles, including an AR-15, and many American classics such as a Winchester Model 71.)

One other story: When we first started self-publishing our books in 2009, we rented tables at several Montana gun shows in Montana to sell 'em, along with rifle stuff (though some of the rifles on the table were essentially "bait" to attract customers). After Obsessions of a Rifle Loony appeared in 2010 we were at the Bozeman show, when a guy and his wife stopped at our table. He looked around at the books and rifles, and then asked, "What's a rifle loony?" His wife rolled her eyes and said, "YOU are, you dummy!"

John,

I think those letters to the editor fit into the category you’ve also written about how some people just want something to be upset about

Loony suits just perfectly - Can't let anti gunners have
any more wins. Tell them its for the Canadian coin.

When this thread started, my older stepson was 3. Now he’s in graduate school.

I always liked “gun crank” as used by some of the old time gunwriters. It has that period sound I like. Rifle looney is good, certainly a bit more contemporary.

Interesting looking back through this thread, who’s still here, who’s no longer around. Also interesting to see how some members’ tones have changed over time, not to mention a classic, pre-“hint” post by stick.

I'd be more affended if you changed it.
I love loony, loony is me.