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

John, here in Germany we got (or at least some blokes thought they got) the verrrry problem with the word "Waffennarr" which I would translate in "weapons fool". Some hunters/shooters called themselves a "Waffennarr" in a very positive meaning, some antis used it for offensing us.
At the end of the long story "Waffennarr" is still around.
Just my 2 �urocent: Stay with "rifle loony".

Regards
Werner

PS: Don't be too hard with (the) French: You know of course that English is just a bloody mix of French and German.

I think the term is fine and you should worry about more important things such as does your lawn need mowing, do you need any oil changes, etc.

I read the letter and thought "you must be kidding me". Why not ask him what he would prefer to be called?

I wouldn't lose alot of sleep over it. If we're voting I'm with with RickBin and Rifle Slut - but do we need different categories for big vs small bore?

I wasn't offended at all. I took the comment in context. Some people (the complainers) need to get a life and worry about the important things ! Keep up the good work, John. One thing about the complaints, perhaps you hadn't thought about,----they must be reading your material ! That's good !

Watched a fishing show on cable-TV last week (OK, I didn�t really watch-it, it was just on as background noise). The talking Fish-Heads were putting a deep bow in their Ugly-Sticks, hauling up some big, powerful, stubborn, honkin-fish from a reef off the Florida coast and they affectionately named the species �Reef-Donkeys�. It had a nice ring to it .... and with adaptation to the rifle crowd as �Rifle-Donkeys�, it would fit in perfectly with those folks in the rifle community who stubbornly stick to antiquated opinions and hand-me-down myths .... like that the .270 is the answer to every question, or that only Nosler Partitions can kill.

That�s �Rifle-Donkeys�
OH, wait, .... that has �Democratic� implications ... (Bad-Dog, No Bone ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />)

How about Ballistically-Enamored .... �Show me some Love.�
.... or �Rifle-Ho� ...

Then in keeping with the current Politically Correct trends, that everyone is disabled ...
there is always �Ballistically-Challenged�
or �The Cloverleaf Crowd�

Myself, .... I�m partial to �Rifle-Crank�

�You�ze can call me Ray, .... or you�ze can call me Jay ..
But don�t call me ... late for dinner.�

... Silver Bullet

(Alex, ... I�d like affectionate rifle-terms for $400 please)

I'm with Silver Bullet, let's make it "Rifle Ho".

how about "jihad", after all, some of use just about consider an experience with a fine rifle as close to a "religious experience"

Just kidding, Really!!!

John, I read the letters of reference in the latest Rifle and my immediate, visceral reaction was that the gentleman from Connecticut was a fine example of Eastern, liberal, over-educated(as compared to the amount of common sense possessed), priggish, effete snobbery. After due deliberation, I concluded that my initial impression was correct.
While I have always been partial to "aficionado", I find myself using the term "serious shooter" to indicate someone who uses, works with, and thinks about firearms as much as you or I or any number of fellow members of the Campfire do. While I have always found the term "gun nut" distasteful(because it is almost always used by someone who knows nothing about firearms and is said in a derogatory manner), I have long thought that your coined phrase of "rifle loony" to be a light-hearted, ironically amusing and sheepishly self-deprecating twist on the unpleasant "gun nut".
As a long time reader, I suggest that you write in a manner that YOU find appealing. Trust your own judgement; this has worked for many years. Cheers, RS

I have a friend who's an avid shotgunner, active with the Washington Women's Shooting Club, and named her boat the "Gun Ho". My wife even has a souvenir "Gun Ho" ball cap.

If you have read much early gun writing from between the wars the term was �Rifle Crank�. Later it became �Gun Nut� now it�s "Rifle Loony", OK, now I know.

The degree to which some people are ready to be offended at a word is due I believe to not enough fiber in the diet <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />.

GDV

MD,

I too am offended. By casting aspersions on our vocation you give us all a black eye. Wait that's not right, "dark eye" is better, and will not offend anybody.

Further, using the word rifle, is also a no-no, implying violence, and loony, is rather a nut case. So the whole term "rifle loony", needs to be added to the trash bin.

I rather like "projectile vomiter", but I afraid that might offend someone who is gastronomicly challenged.

So we are left with "projectile votary", since know one will know what it means, which is safe and very PC.

Yea, that's the ticket, "Projectile Votary".

Regards,

Bob

Projectile Votary
and Rifle Loony 1st class

Rifel Loony, rifle freak, self possessed rifle owner, obsessive compulsive rifle guy, It doesn't matter. The only people who can relate to us rifle loonies are golf club loonies(even though they don't know it) As one of each I vote to keep Rifle Loony
Martin

I'd prefer to be called just a rifleman, but I don't think I meet Col. Cooper's requirements, so rifle loony is more than acceptable.

MD

Loony sounds perfect to me. As 2mp stated it is probably an evolution of a term from in between the wars. Sounds good to me!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

How many times have we heard someone refered to as a car, or some other collector of something, Junkie? Does that insinuate they are all on drugs? After all all drug users are junkies are they not? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Furthermore as an ex Wisconsinite and still die hard Packer fan you hit the nail on the head in your reply to the first complaint. I'm not certain some of those Packer fans aren't on something and it is a cinch some are "Loony". No doubt many of the same folks who complain about the term "Rifle Loony" would also think these fans all have an IQ of 140!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Keep up your same vocabulary. It will always fit us true rifle lovers. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

John,
Please don't go & start getting "politically correct". I read the "letters to the editors" in the rifle mag. My thoughts are those that complained "should get a life". I for one really don't give a dam if "political correct", people think I am looney. I know who I am, & am proud to be called/associated with "looney gun people"

I think people who are offended by the use of the word looney have nothing else to worry about. There's always someone out there who gets offended over just about anything. Don't worry about it and keep true to your style. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

i did a bit of lexicographical research (i broke open my webster's new world) and found that loony has nothing to do with lunatic, which comes from lune/lunar, as in the moon. loony instead comes from the ancient scottish word loon (lown, loun), which means, in order, 1) a clumsy, stupid person, 2) crazy person, 3a) a boy, 3b) a harlot and 4) [archaic] a) a person of low rank b) a rogue.
so i suppose those who support "rifle ho" or "gun ho" should be satisfied with the continued use of "rifle loony" and such based on the harlot referance. those who think themselves a bit roguish should find satisfaction as well in the term "loon."
i certainly find no problem with "rifle loon." but if one had to come up with an alternative, i would suggest "rifle fan." this would go along with sports fan, racing fan, etc., as suggestive of someone who appreciates and follows the nuances of one's chosen sporting interest(s).
what fun ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I agree, CAS is a Rifle Loony! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Althoug, I like the terms "rifle-slut" and "gun ho," "Rifle Loony" should stay. The leaders of the sport should not act from fear.

Go forth, be yourself, promote the sport (and yourself) truthfully, not as someone else wants it (or you) to be.

BMT

Merriam-Webster Online shows the etymology as "by shortening & alteration from lunatic".