csspecs 1,987 Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 I have heard from no less than 10 people that did not know much of firearms that Semi-auto means it goes from semi to auto. I explained what that term really means but even still I found that it confused people. So in the past few years when I talk about a firearm that is semi automatic I call it a "semi only" or "auto loading". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nalioth 405 Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 It is a shameful sign of the times. I'm dating myself when I say that I had a "Texas Hunters Safety Course" in the 6th grade. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vultite 57 Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 LOL, according to the media, anything not bolt action is a FULL AUTOMATIC BABY KILLING DEVICE SENT FROM HELL TO TURN YOUR KIDS INTO DEMONS!!! Of course all of us know what it means, but the general hippy tree hugging animal saving (not eating) public thinks It'll shoot down a plane from half way around the world Quote Link to post Share on other sites
clifton 354 Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 LOL, according to the media, anything not bolt action is a FULL AUTOMATIC BABY KILLING DEVICE SENT FROM HELL TO TURN YOUR KIDS INTO DEMONS!!! Of course all of us know what it means, but the general hippy tree hugging animal saving (not eating) public thinks It'll shoot down a plane from half way around the world What are you trying to say it wont shoot down a plane from half way around the world.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
paprotective 362 Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 What I hate is when the Police, or the media, or both drop the word SEMI and say Automatic in the TITLE of the article. Clearly in the pics (they post sometimes) you can see its a semi... Remington 1200 Automatic Shotgun... Mossberg 500 Automatic.... Auto-Feeding maybe not auto-fire.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sonnydazegunsmithing 42 Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 self loading is what i think they should be called drop any auto term Quote Link to post Share on other sites
read_the_wall 614 Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Is "SEMI-AUTO" a confusing term? Only to liberal democrats. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bayoupiper 738 Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Liberals that are SEMI-conscious and SEMI-human......... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chris410 0 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 It depends on what your definition of "semi" is. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vujade 0 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 (edited) EVERY newbie i've taken to the range had assumed that my saiga was a full auto machine gun until he/she fired it and I explained the "semi-ONLY" part. I agree that the media/culture/whatever has brainwashed the populace that semi-auto means something like it can shoot one bullet at a time (semi) AND automatic like a machine gun...or if it's black and "assault weapon" looking - it's a machine gun. hm..i would reckon then that most anti-gunners think all the black weapons we have are full auto. when they see a 30 round glock magazine, i reckon if they think it's for a fully automatic handgun. Based on my experience with "every day people" I talk to, i would draw to this conclusion. If that is the case, we have a whole lot of teaching and de-brainwashing to do. Edited June 8, 2009 by vujade Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wavetrain75 0 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 I would say that Single Action / Double Action is more confusing that semi auto. But semi auto seems pretty obvious to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vujade 0 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 (edited) a lot of us have been around guns long enough that semi-auto is pretty clear. I'll even add that if you look at these words - "semi-auto", it's pretty clear - IF you have unbiased eyes. The truth is, the typical person is anti-gun by default (blame it on cartoons, media, brainwashing, etc.). If you take the average person off the street (I'll add someone off a city street who perhaps hasn't been around guns much) and show them your converted Saiga, they are going to think it's a machine gun. I've seen it with my own eyes. I've seen it in myself when I first saw a friend's semi-auto AK the first time I was taken out shooting. I've learned something new by this thread and an earlier one. I'm going to start to use the terms "semi-only" instead of semi-auto, regular capacity or milsurp magazines instead of "high capacity mags" and "sport utility rifles" (SURs) instead of 'assault rifles". I think this is small but important step to the de-brainwashing. Edited June 8, 2009 by vujade Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vbrtrmn 167 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 Most firearm terms are clear, as long as you are familiar with the vocabulary, if you don't know the vocabulary, you're going to get confused. This is the same for pretty much anything, I for instance don't really know much about boating, I don't know the difference between aft and stern. To a boater I'd be completely ignorant, just like to firearms enthusiasts someone who says "clip" instead of "magazine" is pretty ignorant. The best thing to do, when talking to people about your hobby to someone who doesn't really know much about it, is to be very specific and ask them if they know what you're talking about as you talk about it. Bring them to your place or the range and show them examples of different types of guns, take them apart and explain how the actions work, explain that "kick back" is actually recoil, and that different calibers have different recoil based the type of ammo and size and shape of the firearm. I just took a friend shooting, a guy who is about as left as you could imagine; he said to me a few years ago that "all firearms should be banned", after I taught him about my hobby and way of life, he completely changed his mind. The last thing he said about it was, "I don't know if I'd want to own one, but I can definitely see the use in knowing how to operate a firearm." I have another buddy who bought some kind of Browning .308 rifle, with a match trigger, which had some issues with its double set (hair) trigger setting. He had only been shooting for about a year and he wasn't familiar enough with the gun to fix it. I knew the action was very similar to the Mauser, so I helped him disassemble it and explained everything I knew about it, we found that there was a small plunger which was really dirty and wasn't setting properly which was causing the issue, after cleaning it up really well he says it works great. Next time he has an issue, I'm sure he'll be able to figure it out, be it with the same plunger or something else. When you show someone how something works and explain what each part is for, it reinforces their memory of whatever you're teaching. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BobAsh 582 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 If you don't have knowledge of guns, the word "AUTO" is scary and fraught with misunderstanding which is exactly why the media likes to use it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bayoupiper 738 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 If you don't have knowledge of guns, the word "AUTO" is scary and fraught with misunderstanding which is exactly why the media likes to use it. Kind of like Auto-Terrier...................... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Mark 2,452 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 While I think Bob makes a good point I would like to play the devil's advocate and say F@#k em if they don't understand. I get a little tired of having to dumb things down for those not willing to educate themselves. If we keep this up no white firemen will ever be promoted. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BobAsh 582 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 While I think Bob makes a good point I would like to play the devil's advocate and say F@#k em if they don't understand.I get a little tired of having to dumb things down for those not willing to educate themselves. I agree, Dave, but the media uses those buzzwords to injure our cause. Anytime a pistol is used in a crime it's an "automatic pistol". Kind of like Auto-Terrier...................... That's "Boston Terrorist", Will. How are you feeling? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Juggernaut 11,054 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 Semi Auto...... the next new "gateway" drug...... Semi auto erotica??? Hmmmmm.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
waltham_41 52 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 self loading is what i think they should be called drop any auto term That is a good phrase to use to people that do not know, do not want to know and people that want to twist words. self loading only means that it will reload itself after each shot, not that it is a machine gun. the word auto gets the uninformed and the anti gun crowd all worked up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gaddis 1,689 Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 (edited) we need a delete key again Edited June 9, 2009 by Gaddis Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Mark 2,452 Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 I agree, Dave, but the media uses those buzzwords to injure our cause. Anytime a pistol is used in a crime it's an "automatic pistol". I hear you Bob. It just pisses me off that smart is no longer cool. This new America is starting to look a little third world to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackback 135 Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 I use the British term "single shot" instead of semi-auto for clarity with my ignorant (not used in the pejorative) friends and family. I do not describe arms by their capacity, only their action. It helps to ease the potential fellow aficionado into acceptance and eventual handling and firing, not to mention shedding of misconceptions. 25% of the time a small executive summary of the 1934 NFA and its original purpose follows "Semi-auto' has been turned into a emotion evoking word via the sensationalist media. I suggest we move away from using it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bayoupiper 738 Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 That's "Boston Terrorist", Will. How are you feeling? I was trying to find a way to work that in, but I'm still moving a bit slow................... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fasdfs 5 Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Your "assault rifle" is my "auto-loading defensive carbine." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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