Acronyms

Jeff2131 said:
Sevens listed acronyms correctly, however....gr. bbl. Adj. Etc....are not "initializations. The ARE in fact abbreviations.
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Jeff - did you read what I actually wrote in the post concerning all of that?

And grammatically speaking, must end with a period to signify that they are so. "Initializations" is a term used regarding computers; meaning to boot or start a set of calculations. Im assuming you MEANT to say "initials" which are slightly different than acronyms in that intials are the first letters of ones name, seperated by periods.
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Actually I did get it wrong, but not how you might think. I meant to say "initialism". That is the proper term for the series of initial letters of two or more words which is not said as a word (that would be an acronym), but by the letters themselves. Examples - FBI, GCA, IRS, etc. The letters are normally not separated by periods. If that is the case, then they are indeed simply initials.

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[ETA]
Added ETA ;)
Fixed "Molon Labe" link (thanks, higgite, for noticing that one)
 
Then there is JIC, just in case, I have small base dies, I do not use them but JIC. I also have neck sizer dies, I do not use them but JIC.

JIC was taken from a story about a car salesman making every effort to sell a car with a manual choke, the prospective buyer could not understand why the auto needed a choke if the auto was as trouble free as he advertised.

F. Guffey
 
An acronym should be defined upon first usage in each post, and then used thereafter.......that's never going to happen unfortunately. It's going to be impossible to keep up with every new acronym.

What is SMLE? Edit: Never mind, Short Magazine Lee Enfield (Google) good grief, so there is a long magazine?

I find myself keeping two window open...one for The Firing Line (TFL) and another to Google spelling and acronyms. Dang I wish TFL had a spellchecker!
 
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Here's a fairly common one:

FAL=Fusil Automatique Leger, or its English counterpart, LAR=Light Automatic rifle.

Yes, there is a "long" Lee-Enfield that preceded the SMLE, but they were never known by that nomenclature in the British military. SMLE were called Rifle, Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield to differentiate them from the originals MkI and MkII Lee-Enfields and Lee-Metfords.

BTW: Fiat is an acronym, too.:D
 
Another to add is DE for Dram Equivalent

DRAM EQUIVALENT
The accepted method of correlating relative velocities of shotshells loaded with smokeless propellant to shotshells loaded with black powder. The reference black powder load chosen was a 3 dram charge of black powder, with 1 1/8 oz. of shot and a velocity of 1200 fps. Therefore, a 3 dram equivalent load using smokeless powder would be with 1 1/8 oz. of shot having a velocity of 1200 fps. or 1 1/4 oz. of shot and a velocity of 1165 fps. A 3 1/4 dram equivalent load might have 1 1/8 oz. of shot and a velocity of 1255 fps. Abbreviated Dram Equiv.
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I have a novel idea,,,

Why don't we stop using the dang things.

I spent enough time in the service communicating in shorthand,,,
I like to use actual language when I communicate.

Just a thought. ;)

Aarond

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I usually don't join threads that have been brought back from the dead, but I have to ask, is FITASC an acronym? :D
 
Sorry, but if I have to go back and forth and scroll through that list to find out what your post is trying to say because you won't type a few extra characters, then I am skippig over your post. No offense, but my time is worth something too, and Im just too impatient to have fun of solving every basic communication like a puzzle.
 
I use JIC, I always explain JIC as 'just in case'.

Example: I have neck sizing dies, I do not use them but 'JIC' as in 'just in case'.

F. Guffey
 
TimSr said:
Sorry, but if I have to go back and forth and scroll through that list to find out what your post is trying to say because you won't type a few extra characters, then I am skippig over your post. No offense, but my time is worth something too, and Im just too impatient to have fun of solving every basic communication like a puzzle.
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I feel similarly, but from the opposite perspective.

When I write, I want to communicate. When I put the effort into writing, I want to be sure my message is clear.

I (try to) always spell out any obscure or potentially ambiguous acronym or abbreviation in parentheses right next to my first use of the short-hand term.

Examples, SA (single action) or Semi-automatic (SA).

Lost Sheep (trying to not lead others astray)
 
When I see SA my first thought is Springfield Armory.

Anytime I see FTF I have to wonder if the problem was feeding or firing (or maybe they meant face-to-face). Same with FTE, was it a failure to extract or eject?

There's a lot to be said for spelling out your thoughts.
 
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OK, I learned something.

1) Abbreviations
.a) shortened words [Feb]
.b) initializations [psi]
.c) acronyms [NATO]

I hate abbreviations, that I don't recognize, in other people's posts.
I write a few in my reloading notes, that are conditioned responses, and show up in MY posts, that probably irritate others.
 
I (try to) always spell out any obscure or potentially ambiguous acronym or abbreviation in parentheses right next to my first use of the short-hand term.
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That's called good writing. Things written in that way are much easier to read, and are far less prone to interpretation mistakes.

But what kind of bugs me in longer articles is when acronyms are properly first spelled out, but then are used only once. For example, an article might start out by saying something like, "The armed citizen was the holder of a valid concealed pistol license (CPL).", after which CPL is never used again in the remainder of the article.

I love the use of three letter acronyms (TLAs). In fact, TLA is itself a TLA! :)
 
Mal H, one thing I would suggest that might make the list a little easier to read is to show the acronym, abbreviation, or initialism in bold. It helps to set it off from the definition and could make it more readable.

Also, I do not see RKBA on the list.

Thanks.
 
My only suggestion would be to get off yer lazy a$$e$ and type out the words :mad:! Some may think it makes them look like an "expert"/ more worldly experienced reloader to use the abbreviations/acronyms, but I don't think so. Way too many times an abbreviation (abbr.) or acronym (acrym) is made up on the fly, and the writer has something in his head that he understands but unfortunately no one else does....

RNT ovr...
 
My only suggestion would be to get off yer lazy a$$e$ and type out the words ! Some may think it makes them look like an "expert"/ more worldly experienced reloader to use the abbreviations/acronyms, but I don't think so. Way too many times an abbreviation (abbr.) or acronym (acrym) is made up on the fly, and the writer has something in his head that he understands but unfortunately no one else does....
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The point I was trying to make, only clearer!



Seriously, does anybody actually go over and search that list for something they don't understand in a post or do people actually read and memorize that list before they read posts? I think its used more as a "how many can you think of" game than as a serious reference.
 
Related source of confusion

"Terms of Art" are words that have very specific meanings when used in the context of a field of science or profession. In the Legal profession, when you find "must" and "shall" in a contract, the meanings are very different. In everyday conversation, not so much.

"Clip" and "Magazine" are like that. In lay language, they are often freely interchanged without confusion over the speaker's/writer's intent. To a Naval Gunner, "Magazine" is quite different.

It is the writer's duty to make the meaning as clear and unmistakable as possible. (Also, easy to read)

It is the reader's duty to pay attention to the writer's efforts.

Lost Sheep
 
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