Gun nuts vs gun geeks: a rant

C

Coinneach

Staff Alumnus
(anyone else noticed the increasing frequency of rants lately?)

One of the standard epithets applied to firearms enthusiasts is "gun nut." Frankly, I find this appellation insulting. After all, a nut is someone who's less than 100% in the mental stability department.

Geeks are generally harmless; the guy sitting at his computer, working away for hours trying to get that last compile error out, isn't much of a threat to anyone. Nuts, on the other paw, are heavily invested in the concept of external harm.

Gun geeks are concerned with getting maximum accuracy and reliability out of their guns. Gun nuts just want them to go BANG, preferably (but not necessarily) without hurting themselves.

Gun geeks are the guys you see at the range with just their primary and backup pistols, and maybe a 10/22T. They change their targets once the X-ring or COM is shot out, which happens after maybe 25 shots if they're having a bad day. Gun nuts bring all of their trick MAK-90s and ARs(*), a metric buttload of high-cap mags, and one bullseye target, which they hit maybe 15% of the time, since their aim consists of blasting from the hip.

Gun geeks know (and religiously follow) the Four Rules. Gun nuts have no idea who Jeff Cooper and Massad Ayoob are (I've asked), and sneer at the geeks who clear and safe their guns before going downrange.

Gun geeks understand that clean guns work better. Gun nuts' guns have 10 years worth of accumulated crap in the bores and actions.

Gun geeks understand why primers and powder should be stored separately. Gun nuts throw everything into one ammo can (preferably .50BMG).

Gun geeks don't shoot up public places when they don't get a full order of fries.

Gun geeks are only dangerous to criminals and tyrants. Gun nuts are dangerous to everyone.

Yes, I'm a gun geek. And damn proud of it.

(*): No offense to the geeks with trick MAKs and ARs. :)

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"The right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property,
or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall be called into question.."
Article 11, Section 13, CO state constitution.
 
"Gun Geeks". Hmmm....I like it.
Implies that an association between guns & intelligence, even high intelligence, is possible. Good rant.

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"Potius sero quam nunquam."
 
Coinneach, your target is really the corruption of the language and its misuse for political purposes. At one time, "nut" was attached to any area of interest beyond the typical. "Car-nut", for instance, or "golf-nut". It was interchangable with "bug". Bug as in, "He's buggy about tennis."

I guess that in today's world, your use of "geek" is better understood by the unwashed. "Nerd" would do just as well, and might be emotionally disarming, insofar as the general peception of nerds is concerned...

:), Art
 
I guess I've been a nut long enuff not to let the name affect me. I'm OK... *Twitch**Blink**Twitch* :)

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45 ACP: Give 'em a new navel!
 
Don't forget that "geek" and "nerd" carry a sense of the subject being a social misfit; he may be harmless, but is incapable of carrying on a normal conversation or otherwise acting normally in public.
 
Coinneach,

There is a lot to agree with in your rant. I also want to thank you for Mossberg.doc , it was an instant help and if your ever in Rapid City, South Dakota I will buy you a 30 dollar dinner. That said ... (you knew it was coming)

Sometimes I feel like a nut...sometimes I Don't. (Lifted from a popular Y2K suppliment bar brand name, if you want the name see my bunker babe)

I applied your geek/nut algorithm to my behavior and recieved the error "or Coinneach is a butt head". After extensive debugging, I have found your missing the popular subroutine "or he is a safe plinker."

All this is meant in fun, but us AR owners can't let propaganda like this go over without a peep! :-) *

* -- Not meant to be insulting to anyone named "Coinneach"
 
Gun Artist?
I only know of two Gun Artists:
Browning and Stoner


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"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
Hey, have I mentioned my new book? It is called:
MEN ARE FROM MARS and WOMEN JUST NEED TO DEAL WITH IT!
 
I prefer Pragmatic Realist. One who heeds Prof Murphy....

It's gonna hit the fan.

Everything may hit the fan.

It all may happen suddenly.

Anyone with combat experience can tell you just how long it takes the,"Thin veneer of civilization" to flake off,about a nanosecond.

Most folks are not dangerous under normal circumstances and very dangerous under other circumstances. The rest are dangerous ALL the time.

And being a realist, knowing the above, I have about as many guns as the average Central American Revolution,know how and when to use them, and pose absolutely no threat to anyone not posing a serious threat to others.

Stepping down from the soapbox, Dave...
 
The idea of "social misfit" might prove to be rather correct, given the present political climate. Kind of reminds me of something I read by Abigail van Buren--something about a square peg not fitting into a vicious circle.

And so, if going against the senseless status quo makes me a misfit, then I'll be happy to take on the title of gun geek.

jth



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Exodus 22:2 -- Biblical precedent for home defense.
 
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