2006-08-10 03:50:49 · 20 answers · asked by kathy6500 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
As a Marine, your rifle is your life.
It's not a toy or a prop for pictures. The Drill Instructors in boot camp make sure this is instilled in our brain housing groups (heads) from the very start. In the movie "FULL METAL JACKET" there is a perfect example of what happened to recruits who call their weapon a "gun".
Semper Fi.
2006-08-10 05:46:11 · answer #1 · answered by jarhed 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'll give you a very simplified answer. When a military recruit goes through boot camp (basic training) whether in the Marines or Army, they train you to call it a rifle or a weapon, but never a gun. It's just a military thing. It's a training requirement. So a military person who goes through all that training and later goes out into civilian life, will still call it a rifle or a weapon, but will be uncomfortable calling it a gun...only because of the rigid prior training. It's as simple as that.
2006-08-10 04:04:33 · answer #2 · answered by nothing 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not just Marines... My hubbie always getts angery with me when I call it a gun... I guess in the Engilsh Guy Language the worrd Gun Denotes some thing smaller like a hand held. A Rifle is big and manly...
2006-08-10 04:35:16 · answer #3 · answered by A_Soldiers_Wife 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
To a marine a Rifle is his best friend and it keeps him alive on the battle field....There rifle is a very important part of them on the battle field and that is why they call it a Rifle and not a gun......
2006-08-10 04:19:23 · answer #4 · answered by polarbear 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Remember that the Marines are part of the Navy. The giant things on battleships are guns. Rifles are individual weapons. Much like a Navy man will get upset if you call his ship a boat or a submariner will get upset if you call his boat a ship.
2006-08-10 03:57:09 · answer #5 · answered by Oh Boy! 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Marines are tought the the Rifle is his best fried in a sort of way. Calling it a gun is just a generalization and doesn't seem to feel right. It is like calling your fiance your girlfriend.
I know it is a little silly, but we are just that way.
2006-08-10 03:55:24 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
this is my rifle(points to rifle)
this is my gun(points to penis)
this is for fighting(points to rifle)
this is for fun(points to penis)
Can't say i have had a lot of discussions with Marines about rifles OR guns.
Have you?
I really can't imagine a Marine getting pissed off at civilian for confusing the terms. Except in a playful way.
When I was in USCG I would correct new guys if they referred to the deck as the "floor".
And when I was standing quarterdeck watch I would correct new crew member for stepping on board ship left foot first:):)
2006-08-10 04:01:27 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ding ding ding, Math_prof finally got it. A "gun" is a crew-served weapon, meaning it takes two or more people to properly operate it. An M240 or an M60 or an M2 are all machine guns and are properly called guns. An M16 on the other hand is an individual weapon and therefore properly called "weapon" or "rifle."
2006-08-10 05:46:08 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The answer lies in scale. Individual weapons are Rifles and Side Arms (Pistols). Guns are crew served weapons (Artillery and ship board naval guns).
2006-08-10 04:36:59 · answer #9 · answered by math_prof 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My husband is in the Army... anytime a call his rifle a "gun" I am corrected that it is not a gun, it is a "weapon"... just one of those things that gets hammered into them during their training.
2006-08-10 04:56:43 · answer #10 · answered by nicole 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋