The Firearm Blog

[ I am pleased to present this guest post written by Matt Groom.]

For many of us, our window to the world of guns is books, magazines, and the internet. Unfortunately, when you see a word or a name that you aren’t familiar with, you tend to do what you learned to do in school, sound it out in your head. This has lead to a plethora of often mispronounced words and names in the firearms community, and it makes us all look like rubes. I would like to point out some often heard examples along with the proper enunciation of each. Please note that I am neither German nor Scandinavian and I speak no languages other than American English, but I have asked and been corrected by people who do speak these languages.

Heckler & Koch

Probably one of the most well-know arms companies in the world is known by its initials because nobody seems to know how to pronounce the last names of its founders. And everybody says their marketing department is SO great...

How most people say it: Heck-ler and C-au-k like “Cock”, or Coach, or KA-t-ch (?)

How it’s actually pronounced: “Heck-ler and Coke” Example: “Well, I’ll have a coke, then.”

Why is it mispronounced? “Cock” would be a very appropriate name for a gun company “Cock your hammer!” or “Those guys at H&K are a bunch of… Germans.”

Krag-Jorgensen

America’s first military repeater is also the most mispronounced of all service rifle names. No less and authority than the late great Col. Jeff Cooper corrected me on the proper way to say this name, and ultimately, he was incorrect.

How most people say it: Ker-Ag ,or Ker-egg Jor-gen-son

How it’s actually pronounced: Kr-Ah-g (like “Frog”) Yor-gen-sen.

Why is it mispronounced? A popular ballad during the Spanish-American War and the Pilipino Insurrection had a refrain that went “Underneath our starry flag, civilize ‘em with a Krag!” which certainly had a better ring to it than “If you want to eat a frog, do not shoot him with a Krag”. The proper enunciation may have been intentionally bastardized for pop-culture.

Makers of everything from Weed whackers to Motorcycles to full-auto military rifles, this name seems to dumbfound even the people who sell them. A Swede who was a former employee of the firm in the 1960’s told me how to say it.

How most people say it: Husk-a-varn-a, Husk-Q-var-na

How you’re supposed to say it: Who-sk-Var-na

Why is it mispronounced? It’s Swedish.

These Serbian makers of high quality ammunition available at bargain basement prices have rapidly earned popularity in the US. After being sold for a number of years under different names by different distributors, they are now selling ammo under their own name and confusing many people with their Balkan-esque spelling.

How most people say it: Pervy Party-san

How you’re supposed to say it: PR-iv-A Part-iZ-on

Why is it mispronounced? Triple Consonants don’t make a whole hell of a lot of sense to most English speakers.

I have it on good authority that these are correct, but nobody’s perfect. There are lots more of these, but we’ll save those for another post. Let’s hear some suggestions for gun related names and words that are often mispronounced or which are confusing in the comments!

UPDATE:

Roy recorded himself pronouncing Heckler & Koch, Walther, Sauer, Luger, Mauser, Blaser, Weihrauch and Schmeisser.

Stefan recorded himself saying Anschütz, Heckler & Koch, Mauser, Sauer, Steyr Mannlicher, Walther and Weihrauch.

Are any of you at Interpolitex 2009 (Moscow, 27-30 October) now, or attending Defense & Security 2009 (Bangkok, 4-7 November)? If you are I am always on the lookout for news and photos of any new/interesting firearms.

Thanks.

Caleb answers questions here.

It is discussed on his podcast.

The incident is becoming something of a meme in the gun blogosphere.

Tactical Coffee Claymore Mug

I just want to post a few interesting things so y'all stay informed about the latest news ...

The funny thing about blogging is that when I am doing it day in and day out, I long for a break. Once on a break I long to open up my blogging software and crack out a post. I must am a blog-a-holic of something.

... a face full of coffee!

Seriously, Caleb, I am pleased you came out of the encounter unscathed.

Hi ladies and gentlemen. You probably noticed the flurry of blog posts over the past few days - I have been trying to get most of my backlog published before my break from writing. I will resume writing on 11 November (Next month).

Don't worry, the blog will be updated everyday, Monday to Friday, with a guest blog post each day. Readers from around the world have contributed articles covering a wide range of topics and I am very excited to present them on the blog, giving you all a break from my poor spelling and bad grammar So check back daily.

I will not be gone anywhere. This break is just so that I can get through my work workload without feeling guilty about not posting enough articles.

When new firearms are launched or there is breaking news, I will take a break from the break and cover it on the blog. I may also publish one or two articles I have been working on. I have you covered for gun news!

I will still be here can be contacted via. email.

Please continue to email me interesting firearm related news and information. While I may not be able to publish it on the blog, I want to keep my finger on the pulse of the industry ... and I just plain enjoy reader about gun stuff

Kind regards,

Steve

PS. If you have not been visiting the website daily, and are not subscribed, you have probably missed blog posts that dropped off the homepage. Scroll down to the bottom of the homepage and click the "Next" link. It will take you to the previous posts that are not on the homepage.

PPS. I am a bit behind on replying to emails ... please bear with me will I sort out my inbox.

The makers of the movie District 9 created a printable PDF "Prawn" target. It can be downloaded here. Another reader turned it into an printer friendly black-and-white image (The below image is just a thumbnail).

It can be downloaded here.

While on the topic of District 9, a friend of mine put together this nifty photoshop which I think really captures the mood of the film ...

Thanks to David for the target link, the anonymous reader for providing a printer friendly version and my friend for his photo(shop)

UPDATE:

Isaac just emailed me a PDF that is a vectorization of the above target. This means that the PDF can be scaled to any size without loss of quality. It can be downloaded here.

Thanks Isaac.

Murdoc, of Gun Pundit, is asking gun blog readers if they can fill out a quick survey about personal protection.

Are any of my Russian and European readers attending the Arms & Hunting expo at the Gostinji Dvor in Moscow (15-18 October)?

If you are, I would very much appreciate information and photos of any new and interesting firearms and ammunition on display. My email address is on the contact webpage.

Thanks!

If anyone else is interested, I am still looking for guest blog posts. Posts would need to be emailed to me by 19 October (but please email me your topic ideas first). More information here.

I won't be away, but I will have very little time between 20 Oct and 11 Nov to write blog posts.

5 years of blogging is a major personal achievement. Congrats ET!

Noah has created a website to help Canadians who are interested in getting a "Possession and Acquisition License" (gun license). It is well worth passing onto Canadian friends or relatives who are interested in getting their license.

You're going to have to wade knee deep into Canada's nearly two billion dollar firearms registry boondoggle. But it's not as bad as it sounds; and you're already paying for it with your tax dollars, so why not get something out of it?

After my US readers, Canadians make up the second biggest group of readers on the blog.

I just want to clear something up ...

The phrasing on one of the blog posts yesterday gave some readers the impression that I thought civilians should not be allowed to own suppressors. While I admit the wording was ambiguous, I am very surprised that readers of this blog would get that idea after I have spent two years writing about the joys of suppressors!

I happen to own multiple suppressors and I am very much a civilian! I can name far more reasons why a civilian shooter should use a suppressor than I could for military users.

Gun blogger Top of the Chain got himself inked for his birthday.

I think it looks awesome!

For those of you not familiar to the phrase "ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ", it means "Come and take them!". The Spartans were said to have said it in reply to the Persian order to surrender their weapons.

Happy Birthday buddy, I hope you have a good one.