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.

This was my father’s military rifle and of course he got to keep it when he was finished. I have my grandfather’s military rifle hanging on the office wall. This was mine when I did service. It’s quite an old one it was introduced in 1957 and used until 1990. And this is my son’s. It’s the current model. That’s what’s being used today. That’s what we’ll be using the shoot the Feldschiessen today.

The Feldschessen, or Tiro Federale in Campagna as it’s known in these parts is an annual Swiss event and the largest shooting festival in the world. Roughly 200 thousand people come out to target practice all across the country. ammunition is provided by the government.

A shooting content with 200,000 people! Crazy!

And for your viewing benefit, here are some swiss made Sig 550 rifles from CS's collection.

Many thanks to CS for the photos and the link.

With the hunting season starting I think we will be seeing a lot more of these offers.

Many thanks to Jonathan for the info.

Chauss513 creations are for sale and he can be contacted through Flickr. His Flickr account has over a hundred photos of his many creations. I highly recommend checking it out.

Thanks to Todd for putting me in contact with his friend Chauss513.

Shanghai — China’s weapons laws are among the world’s toughest. Its blanket ban on private ownership of rifles, pistols and even gun replicas is a core tenet of social policy. Still, a gun culture is taking hold.

Even replica guns (airsoft guns) are banned!

Even as China’s government seeks to keep guns off the street, and shields its massive gun-manufacturing business behind state-secrets laws, it helps stoke the public imagination about guns. Schoolchildren learn to salute the flag shouldering imitation rifles, while state media celebrate the heroism of military and athletic marksmanship.

I have a Chinese friend who was very surprised to learn that Chinese state owned factories exports guns and ammunition to civilians overseas.

The main source of guns appears to be lax control of gun factories and theft from arsenals. China is one of the world’s largest gun manufacturers — for the export market and for its security forces. Older guns are left from past wars and a time when hunting was common. The police have also busted workshops that forge guns and bullets by hand inside China. Meanwhile, people illegally import replicas — exact-looking imitations of guns.

An airsoft gun in luggage is not going to be picked up by an airport scanner. I was in a gun shop a couple of years ago and an Australian guy came in asking where he can buy an airsoft gun. He said he they were banned back home but bringing them in from overseas for kids to play with is a common practice. He wanted a couple of airsoft pistols for his son to sell to his friends.

Beijing’s support for the sport has helped spur a rise of hobby enthusiasts. The government has sanctioned businesses such as the Shanghai East Shooting Club, a former bomb shelter where customers can have a drink and fire a variety of weapons. Owner Zhang Jiewei says his clients are looking to relax.

China must be the only country in the world which bans guns but allows shooting clubs (if you have enough money and connections)!

But increasingly, gun fans are gaining access to guns — and hunting illegally. In rural Anhui province last year, a group of wealthy businessmen, gun-club owners and former army officers organized wild-fowl shoots. Feasting on game cooked in a spicy brown sauce, one of them toasted, “Guns have brought us together.”

I asked my Chinese friend how people hunt if guns are banned. He told me nobody hunts because there is nothing to hunt anymore. Most of the larger sized game has been wiped out by the massive population and are now endangered.

Gun buffs can turn to Small Arms, a twice-monthly glossy magazine that claims 60,000 subscribers. The Beretta M9 semiautomatic pistol “is classic,” said Zheng Zhoujian, an 18-year-old reader. “I envy people in other countries where guns are legal.”

A bi-monthly magazine in a country with a total firearm ban! Incredible!

Every single day I am grateful that I own firearms. The full article is well worth reading.

Now if somebody would design a nice leather holster for it …
Hat Tip: UberGizmo

Stunning photography. Photo by Cemetery’s Gun Blob

Cemetery’s Gun Blob has more photos (photos of the photos on exhibit) and information about the artist and the exhibit.

Very cool, it is even star-crimped. $97.77 at GreatBigStuff.com.

Very cool. Chocolate Weapons are selling it for $29.99.

Black knife, black gun, black leather sofa. Click to expand. Used with permission.

For those of you not familiar to the phrase: “ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ” (or in latin script “Molon labe”) means “Come and take them!”. It is what the Spartans reportedly said to the Persians when they were told to surrender their weapons. Yes … those Spartans …

The full sized version of Jennerson photo can be downloaded here. It is currently my desktop background.

Click to expand. Comic Strip from Dilbert.com

heh

Being sold by Swords, Knifes and Daggers for $15.

Ninja blowgun and Pocket knife combo. 5″ closed and has a 3 1/2″ 440 stainless steel blade. Includes 2 pieces of black tubing to make your pocket knife blowgun. Also includes 3 darts and a nylon pouch

Hat Tip: Nerd Approved via. Gizmodo

Click to expand

The perfect scope to go with your diamond front sight or gold sniper rifle.

I am not sure what Swarovski Optik model this is.

Hat Tip: Хроники безумного Макса

A Christie’s auction house staff poses with a 24 carat gold plated replica gun signed by actors Roger Moore and Christopher Lee at Christie’s auction house in London, Britain, 01 December 2008. The gun from the Bond film ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’ is expected to fetch 2,000 – 2,500 euros at Christie’s Pop Culture Sale 4 December

Click to expand.

The ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’ movie poster.

I looked through my music and found very little that had anything to do with or even mention guns. If you have any favorites post them in comments at his blog.

Sold by Hammacher Schlemmer

This toy blaster makes and launches softball-sized snowballs up to 50′, allowing rapid, long-range assaults during neighborhood snowball confrontations. Simply place snow in the forming chamber and close the lid, and it packs three perfectly spherical snowballs. To blast your mark, place one snowball in the muzzle, aim the launcher, and pull back the slingshot mechanism. Because the blaster is powered by elastomers instead of batteries, it provides uninterrupted, fast-action play. Made of durable, cold-resistant plastic. Includes targets for shooting practice. Ages 8 and up. 17 1/2″ L x 5 1/2″ W x 12″ H. (2 1/2 lbs.)

It just needs a laser

Hat Tip: Andrew116 @ MP.net

The Gun O’ Clock is an alarm clock that has to be shot in the bullseye with a toy laser gun to be turned off.

I love the idea. This is just what I need. I *often* turn my alarm clock off while still mostly asleep and then wake up late.

More info at UberReview

.357 Magnum Hair Dryer … more like a 20mm Vulcan hair dryer with a bore that size

More here.

H/T: DesignerMode

Available soon from Firebox for £14.95. I want one

Hat Tip: Toyology via Gizmodo

Federal agents said Monday that these guns were found in T.I.’s home. The rapper, whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr.. was arrested over the weekend on federal weapons charges. He was ordered to remain in custody at least until Friday.

The machine guns: two mac-10’s and one MP5K, with suppressors:

High cap magazines seem to be in fashion

The firearm in the middle of the above photo appears to be a Calico 9mm LIBERTY III pistol with the distinctive 50 (or 100) round magazine that sits on top.

More here.

From The NRA Foundation:

The Microsoft Gun Club Endowment in 2000 through individual contributions from members of the Microsoft Gun Club. This endowment was established to support training programs for young shooters. Club members’ gifts to this endowment are matched dollar for dollar by the Microsoft Corporation.

The founder and Chairman (soon to be ex-Chairman) Bill Gates is apparently anti-gun and pro gun control!

From ‘Is Bill Gates a closet liberal?‘ :

In 1997, Bill Gates contributed $35,000 in support of a Washington state ballot initiative supporting gun control.

It should be noted that it is Microsoft policy to match donations made by employees to charities. From Microsoft.com:

Charitable donations are matched by Microsoft, up to $12,000 per year.

A club member wearing the club t-shirt:

A 1951 law bans possession of automatic weapons, grenades, and explosives with the intent to commit high treason. A rather narrowly-tailored law, at first glance.

However, the law states that the President can by decree add “any other arms or ammunition” to the banned list. And any person with a banned weapon is presumed guilty of intending to commit high treason, and required to prove his innocence:

Same old story. Those without arms are oppressed. Continue reading here.

Hat Tip. Tech Blog

Some have suggested that would-be thugs are renting guns to use as fashion accessories. Daniel Silverstone of Portsmouth University is sceptical: “It would be cheaper to buy a replica,” he points out. “Someone who hired a real gun would probably intend to use it.” Renters must either be very short of cash or in need of a gun at very short notice, he reckons.

More here.

famous by Al Capone). It is run and mostly owned by a son of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, the billionaire and self-proclaimed messiah who founded the Unification Church and controls a sprawl of businesses presumably intended to sustain and defend his followers when the world as we know it ends. The gun business, along with food companies, real estate, and other holdings, will serve to protect the fortress and keep sinners at bay, according to former members, as well as supply necessary provisions after the arrival of the new world order.

Not much is known about Moon’s 37-year-old son, Justin, or how Kahr Arms fits into the church’s teachings and the reverend’s plans for world domination. People who know Justin say he travels a lot, has a penchant for fast cars and big-caliber pistols, and spends stretches of time at various family and church mansions around the globe. He is also vigorously business-minded and has personally designed most of his company’s guns. He has grown Kahr Arms into one of America’s top privately owned handgun manufacturers, with sales of around $20 million a year and climbing at an annual rate of 30 percent. More here.

Read it here.

Musical craftsman Luis Alberto Paredes and his family have branched out from their fine classic string instruments to fashion electric guitars from shotguns and AK47s once used by fighters caught up in the country’s lingering conflict.

I wonder what a shotgun guitar looks like?

More here.

Guns are deeply rooted within Swiss culture – but the gun crime rate is so low that statistics are not even kept.

The country has a population of six million, but there are estimated to be at least two million publicly-owned firearms, including about 600,000 automatic rifles and 500,000 pistols.

Mark Eisenecker, a sociologist from the University of Zurich told BBC News Online that guns are “anchored” in Swiss society and that gun control is simply not an issue.

Very interesting. Read the whole article here.