# Deck The Halls With Smith and Wesson **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 30, 2007, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327 "2007-11-30T17:12:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/61 "2007-12-01T02:19:33Z")
I bought my dad a Smith & Wesson Model 686 6" Stainless .357 for Christmas a few years ago. He’s never shot anybody with it, but put 15,000 rounds a year through it for a while (.38 SP wad cutters, his loads). Bought it at WalMart. There ya go. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/62 "2007-12-01T02:22:58Z")
[QUOTE=E-Sabbath] … I’m buying my dad shooting stuff for Christmas. Not sure what to get him, actually. Magnetic side-of-car stand, but… (Trap shooter, gun of choice, 12ga break action Beretta) [/QUOTE] I have 2 BL-4 Berettas, my hunting gun of choice. My dad bought the 1st one to shoot trap (IC-M), hated it, gave it to me when I was about 8 or 9, used it ever since (46 now). The second one I got off a buddy who didn’t hunt/shoot, gift from his step father, never had a shell in it. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/63 "2007-12-01T02:26:26Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Why is that hypocritical? [/QUOTE] I didn’t mean selling things around Christmas. I meant ‘Christmas Sales’. Considering Jesus was pretty antagonistic to profiteering in general. You know Rich man is to Heaven as Camel is to Eye of the Needle. Going into the Temple and roughing up the money changers. Telling people to sell everything they own, give the money to the poor and follow him. Little things like that. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/64 "2007-12-01T02:27:41Z")
[QUOTE=Lobohan] Karate is actually practicing how to beat people up. Killing takes a little extra work generally. [/QUOTE] Actually killing someone is easier than beating them up if you know what you’re doing. If you beat them up they can retaliate. If you kill them, they can’t. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/65 "2007-12-01T02:30:14Z")
As always when a thread title’s typo gets on my nerves, I’ve fixed it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/66 "2007-12-01T03:00:39Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] Good for them. Why, exactly, is this a problem? [/QUOTE] My once GF got me a Beretta for Xmas once. Just about the best present I have ever got in my adult life. 🆒 If handguns _are_ made for killing people, then they likely the worst designed object ever, since the % of handguns that do kill is tiny. Something like 1/100th of a %? They are better designed to: Shoot holes in targets. This is fun in and of itself. Make the owner feel safe. _Instill owner lust, envy and a desire to possess._ Look, I own about a dozen swords. Swords _were_ originally “designed for killing people”. None of my swords were bought or given to me for any kind of real martial use. They are \*fun \*to own and play with, they are cool. Guns are very much similar. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/67 "2007-12-01T04:23:10Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] Or, since we’re decking with Smith and Weston, as they say in my Science chatroom games: Praseodymium and pass the Ammonites! [/QUOTE] [Can do! (you would not believe how many strange things I have in my curio cabinets)](http://65.69.77.33/files/PandA.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/68 "2007-12-01T04:34:39Z")
[QUOTE=TheMichael] Guns dont kill people? What do I need all these weapons for then? Oh yeah people kill people. I’ve done enough, but will again if I have to. [/QUOTE] D’y’all see what wanders in when we leave the doors open around here? [QUOTE=Alessan] You can do lots of things with a screwdriver. You can jimmy open a window, scrape between floor tiles, crack open a coconut. All that doesn’t change the fact that screwdrivers are a tool designed for the specific purpose of turning screws. [/QUOTE] Amazingly enough, you can still do all of that with a .357! “It slices! It dices!” Well, at least you can do the coconut thingy. “Deck the halls with Smith & Wesson! Falalalala, lala, lala! Don’t handle guns without a lesson! Falalalala, lala, lala! Don we now our gun apparel! Falala! Falala! La! La! La! Eyes, and ears, and mind the barrel! Falalalala, lala, LALA!” [QUOTE=begbert2] Don’t say “can be used for”; almost _anything_ “can be used for” killing people, but nonetheless frying pans, aspirin, and large bodies of water were not expressly developed for the purpose of killing. Unlike guns; which were certainly developed for the express purpose of killing, and…it would take somebody with more historical knowledge than I to determine if _people_ were what guns were developed to kill. [/QUOTE] I have it on high authority from The History Channel that they were originally designed to kill very small rocks. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/69 "2007-12-01T04:48:46Z")
[QUOTE=mswas] Actually killing someone is easier than beating them up if you know what you’re doing. If you beat them up they can retaliate. If you kill them, they can’t. [/QUOTE] I apologize for offending your ninja-sensibilities Sensei. I will duckwalk across the dojo until my anus bleeds. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/70 "2007-12-01T05:28:53Z")
_“my two main men are Jesus and old John Birch, so I’m headed on down to the gun sale at the church” Country Dick Montana & the Beat Farmers_ ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/71 "2007-12-01T06:28:22Z")
Maxim and Browning, they helped me along. Stoner, Kalashnikov thrilled to my song. Now one of me exists, for each one of you, So how can you blame me for the things that I do? Now I take second place to the motor car in the score of killing kept thus far. And just remember, if you don’t mind it’s not the gun that kills but the man behind. (Ian Anderson) ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/72 "2007-12-01T14:50:22Z")
[QUOTE=Scumpup] Smith and Wesson is an inappropriate choice. Everybody knows Jesus favored Colts. [/QUOTE] You won the thread! ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/73 "2007-12-01T14:53:28Z")
[QUOTE=Darth Nader] At least it wasn’t a “Back to School” sale… [/QUOTE] Damn, I already announced who won this thread! But that was a close second! ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/74 "2007-12-01T16:48:45Z")
[QUOTE=Cowgirl Jules] Hey, I’m buying my kid a gun for Christmas. [/QUOTE] Me too. I’m getting our 10 year old daughter a Ruger 10/22 and a few thousand rounds of .22LR. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/75 "2007-12-01T16:57:10Z")
[QUOTE=Crafter\_Man] Me too. I’m getting our 10 year old daughter a Ruger 10/22 and a few thousand rounds of .22LR. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Ruger the .22 rilfe had a very shiny bore… ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/76 "2007-12-01T17:04:34Z")
Well, how else are you going to ring in the New Year? I mean, D’UH. 😉 [QUOTE=mswas] Actually killing someone is easier than beating them up if you know what you’re doing. If you beat them up they can retaliate. If you kill them, they can’t. [/QUOTE] Yeah, but where’s the fun in that? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/77 "2007-12-01T18:31:09Z")
[QUOTE=Lobohan] Karate is actually practicing how to beat people up. Killing takes a little extra work generally. [/QUOTE] Not if you know what you’re doing. > [@](#): > > But seriously, handguns are generally designed to be compact defense weapons, right? Would you say the primary use for a handgun is sport shooting? The Primary Use for Handguns is most definitely Sport Shooting, since that is what the vast majority of them are only ever used for. I own three pistols. I’ve fired thousands of rounds through them. I carried one on the job for 14 months. I’ve displayed them in self defense six times. But they’ve never been fired at another human being. Heck, they’ve never even been pointed at another human being…by me anyway. Some stupid people that I taught in the past pointed them at me once or twice; and were lucky enough to walk away physically intact. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/78 "2007-12-01T20:51:41Z")
[QUOTE=Crafter\_Man] Me too. I’m getting our 10 year old daughter a Ruger 10/22 and a few thousand rounds of .22LR. 🙂 [/QUOTE] I expected better from you. 10? Poor kid, to be so neglected. 😉 I had to take a band saw to the stock so stumpy little 7 year old arms could work it (they coming from rather diminutive stock, you understand), oldest now much prefers the 94/22 and youngest likes the M4, and the 10/22 was a birthday gift so probably not relevant in this thread (but when has that ever stopped me?) ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/79 "2007-12-01T21:17:36Z")
[QUOTE=Scumpup] Smith and Wesson is an inappropriate choice. Everybody knows Jesus favored Colts. [/QUOTE] What did Mohammad carry? Buddha? And with all of those arms the various Hindu devas could probably carry and use a wide selection of weapons. [QUOTE=DanBlather] Glocking around, The Christmas tree, Have a happy holiday. Made out of plastic, Glocks are fantastic, Can’t see em on x-ray. Glocking around, The Christmas tree, Boy it’s lots of fun. Oops, shot my daughter, Maybe you oughta, Call for 911. [/QUOTE] Your skill with verse is at least workmanlike, but your facts are a bit lacking. A Glock is not invisible to x-ray or other screening devices, as the slide, the barrel, the internal action, and many other parts are made of steel. I can’t see anything wrong with having a Christmas sale on firearms. Bevmo just sent out a Christmas flyer for sales on various wines and spirits, all of which contribute to more deaths yearly than firearms, and I hear nary a protest; ditto for automobiles. And as a pacifist icon, Jesus of Nazarath was a bit lacking; he had a pretty good temper on him when he was riled up, and was not adverse to a bit of Buford Pussar action when the mood took him. The rendition of him as “The Prince of Peace” is a modern reimaging not reflected in the history of that family of religions. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327/80 "2007-12-01T21:21:18Z")
This seems like a good place to say that I want a Gyrojet for hannukah. Anybody have a problem with the gift of weapons for the festival of lights? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deck-the-halls-with-smith-and-wesson/428327.md?page=5)