# Guns and bullets in military nomenclature **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 20, 2008, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752 "2008-10-20T16:15:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/21 "2008-10-20T20:03:11Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > We do, but someone realized that since we’re qualified on rifles also that they would be an excellent standoff weapon if you’re ever on the ground. Handguns are close range weapons, and letting someone get closer to you while they’re shooting at you is not exactly conducive to long life if you know what I mean. When you mean air crew do you mean any pilot? Does a pilot of a fighter jet have a carbine in his emergency supplies that go with him if he has to bail ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/22 "2008-10-20T20:08:15Z")
It’s easier just to call it ammo. And the S-4 is indeed the goto person for getting ammo. He has to go to the AHA to get it, but he’s the guy you talk to. ---
**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/23 "2008-10-20T20:11:07Z")
The Marines have planes too. You could call the the Navy’s Army’s Air-force. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/24 "2008-10-20T20:13:08Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > We do, but someone realized that since we’re qualified on rifles also that they would be an excellent standoff weapon if you’re ever on the ground. Handguns are close range weapons, and letting someone get closer to you while they’re shooting at you is not exactly conducive to long life if you know what I mean. I realize that.. I just didn’t think the Air Force put rifles in the cockpit. Space constraints, and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/25 "2008-10-20T20:49:19Z")
> [@sweeteviljesus](#): > > Thanks for your responses. But do you know of anyone in the military who was ever corrected for calling cartridges bullets? > > Thanks, > Rob Twenty-three years in the Seabees and never. I coached on the rifle range and taught marksmanship in addition to a lot of other activities. The rifle/pistol/shotgun/machine gun were referred to as “weapons”, although sometimes the M-60 was referred to as a “gun” and its operator a “gunner”. The pointy things that go into the weapon were _always_ called “rounds”. Our instructors were usually Marines and the commands on the firing line were (among others): “WITH a magazine of 20 rounds, LOCK AND LOAD!” “Cease fire and place your weapons on SAFE!” Or if it was a Gunny Sgt.: “IF a mahzina tenny houns, LAH AN LOwwww!” “See fahhh, see fahhhh an playa weppinon SAFE!” ---
**Author:** ![dmatsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@dmatsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dmatsch)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/26 "2008-10-20T20:53:09Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > What sort of Air Force personnel carry carbines? 😕 When in the Air Force, I worked at Cheyenne Mountain. NORAD. Top Secret SCI facility. The security police routinely carried M4’s. Og help you if you were caught not displaying your TS badge in plain sight. You would find yourself jacked up against a wall with a “weapon” pointed at you (or in your general direction). The SP’s took great pride in jacking up anyone they could, especially officers. ---
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/27 "2008-10-20T21:08:47Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Twenty-three years in the Seabees and never. Never called cartridges bullets or never saw anyone catch hell for calling them bullets? Thanks, Rob ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/28 "2008-10-20T21:31:48Z")
> [@dmatsch](#): > > The security police routinely carried M4’s. Og help you if you were caught not displaying your TS badge in plain sight. You would find yourself jacked up against a wall with a “weapon” pointed at you (or in your general direction). The SP’s took great pride in jacking up anyone they could, especially officers. I always heard they enjoyed doing that because they really had nothing else to do, so it was at least something different. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/29 "2008-10-20T21:34:43Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > …Or if it was a Gunny Sgt.:… hee hee…love those guys. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/30 "2008-10-20T21:53:33Z")
“This is my weapon (M16), this is my gun (points at crotch), this one’s for shooting, this one’s for fun.” They made us say that in basic training whenever someone made the mistake of referring to their weapon as a gun. We also weren’t allowed to refer to a magazine as a clip. I also worked at a SCIF, and can confirm military police love to jack people up for not having their badge. We used to screw with them once in awhile though, and stick a little picture of Hitler or Mussolini or someone over our own picture, to see if they noticed. The worst joke you could play on someone was stealing their badge though, because the MP’s wouldn’t let you out of the SCIF either, and you really didn’t want to get “red-badged” (temporary badge) because you could end up getting stopped all day. Whenever someone yelled “red-badge!” everyone had to cover their classified, which was a pain in the ass. The MPs would (hopefully) jokingly say they weren’t there to protect us and our secrets if the enemy attacked, they were there to kill us and our secrets if the enemy attacked. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Tenebras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@Tenebras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenebras)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/31 "2008-10-20T23:35:28Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I made the mistake of referring to my husband the marine as a soldier once. \*That \*wasn’t pretty. I take it you hadn’t yet told him about your husband the soldier? ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/32 "2008-10-21T00:04:38Z")
> [@sweeteviljesus](#): > > Never called cartridges bullets or never saw anyone catch hell for calling them bullets? > > Thanks, > Rob Haven’t been in 23 years, but in my short time, I’ve never heard them called “cartidges”. They’re “ammo”, “five-five-six”\*, or “rounds”. “Cartridges”, though not incorrect, sounds like something from a western. Or something you load one at a time into a bolt action or something. In fact, I’ve heard them called _bullets_ more than _cartridges_. \*Or “seven-six-two”, or “9mil” or whatever… ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/33 "2008-10-21T00:21:21Z")
They were always called “rounds” when I was in the Canadian Armed Forces, or alternately “ammunition” if the context called for that word. I do not recall “Cartridge” being used. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/34 "2008-10-21T12:21:36Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I realize that.. I just didn’t think the Air Force put rifles in the cockpit. Space constraints, and all that. Fighter pilots carry pistols. When I was in (the 80s), it was a S&W .38 revolver. We didn’t have a rifle or carbine because there just isn’t room for one in the stuff that ejects with you. I presume, but don’t know for sure, that the same would apply to bomber crews equipped with ejection seats. I rode C-130s & 141s a bunch, but not in a full-up war zone. They did not carry any firearms. I couldn’t say what current practice in, say, Iraq is today. But having a couple M16 or similar aboard a tanker or cargo plane is certainly not out of the question. I also dealt with USAf helos a bunch and they’d never go anywhere hostile without carbines or better, at least for the enlisted crewmen. The officer pilots carried the same revolvers we did. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/35 "2008-10-21T12:52:38Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > To an outsider, this may sound kind of petty; but the military functions, in part, by fostering a sense of of being part of a unique community. Shared jargon, different from that of outsiders, plays a role. Shared jargon is very important, but an even more critical function is shared language. The U.S. military is comprised of Americans from all over the country and even some newly-Americanized immigrants eager to serve their country. Getting a Puerto Rican\*, an Alabamian, and a Bostonian to speak a precisely-defined dialect of English that each can understand over the radio is crucial to getting the mission accomplished. - - Yes, I know they’re already Americans by birth. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/36 "2008-10-21T13:28:34Z")
Appreciate the jab, expected from an **airman**. When I was deciding on services, I thought about Air Force for a minute, then reached down and realized I had a pair. As for **Alessan** , when I reached down, my pair wasn’t QUITE that big. For the uninitiated, the AP Stylebook the American journalist’s bible, said to capitalize “Marine”, but not “soldier”, “sailor”, or “airman” when speaking generically about a service member in one of those branches. I don’t know if the 2008 version says the same thing. I credit a particular PMI (Primary Marksmanship Instructor) who was very clear in his verbal cadence while telling us to make weapons full safe before getting up and moving from the 200 yards line to the 300, or 300 to the 500 yard line: “UNLOAD, CLEAR AND **LOCK!** Removethemagazinefromthemagazinewellpullthecharginghandlebackandlockitandinserttheflags, CHECK EM!” ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/37 "2008-10-21T13:35:24Z")
> [@UncleBill](#): > > For the uninitiated, the AP Stylebook the American journalist’s bible, said to capitalize “Marine”, but not “soldier”, “sailor”, or “airman” when speaking generically about a service member in one of those branches. I don’t know if the 2008 version says the same thing. Do **M** arines know about typos? The rest of us do. Let it go. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/38 "2008-10-21T13:49:20Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > Do **M** arines know about typos? The rest of us do. Let it go. The Marine Corps, moreso than the other branches of the service, is very anal about their shared jargon and their little quirks of etiquette that they believe differentiate them from the other services and from civilians. Whatever else one may say about the Marine Corps, they are second to none in inculcating their members with the belief that they are different from, and better than, everybody else. Marines never get over it. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/39 "2008-10-21T13:53:42Z")
> [@mks57](#): > > I’d like some Navy person to explain their definition of rifle and caliber, such as the 16"/50 caliber rifles that were installed on battleships. Like **Paul In Saudi** said, caliber means something else in naval artillery. In this case, the number 50 means that the length of the gun is 50 times the caliber of the weapon. This particular cannon is 800 inches long (50 x 16"). Rifled cannons were noteworthy when they were first adopted. So the navy began using the term rifle to show that a particular ship didn’t have the old obsolete smoothbore cannons. It became the traditional term and you know how the navy never lets go of a tradition. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752/40 "2008-10-21T14:08:02Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Different weapons have specific names. The noncoms jump all over recruits in training over stuff like calling a rifle a gun because they want to encourage precision in communications. When I served, an M-16A1 could be referred to as a rifle, and M-16, or a weapon without provoking the wrath of the drills. The word gun was used to indicate certain artillery pieces or the main armament on a tank. > To an outsider, this may sound kind of petty; but the military functions, in part, by fostering a sense of of being part of a unique community. Shared jargon, different from that of outsiders, plays a role. In the British Army the Gun was your M.G./L.M.G.((Now its the L.S.W.) for infantry or other nitty gritty ground troops. Though also I suppose as we called Artillerymen Gunners their weapons of choice were guns aswell. (OK we also called them planks,dropshorts,longrange snipers and a lot of other not so flattering names) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-and-bullets-in-military-nomenclature/468752.md?page=3)