# ... So what should the National Gun of the United States be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 23, 2023, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069 "2023-04-23T03:27:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/41 "2023-04-23T21:53:20Z")
Also, it seems really weird to give a .40 cal pistol the name “22”, when the latter is a ubiquituous caliber / round. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/42 "2023-04-23T21:58:34Z")
I vote for the M1911 or the Colt Peacemaker for the National Handgun. The Garand M1 or the Winchester Model 1873 for the National Rifle. And then there’s the Browning M2… ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/43 "2023-04-23T22:37:56Z")
Thanks for the Revolutionary Era links. I feel much more informed. > [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Then again, I am not sure I grasp what a “National Gun of the USA” is supposed to mean. You know, now that I think about it, I think guns should be added to the lists of State stuff. I think the latest category being filled is State Fossil. Could be wrong about that. Why have one argument about best guns when you can have 50? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/44 "2023-04-23T23:17:56Z")
I owned [this WWII handgun](https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-park-plastics-toy-vintage-1800865340) for many years. It held off a machine gun nest of Nazis until reinforcements arrived, repelled a surprise attack by the Sauk tribe, and caused a spaceship full of mind-controlling Neptunians to smolder into ashes. I miss it. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/45 "2023-04-23T23:49:04Z")
In the spirit of the USA as a melting pot (or a cultural appropriator!) I submit The Chinese made copy of the AK-47 The Beretta 9mm The Steyr AUG (is there a cooler looking rifle? It’s quasi futuristic!) Glock 17 Uzi 9mm Most are commonly owned and used in the USA. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2023, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/46 "2023-04-23T23:57:24Z")
And the AK-47 has the distinction of being featured on the flag of Mozambique. I wonder how long befoore the M16/AR-15 gets put on our flag. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/47 "2023-04-24T00:04:14Z")
Just you wait. At some point one of the red states will be in the process of repacing the lame seal-on-blue flag and some state assemblyman will demand that the design feature per bend sinister an AR15 proper and superimposed on it per bend dexter IN GOD WE TRUST in large contrasting Impact Font. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/48 "2023-04-24T00:47:18Z")
All the while they’ll be exclaiming how the country is based on Christianity. Must be something wrong with me, I guess. I just don’t see Jesus mowing down schoolchildren with an AR-15. I wonder what weapon those red state denizens believe He used way back when folks in the Holy Land conversed in KJV English. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/49 "2023-04-24T00:53:02Z")
I think the national gun should be whatever gun the 6 year old used to shoot his teacher; that is the most American thing ever. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/50 "2023-04-24T01:07:06Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I think the national gun should be whatever gun the 6 year old used to shoot his teacher; that is the most American thing ever. Wasn’t a derringer used to shoot Lincoln? ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/51 "2023-04-24T01:28:50Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > I wonder what weapon those red state denizens believe He used way back when folks in the Holy Land conversed in KJV English. WGWJU? ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/52 "2023-04-24T01:29:24Z")
Nail gun, it’s what Jesus would use. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/53 "2023-04-24T01:37:32Z")
Who the fuck is Lincoln? That was like a million shootings ago. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/54 "2023-04-24T01:49:59Z")
Well, the Nazis were pussies. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/55 "2023-04-24T01:51:25Z")
Ouch! ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/56 "2023-04-24T03:27:12Z")
> [@Chingon](#): > > Nail gun, it’s what Jesus would use. Ouch. It would have non-violent uses, too. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/57 "2023-04-24T03:49:59Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > > [@Monty](#): > > > > I wonder what weapon those red state denizens believe He used way back when folks in the Holy Land conversed in KJV English. > > WGWJU? > [@Chingon](#): > > Nail gun, it’s what Jesus would use. Dare I say that’s a good point? Anyway, the Chosen Weapon cannot be anything their tan-in-a-can hero wouldn’t like. There’s no way he’ll like a weapon used by people who got captured and/or killed in battle. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/58 "2023-04-24T04:28:17Z")
Dude!!! 😂 ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/59 "2023-04-24T05:49:53Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > a bundle of wooden rods is actually called _[fasces](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasces)_ in Latin (_plurale tantum_: it has no singular), _fascio littorio_ in Italian and it is a fascist symbol (it is actually the ethymological origin of the word _fascism_). I didn’t know that. That said, the fable of a bundle of arrows is pretty widespread through history. We usually track it back to the Iroquois, here, but it doesn’t seem to have been original to them. > **[Native American Complexity](https://roneglash.org/eglash.dir/nacyb.dir/naconstitution.htm)** ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2023, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069/60 "2023-04-24T07:08:25Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > The Chinese made copy of the AK-47 > The Beretta 9mm > The Steyr AUG (is there a cooler looking rifle? It’s quasi futuristic!) > Glock 17 > Uzi 9mm At least three of those would be considered the National Gun of _other_ countries. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-the-national-gun-of-the-united-states-be/983069.md?page=4)