(From NSSF Bullet Points - May 16, 2011)

EYE-OPENER: WHAT DOES 'AR' STAND FOR IN AR-15-STYLE RIFLE? . . .

More than half of people who took a poll last week at nssf.org incorrectly answered "assault rifle" and "automatic rifle" when asked the question, "What does 'AR' stand for in 'AR-15-style rifle?'" Of the 820 responses to the question, 24 percent said "assault rifle," 33 percent said "automatic rifle" and 43 percent answered correctly with "ArmaLite" rifle. A pat on the back to everyone who answered correctly. This is an important fact to know as the anti-gun crowd for years has pushed the terms "assault weapon" and "assault rifle" in reference to semi-automatic AR-15-style rifles. These inaccuracies continue to be used in the media and even within the sporting community. Get more facts at nssf.org/MSR and spread the word.

OPINION PIECE

The word WEAPON

Too many people use this word when they shouldn’t. It has too broad a meaning to adequately describe what they are talking about. Just think about that. What is a weapon? It is a knife, a club, a taser, a stun gun, a bow & arrow, a can of bear spray, a sword, a gun, a cannon, a bazooka, an ICBM, etc. That word has too broad a meaning to convey what you are trying to describe. 

Unfortunately, in the media, the word weapon is most often used to describe any firearm. I would think a reporter, who has been trained to get the details right, would use a more descriptive term for what he is describing. Too often it is reported that a person shot himself with a pistol. Then, in the next sentence the writer will refer to the pistol as a weapon. Why? He has already told us what it is – a pistol. Then he refers to it with a broad word that does not really describe what it is. Why?

Read more: The word WEAPON