What’s in a name … ?

[Scott Evans]

I have recently been enthralled in reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy … an excellent series. One thing that I noticed and particularly liked was that throughout the story they named their swords. How appropriate for a devise of such personal importance. Naturally my mind wandered to the question of whether or not my most precious firearms should be so honored? Surprisingly, on this, I am unsure. My hesitancy comes from the realization that all my weapons are “clones”; … simply one of many. The swords of LOR were one of a kind, made for an individual, had a history and where benevolently handed down. An intangible element of soul … somehow worthy of a name.

I’m not so sure of things mass-produced.

What do you think?

[Mike Irwin]

I don't name things inanimate.

Don't name my cars.

Don't name my guns.

Etc.

[4V50 Gary]

I don't name my guns because there's too many (if there is such a thing) of them and I'd get them all confuse. :) Be that as it may, if there is one special gun, go ahead and name it if you want to and if you forget the name, what does it matter?

Not that we know what it looked like, but Daniel Boone purportedly named one rifle "Ticklicker" and legend has it that Davy Crockett named one of his rifles "Betsy." So, there is precedent but not necessarily tradition. Of course, there are those more learned than myself who can probably cite relatives or friends who have named their guns.

[Spackler]

All of my long guns are named "Betsy". I think it's because that's what my dad jokingly called his pre-64 model 70 .243 featherweight when I was a kid. So that gun is still Betsy, the 03A3 is Betsy, the Winchester Defender is Betsy....

Theoretically, if I had a buddy that once, after seeing "El Dorado", took a twenty gauge and sawed it down to a pistol, theoretically, mind you, it's name would have been "Tildy".

[gorlitsa]

The swords of LOR were one of a kind, made for an individual, had a history and where benevolently handed down. An intangible element of soul … somehow worthy of a name.

I’m not so sure of things mass-produced.


Why would you think your guns don't have an element of 'soul' just because they're mass-produced? The brand-new gun right out of the box may not have much of a personality, but a gun that you've had for years and have built up a history with certainly has a soul.

If a name occurs to you, keep it!

[Tamara]

My Ruger No. 1 RSI has been dubbed the "Longbow".

Some handguns can be truly individual weapons, too. My Springfield V-10 has just about nothing left factory on it except the frame, slide, and barrel. My roommate has a Model 57 .41 Magnum that has been thoroughly customized to his specs. Handguns like that could be named without a blush.

Milspec 1911s, plain-jane stainless revolvers, or box stock Glocks would be seen in the holsters of Haradrim or orcs. ;)

[C.R.Sam]

If an object is to have a name. It will somehow make that name known to it's owner.

Sam

[Daniel]

Sam is true.

My ol' series 70 GM .45 is known as "Loud". (Still hear the crickets.) :)
My CZ ZKM .22 is known as "Easy". (Self-explanatory.)
My CZ-100 .40 is known as "The Major".

Haven't named the others yet.

[ACP230]

I only name guns that need to be named. My Ruger 77 lightweight in .250-3000 is "The Deerslayer" for obvious reasons. My Mossberg 590 is "Black Beauty." My Reising M50 is "Bubba," and my Madsen M50 is "Hrothgar," after the Danish king in the Beowulf saga. Others are mostly called by their factory designations.

[schild]

I've never named any of my guns or other handtools. Their "soul" come from appreciating the beauty of their form and function.

[riddleofsteel]

In cultures that held that a blade or weapon had a soul or spirit, weapons were not usually given a name until it had distinguished itself in battle or cutting. In Japan blades were tested on condemed men and marked with a character that depicted the blade's performance. Markings indicating "cut thru two men" or "cut from hip to hip" were common. Some blades were named according an unusual characteristic like the White Cloud blade that had a light colored, fluffy temper line. This particular blade cut thru two men and went over 8 inches into the sand pile beneath them during its testing!! We know that from markings on the blade tang.
In Norse/Keltic/Galic culutres blades and battle weapons were not named until they had proved themselves in combat. Following that tradition none of my defensive handguns or knives have been named as none of them have spilled blood. My goal is to keep them that way. However, I do have several hunting rifles that have.

One is a 25-06 Remington Sendero. It was named by a hunting buddy. We were in a tower stand watching a 400 yard field and gas pipeline right of way. He watched thru his binoculars as I shot a white tailed buck at what we latter measured to be 385 yards. At the shot the buck humped up and jumped twice. He fell so hard it kicked up dust. My buddy looked at me and said "Man it looked like the Hammer of Thor hit him." Yeah, I know its a little hokey but the name stuck. As a result the name MJOLNIR is engraved on the barrel.

[Edward429451]

If I were to name my guns, they'd have to be ladies names. Just seems natural to me or maybe I'm homophobic, who knows?

The problem would arise when having so many guns to name, that I'd probably wind up getting confused at some point (not hard for me), an inadvertantly calling my wife by another ladies name, and I sure don't want to go there!:eek:

[Spectre]

Some of mine are named...some aren't. I named my .45-70 "One-timer" after I saw what it did to the li'l buck I fired on. My P-32 is named Kate (after Kate Moss) 'cuz she's so skinny. My 12 GA "scout" was named by sensop after he put some rounds through her. (Shoulder better, Bud? :D)

I also have well loved firearms that are, as yet, nameless. Matter of fact, I only named the first Glock I had. I dubbed that 21 Gaston. (Seen Beauty and the Beast ?)

[BADSBSNF81]

Tamara, what flavor is your RSI? Some of mine have names and some don't. All have at least one memorable event/country associated with them.

[George Hill]

I had a rifle once that I had christened "Orcrist", from The Hobbit. It means "Goblin Cleaver". Then the FAL I had, I called "Glamdring" which means "Foe Hammer".

I can't say on this forum what I named "Grond". ;) :p :D

[Nightcrawler]

Lord of the Rings has been discussed before. (http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=92226) It was the most replies I've ever gotten to any thread I've started, and I'm quite proud of it. :D

[Jim March]

Heh. I have named knives. Two. Scott well knows one, it was made in British Columbia by Harald Moeller based on my own blueprints, and from there went to Scott for kydex sheathwork.

"The Outsider", named for it's intended functionality - fighting on the "outside" versus closing with somebody.

The other is my daily carry folder, a REKAT Sifu serial number one (of all the ones ever made) - that's "Old Number One".

Guns: I have "Baby", the Freedom Arms .22Mag minirevolver. There's "Long Shot", the 4" barrel NAA MiniMaster .22Mag/.22LR.

For some reason, my Charter .38snubbie hasn't suggested a name. Good gun though, late '70s UnderCover, very tight and accurate.

[Hemicuda]

The beat-up Hi-Standard Double nine my father just gave me is named "Nellibell" since that is what Dad called it all the time I was growing up...

I can still hear him out at the old Ogemaw pistol and Rifle club... "Son, please go fetch Nellibell out from under the seat of the truck"

or "if you like, you and Steve (my buddy) can grab Nellibell when you go off into the woods after the squirrels"...

I wouldn't know that gun by any other name...