Spread of Shooting Terminology

[BillM]

Refers to concrete mixer trucks which up until recently could haul only nine yards due to highway weight restrictions. Depending on your pour, you could order a partial load, or ask for "the whole nine yards."

Um---It may have been used in that context at some time, but the origin of "The whole nine yards" is fighter planes, WWII ish.

Belted 50 cal ammo came in belts 9 ft long. 3 belts--27 ft.--9 yds. was
a standard load per gun.

Shooting off "the whole nine yards" refered to a trigger happy/nervous pilot
who---instead of firing controlled bursts---held the trigger down and
ran the guns dry.

 

[Jamie6.5]

Refers to concrete mixer trucks which up until recently could haul only nine yards due to highway weight restrictions. Depending on your pour, you could order a partial load, or ask for "the whole nine yards."

I also refers to the 27' long .50 cal ammo belts used in the wing guns of fighters during WWII. Particularly the Mustang and the Spitfire.
Considering the age of the idiom, and the fact that 9 yd mixer trucks came much later, the phrase is more often credited to using "the whole 9 yards" against enemy fighters.
There are even older claims however. One involving the amount of cloth required to make a man's suit, and some sailing lore.

 

[AGCR]

Word and speech etymology can get pretty convoluted and make original sources hard to pin down for sure. I remember as a teenager that "narc" meant to tell on your friends for doing narcotics but the word "nark" has referred to informants for centuries.

These are great! Thanks a ton!

 

[Gunner3456]

Um---It may have been used in that context at some time, but the origin of "The whole nine yards" is fighter planes, WWII ish.

Belted 50 cal ammo came in belts 9 ft long. 3 belts--27 ft.--9 yds. was
a standard load per gun.

Shooting off "the whole nine yards" refered to a trigger happy/nervous pilot
who---instead of firing controlled bursts---held the trigger down and
ran the guns dry.

I also refers to the 27' long .50 cal ammo belts used in the wing guns of fighters during WWII. Particularly the Mustang and the Spitfire.
Considering the age of the idiom, and the fact that 9 yd mixer trucks came much later, the phrase is more often credited to using "the whole 9 yards" against enemy fighters.
There are even older claims however. One involving the amount of cloth required to make a man's suit, and some sailing lore.

Cool! I didn't know that. I drove a concrete mixer when I was very young and it held 9 yards. Thanks for the info!

 

[KomradRazvan]

My contribution:
Shootin the sh!t
Off by a long shot

 

[KomradRazvan]

And here's a new one that those of us in the younger hip-hop listening crowd would recognize:
"That girl, is a gun to my holster." -Lyrics from Sean Kingston's "Replay" in reference to a girl he likes.

 

[Izzy]

Popping a cap!!

 

[KomradRazvan]

some more:
give it your best shot
I call the shots

 

[KomradRazvan]

Point and click.

I think this originated from the "mouse" off of a computer. As in you point your cursor to where you want to go. I think it was then used by the shooter community to describe an accurate weapon, because it is as accurate as a computer mouse, you just point, and click.

 

[JUSTIficatioN]

"nice shootin, Tex"
Don't know if anyone has said it but " STOP OR I"LL SHOOT !!!"

 

[KomradRazvan]

"nice shootin, Tex"
Don't know if anyone has said it but " STOP OR I"LL SHOOT !!!"

I am not 100% sure about this, but I am thinking that the OP wanted phrases and words used in other situations not actually having to do with guns. So I dont think "stop or i'll shoot" or "popping a cap" works for this. I could be wrong though.

 

[JUSTIficatioN]

I suppose your right. How bout "hotter than a two dollar pistol" then

 

[KomradRazvan]

I suppose your right. How bout "hotter than a two dollar pistol" then

lol. Sorry. No such luck.

smoking gun, hotter than a $2 pistol, having ones sights set on something, taking a shotgun approach, shooting from the hip, rapid fire questions, outgunned, easy as shooting fish in a barrel, filed strip, gun shy, magnum, going together like Smith and Wesson

 

[KomradRazvan]

I'm not sure if this quite qualifies, but how about
"Is that a gun in your pants, or are you just happy to see me?" (or in my case since I'm half Iraqi....)
View attachment 204395

 

[AGCR]

I am not 100% sure about this, but I am thinking that the OP wanted phrases and words used in other situations not actually having to do with guns. So I dont think "stop or i'll shoot" or "popping a cap" works for this. I could be wrong though.

Precisely. I'm interested in terms which have expanded beyond their original use relating to firearms or are simply vivid means of expression. Like, "don't shoot the messenger."

 

[KomradRazvan]

"Drop the hammer"
Meaning to end something or kill someone.
Examples: 1. The supreme court dropped the hammer on the Chicago weapons ban.
2. The jury had decided he was guilty, now they were deliberating on whether or not to give him life in prison, or drop the hammer and sentence him to death.

Origin: From guns with hammers, like revolvers and 1911s, where the hammer is pulled back and pulling the trigger "drops the hammer" to fire a round.

 

[michaels]

Dodged that bullet

 

[Sponkmeister]

I think this originated from the "mouse" off of a computer. As in you point your cursor to where you want to go. I think it was then used by the shooter community to describe an accurate weapon, because it is as accurate as a computer mouse, you just point, and click.

It's more of a joke based on the UI of computers. A friend of mine had "Ruger, The original point and click interface" in his sig alooooong time ago.

 

[Ragingpit]

I got 6 friends and they all run faster than you...