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Every industry uses a shorthand. It’s efficient, impresses friends and becomes part of the vernacular. Gun enthusiasts have their own jargon, an alphabet soup of acronyms so confusing that we maintain a list for reference when editing stories. Here are a few explanations that might be helpful to the uninitiated.
We’ll start with the bullet nomenclature often employed by gun enthusiasts:
FMJ—Full metal jacket; best for practice ammo only.
JHP—Jacketed hollow point; best for personal protection.
BTHP—Boattail hollow point; low-drag and capable of going some distance.
OTM—Open tip match; makes steel ring at long range.
Here are a few of the non-ballistic terms seen in the pages of this magazine, along with their translations:
IFAK—Individual first-aid kit
TQ—Tourniquet
QD—Quick disconnect
IWB—Inside the waistband
OWB—Outside the waistband
AIWB—Appendix inside the waistband
EDC—Everyday carry
CQB—Close-quarters battle
BLK—Blackout (in reference to the cartridges bearing that name)
SOCOM—Special Operations Command
PDW—Personal defense weapon; a semi-automatic, large-format pistol or short-barrel rifle wearing a frame with more accessories or attachment points than typical for a compact handgun.
MSR—Modern sporting rifle; any semi-automatic carbine or rifle fed from a removable magazine. ARs, AKs, AUGs, FALs, Tavors and many others are members of this large family of firearms.
AR—ArmaLite Rifle
MOA—Minute of angle; angular measure, with 60 minutes in every degree, that measures 1.047 inches wide at 100 yards.
Mil—Milliradian; angular measurement that is .001 radian, which converts to 10 centimeters (3.94 inches) wide at 100 meters.
MRDS—Miniature red-dot sight
WML—Weapon-mounted light
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16 Comments
The explanation of CQB is interesting, I didn’t know that it referred to close-quarters battle, I’ve always thought it was just a type of firearm.
I’m skeptical about the effectiveness of OTM ammo, can it really make a steel ring at long range?
The term SOCOM is familiar to me, but I didn’t know that it stood for Special Operations Command, I thought it was just a type of firearm.
I’ve been looking into getting a WML for my home defense firearm, but I’m not sure which brand to choose, any recommendations?
I’m curious about the difference between a MSR and an AR, the article mentions that ARs are part of the MSR family, but what sets them apart?
From what I understand, MSR is a broader category that includes many types of semi-automatic rifles, while AR refers specifically to the ArmaLite Rifle.
The explanation of MOA and Mil is really helpful, I’ve always gotten those two mixed up, but now I understand that MOA measures 1.047 inches wide at 100 yards.
The term PDW is new to me, I didn’t know that it referred to a semi-automatic, large-format pistol or short-barrel rifle with multiple accessories or attachment points.
I’ve always been fascinated by the world of firearms and the terminology that comes with it, this glossary is really helpful for a beginner like me.
The article mentions that JHP is best for personal protection, but what about BTHP, is that not a good option for self-defense?
I’m excited to try out some of the new firearm-related terminology I’ve learned from this article, it’s always fun to learn new things and impress my friends at the range.
The article mentions that QD stands for Quick disconnect, but what kind of situations would you need to quickly disconnect your firearm?
I think it’s more about being able to quickly detach and reattach accessories, rather than the firearm itself.
I was surprised to learn that FMJ stands for Full metal jacket and is best used for practice ammo only, I’ve always thought it was suitable for personal protection as well.
I’ve been considering getting an IWB holster for my everyday carry, but I’m not sure if it’s the most comfortable option, has anyone had any experience with AIWB holsters?
I’ve tried both IWB and AIWB, and I have to say that AIWB is more comfortable for me, but it really depends on your body type and personal preference.