Someone explain this to me, please?

[Watchdog]

Can someone tell me why guns, particularly handguns, are referred to as feminine? I see that on this and other gun forums every day. Examples are, "I can't wait to shoot her", "I brought her home today", and "She's beautiful"...just to name a few.

Seriously, why are guns considered...well, why are they considered "girls"?

 

[kozmic]

Oh boy....I think I'll pass on this one!
FWIW, I do not refer to my guns as girls ("at least not wittingly"...as they say)!

 

[Alpo]

Didn't know they were.

Boats are girls. I've seen cars and bikes - especially FAST ones - called she.

Guns are its.

 

[Arik]

Because people can't stop finger ...... their guns!

All my guns were given names by their inventors and I refer to them as "it"

 

[A10]

I find it difficult to describe a male anthropomorphized object as pretty, shiney, or particularly desirable.....not that there's anything wrong with that!

 

[Grayfox]

Because when they go bad, only a woman can make you that mad!

 

[therevjay]

That's one of those questions where the only answer is. Just 'cause.

 

[Watchdog]

I find it difficult to describe a male anthropomorphized object as pretty, shiney, or particularly desirable.....not that there's anything wrong with that!

That's what I'm talking about. A gun, whether it's a rifle or a handgun, is universally known as one of the most recognizable phallic symbols on the planet. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of psychiatric papers have been written about the subject. The subject's been scrutinized, analyzed, and discussed for a couple of centuries at least.

If you look on just this forum, you'll find hundreds of examples of S&W revolvers and pistols being referred to as "her".

I'm really not making a big thing of this, it just made me curious, that's all.

 

[soFlaNative]

Any mechanical object develops some quirk over time. Whispering sweet nothings or grabbing a bigger hammer may or may not produce the desired result.

 

[STCM(SW)]

I think my PM to Watchdog says it all....

 

[GhostMutt]

Boats, Cars, Trains, Guns, Machines in a male dominated society as history was, were held closely in affection and companionship by those who spent time with them and relied upon them, for many it was their only company for long periods of time and because their lives and/or livelihood depended on them, they had to be very well looked after and maintained. Treat them well and they really look after you and make you happy. Also maybe it stems from old world language like French where certain things are feminine and certain things masculine.
These were the opinions of my good lady wife who I directed your question to. makes sense to me.

 

[Rule3]

Not are they called she or female names but they also "run" As she runs good on xyz ammo. Not running good today with that load. Now I have a few guns and never seen one run yet!

Dang she's a beauty!

Then of course we have the Lady Smiths, which do have sleek lines on some of them.

 

[NZshooter]

Why do people refer to their guns as "toys"? I don't get that one either.

I don't like "run" or "running" either but what do I know??

 

[zzzippper]

If you want to cradle a man in your arms and nuzzle him to your cheek go ahead.

 

[Aticus]

Because when they go bad, only a woman can make you that mad!

Oh Grayfox you've done it again!

 

[longhair]

Because they are named 'Bessie', and I think that is a strange name for a guy.

 

[snubbyfan]

Personally, I'm a lot more comfortable fondling, cleaning and fingering the trigger of something referred to as a she than a he.

 

[wbraswell]

Machines are feminine. I think women even feel that way, and I'm sure some women think that a machine is their rival. So are hurricanes, I don't care what they name them.

 

[rwsmith]

Maybe it's because.......

We like girls and anything that reminds us of girls. Was it 'No Time For Sergeants" where the psychiatrist showed the Rorschach blots to the the guy and no matter what the blot was it reminded him of a nude woman, which the psychiatrist said was normal?

 

[Shooting Padre]

I just call them; it, those, them, guns, pistols, revolvers, wheelers, bottom feeders, weapons, things my wife is mad I bought, etc. Never thought to call them any feminine names. I hope I'm not to far off the correct path here.