Are guns toys?

[arthrimus]

Guns are tools, and as such can be many things to many people. They can be defensive weapons, they can be offensive weapons, they can be sporting tools, they can be collectibles, and they can be just good clean fun. To some people they can be all of these things at once.

I look at them like I do any of the other tools that I own and use on a regular basis. My truck serves plenty of utilitarian purposes, but I still enjoy dropping the hammer down a back road from time to time. My computer is used for many serious things, but I still fire up a video game once in a while, or get on forums like this.

The fact that guns can be dangerous if handled improperly has no effect on their purpose. If you own them for fun, then they are toys to you. To me, they're a little of everything!

 

[donballz]

I have a young kid in my house so my knee jerk reaction was NO, WHAT ARE YOU STUPID OR SOMETHING. But those saying yes do make a compelling argument. Context is important here.

 

[__Doc_]

Toy /toi/:
NOUN

An object, esp. a gadget or machine, regarded as providing amusement for an adult: "in 1914 the car was still a rich man's toy".




If you're responsible, anything can be a toy. I think YES, as long as you can handle it and be an adult about it.

 

[Cemetery-man]

Just because they're mass produced and made with plastic still doesn't make them a toy!

 

[VN Vet]

Any gun can be considered a Toy just like any Vehicle can be considered a Toy. Both takes a responsible person to use them for work or for pleasure. Both are useful. Each can kill. I love my Colt Commander and I love my Dodge Viper.

If Pelosi and Obama get hold of this statement, they will bastardize the statement to make it sound bad. Socialist are good at such things.

 

[mike45]

Some of mine are toys. I do have a few that are tools.

 

[Street Glide 2013]

I say no they are definitely not toys. As far as a play on words and context, I get it but I still cannot call them a toy. Maybe a hobby with a functional purpose. It is just like my Harley. Its function is transportation. Its chromed out b/c it is my hobby.

 

[j4jenk]

I've been known to use the term range toy to describe a gun that has little or no practical purpose outside of just being fun to shoot at the range, so I voted yes.

I think we can all agree that a seriously large poo pile has hit a really big fan if my Ngant revolver is pressed into service as a working tool.

 

[Glockowner]

I voted yes but with reservations. While not a toy in the traditional sense, guns provide enjoyment and can serve a fun purpose. Now, would I put my guns on par with my PS3? No. Would I put them on par with my circular saw? Yes. While I’ll refer to them as toys on occasion, a great deal of care and respect is present when a gun or circular saw is in use.

Well said. Most of mine are toys, but some have jobs to do and get treated as tools.

My CM9 EDC is a tool, and is treated as such.
My M77 300 WinMag is a toy, and lives a much more pampered life. (because I will not be going out west to hunt with it)

 

[bcannon]

Anything that was built to kill is not a toy no matter how you look at it - I really enjoy using my guns but no matter how much enjoyment they give me they are not toys -

 

[ryan3030]

A poll about semantics. How droll.

 

[schwaky18]

And the point of this question is? Sounds like a poll I am going to see on CNN (if I watched CNN) saying "Poll states Gun owner's think Assault weapons are toys."

 

[hANNAbONE]

...semantics --- "toy" as in ''play thing'', ABSOLUTELY NOT

"toy" as in "fun to use it for what it's intended to be used for" - YES.

(*I voted no though*)

 

[Valor35]

...semantics --- "toy" as in ''play thing'', ABSOLUTELY NOT

"toy" as in "fun to use it for what it's intended to be used for" - YES.

(*I voted no though*)

^This. I understand the statements of those that call firearms toys, but I have too much respect for the damage they can do to me and others if not used carefully. I had to vote no, even though I get great enjoyment out of using, working on, and reloading for my firearms.

 

[Bunnykid68]

I voted yes. The last gun I bought I immediately took a picture of it and sent it to my dad with the caption of my new toy.

 

[SPUTTER]

I voted no as a TOY, since I inform my children when they are young and now my grand-kids that guns are not toys to play around with. Keeping the safety aspect of firearms, making sure they know, but as far as a hobby YES I enjoy going shooting here lately as much as camping with the wife, riding my motorcycle, reloading and woodworking.

The main reason I said NO was as I stated before, I tell my kids and grand-kids that firearms, guns, weapons are not a TOY and will not be used as a TOY.

 

[BanditRed]

Referring to tools as "toys" in the wrong company can spread the wrong impression, that being said however, situation dictates!

 

[cosermann]

Objectively, since the modern definition/use of "toy" is not restricted to children [1], and since firearms are legitimately used for amusement/non serious purposes (i.e. plinking), and recreation/game/sport (i.e. hunting, various kinds of competition, etc.), that is for "play" [2], therefore the answer to the poll question is "yes". In other words, firearms are toys by definition when used in certain ways and for certain purposes. So, firearms can be considered toys.

Other times they are not.

Obviously, this doesn't mean they're toys for children or the inexperienced to play with unsupervised, or that one should be serious (from a safety perspective) in one's non-serious use of firearms.

How about swords? Are those "toys?" Yet we have the term "swordplay." What does one play with? Answer - toys.

[1] - Toy | Define Toy at Dictionary.com
[2] - Play | Define Play at Dictionary.com

 

[whitetailbowhunter]

I have to vote yes because a gun can be a toy as long as it is owned by a responsible user.

 

[cosermann]

A poll about semantics. How droll.

At least you didn't say "drool." Then it would turn into a thread about spelling!