Abbreviations

[Mancunian]

Being new to this site I'm sometimes puzzled at some of the abbreviations I come accross. For those of us that are clueless, how about sharing your info.

So far I've figured out IWB and OWB. For those out there like me, that would be Inside Waist Band and Outside Waist Band respectively.

[seamusTX]

BG = bad guy
BUG = back-up gun.
FTF = failure to feed or fire
FTE = failure to eject
LEO = law enforcement officer

People also use the usual online abbreviations like LOL (laughing out loud). You can find countless dictionaries of those online.

- Jim

[SW40VE]

They are acronyms rather than abbreviations. Here is a list of common internet acronyms:

http://www.gaarde.org/acronyms/

[John]

FTF = failure to feed or fire

- Jim

This one gets confusing because it represents two different malfuntions and can also mean "Face To Face" in the context of a transaction such as selling an item in the classifieds. So if you see a firearm for sale in the classifieds with FTF, it doesn't mean the seller has had any failures.

FTE can also mean failure to Eject or Failure to Extract. We really need some better abbreviation* (WRNSBA)

One the link above, i found this one:

IKYBYUWYTISBINSYRTWYHINWIM
I Know You Believe You Understand What You Think I Said, But I'm Not Sure You Realize That What You Heard Is Not What I Meant

*corrected - Changed acronym to abbreviation

[seamusTX]

At the risk of being pedantic, an acronym is an abbreviation that can be pronounced as a word, like laser or scuba.

Things like ACP are just abbreviations.

- Jim

[SW40VE]

You're right. You got me on that one. Thanks for the clarification.

All acronyms are abbreviations, but not all abbreviations are acronyms.

An acronym is a word formed from the initials of words in a phrase, such as NATO ['neyto] from North Atlantic Treaty Organization or "scuba" from "self-contained underwater breathing apparatus." It is often used to include abbreviations but abbreviations are not all pronounceable words. "YDC" is an abbreviation, not an acronym.

[seamusTX]

... if you see a firearm for sale in the classifieds with FTF, it doesn't mean the seller has had any failures.

Heh. Good point. Context is everything.

- Jim

[John]

At the risk of being pedantic, an acronym is an abbreviation that can be pronounced as a word, like laser or scuba.

Things like ACP are just abbreviations.

- Jim

You are correct... changed my post above.

[dws1117]

Here is a link to a list that contains more of the gun realted abbreviations.

http://thehighroad.org/library/acro/acron.html

[propellerhead]

The one that was new to me from this board was IANAL for 'I am not a lawyer'.

[jbirds1210]

The one that baffled me for a while is "YMMV"

Your mileage may vary

FWIW you can do a google search on just about any of the common abbreviations and it will define them for you.
Jason

[jimlongley]

One of the things I get a kick out of is the kids using abbreviations on their cell phones, abbreviations that I learned long ago as a teletype repairman, abbreviations that have existed since the early days of the electric telegraph.

The Phillips Code was used by telegraphers and TTY operators and can be found here: http://www.qsl.net/ae0q/phillip1.htm

[flintknapper]

You're right. You got me on that one. Thanks for the clarification.

All acronyms are abbreviations, but not all abbreviations are acronyms.

An acronym is a word formed from the initials of words in a phrase, such as NATO ['neyto] from North Atlantic Treaty Organization or "scuba" from "self-contained underwater breathing apparatus." It is often used to include abbreviations but abbreviations are not all pronounceable words. "YDC" is an abbreviation, not an acronym.

Does this mean there is going to be a test later?

[longtooth]

Hope not. I am still learning them. Thanks for the IANAL. Have seen that & never figured it out. Us old guys still learn from you youngsters.

[kw5kw]

AD for Accidental Discharge
The one that took me forever were:
ND for Negligent Discharge
Or does it mean; ND for NO Discharge?

It’s all depending on context… therefore I try to spell out more now so there won’t be any misunderstand on context. It doesn’t take a good typist any longer to type Accidental or Negligent. However a HP (A “Hunt and Pecker�) might have more trouble.