What should we call AR's ? ( and possibly AKs )

I'm starting a poll.

Plain and simple. .. Call them "rifles" 

PDW was coined by the RFP that Homeland Security released to arm their agents.  They retained the term "assault weapon" to mean privately owned AR-15s.

Personal Defense Weapon is generic, and can include any weapon, not just rifles.  Maybe a twist on it, like PWD, would be catchier?  Personal Weapon for Defense

I think the precedent is set by DHS, so the sooner we latch onto PDW for "military style sporting rifles", the more likely it is to stick.

Q:  Why do you call that AR-15 a PDW?

A:  Because Homeland Security says it is. 

1.0 SCOPE
The scope of this contract is to provide a total of up to 7,000 5.56x45mm North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
personal defense weapons (PDW) throughout the life of this contract to numerous Department of Homeland Security
components. This Statement of Work delineates performance criteria and testing to be used for the evaluation of the firearm.

Plain and simple. .. Call them "rifles"

or more specific, semi auto rifle.

Well I oppose political correctness and think that the "political" detracts from the "correctness".   I'll call mine an AR and explain what it is.

Q:  Why do you call that AR-15 a PDW?

A:  Because Homeland Security says it is.

 

Call em what they are, rifles...

American Rifles, AR for short...

Armalite Rifle the original name

Plain and simple. .. Call them "rifles" 

+1

Well I oppose political correctness and think that the "political" detracts from the "correctness".   I'll call mine an AR and explain what it is.

Agreed, there is nothing correct about political correctness, I'll call it an AR, and I hope they're pissed.

This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I master my life. My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than any enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will... My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit... My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weakness, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will keep my rifle clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will.... Before God I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life. So be it, until victory is America's and there is no enemy, but Peace.

IIRC, the PDW that DHS referred to was a select fire rifle, and perhaps should be kept quite distinct from what we miserable serfs are allowed to buy.

Not allowed to own the same weapons that Big Brother has, that would not be fair, now, would it?

PDW was coined by the RFP that Homeland Security released to arm their agents.  They retained the term "assault weapon" to mean privately owned AR-15s.

Personal Defense Weapon is generic, and can include any weapon, not just rifles.  Maybe a twist on it, like PWD, would be catchier?  Personal Weapon for Defense

I think the precedent is set by DHS, so the sooner we latch onto PDW for "military style sporting rifles", the more likely it is to stick.

Q:  Why do you call that AR-15 a PDW?

A:  Because Homeland Security says it is.

AR's should be called AR's, cause that's what they are.

IIRC, the PDW that DHS referred to was a select fire rifle, and perhaps should be kept quite distinct from what we miserable serfs are allowed to buy.

Not allowed to own the same weapons that Big Brother has, that would not be fair, now, would it?

I disagree.  This is not a technical designation, but a nomenclature.  Personally, the name PDW is fine. 

The name describes the broad category, or TYPE, of weapon.  The actual function would be spelled out in the MODEL number or designator (PWD/M15S, PWD/M15F), or whatever.

The trick is to make the names intuitive for the layman.  Most people are too lazy to ask, "What does that mean?", or "What's the difference between the PDW-S and the PDW-F?"  They are content to assume they were able to discern the meaning.  In their mind, if they got it wrong, that's YOUR fault for picking a stupid name!

If you're afraid people will associate the full-auto version of the PDW with all PWD models, we already have that with the made-up term "Assault Weapon."  Most people think that means machine gun.  We need to work to, not just be technically correct, but REVERSE the negative connotation and make it more positive.

Maybe the Obama Equalizer would be more palatable for the Left?

Poll needs option for Other.   In that case I'd say Service Rifle or Defensive Rifle but first and foremost it is an AR the rest is just gobbledeegoo.

it stands for "American Republicans 1 nation, 5 stars"   

I say call it, MSR's.  I forgot who owns the term now, Armalite or Colt.  Whatever the case everything else is just a copy of it.  Much like what we call "Crescent Wrench", is just the generic term we call all adjustable wrenches, Crescent is the name of the company that first made it; same goes with "Channel Lock Plier", Channel Lock the name brand tool maker to first introduce the adjustable tongue and groove plier; "Sawzall" is a model name from Milwaukee Tool, a name for their saber saw.  Funny to this day, most still call things by the famous name brand or term.