If they at least called it a cartridge head, I might not hate it so much, but they don't. Just ignorance of proper terms.
If you go to a region that uses terminology different than yours, whose the ignorant one?
Anecdotally, a few years back two young gentlemen showed up at the range. They were the kind of shooters you didn’t anticipate being problems. Ten minutes in to their session I noticed some baffled looks and quickly learned the cause. Shooter #2 had recently went into a sporting goods store to purchase 9 mm bullets. He had just opened a sealed black plastic box of 500 Berry’s 9 mm plated 124 HPs and was upset because the store clerk hadn’t told him he was buying real bullets..
Earlier that day a foreign customer had given me a couple boxes of Winchester 9 mm ammo he couldn’t take back to Europe. I traded the ammo to the kid for the Bullets. We were both happy (I’m not a fan of Winchester range ammo). I’m pretty sure the young man now has a firm grasp on difference between ammo and bullets.
Sometimes you learn the hard way, but then you don’t forget.
I've never heard of "heads" or knew anyone that used that term, and I've lived all over the US. Including Hawaii.
I was able to score a couple of boxes of Hornady .355 115 grain bullets a few months ago from a guy at work who sent his wife to buy ammo from the LGS and came back with two boxes of useless bullets.
"Luck don't live out here. Wolves don't kill the unlucky deer; they kill the weak ones..." Jeremy Renner in Wind River
I've heard at least one person speak of "heads". It didn't bother me. I knew he was knowledgeable and was just using slang. No big deal.
But it does bother me to hear someone call a cartridge a bullet.
In MY opinion, using cutesy words to describe something i.e. pills, heads etc. is indicative of one of two things. Either that individual is simple/ignorant or they are crying out for recognition as in "look at me, me, me----". In either instance that is so sad.
R.D.M.
Growing up in rural S.E. Oklahoma, the terms shells and bullets typically mean a loaded cartridge. I have heard the term 'head' used when referring to the actual bullet itself, as in...the bullet head jammed going in the barrel and now it's bent. I think it's a regional thing.
Murphy
If I should depart this life while defending those who cannot defend themselves, then I have died the most honorable of deaths. Marc R. Murphy '2006'.
Here’s one that I have heard recently & it makes me cringe (freedom pills )
I've heard tracer bullets called heads.
"If everyone is thinking the same thing it means someone is not thinking"
"A rat became the unit of currency"
Haven’t been there in a long time but used to see “pills” and “heads” on the AR15 site. ‘Nuff said.
Sometimes life taps you on the shoulder and reminds you it's a one way street. Jim Morris
About as "ignorant" as calling cast bullets.... boolits.
I know...it is the site name...but you guys who do it look none too bright to most non-members....and even to this member.
If Lyman ever puts out a Cast Boolit manual I will concede it is appropriate, but I will never use the word boolit in a post except to denigrate its usage.
BTW, recently wanted to purchase some ingot molds from a member here but all he had left were marked with that word so I passed. If the Redneck Gold ones are ever offered I will buy a few. Would never wear a T-shirt with that word on it. The logo of the shapely, scantily clad lady riding a cast bullet is a good one. That I would wear!!!
Don Verna
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |