USMC still calls their rifles rifles if I' m not mistaken, with pretty strict enthusiasm!!

I call some of my handguns weapons, as do I fewer of my long guns. I feel that in this instance, intentions are the basis for nomenclature. As others have stated, a weapon is to be used in a fight, and a rifle would be used to hunt/shoot/whatever else but not fight. I' m going to go further, a rifle/gun is a tool, and can be used similarly to a hammer----> a hammer can be used as a weapon, to kill a human, or as a tool to build a house. Similarly, a rifle can be used as a weapon, to kill a human, or as a tool enacted to harvest game, or a precision instrument to punch holes in paper.

I have handguns that I would call weapons because I bought them for that purpose, if I should need to use my 1911, it will not be for a hunt or for paper, it will be to fight for my life, the same goes for the coach gun at my bedside, or my SKS that occasionally sleeps at my side. All of these guns can be used for another purpose other than as a weapon, but I employ them as such, and in those instances, I' d label them that, however, they are still, nothing more than tools at my disposal, if I feel the need to use them, the manner in which they are utilized is by my sole discretion, not by some " predetermined" purpose for them. Just because something is good at aiding humans in accomplishing something, doesn' t mean that that is all they are capable of...I sit on chairs a lot, but I can stand on one as a ladder as well, even though my 1911 was designed as a fighting weapon, it' s a great varminter, and a very FUN plinker.