Lock, Stock & Barrel:
A phrase now used to describe "the entire contents" or "everything I own".
It comes from the early days of gun making in which the three parts of the gun: the lock (hammer, trigger & springs) were made by one artisan, the stock was made by a specialist woodworker and the barrel was made by a blacksmith. When a gun shop had mastered (or hired three different masters) all three disciplines they would put on their shingle the phrase "Lock, Stock & Barrel" letting buyers know that their shop could supply the entire gun.
Go off half cocked:
This phrase has come to mean "jumping to conclusions" or "making a decision without all the pertinent info".
It stems from the early flint lock and cap lock guns which had a 1/2 cock notch for safety, if the hammer was only half cocked the gun would not fire, thus in battle "half cocked" meant that you were going with a gun that would not fire when needed.
Silver Bullet:
This term has now come to mean the same as a "magic potion" or perfect solution.
The term could go back to the stories of late 1800s in which werewolves could only be killed with a silver bullet (Vampires are said to also have an aversion to silver).
It most likely refers to the use of a silver bullet by the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger, if you didn't know was a radio play that started in 1933 and later became a TV series.
The bullets of silver in his gun were to remind him that a gun must only be used to save a life. You wouldn't shoot a bullet made of pure silver unless doing so was worth losing the valuable silver.
Ride Shotgun:
Riding shotgun today refers to someone riding in the front passenger seat of a car or truck, but it started with the stagecoach companies issuing shotguns to their drivers. One driver would handle the team of horses and the other, armed with the shotgun would be on the lookout for highwaymen. There was even a movie about it....
Bite the bullet:
This phrase is thought to have originated during the American Civil War when battlefield hospitals may have had to operate without anesthesia. Many also thought it could have been modified from "bite the billet", a billet was a piece of wood or stick, presumably used to keep the patient from biting their own tongue during excruciatingly painful surgery.
The term seems to have originated with the British Army in India, during this time the British military used paper wrapped bullets which contained the bullet, powder and animal fat (to lubricate the bullet). The paper needed to be torn with the teeth to release the powder.
The Indian recruits of the Hindu faith did not wish to bite into fat made from their sacred cows and the Indian recruits of Muslim faith did not wish to have pig fat come near them. So, the term "bite the bullet" in the British East Indian Militias came to mean, set aside your beliefs and do what must be done. Which it still does today.
Hotter than a $2 Pistol:
This is an easy one...."hot" is slang for stolen and a pistol selling for just $2 must be stolen, so anything hotter than a $2 pistol was pretty hot.
Keep your powder dry:
This term came from the English Civil War (1642-1651), during one particular battle Oliver Cromwell finished a pep talk with "Put your faith in God, but mind to keep your powder dry". If you didn't know, gun powder of the day could not get wet, the moisture would render it useless.
This was not an admission that Cromwell didn't have faith that God would see the men through the battle, but rather that a man should not tempt fate. Today the term "keeping your powder dry" means that you remain prepared for what may come.
Loaded for Bear:
Bears are known for having thick hides & skulls and thus being tough to kill. So when hunting bear, it is best to have a rifle chambered in a powerful cartridge capable of taking the bear without issue. It is now used to describe someone ready for a fight or court battle.
Off-Hand:
Shooting off-hand means shooting from the standing position and using your other hand (the one not pulling the trigger) as the rest. Instead of shooting off a bench, you are shooting off your hand....we don't say "shooting off the hand" because it sounds like you shot your hand off....rather just "off-hand".
The term is also used to describe a comment or design that was quickly thought up, not taking time to get to a desk or book to look something up.
Flash in the pan:
Many think this term came from the days of the gold rushes (1849-1900), when a prospector might see a flash in the pan, only to have it be something other than gold or silver.
The true origin could lie with firearms, when guns were fired by pieced of flint, there was a pan that held the small amount of gun powder that when ignited would set off the main charge. A "flash in the pan" was when the powder in the pan ignited, but the rifle did not fire.
Either of the stories above could be the source. Today it is referred to a person or object that was not as valuable or reliable as was thought at first glance.
Smoking Gun:
This one is pretty obvious, finding a "smoking gun" meant that you arrived after the shooting, but in time to find the gun still smoking.
Before the 1890s-gun powder produced a lot of smoke, and a freshly fired gun would emit smoke from the barrel for a short period. It is now used to describe evidence that is, without question, proof of a crime.
Shoot from the Hip:
Shooting from the hip is to speak without first thinking or just throwing out random thoughts in the hopes that one of them would make sense or be useful in your endeavor.
It comes from the old west when shooting from the hip (drawing your gun and firing as soon as it cleared the holster) was faster than bringing the gun into your line of sight, but also much less accurate.
Stick to Your Guns:
Another obvious one, sticking to your guns meant that you were alone and maybe in peril, so you needed to keep your guns close by. Today it means that you are steadfast in your beliefs and will not budge easily.
Troubleshoot:
To troubleshoot something, is to investigate the problems with it and provide a repair. The term originated with the early telegraph/telephone workers, originally called "trouble hunters", the phrase progressed to troubleshooters. The connection needs no explanation.
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