preparedness.)
LF: The aircraft designation foraircraft from Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.
LP: Liquid propane.
LP/OP: Listening post/observationpost.
LRRP: Long-range reconnaissancepatrol.
M1A: The civilian (semiauto only)equivalent of the M14 rifle.
M1 Abrams: The United States’current main battle tank, with a 120mm cannon (“main gun”).
M1 Carbine: The U.S. Army semiautocarbine issued during World War II. Mainly issued to officers and second-echelontroops such as artillerymen for self-defense. Uses “.30 U.S. Carbine,” anintermediate (pistol-class) .30 caliber cartridge. More than six million weremanufactured. See also M2 Carbine.
M1 Garand: The U.S. Army’s primarybattle rifle of World War II and the Korean conflict. It is semiautomatic,chambered in .30-06, and uses a top-loading, eight-round en bloc clip thatejects after the last round is fired. This rifle is commonly called the Garand,after its inventor. Not to be confused with the U.S. M1 Carbine, anothersemiauto of the same era, which shoots a much less powerful pistol-classcartridge.
M1A: The civilian (semiauto only)version of the U.S. Army M14 7.62mm NATO rifle.
M1911: The Model 1911 Coltsemiauto pistol (and clones thereof), usually chambered in .45 ACP.
M2 Carbine: The selective-fire(fully automatic) version of the U.S. Army semiauto carbine issued during WorldWar II and the Korean conflict.
M4: The U.S. Army-issue 5.56mmNATO selective-fire carbine (a shorter version of the M16, with a 14.5-inchbarrel and collapsing stock). Earlier-issue M16 carbine variants haddesignations such as XM177E2 and CAR-15. Civilian semiauto-only variants oftenhave these same designations or are called “M4geries.”
M4gery: A civilian semiauto-onlyversion of an M4 Carbine with a 16-inch barrel instead of a 14.5-inchbarrel.
M9: The U.S. Army-issue version ofthe Beretta M92 semiauto 9mm pistol.
M14: The U.S. Army-issue 7.62mmNATO selective-fire battle rifle. These rifles are still issued in smallnumbers, primarily to designated marksmen. The civilian semiauto-only equivalentof the M14 is called the M1A.
M16: The U.S. Army-issue 5.56mmNATO selective-fire battle rifle. The current standard variant is the M16A2,which has improved sight and three-shot burst control. See also M4.
M60: The semi-obsolete U.S.Army-issue 7.62mm NATO belt-fed light machine gun that utilized some designelements of the German MG-42.
MAC: Depending on context,Military airlift command or Military Armament Corporation.
Maglite: A popular American brandof sturdy flashlights with an aluminum casing.
MICH: Modular/integratedcommunications helmet.
Mini-14: A 5.56mm NATO semiautocarbine made by Ruger.
MNI: Ham radio shorthand for“many.”
MOLLE: Modular lightweightload-carrying equipment.
Molotov cocktail: A hand-thrownfirebomb made from a glass container filled with gasoline or thickened gasoline(napalm).
MRE: Meal, ready to eat.
MSG: Mission support group (U.S.Air Force).
MSS: Modular sleep system.
MURS: Multi-use radio service. AVHF two-way radio service that does not require a license. See also FRS andGMRS.
MVPA: Military VehiclePreservation Association.
MXG: Maintenance group (U.S. AirForce).
Napalm: Thickened gasoline, usedin some flame weapons.
NAPI: Navajo Agricultural ProductsIndustry.
NATO: North Atlantic TreatyOrganization.
NBC: Nuclear, biological, andchemical.
NCO: Noncommissioned officer.
NFA: The National Firearms Act of1934. The law that first imposed a transfer tax on machine guns, suppressors(commonly called “silencers”), and short-barreled rifles and shotguns.
NiCd: Nickel cadmium (rechargeablebattery).
NiMH: Nickel metal hydride(rechargeable battery) improvement of NiCad.
NM: Ham radio shorthand for“Name.”
NWO: New World Order.
OCP: Operation Enduring Freedomcamouflage pattern, commonly called “MutiCam.”
OG: Operational group (U.S. AirForce).
OM: Ham radio shorthand for “oldman.” All men are OMs in the ham world.
OP: Observation post. See alsoLP/OP.
PBO: Property book officer.
PCS: Permanent change ofstation.
PERSCOM: U.S. Army PersonnelCommand.
Pre-1899: Guns made before1899-not classified as “firearms” under federal law.
Pre-1965: U.S. silver coins with1964 or earlier mint dates with little or no numismatic value that are sold forthe bullion content. These coins have 90 percent silver content. Well-wornpre-1965 coins are sometimes derisively called “junk” silver by rare coindealers.
ProvGov: ProvisionalGovernment.
PSE: Ham radio shorthand for“please.”
PT: Physical training.
PV: Photovoltaic (solar powerconversion array). Used to convert solar power to DC electricity, typically forbattery charging.
PVC: Polyvinyl chloride (whiteplastic water pipe).
QRF: Quick-reaction force.
QRM: Ham radio shorthand for“interference from another station.”
QRN: Ham radio shorthand for“static.”
QRP: Ham radio shorthand for“low-power (less than 5-watt) transmitters.”
QRZ: Ham radio shorthand for “Whois calling me?” If used at the end of the contact, if QRZ is sent instead of SK,it means “I’m listening for more calls.”
QSB: Ham radio shorthand for a“fading signal.”
QSO: Ham radio shorthand for a“contact (conversation).”
QSY: Ham radio shorthand for“Change frequency.”
QTH: Ham radio shorthand for“location.”
R: Ham radio shorthand for “Iheard everything you said and don’t need you to repeat anything.”
ROTC: Reserve Officers’ TrainingCorps.
RPG: Rocket-propelled grenade.
SADF: South African DefenseForce.
SBI: Special backgroundinvestigation.
SCI: Sensitive compartmentedinformation.
SIG: Schweizerische IndustrieGesellschaft. The Swiss gun maker.
SK: Ham radio shorthand for“silent key.”
SOCOM: Special OperationsCommand.
SOP: Standard operatingprocedure(s).
