Every gun group has a fudd. If you think yours doesn’t, it’s you.
The fudd has become a long-lasting character within gun culture. I do not want to be that guy who opens an essay with a dictionary definition, but I feel it’s warranted, specifically from the Urban Dictionary.
Fudd [fuhd], noun: Slang term for a “casual” gun owner; e.g., a person who typically only owns guns for hunting or shotgun sports and does not truly believe in the true premise of the Second Amendment. These people also generally treat owners/users of so-called “non-sporting” firearms like handguns or semi-automatic rifles with unwarranted scorn or contempt.
This is the classic definition, but not the only definition. The term fudd has seeped into gun culture and evolved to cover a wide variety of people and things.
If you spend any time in gun culture, you’ll run across the term. There are vast amounts of articles, videos, and even an entire subreddit dedicated to the term.
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Origin of the Word “Fudd”
That rascally rabbit is where this all started!
The name Fudd originates from Bugs Bunny’s archnemesis, Elmer Fudd. The bumbling hunter, with his distinct voice, egg-shaped head, and love of a double-barrel shotgun that often defied physics, is where we draw the name from.
Elmer Fudd is often the butt of the cartoon’s jokes. As you’d imagine, it’s a term used to disparage a certain type of gun owner.
I spent way too much time trying to find out who used this term first, but no one thought to mark the occasion when the first gun owner was called a fudd.
I first saw it in the early 2000s. As a young gun nerd with an internet connection, I often lurked around online spaces like the High Road, soaking up as much knowledge as I could.
It seemed to rise to prominence around the same time the 1994 assault weapons ban sunsetted.
If you weren’t involved in internet gun culture at the time, you might not remember how divisive that was. I don’t remember many people liking the ban enough to write to their congressmen, but I do remember a lot of people saying ARs and AKs were silly. After all, you don’t need 30-round magazines to hunt.
This led to the term fudd being tossed around in flame wars across these old forums.
One of the websites that seemed to popularize the term was the Truth About Guns. TTAG was a bit of a firebrand in this era and would zealously come after people who opposed gun ownership of any type.
The term grew in popularity and evolved to become a mainstream caricature of gun control advocates. Magazines like Recoil wrote articles that poked fun at the whole concept.
Fudd Lore
Outside of using fudd as a title for a person, the term has also been used to describe information. Fudd lore is information passed as fact with no basis in reality. It’s often bad advice presented as unquestionable wisdom.
For example, have you heard that .22 LR will bounce around inside the body, making it the deadliest round ever? That’s fudd lore.
Encouraging birdshot for home defense is fudd lore.
“Just rack the pump; that’ll scare ’em off!” Fudd lore.
Saying a weapon-mounted light will give away your position? You guessed it – fudd lore.
Fudd lore is something the gun community has to constantly battle and reject. When everyone has a voice, some are using it to spout nonsense, and we gotta kink that hose.
Fudd Guns
Talking about fudd guns is probably the only time the term isn’t used disparagingly.
Gun owners use it to describe iconic firearms like the Winchester Model 70, the Remington 870, or over/under double-barrel shotguns.
Gun owners of all stripes lovingly describe the relics of old-world craftsmanship. We may take issue with fudds, but we still love many of their guns.
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In fact, some of them are guns every American should own.
5 Types of Fudds You’ll Meet in the Wild
1. The Practical Fudd
The term originally referred to the guys and gals who preferred a wood stock and only used their guns to hunt birds and deer a few times a year. These are the people who will never own anything but a bolt-action hunting rifle and an old-school shotgun.
Practical fudds only shoot during hunting season and maybe to check their zero – and that’s a big maybe. At most, they shoot a few rounds of clays per year.
Fudds are often disparaged because they oppose AR-15 ownership and despise similar modern semi-auto rifles. When it comes to handguns, they often prefer a 1911 or revolver over a polymer-framed pistol, which they consider plastic Tupperware crap.
Do you think Glocks and, by extension, almost every pistol made in the last 30 years are unsafe and unreliable?
Take a look in the mirror, friend. It’s time to join the future.
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2. The Military Fudd
The military fudd doesn’t have much interest in controlling our gun rights. Instead, they focus on firearms that the military uses or has used.
For example, when reading an article about the new XM7 rifle with the Vortex XM157, I saw a comment that read, “Soldiers need those optics now ’cause all they’ve ever done is play video games.”
Another surefire way to tell if someone is a military fudd is that they insist the M14 was a good service rifle, even in the face of tons of evidence that says it wasn’t.
The military fudd will scorn new technology like optics, suppressors, and laser aiming modules, insisting on iron sights and wood stocks instead.
3. The Gear Fudd
The gear fudd is a new type of fudd.
They aren’t necessarily anti-gun or anti-AR-15. The gear fudd is the type of gun owner who hates that people own night vision, plate carriers, and similar pieces of tactical gear.
They tell the rest of us to join the military if we want to play dress up.
Some gear fudds are veterans or police officers who use their service to justify their criticism of tactical gear for anyone else.
That brings us to our next category.
4. The Neo Fudd
The neo fudd is typically a veteran or law enforcement officer who uses their credentials to try and advocate for gun control.
I remember an Army Reserve officer running for a political position using his ability to strip and assemble an AR blindfolded as some kind of proof that he has the wisdom to determine which guns we should have access to.
Never mind the fact that the AR-15 is ridiculously easy to take apart and put together.
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The neo-fudd uses credentialism to advocate for gun control. A very common trope you’ll hear out of their mouths is, “I believe in the 2nd Amendment, but… .”
5. The Boomer Fudd
The Boomer Fudd is another type of fudd that typically doesn’t advocate for gun control. The boomer fudd hates modern technology and is closely related to the military fudd.
They dislike red dots on handguns, Kydex holsters, and weapon-mounted lights. They reject modernity and embrace tradition.
Keep in mind that these fudds don’t have to be an actual member of the baby boomer generation. For the boomer fudd, boomer is a mindset, not an age group.
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Meet the Experts
Heading up this article is Pew Pew Tactical author Travis Pike. Travis spent a lifetime shooting and hunting before joining the United States Marine Corps, where he spent five years as an infantryman. Travis is also an NRA-certified instructor and concealed carry instructor in the state of Florida.
Editing this article is Scott Murdock. Scott is a Marine Corps veteran who competed and qualified as a rifle and pistol expert while in service. In addition to shooting, Scott has written for a variety of publications, testing, researching, and evaluating guns and gear. He brings that knowledge and skillset to this article, editing and fact-checking for accuracy.
Editor-in-Chief Jacki Billings runs our experienced team of reviewers. She is a National Rifle Association Basic Pistol Instructor as well as a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, ACES: Society for Editing, and the Professional Outdoor Media Association. Jacki has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has worked as a media professional for close to 20 years, specializing in gun media for almost 10 years. With 2,000+ articles to her name, she uses her professional journalism and editing experience to set testing protocols and editorial standards for Pew Pew Tactical.
Final Thoughts
The problem with fudds comes down to general ignorance of firearms outside of their few gun-related hobbies. They don’t understand or appreciate much of the firearm world, and they react to it by advocating for additional gun control.
If you enjoy your rights, help other people keep theirs. It’s not a zero-sum game.
What do you think of fudds? What’s your favorite fudd gun? Let us know below. If you’re ready to embrace the fudd life, check out our guide to the Best Revolvers!
17 Leave a Reply
It's good to know, that a bright flashlight on my handgun won't be noticed by an opponent who might be happy to know precisely where they need to place a bullet.
(not a fudd ... just someone that knows that flashlights flash light.)
Moderators, your site wouldn’t let me post at all a few minutes ago and now my comment is here half a dozen times. Huh?
Hardcore Glock fanboys. Two words: “Glock perfection.” Said fanboy then proceeds to add $500+ to make said “perfect pistol” equal to other equally-reliable and equally-priced offerings on the market. Why Glock can’t put actual metal sights that won’t break off is beyond me. Oh, and it’s perfectly reliable unless your grip isn’t great, such as with an injury or in a real-world fight.
Glock fanboys have become the 1911 fanboys they once ridiculed.
Hardcore Glock fanboys. Two words: “Glock perfection.” Said fanboy then proceeds to add $500+ to make said “perfect pistol” equal to other equally-reliable and equally-priced offerings on the market. Why Glock can’t put actual metal sights that won’t break off is beyond me. Oh, and it’s perfectly reliable unless your grip isn’t great, such as with an injury or in a real-world fight.
Glock fanboys have become the 1911 fanboys they once ridiculed.
Hardcore Glock fanboys. Two words: “Glock perfection.” Said fanboy then proceeds to add $500+ to make said “perfect pistol” equal to other equally-reliable and equally-priced offerings on the market. Why Glock can’t put actual metal sights that won’t break off is beyond me. Oh, and it’s perfectly reliable unless your grip isn’t great, such as with an injury or in a real-world fight.
Glock fanboys have become the 1911 fanboys they once ridiculed.
Hardcore Glock fanboys. Two words: “Glock perfection.” Said fanboy then proceeds to add $500+ to make said “perfect pistol” equal to other equally-reliable and equally-priced offerings on the market. Why Glock can’t put actual metal sights that won’t break off is beyond me. Oh, and it’s perfectly reliable unless your grip isn’t great, such as with an injury or in a real-world fight.
Glock fanboys have become the 1911 fanboys they once ridiculed.
Hardcore Glock fanboys. Two words: “Glock perfection.” Said fanboy then proceeds to add $500+ to make said “perfect pistol” equal to other equally-reliable and equally-priced offerings on the market. Why Glock can’t put actual metal sights that won’t break off is beyond me. Oh, and it’s perfectly reliable unless your grip isn’t great, such as with an injury or in a real-world fight.
Glock fanboys have become the 1911 fanboys they once ridiculed.
The hardcore Glock fanboys are definitely a new variety of Fudd. “Gaston perfected the pistol in the 80s with the Glock 17. It doesn’t need to change since it’s already Glock perfection.” Said fanboy then proceeds to add $500+ to his “perfect” pistol to give it the features of most other modern handguns of similar price. In my opinion, any fighting gun with plastic sights that break off that easily is far from “perfection” or “completely reliable.” If a critical piece of the weapon you depend on to save your life breaks because of a slight impact, then that weapon can’t be depended upon in stock form.
Sorry hardcore Glock fans, but you are now in the same group as the 1911 fans you love calling fudds. Welcome to the 2020s where other modern polymer guns are more reliable and have better features for the same money. Release the grip on your square wonders and give another brand a try.
The hardcore Glock fanboys are definitely a new variety of Fudd. “Gaston perfected the pistol in the 80s with the Glock 17. It doesn’t need to change since it’s already Glock perfection.” Said fanboy then proceeds to add $500+ to his “perfect” pistol to give it the features of most other modern handguns of similar price. In my opinion, any fighting gun with plastic sights that break off that easily is far from “perfection” or “completely reliable.” If a critical piece of the weapon you depend on to save your life breaks because of a slight impact, then that weapon can’t be depended upon in stock form.
Sorry hardcore Glock fans, but you are now in the same group as the 1911 fans you love calling fudds. Welcome to the 2020s where other modern polymer guns are more reliable and have better features for the same money. Release the grip on your square wonders and give another brand a try.
Some of that stuff you spouted could only come from a "Marine Fudd" - Someone who claims to be an expert at everything, including sociology, psychology, Constitutional law and (any and all) weapons, whether nuclear, magnetic or ballistic - because they're a Marine. I too am a Marine and therefore know everything there is to know about anything. I also shoot clays (with a semi-auto shotgun but would love to be able to afford a nice over/under), have AR-15's, and an AR-10, numerous semi-automatic "plastic" pistols, carry a "plastic" .380 Auto, own several revolvers (even a Heritage .22 WMR) including an Airweight S&W .38 Spl and am in the market for a nice 6.5 Creedmoor, bolt-action with 24" barrel. And, I was shooting a 1911 when your daddies were in diapers - I also know how to shoot with one hand while holding a flashlight in the other and still get decent groups at 25 yards. I would own NVG's but would rather make mortgage payments. I also loved my M14 and didn't like the M16 when they first came out. But then, I DID sleep with my rifle while some of today's marines play video games with drones. Oh, and I like most of the rest of your publication. But by your rules, I'm a FUDD. Semper Fi, brothers.
Good article but you missed the opportunity on one giant example of a FUDD that illustrates the definition with almost 100% accuracy.
In 2007 Jim Zumbo, a writer for Outdoor Life wrote a column where he called AR15s and AK47s “terrorist rifles” that had no place in hunting.
This caused a MASSIVE backlash and Jim Zumbo was fired from Outdoor Life and his hunting TV show was suspended. Remington, Gerber and Mosdy Oak all severed their sponsorship deals with Jim Zumbo. His long career as a gun writer was effectively ended.
NRA Board Member Ted Nugent took Zumbo out for a day to shoot an AR15 to educate him on the realities of modern guns in hunting.
The term “your a Zumbo” entered the internet for a short time as an alternative to FUDD. There’s even a Wikipedia page on the subject.
The whole episode was a perfect storm of a FUDD in action.
I wonder what Jim Zumbo is doing today??
I always thought Fudd was the short version of Fuddy-Duddy which was used back 1868. Given for people who could or wood not accept new changes and new things that change the existing norms. This was very entertaining article.
Thanks for reading!
Now do an article on Tactical Timmys.
Those who believe if you don’t adopt every new thing that comes along that you’re not serious about guns or self defense.
And then do one of LEO Uber fans ccs LEO Haters.
I’m sure you can find a few more to further divide the gun community to get clicks.
Lord knows the gun community doesn’t have enough enemies out there.
Just for clarification, I did not purposely make my comment in triplicate. Admin, please feel free to delete two of the repetitive remarks above. Regrets for any inconvenience.
No inconvenience, and I award you style points for using "in triplicate."
I don’t know if this makes me a “Fudd” or not but I do find wood furniture on long guns and walnut grips on handguns quite attractive. In reality, though, for tactical applications wood is probably not the best choice and that’s where the polymer shines. Just my two cents.