A gun by any other name

January 7, 2009 10:06 AM

What were some of the slang terms used for guns on The Wire? From what i remember, bodie and poot (and the other corner kids) had an unusual slang term for the guns they hid in the wheelwells of cars. It wasn't strap, heat, piece, or nine. Any ideas?
posted by Oktober to grab bag (13 answers total)

Iron?
posted by pantarei70 at 10:15 AM on January 7, 2009

heaters?
posted by activitystory at 10:19 AM on January 7, 2009

You remember correctly because I recall having not heard the term before. However, I can't recall the exact word. I am 99% positive it's not heater or iron.
posted by milarepa at 10:25 AM on January 7, 2009

Someone says chrome.
posted by nightwood at 10:27 AM on January 7, 2009

Was it "gat"?
posted by backwards guitar at 10:56 AM on January 7, 2009

i think it was whistle....
posted by capnsue at 10:59 AM on January 7, 2009

I think capnsue is on to something!
posted by Oktober at 11:03 AM on January 7, 2009

I just watched a 3rd season EP last night where someone asked for another guy to hand him the "whistle", so I can guarantee that one.
posted by sideshow at 11:20 AM on January 7, 2009

Whistle for sure. I loved that scene. "Gimme the whistle..." What???? Oh.... the gun.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 11:30 AM on January 7, 2009

One of my fave lines from the show:


Michael: Should I bring my iron?
Snoop: Naw, I got some fresh nines with the numbers shaved

posted by ezekieldas at 12:24 PM on January 7, 2009

Not from The Wire, but one of my favorite slang terms from gun comes from Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policemen's Union. They call them "sholem." Yiddish for "peace." As in "piece." Awesome.
posted by The Michael The at 4:55 PM on January 7, 2009

One of my new favorite things about The Wire is that I recently found out about a philosopher called Rawls, who was from Baltimore, and who was all about fairness in justice, and cooperation.
Isn't that great? Man, those writers.
posted by zusty at 7:16 PM on January 7, 2009

Late addition. Just watched an episode where someone asked if another person had his "prong" on him. The other one flashes his gun.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 9:19 PM on January 18, 2009