mall ninja

plural mall ninjas

1. derogatoryinformalA person who brags about being a weaponry expert and connoisseur, but exposes their ignorance by making improbable claims about their experience or skill.

   No big deal, unless you're anal about being mil-spec "correct" to impress your mall ninja buddies.

   2007, Patrick Sweeney, The Gun Digest Book of the AR-15, Volume 2, Gun Digest Books, →ISBN, page 219

   4 more examples

   I own a Strider [knife]. Nope, I'm not a mall ninja or secret squirrel but it gives me pleasure to own them.

   2002 September 13, "Rawhide Clyde", “Re: Are Striders worth their price?”, in rec.knives (Usenet)

   I too abandoned those groups. Granted, I was one who had my mind made up for the most part, but not entirely. I just grew frustrated with the kindergarten sophistry, mall ninja bravado, and so on.

   2005 April 30, Mike Kelly, “Re: I got to stay out of the politic groups...”, in talk.politics.guns (Usenet)

   You know...like the delusion that you were ever a LEO [law enforcement officer], while you sound far more like a frustrated mall ninja.

   2008 March 6, "WuzYoungOnceToo", “Re: Hey pickle! try again”, in rec.gambling.poker (Usenet)

   A compound bow is much better [than a crossbow] in every respect, expect maybe for exciting those mall ninjas who, when they are not watching The Walking Dead, hide in their mom's basement and fantasize about Lara Croft.

   2016, Bryce M. Towsley, Prepper Guns, Skyhorse Publishing, →ISBN