Worst Handgun Myths/Fallacies

[Csspecs]

Movie gun myth

Once the bad guy is shot one time and falls down there is no chance he will get back up, and the best way to find out if he is really riding the .45 wagon to hell is to bend down next to him with gun in hand so that if he is not dead he can grab it off you.

Movie myth

That civilians are incapable of holding a firearm still enough to make a two foot shot at the bad guy, instead they will sit there shaking like a leaf until the bad guy comes over to take the gun and kill them with it.

Movie myth

All pistols and rifles are carried with an empty chamber and must be racked multiple times before they can be used. And Glocks have hammers that make loud clicks when thumbed back.

Movie myth

The best holster is your pants crotch area (Why would you do that?) and there is no need to turn your safety on before placing firearm in the "holster".

Funny thing was a guy 30 miles south of where I live shot his fun parts off after robbing a gas station, the ironic part was he wanted the money to hire a hooker. Guess he won't need to do that again

Movie myth

Criminals won't shoot you if you drop your firearm on the ground and hold your hands over your head...... Yep and soldiers don't shoot retreating enemy soldiers, instead the let them go to fight another day.


Me and my brother watch movies and rewind anything involving guns to see how many things they screwed up. We count rounds fired and muzzle sweeps for the most part, but you will see many movies were they will rack the slide on a pistol 5+ times before shooting the best one was a scifi movie where the main character would check a room then rack the slide check the next room rack the slide...... It did not make ANY sense.

[teejhot.40cal]

THIS REVOLER/PISTOL WILL NEVER JAM...

If it has a slide or cylinder, a trigger, and a firing pin; it can jam.

I also get annoyed when people assume that because they heard something from a police officer or member of the military regarding a firearm that it is correct.

This bothers me two. That badge does not make you a firearms expert. Some of the police down right scare me. (Not bashing them, dad was a state trooper so I grew up around LEOs)Nor does a CCW. I have a friend who has carried a firearm all his life and he knows so much. Since he knew so much he decided it was a good idea to stand in for police. You guessed it, he was arrested.

2. That a small child can be "taught" to not touch a handgun if the parent expains the ramifications to them so it is safe to leave a handgun unsecured around them.

This is true. My dad always left his service weapon right outside my bedroom door. I was facinated by guns but I knew better.

I am stating this to prove it has been done before, not that it is a good idea or bad idea. My dad knew I was never going to touch. Had he of thought that I might of, I might of grown up liking cars or music or something like that because I wouldn't of seen the gun everyday.

[Hedley]

My favorite movie myth is the fact that all pistols will click when empty. I love how some actors pull the trigger 4 or 5 times on an auto and then look at it funny before tossing it.

And it absolutely annoys the bejesus out of me when the bad guy is holding someone hostage with an uncocked pistol.

[Bud Helms]

Well, throwing the gun away when it's empty bugs me. That's like pitching the stereo out the window when the CD is finished.

[ronc0011]

Yeah the ones that really get me is like Csspecs noted. It’s when the guy cycles the slide on his 12ga pump every time he turns a corner, having yet to fire a single round. Surly the thing is empty by the time he actually has to fire it.

[Someoldguy]

Movies I can forgive for inaccuracies. After all, they're generally for entertainment and the racking of a shotgun or cocking of a pistol I would suppose is for dramatic effect, even if it is done two or three times. After all, we know better than to do that, don't we?

It's myths and fallacies in the real world that bother me. But, speaking of movies, if our only source of gun knowledge is through these, then we're in a world of trouble! IMO nothing beats good instruction, if you're a newbie, to help clear up some of these fallacies and misconceptions. And even some so-called experienced shooters (like myself) could benefit from a little (re)education every now and then.

IMO it can't be stated enough that owning a gun is a big responsibility, as well as a right. And we should be grateful that we still live in a society which allows us the freedom to do so, despite the impediments that some would place against this end.

Just my two pennies!

[Daves-got-guns]

last night watched part of live and let die, james bonds girl pulls out a .357 smith wesson, points it at whats sposed to be a alleged bad guy, and points it at him and bond says its ok. Then he takes it away from her and says u might of killed me had you taken the safety catch off. After that it sort of killed it for me haha. Still though, thats just one point in why NOT to listen to anything the movies put out, hollywood is pro tree hugging these days dispite alot of the action titles they put out. Very sneaky.

[jstn]

G-Cym:
Actually, there is a lot of truth to that. A prosecuting DA is gonna have a field day with handloads.

"So you decided that store bought ammunition wasn't good enough?? You had to make it more powerful on your own??"

That's a good point. I don't handload now, but if I ever do, that's something to remember. I guess one could always argue that the intent was to make the round less powerful , but why open that door for the prosecutor in the first place... I'll stick with factory loads for SD.

Oh yes, my favorite myth (courtesy of Hollywood):
That a single shot from a gun, any gun, inside of an airplane will automatically rip a giant hole in the side of the fuselage, suck all of the people out, and cause the plane to go into an uncontrollable decent.

and...

"We shouldn't arm pilots because a gun might go off in the cockpit.":barf:


Since there has been some discussion about children and firearms in this thread, I would like to share my thoughts on the matter (no flames here, just my view): I have grown up around guns all of my life (mostly long guns). I knew where the guns were located in the house, and I was taught how to respect them - always treat a gun like it is loaded. I would not touch them without my dad's approval. However, I NEVER knew where the ammunition was located. I think that my dad trusted me and the instruction that he provided, but his "safety net" was to separate the ammo from the weapon. This allowed guns to be a natural part of my upbringing, and it protected me from an accident IF I ever handled a gun as a child without my dad's supervision (which I did not).

I have small children of my own now, and I follow the same basic rules that my dad used to train me. If a gun is loaded, it is locked up. If it is not locked up, then the gun is not loaded and the ammo is not accesable to them. I trust my kids and the training that I have provided, but I will not allow such a horrible accident should they make a mistake. In addition it is not always our own children that we have to be concerned about. What if little johnny from down the street comes over to play? What if he finds a gun during the couse of a game of hide and seek? How have his parents trained him? I have a responsibility to protect my children, my family, visiting neighbor children, etc. from accidently discharging a firearm in my home. "It can't happen to me (or my children)"...hey, another myth! It is my responsibility to ensure that it does not happen.

[GoSlash27]

jstn,
Actually, my post was irresponsible. Orionengr was good enough to point that out to me (thanks, BTW)...

You see, although there are several cases where it is *rumored* that people have been screwed by using handloads in an SD situation, that doesn't mean that *you* will be. An over-exuberant DA may try to hang you with a hand load and an anti-gun jury may fall for it, but I used the words "you will get crucified".

In truth, the above circumstances *could* happen, but the DA would probably try to make a case of any ammunition you used.

[ronc0011]

Actually the airplane business is pretty silly. Airplane cabins are not 100% leak proof to begin with. Airplanes flex and twist when in flight. So there is no way you are going to get one to be leak proof. So starting from there if you look at the total surface area or more specifically the total length of the seams in an airplane body I think you would find that the combined area of open space would be several times the diameter of a bullet. The cabin pressure of an airplane wouldn’t even notice the addition of a hole that size.

[roy reali]

I grew up on small farm. My dad kept a .22 rifle at the ready for emergencies. It wasn't locked in a safe. It wasn't locked in a closet. It wasn't stashed in a secret location. What kept us kids from touching it?

My father's boot.

[tegemu]

One more comment about children and guns. Very often when there is a tragic incident, the parent/guardian/responsible? adult will say something to the effect of, "The gun was very well hidden, I can't figure out how he/she found it," (Do you remember your Christmas present hunts or snooping expeditions) or "The gun was unloaded but the ammo was somewhere near by." Children are insatiably curious, they put cats to shame, they are also MUCH smarter than many of us give them credit for. Many will find the gun, many will load the gun and many will proudly show it off to their friends - who unfortunatly seem to be the ones most often shot. The only sure way to prevent these tragic incidents is to totally prevent access, safes - locks etc. they will find almost impossible to open. I have no children so I have guns strategically located around my home. When a child crosses my threshold, I make an immediate mad scramble to secure my guns in my safe in a locked room. Some of my friends/relatives, when bringing a child into my home, will remind me "Guns" so I don't forget. Thank God they do!!!!

[roy reali]

Back in the frontier days guns were kept at the ready for emergencies. Kids did not have gun accidents with the family's firearm. One reason was discipline. You all have seen the out of control brats at the grocery store. I wouldn't store a gun within three miles of those kids.

Yes, it is best to safely store guns and ammo. But nothing replaces good old fashioned rules and consequences.

[Playboypenguin]

Back in the frontier days guns were kept at the ready for emergencies. Kids did not have gun accidents with the family's firearm.

That is not accurate. When I was in college I took statistical classes that dealt heavily with child safety and developement (becoming a school teacher). Pre-1900's one of the major causes of death of persons under the age of 12 (non disease) was injury from farm equipment and firearms. Presumeably alot of these were hunting accidents.

And this was when the only firearm available was usually a long gun and sometimes that was black powder.

I guess some people live in a perfect world where their kids will not have sex, do drugs, ever misbehave, ever miss curfew, ever lie, ever do anything wrong at all and all it took was their parents telling them not to then instilling some fear into them.

[Jart]

Contextual myths - specifically the context of a semi-auto that won't run:

1. You're limp-wristing it.
2. It needs to be "broken in".

[Playboypenguin]

This might not be a myth but I definately think it is a misconception.

Did anyone mention the whole"you must train with .22 first to learn proper marksmanship"?

I think a .22 is a great way to introduce a child or a very timid person to shooting but in most cases if you are over 13 and over 100lbs you can start your training on a .38 with no negative effects.

In fact I have found it easier to introduce older shooters to the sport wheni have used larger calibers. When i start them on something small they loose interest very quickly.

[BobR.]

I guess some people live in a perfect world where their kids will not have sex, do drugs, ever misbehave, ever miss curfew, ever lie, ever do anything wrong at all and all it took was their parents telling them not to then instilling some fear into them.

Why do you bring absolutely non-relevant issues because some parents do have control over there children.
You seem to be blaming others for your failings.

The one gent above who had guns about his house, moved them for visiting parents.
That is probably the best solution, but at my house they would be told to control their children or not come back.

My niece and her three kids ages three to seven, spent seven months at my house and I had two bags containing many handguns, were in plain view in the room where the coats were hung.
I took one pistol out one day and asked the oldest boy if he wanted to hold it.
He said if I touch that my butt will be set on fire.

Now my niece is paranoid about guns, as she would not let me take them fishing, because she that somehow I would take them out shooting also, but I give her credit for having disciplined children.

When I set the gun bag in the middle of the room they actually swerved way out to not get close to it.
Paranoid instruction, yes, but her kids are safe around guns.
Bob
PS--She even admits she is paranoid and does not blame guns for problems, but she just prefers to be safe on the paranoid side.

[Playboypenguin]

BobR,

Without all the nonsense talking and blaming people for projecting their own failings onto others answer one simple question.

Do you think an unlocked and loaded handgun left around an unsupervised child poses any risk to the safety of the child?

[dixierifleman]

BobR,
is that how democrats are made?

[Gewehr98]

It's not the prosecutor in the criminal defense trial that would worry me with respect to me using defensive handloads.

It's the subsequently aggressive civil trial (what, you thought that didn't happen after acquittal?) that scares the bejeezus out of me, and the jury just has to have a majority vote, not unanimous like the criminal trials. Even OJ couldn't shake that. The jury finds in favor of the deceased plaintiff's surviving family, you're in the doghouse to the tune of several million dollars plus attorney fees, and as your life crumbles around you, you wonder in hindsight what little things you could've done to minimize your liability.

[Crosshair]

Seriously, how is using handloads for PD going to get you in trouble if you where JUSTIFIED in your shooting? If you where justified, the ammo type is a non-issue.

Next thing you know people are going to say that you can get in trouble for using ball ammo because it might over penitrate and kill a baby 200 yards away. Don't use Hollowpoints because you wanted to kill the person. He used 3" shells instead of 2.75" because he wanted him dead. Heck, you can make up a reason against using any type of ammo. Is there any case where this was a large issue?

[Samurai]

Now, don't get me wrong here, people. I'm not saying that you should lock up guns instead of teaching your children proper safety and setting firm rules. I'm saying you should lock up guns in addition to teaching proper safety and setting firm rules.

And, for the record: I'm of the opinion that anyone who made it through their childhood unharmed was NOT necessarilly particularly smart (or well-behaved). You were simply lucky.

I know plenty of kids who got killed before we graduated high school. They weren't dumb, and they weren't miscreants. They were good kids, well-behaved. Sometimes bad things happen for no reason at all. That's life. But, you do what you can to increase the odds for your children. Plain and simple.

[BobR.]

Playboypenguin: It depends on the child and but mostly parents.
==============
dixierifleman: PROBABLY!
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Samurai--And, for the record: I'm of the opinion that anyone who made it through their childhood unharmed was NOT necessarilly particularly smart (or well-behaved). You were simply lucky.

There is no such thing as luck, one makes one's own fortune: good or bad; as a child one's parents are one-half of the equation, or MORE.
Sadly, X amount of children are bad from birth, there is nothing that anyone can do to stop them from destroying, hopefully, only themselves.
Bob

[cheygriz]

Good luck- where preparation meets potential opportunity, leading to real opportunity.

Bad luck- where lack of prepararion meets potential disaster, leading to actual disaster.

[Hans]

One from the movies that I particularly like is when someone who is highly trained in the use of firearms needs to rack the slide on their semi when they draw it from a holster.

For example, I just watched Heat for the first time this weekend, and I found it odd that when Robert DeNiro was in the hotel elevator, on his way up to take care of Waingro, that he felt the need to see if he had a round chambered in his gun. As if someone with extensive firearms training wouldn't already know. This happened a few more times in the movie as well, and it drove me nuts.