Ok small rant about gun myths

[Spots]

Before I start, Ive been rather stressed lately, and just need a place to vent after the idiocy I had to deal with last night at work. So I was showing my new shotgun to my brother in law whom I work with. Its an 18.5" cylinder bore Mossberg 500. Another guy we work with wandered up while were talking and starts giving unsolicited advice. First I said I still needed to drill and tap and add the front bead, which he informs me is stupid because you don't need to aim a shotgun, just point and shoot. I mention that a shot spread is gonna be very small at short distance, and that the myth of the street sweeper patterns isn't really true. He then mentions my pet peeve. He said a pump shotgun is his favorite for home defense because the sound of the pump racking will cause an attacker to run in fear. Why do people claim this? All you do when you rack the gun is slow yourself down and identify your location. He just wouldn't accept the fact that racking a shotgun wouldn't immediately cause any human on earth to faint or run in fear. Well, rant over. What myths have you heard about firearms and shooting that really grind you?

[felinesNfreedom]

Those two are the biggest. Always said the only sound you will hear on my shotgun is the safety being pushed off. No racking of the slide here.

[tennesseetiger]

I've heard the whole "racking the shotgun" thing quite a few times too...I'm not so sure it would just cause somebody to take off running and in all honesty, if you are already in my house I A.) dont want you getting out and B.) dont want you to know where I am.

[UncleJak]

I rack the slide.....after I fire the first shot :)

[tennesseetiger]

I rack the slide.....after I fire the first shot :)

:up:

[E4 No More]

I've heard the whole "racking the shotgun" thing quite a few times too...I'm not so sure it would just cause somebody to take off running and in all honesty, if you are already in my house I A.) dont want you getting out and B.) dont want you to know where I am.

Why...do you desire to kill someone?

[Smith]

I've heard the whole "racking the shotgun" thing quite a few times too...I'm not so sure it would just cause somebody to take off running and in all honesty, if you are already in my house I A.) dont want you getting out and B.) dont want you to know where I am.

I can attest from more than a few first-hand accounts that this is in fact, not a myth. Given certain circumstances, the sound of a shotgun racking is a very effective deterrent. Not so much in an immediate attack scenario but in an escalating situation it works more times than not.

 

But yes, having worked in a gun store for some years .... there are many MANY popular myths out there.

[zgunbear]

Why...do you desire to kill someone?

Because if they have broken into my house uninvited, gotten past the pit bull, and caused me to fear for my life they have voided their right to breathe.

[E4 No More]

I can attest from more than a few first-hand accounts that this is in fact, not a myth. Given certain circumstances, the sound of a shotgun racking is a very effective deterrent. Not so much in an immediate attack scenario but in an escalating situation it works more times than not.

 

But yes, having worked in a gun store for some years .... there are many MANY popular myths out there.

In the late 80's popo were taught by some to rack the slide loudly before entering a building to clear it of a burglar. I know that I was taught that back then. I would imagine that anecdotal evidence taught the trainers that the sound would tell the bad guys that the popo have arrived, and since the burglars rarely carried more than a handgun, it told them that said popo out gunned them as well: therefore, they gave up, (NOT run away wetting themselves). I have no direct experience of this "tactic" working, but I did bluff a badguy out by loudly proclaiming that I would sick the dog on him when I had no dog. :)

Edited January 7, 2015 by SWJewellTN

[tennessee01tacoma]

I am not going to let an intruder know where I am by racking a shotgun. The boom of a 12 gauge is a better deterrent, I guarantee it.

[E4 No More]

Because if they have broken into my house uninvited, gotten past the pit bull, and caused me to fear for my life they have voided their right to breathe.

So your answer would be yes?

 

While I would shoot to stop any intruder in my house, I would still prefer that they ran away screaming like a little girl. There's less paperwork.

[Jamie Jackson]

You mean besides porcelain Glocks? and Glocks being undetectable on xrays?

and that women can only handle .22 or .25 caliber guns?

or that a "snub nosed revolver" is the perfect house gun...despite a 12 lb trigger pull?

or that "cocking" a gun will "prove" you are serious?

 

Whatever do you mean? :surrender:

[E4 No More]

I am not going to let an intruder know where I am by racking a shotgun. The boom of a 12 gauge is a better deterrent, I guarantee it.

It wouldn't be a deterrent then, would it?

[JAB]

Well, just to play devil's advocate, unless a shotgun has rifle type sights on it, you don't aim it.  Instead, you point it with the bead as a reference.  Of course, pointing a shotgun in that manner and simply 'pointing' the muzzle in a general direction are two, different things.  I think some folks would be very surprised at how little a shotgun pattern spreads at short distances.

 

As for a shotgun racking scaring an intruder away, I don't buy that.  Maybe in places where gun ownership is uncommon (although still doubtful.)  However, in this area - where there is a good chance that even folks who are not really gun supporters will own at least a shotgun - anyone crazy enough to bust into someone's home when the residents are there has to know he or she will likely face an armed response.  That said, I do keep my HD shotgun in so-called 'cruiser mode' just because I prefer it that way.  If I had to rack it in a home defense situation, however, I doubt the assailant would even have time to register having heard the racking sound before they hear the loud BOOM that would immediately follow.

Edited January 7, 2015 by JAB

[Spots]

It wouldn't be a deterrent then, would it?

It would if theres two of them [emoji1] I'd be a hell of a lot more likely to keep my head down and be trying to exit the immediate area if I heard a gunshit vs a shotgun being racked.

[E4 No More]

Oh, for the record I don't own a shotgun nor would I for home defense. I know some do not share that choice, but that's what's great about our country: freedom.

[daddyo]

I've learned to be VERY selective about who I discuss firearms with. There are just too many misconceptions that I don't want to waste my time trying to correct with someone who doesn't want to learn.

[E4 No More]

It would if theres two of them [emoji1] I'd be a hell of a lot more likely to keep my head down and be trying to exit the immediate area if I heard a gun#### vs a shotgun being racked.

I submit that if you aren't afraid of the knowledge that your opponent in fact has a shotgun then you won't be deterred by the blast either.

 

But I also don't believe in keeping a defensive weapon without one in the chamber already. EDIT: Racking the slide would therefore be out of the question.

Edited January 7, 2015 by SWJewellTN

[Spots]

I submit that if you aren't afraid of the knowledge that your opponent in fact has a shotgun then you won't be deterred by the blast either.

But I also don't believe in keeping a defensive weapon without one in the chamber already.

I don't know about that. Something I noticed in the military is there are lots of badasses even when a gun is pointed at them. But when the first suot rings out it makes that flight or fight kick in a lot harder than just seeing a firearm. Some guys aren't gonna be deterred by anything short of being shot themselves, but most will react in some form to a gunshot in their direction

[tennesseetiger]

Why...do you desire to kill someone?

Did I say I wanted to kill somebody...? Did I imply I wanted to kill somebody...? Did I mention I would shoot you if you break into my house...? What if I meant I wanted to detain them so they could be arrested and I could make sure they spend time in jail or prison...?

Dont assume so much...

Edited January 7, 2015 by tennesseetiger

[E4 No More]

I don't know about that. Something I noticed in the military is there are lots of badasses even when a gun is pointed at them. But when the first suot rings out it makes that flight or fight kick in a lot harder than just seeing a firearm. Some guys aren't gonna be deterred by anything short of being shot themselves, but most will react in some form to a gunshot in their direction

Spots, there are exceptions to the rules in just about everything. There is no such thing as one size fits all. I'm sure there are lunatics in this very country who would no doubt be undeterred by anything their victim does, but I highly doubt they are common place.

 

I am not arguing FOR racking a slide or giving any such warning either. In fact I find what some people on this forum state that they would do under certain circumstances a little bit comical when they are speaking without experience, because even people who have trained have acted differently under stress. The "Fight or Flight" syndrome is a random bitch.

[Spots]

Did I say I wanted to kill somebody...? Did I imply I wanted to kill somebody...? What if I meant I wanted to detain them so they could be arrested and I could make sure they spend time in jail or prison...?

Dont assume so much...

 

I think his puncation was wrong. I think he was asking "Why? Do you want to kill someone?"

[E4 No More]

Did I say I wanted to kill somebody...? Did I imply I wanted to kill somebody...? Did I mention I would shoot you if you break into my house...? What if I meant I wanted to detain them so they could be arrested and I could make sure they spend time in jail or prison...?

Dont assume so much...

"...they have voided their right to breathe."

 

Absolutely!

[tennesseetiger]

I think his puncation was wrong. I think he was asking "Why? Do you want to kill someone?"

Maybe I read it wrong...but it came across as "so you want to be a tough guy and shoot somebody"

Edited January 7, 2015 by tennesseetiger

[mikegideon]

Did I say I wanted to kill somebody...? Did I imply I wanted to kill somebody...? Did I mention I would shoot you if you break into my house...? What if I meant I wanted to detain them so they could be arrested and I could make sure they spend time in jail or prison...?

Dont assume so much...

 

Don't have to worry about him assuming. He'll shoot somebody as fast as you will. Gotta worry about some prosecutor quoting that post in court.