Tuesday, April 07, 2015

It Does What?

     Guy writing at Salon about howcome he sold his guns and how the gun culture has gotten all icky and stuff, describing shooting his once-treasured Colt .22 target pistol one last time:

     "...an authoritative ka-pow, [...] the gun reaching skyward in a credible kick for a .22,  three inches of ignited escape gas illuminating the tip of the muzzle in a brilliant blue-white flash."

     I wanna know if those Colts do that.  For .22 semi-autos, I've got a Ruger Mk. II, a Whitney Wolverine, a Ciener conversion for my 1911A1 and a pair of Star Model Fs and none of them produce any such dramatic effects.  I've got .22 revolvers by just about everyone -- High Standard, Colt, Smith & Wesson, H&R, Iver Johnson and I don't even remember who else -- with barrels from 3" to 18", and not a one of them flashes out three inches of flame or "reaches skyward" when you make them go bang.  They're .22s, f'pity's sake, and they hardly move when you shoot them if you're holding on as you should.

     You don't think that nice young fellow might be making things up, do you?

     Sell your guns if you're not having any fun with them or if owning them begins to fret you.  Hold and express any opinion that appeals to you.  But don't generalize from a tiny sample, and don't sacrifice reality on the altar of your preconceived notions, mmmkay?

     Link found at Unk's; derp found all over.

10 comments:

Educated Savage said...

The Ruger pistols we used in my college hand gun class were about the same length as the Colt and they had no muzzle flash at all. I've shot .45 ACP's that didn't have the kind of muzzle flash described here. As for the recoil, this guy must be flinching something terrible.

Rey B said...

I suspect that the rather impressive muzzle flash and recoil exist in the same place much of the conversation between himself and the gun shop owner take place. In his rather vivid and florid imagination.

Jennifer said...

Wow! Embellished much?

Monty James said...

If he's writing at Salon, the way to bet is that the facts supporting the narrative are maybe sorta made up a little bit. He's a Leftist, no? That's what they do.

David aka True Blue Sam said...

He's installed a Loudener, and an Embiggener.

DoninSacto said...

OK with me he lost it at ka-pow. we all know .22s go pew pew.

rickn8or said...

"...an authoritative ka-pow, [...] the gun reaching skyward in a credible kick for a .22, three inches of ignited escape gas illuminating the tip of the muzzle in a brilliant blue-white flash."


Well, it might appear that way to a three year-old shooter. But not many three year-olds write that way.

Hmmmmmm.

Anonymous said...

He's lying!

Its that simple!

Hat Trick said...

The only .22 I've fired that had any appreciable muzzle flash was my little Taurus PT-22. Barrel is so short that with Federal bulk .22LR it dumps most of the powder out the muzzle while it is still burning. No blue flame just a yellow fireball that lights up an indoor range.
That Salon story is a work of fiction.

Windy Wilson said...

As Anonymous at 6:25 pm said, he's lying, because he's written something.
I have noticed a cloud of disturbed air around my Buckmark muzzle, but no light, no muzzle flip (or in this Salon liar's case, muzzle flop). I attribute my noticing it to more practice keeping my eyes open during shooting. Now if he had done the same, he might not have mistook his tremor for recoil and muzzle flip, or those light-like images you see when you close your eyes for the pistol spitting flames.