Sunday, August 21, 2011

Not knowing the least bit

About firearms, that is.
A 61-year-old man was hospitalized Sunday after a gun misfired and shot him in the chest.
(from KENS-5)



I hate to break it to you, KENS 5 staff, but if a gun misfires, then nobody gets shot. In fact, it's pretty much the opposite of firing. Here's a link that can help you in the future.

6 comments:

Bob S. said...

I'll have to disagree.

A firearm can misfire in any number of highly unlikely and highly improbable ways.

Regardless of injury, the firearm still misfired.

For example, some older firearms can exhibit something called "slamfire" when the bolt or slide is released (moved forward) and causes the firing pin to strike the cartridge.

If you wish to learn about firearms- perhaps go shooting for the first time; please contact me.

I would be happy to take you to the range free of charge (if you get up to the DFW area ) or find someone in your area who would provide such service.

In this case, the news media actually got one right.

Although in all likelihood, it was a case of someone's finger being on the trigger when it shouldn't have been -- not a firearm malfunction.

3boxesofbs_AT_Gmail_Dot_com

Albatross said...

If you wish to learn about firearms- perhaps go shooting for the first time; please contact me.

Bob S., screw you. I have been shooting rifles since I was thirteen (got my first deer at fourteen), shotguns since I was eighteen (got my first dove the same year), and handguns since I was twenty-one when I bought my Beretta 92F that I still hold near and dear to me to this day. In all that time, I have never heard "misfire" used to denote an accidental fire. It has always meant that the cartridge in the chamber FAILED TO FIRE AND HAD TO BE CLEARED.

Perhaps in the DFW area "slamfire" means the same as "misfire", but it doesn't down here. In this case, the news media is wrong. You are, too, and you're a bit presumptive to think I am some buffoon when it comes to firearms.

Bob S. said...

A little overly sensitive there Bud?

I hate to break it to you, KENS 5 staff, but if a gun misfires, then nobody gets shot.

I was disagreeing with this portion first and foremost.

You can not say with 100% certainty that no one gets shot if a gun misfires.

A slamfire is a type of misfire. Just like a hangfire is a type of misfire.

As I correctly stated, a firearm can misfire in any number of ways.

In all that time, I have never heard "misfire" used to denote an accidental fire

Just because you've never heard of something doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.

Chill out dude.

Albatross said...

Bob, you are correct. Just because I have not heard a term used a certain way does not mean that it never gets used that way. And I'm pretty open to learning new things about language. And firearms. I'm the first to admit that I don't know everything. If, in your original comment, you had simply stuck to sharing with me your own experience with the term "misfire" (which is obviously different from mine), I would have been grateful for your edification.

But you chose to be insulting.

If you wish to learn about firearms- perhaps go shooting for the first time; please contact me.

That's what you said, and that's a pretty condescending thing to say. I wonder why you would think anyone would be willing to listen to your point after saying something dickish like that.

Your assumption that I know nothing about firearms -- and that I've never been shooting before -- is wrong. If you ever had to bet on who was correct in describing how guns and ammunition work, me or the media, you'd do good to bet on me. I might be wrong sometimes, but it wouldn't be very often. Not when compared to news reporters.

I'll close by repeating what I said earlier: I have never heard the term "misfire" used to describe an accidental fire. Perhaps some people use it that way, but no one I personally know does. If anyone wants to share with me their own usage of the term, especially if it is different from mine, I'd like to hear about it. I love learning new things.

Just don't talk down to me when you do.

Bob S. said...

Albatross,

Sorry you took my offer, meant in good faith, as condescending.

I can't control how you take things. I would point out that you could have responded with questions or gentle correction to my misstep.

In all the months that I've been reading your blog, I haven't seen a mention of firearms or your ability.

Given your those facts and your statement about "if a gun misfires, then nobody gets shot" then it was reasonable on my part to assume little or no experience.


I think there is a strong case of the pot calling the kettle black here if you say I was "dickish".

Really sir, shouldn't you remove the plank from your eye?

Albatross said...

You're right, Bob. I apologize to you. Perhaps you did not know I had another blog. Perhaps I was being a little sensitive. Or, perhaps you were a bit quick to assume I didn't know a thing about firearms. But make no mistake, I do know a little about firearms.

I am from Texas, you know.