History Channel Confirms 45s Knock You Over!

[GEM]

So I was watching a History Channel show on gunslingers and a cowboy action shooter, actor, 'expert' proclaimed that the 45 Peacemaker was so popular because a round from it would knock you down like a thunderbolt.

I thought pistol rounds couldn't knock you down by sheer force - was I mistaken? It was on TV! :eek: :scrutiny: :what:

[Rockrivr1]

Hummmm, not sure about a person but a 45 round will send a golf ball a good 100 yrds downrange. :p

[ID_shooting]

The Myth Busters proved it was false. IIRC they used a 12ga, a 44 mag and a rifle although I don't remember the caliber.

[Elmer]

Even just the bullet's wake flying by will cause you to lose your footing.....

[Estela216]

Every force/action has an equal and opposite force/reaction.

end of story

[Mulliga]

Admittedly, .45 Colt can be pretty darn powerful. You can load it up to near .44 Magnum levels, after all. :neener:

Another aspect is the mythic power of the "45" caliber. That's part of the reason people like 1911s. Every shot carries with it the thunder of American freedom, every 230 gr. bullet is like a little American flag. :)

[fredcwdoc]

I have been a firefighter for 27 years. In the mid 80's I was standing by with an engine at a drug take down when the BG decided to exit the garage and raise a firearm at a swat team member. Big mistake! He was hit with a 308 from a sniper rifle, one shotgun blast, and two 9mm rounds. This guy went straight down like a sack of potatoes. Never flew backwards, tumbled, or cart wheeled like on the movies or TV. I realize this was not a western 45 shootout but it sure changed my view on how the body reacts when shot. By the way, the BG survived and I learned I can crawl under gravel.

[Cosmoline]

It depends on what "knock you down" means.

[Vern Humphrey]

Simple test -- put on roller skates or stand on a skateboard and fire a .45. See how far back it pushes you. :p

[bakert]

Knock you down? Nope, but it will sure as hell make you fall down!! :D

[wasrjoe]

I saw the History Channel thing, too. Makes me wonder what other myths have been pushed by "experts" on their shows.

Another aspect is the mythic power of the "45" caliber. That's part of the reason people like 1911s. Every shot carries with it the thunder of American freedom, every 230 gr. bullet is like a little American flag.

Haha, that's sigline material. Mind if I use it?

[Elmer]

I saw the History Channel thing, too. Makes me wonder what other myths have been pushed by "experts" on their shows.

Can't really pick on History Channel. There's plenty of myths propogated in the gun magazines, and even on boards like this one.

[hightech]

It’s on television it has to be real. :o
It’s on the internet it must be true. :evil:

All with a grain of salt. :neener:

[dev_null]

Of course it will! ...if you have the harness and wire that Hollywood uses. :neener:

[Malamute]

"So I was watching a History Channel show on gunslingers and a cowboy action shooter, actor, 'expert' proclaimed that the 45 Peacemaker was so popular because a round from it would knock you down like a thunderbolt."


Well, I guess that settles it then.

[Pop]

Knock you down...yes. Pick you up and knock you backwards----NO!

Conservation of momentum. If that happened the shooter has to fly backwards too.

[sgt127]

"....the 45 Peacemaker was so popular because a round from it would knock you down like a thunderbolt."


Its true.



If you can launch a Peacemaker, particularly if it has a 7 1/2 inch barrel, at someone around 2000 fps, it will indeed knock them down. Thats dang near three pounds of steel hitting them.

[nico]

GEM, did the show happen to be Wild West Tech? I've seen the guy say stuff like that before, but he always made it appear that he was quoting the sentiment of the time. Are you sure you're not taking the quote out of context?

[possenti]

By the way, the BG survived and I learned I can crawl under gravel.

Good Grief!!!

Why is it that scumbags always seem to survive things like this? Hell, with my luck, I'd get shot in the fingertip with a .25acp and die instantly...

Just like with drunk drivers. Seems like they ALWAYS survive after crashing and killing everyone else involved... :banghead:

[nico]

Just like with drunk drivers. Seems like they ALWAYS survive after crashing and killing everyone else involved...
there's actually a reason for that. Not to go too far OT, but drunks are less likely to be injured in accidents because of the dulled reflexes caused by alcohol. They don't tense up like a sober person who sees a car about to hit them does so they're less likely to sustain serious injuries.

[Krag]

Yup, the old .45 Colt was a veritable "Hammer of Thor." And the .45 ACP is twice as powerful. Several years ago I read in an English gun book (by an otherwise respected author) that the .45 ACP would "...knock a man off his feet even if he was only hit in the arm." What horse....excrement!

It's no wonder so many people are enamored with the old .45 ACP when legends like that are still repeated in the mass media. Give me a 9mm Para anyday!!! :neener:

[Lone_Gunman]

Every shot carries with it the thunder of American freedom

That is one of the best comments I have read in a while, and I think it sums up the resurgence in popularity and mystique of the 1911.

[Baba Louie]

I read that Wyatt Earp practiced a pistolwhipping to the noggin manuver called "Buffaloing" on several ner-do-wells... and that mighta set them back on their butts for a spell.

[dav]

the thunder of American freedom, every 230 gr. bullet is like a little American flagThat's some purdy poetry, Mulliga.

Any idea where I can get myself a little stamp with an American Flag so I can stamp all of my 230gr ammo from now on?

I figger if Kalifornia can stamp a serial number on every bullet, I should be able to stamp flags!

[bad LT]

A 45 will only knock you over if it hits you in the finger :neener:

[Mulliga]

Thanks, guys. I'm really quite flattered - I came up with that description of the .45 Auto whilst trying to convince a friend to purchase a 1911. ;) I shouldn't have had to, though - the long and distinguished service of the .45 ACP speaks for itself - birthed by JMB, used in both World Wars, and still extremely popular today. Who wouldn't want one?

I suspect that when I have the funds, I'll buy and carry a lightweight commander of some sort.

[TheDutchman]

I saw that show too but remember different wording. I think it was stop in your tracks or stop where you stood.

[horge]

Originally posted by sgt127
"....the 45 Peacemaker was so popular because a round from it would knock you down like a thunderbolt."

Its true.

If you can launch a Peacemaker, particularly if it has a 7 1/2 inch barrel, at someone around 2000 fps, it will indeed knock them down. Thats dang near three pounds of steel hitting them.

:D

[Double Naught Spy]

GEM, first of all, the History Channel confirmed nothing. The speaker on Wild West Tech said a .45 could knock a man off his feet. They did not actually demonstrate this sort of event so what you have is a moron speaker recapitulating folklore. There is no confirmation.

And, technically a .45 LC, along with several other calibers, can knock you off your feet, if you are precariously balaced and the shot impacts you in a manner to upset that balance.

I think some of the rest of you are confusing .45 acp with .45 LC in regard to your folklore.

[Krag]

Yup, the 1911 and .45 ACP will become our standard military sidearm again - right after the army admits the error of its way and readopts the M1873 Trapdoor Springfield rifle in .45-70. Yawn.............. :barf:

[Mannlicher]

Its sad but true, the History Channel is notorious for inaccurate statements. They are also the morons that are really pushing the "BC means 'before common era'" crap, substituting that for "BC means 'before Christ'"

[unspellable]

The myth of the 45 ACP's "knockdown" power seems to live forever. But another one like it seems to have withered away. In my younger years it used to be said the the M16's 22 caliber bullet would tumble on impact and the cartwheeling effect would cause explosive damage. Tear an arm off and that sort of thing. Don't seem to hear that now days.

[happy old sailor]

i like those movies where one person drills another in front of a light colored wall. about a cup of blood splatters the wall behind the now dead person. i laugh and others look at me like i am a crazy ghoul of some sort, enjoying this mayhem. its on TV, so it has to be a realistic depiction of a real happening. and, dont bother trying to correct that perception. who am i to disagree with hollywood. they have the experts on staff to insure accurate simulations, right.

if my 45acp will knock a man down, my 44mag should put him into next week. lets see - - - heavier bullet, more velocity, yep, that'll work.

thanks, fellow members, this has been a fun read. did not know i was associating with so many out of work comedians

[brickeyee]

I have noticed a number of 'miracles' involving firearms and movies.
More than one time someone is shown getting shot in front of a mirror or window, blood splatters (looks like an exit wound!) and the bullet miraculously stops before breaking the glass/mirror. I have yet to actually find these ‘smart bullets’ but they must be out there.
Another scene that I still remember is a BG on stair landing in front of a 2 story window. Every single shotgun pellet landed in the guy from at least 20 feet away. Not a single pellet missed. 4-5 shots. Even as the guy slumped to the floor and additional shots were fired, the magic pellets failed to damage the window.
Maybe if everyone has these projectiles we could prevent accidental shootings.
:)

[GEM]

For those who didn't notice, I was being sarcastic.

I thought this was clear from
I thought pistol rounds couldn't knock you down by sheer force - was I mistaken? It was on TV!


and the smilies.

Sorry to be subtle. :neener:

[Elmer]

The myth of the 45 ACP's "knockdown" power seems to live forever. But another one like it seems to have withered away. In my younger years it used to be said the the M16's 22 caliber bullet would tumble on impact and the cartwheeling effect would cause explosive damage. Tear an arm off and that sort of thing. Don't seem to hear that now days.

Duplicate, sorry

[Elmer]

The myth of the 45 ACP's "knockdown" power seems to live forever. But another one like it seems to have withered away. In my younger years it used to be said the the M16's 22 caliber bullet would tumble on impact and the cartwheeling effect would cause explosive damage. Tear an arm off and that sort of thing. Don't seem to hear that now days.

Actually the old M16's with the 1 in 12 twist did occasionally have some pretty spectacular results. The bullet was so unstable that it would kinda go crazy when it hit tissue. For 100 yards or less I'd rather have the 1 in 12 for that reason.

The real myth there was all the Viet Nam era guys who thought the bullet was designed to tumble in flight! I still hear that one once in a while...

[artherd]

Actually, all boat tail spitzer type bullets will tumble or 'yaw' at least 180* in dense media like flesh. .223, .308, .50bmg, etc. Think of them likeing to travel like a raindrop, big back end FIRST!

The .223 rounds will also usually fragment into a bunch of pieces, due to thin jacket material and extreme velocity (above 2700fps or so) Hence the legends.

[Waitone]

Discovery Channel is owned by CBS. Draw your own conclusions. :scrutiny:

[Ky Larry]

I've seen John Wayne shoot his Peace Maker at least 37 times without reloading. Sometimes 2 Indians would fall with a single shot. If Hollywood says so, it has to be true. :scrutiny:

[Elmer]

Actually, all boat tail spitzer type bullets will tumble or 'yaw' at least 180* in dense media like flesh. .223, .308, .50bmg, etc. Think of them likeing to travel like a raindrop, big back end FIRST!

The .223 rounds will also usually fragment into a bunch of pieces, due to thin jacket material and extreme velocity (above 2700fps or so) Hence the legends.

The twist rate has a lot to do with it. The 1 in 7 twists on .223 was a very poor performer. The bullets would usually over penetrate.

And most .223 rounds won't fragment into a bunch of pieces in bare gel. Some of the better rounds like Federal Tactical stay in one piece and just expand.

[1911 guy]

My Great Granddaddy had a .45 that could knock you over flat and a shotgun he had to load with rock salt to preserve the meat 'till he could walk that far to pick it up! :neener:

[SouthpawShootr]

'expert' proclaimed that the 45 Peacemaker was so popular because a round from it would knock you down like a thunderbolt.

:what: I was watching when he spouted that nonsense.

[mutt]

Yeah and I can't remember the last time a horse caught a slug.in the movies. If they did seems they always get up and walk away.????Maybe horse hide does make a tough holster.............MUTT

[Ed]

Mulliga: I'm stealing your quote for a sig. :)

[Yooper]

So, we've determined that a .45 will cause an adversary to do backflips when hit, but will his hat fall off when this happens? According to the early horse operas, the hat should remain in place, as though stapled on. I think "Physics According to Hollywood" might make an interesting TV show!

[HKGuns]

Knock you down...yes. Pick you up and knock you backwards----NO!

Bingo! We have a winner. Its knock-down not knock-back. I'll bet there are few folks on here who wouldn't be knocked down by a .45 round in the chest.

The myth of the 45 ACP's "knockdown" power seems to live forever. But another one like it seems to have withered away. In my younger years it used to be said the the M16's 22 caliber bullet would tumble on impact and the cartwheeling effect would cause explosive damage. Tear an arm off and that sort of thing. Don't seem to hear that now days.
Well, this is very true. Look at the ballistics tests done on this website and you'll see the 5.56 of the M16 does indeed tumble upon contact with tissue. Not a myth at all. Although it doesn't tumble nearly as much as the Russian 5.45x39mm round fired from an AK-74. See for yourself and you will see a very large permanent cavity created by the M16 round. (Both A1 and A2) It doesn't really tumble, but breaks in half and exits backward after the breakup in the A1 model. (Its a tumble in my book)
Click HERE (http://www.firearmstactical.com/wound.htm)

Here is another link that is excellent reading.

Click Here TOO (http://www.fen-net.de/norbert.arnoldi/army/wound.html)

[unspellable]

No, it's not a myth that the M16 bullet would tumble on impact. The myth part came in when the resulting damage was blown wildly out of proportion.

[David W. Gay]

I can't believe no one's mentioned the further proof that a .45 can not only knock you down, but it can knock you back 20 feet.

Ever see Bruce Willis in "Last Man Standing"?

There's a scene where he empties two Colt's into one guy in about 3 seconds. The guy is knocked backwards at least 20 feet, heels over head.

So, we have The History Channel and Bruce Willis as evidence of fact,

That's proof in my book....

:D

[George Hill]

Well, they are partly right.

A .45 on TV will knock you down like a thunderbolt. It's almost as powerful as a shotgun, which will throw you backwards through a window... which is why a pair of .45s fired two fisted will do the same.
Haven't you seen that one Bruce Willis movie? Sheesh. I thought everyone knew that.

[outofbattery]

I think some of you guys aren't quite getting a figure of speach in the form of hyperbole and simile . I'll work with you slowly on this one : he ( a SASS participant ) did not intend to mean that a .45LC round would come crashing from the sky and leave a man in a scorched heap .

Watch an episode of Wild West Tech and take every statement at face value , not just this one taken out of context . No doubt , there has been and will be information that is less than 100% correct on the show but it is also delivered as entertainment . I'm surprised there hasn't been a boycott of the show based on improper gun handling and perpetuating the myth that everyone with a gun is an outlaw .Sheesh .

[Archie]

I thought the line rather goofy when I saw it, but to be honest, it was delivered with a wink and a smile.

The rest of the program was accurate, to my knowledge. They did talk about Wyatt Earp's 'Buntline Special', and allowed how it was somewhat 'uncertain' in its authenticity.

They also had a bit about the 'Bridgeport Rig'. Pretty good presentation, but they seemed to think one fired it by rotating the gun and firing it locked to the belt. Could do, I suppose.

All in all, 'Wild West Tech' is a pretty fair historical and technical account. And it doesn't take itself too seriously.

[Model520Fan]

So I was watching a History Channel show on gunslingers and a cowboy action shooter, actor, 'expert' proclaimed that the 45 Peacemaker was so popular because a round from it would knock you down like a thunderbolt.


You didn't learn anything about Peacemakers or conservation of momentum, but you may have learned something about the History Channel.