Gun stories (tall tales) from strangers

Some years ago, I was browsing at a gunshow with a female friend. My friend was looking at a Luger p08 at one table, and at the next table, this guy says to me in kinda secretive way. "Pist, hey, come over here, I have something that can take down a bear!" Well, I was all ears then, you never know when you need to take down a bear. This guy had a table full of Beretta Bobcats and other tip-up 22. Beretta pistols. He shows his pride and joy, a little Bobcat, and says to me, "This little 22. has the power to take down a bear! If you put this up against the bottom jaw of an attacking bear, the bullet will go straight into his brain, pinging around in his head, and he will fall down dead! (Now, in my mind, I had several scenarios going in my mind while he is spinning his tale : 1. By the time the bear is upon me, I would have emptied the gun at him and thrown it in its face. 2. If the bear is that close, chances are he is going to be tearing into me while I look for the perfect shot placement. 3. If I was to shoot said bear in the sweet spot and it falls down dead, I will be under it, and it will crush me in the process!) I nodded as he was telling me that the Beretta 22. can take down cougars, bobcats, etc with this AMAZING little 22. pistol, and while he was still going on, I look back at my friend and pretend that my name was being called and left.

So, to recap, the Beretta Bobcat 22. lr pistol can take down a charging bear!

A guy once looked me right in the eye and told me his "flachete" rounds, were capable of him standing outside the block building we were in, shooting through the wall and killing everyone in the store with one shot. His secret was to use bent trim nails at a 90 degree bend and load as many as he could get into a 12 gauge shell. I started to laugh, thinking surely he was joking, but nope, he was dead serious. Of course he learned it in marines special forces.

“My rifle will punch within 1” at 100 yards all day long”.

That was said on a whisky-laden breath just after breakfast, somewhere in the middle of nowhere, while looking for Cape buffalo. He had the targets to prove it.

What he didn’t mention was that he had difficulties holding within 3 feet at a hundred yards... Targets had been shot by his gunsmith while sighting-in the tack-driver.

Ever since, I always made sure to check the shooter in addition to the rifle before embarking on a hunt.

A guy I worked with who was 18 years old at the time claimed to have been a sergeant in the Marine corps. He said he racked up so many kills that they let him keep his M4. Said he kept it in his truck in case terrorists tracked him down to collect the bounty on his head.

I asked to see it and he said if he showed it to me and I told on him they'd send him to Leavenworth.

That kid was fun to talk to. Me: "What was your MOS?" Him: "MOS? Oh I was a sniper". Me: "Your MOS was sniper?" Lol. Me: "What kind of sniper did you have?" Him: ".50 cal BMG" Me: "what's BMG stand for?" Him: "Big Mother******* Gun". He really stuck to his guns too and would not budge. Stolen valor is a sad thing.

Not gun related but a different guy I worked with said his girlfriend is Christina Aguilera. He wouldn't back down on it either. These people lie and either don't care you know they're lying or truly think you believe them. Nut jobs.

There is a bloke at my local club who is the king of BS. Whatever you have done, whatever gun you have shot or good score you have achieved, either him or his son have done better. He said he was fluent in Danish once, a myth put to flight by a mate who is does spek fluent Danish! He is fun to wind up though...

I work in EMS, but once worked in LE.

A few years back, we had a new paramedic start here, a young, very outspoken (in a "look-at-me" kind of way) and cocky. He began orientation with me and my partner and, shortly after, actually filled in for my partner one day. When he found out I had worked in LE previously, he immediately whipped up a story about having done time as a deputy in upstate NY before, and of having had to shoot dead a convenience store robber "right between the eyes" (even put his finger to his own forehead as he said that for added drama.)

I rolled my eyes and brushed it off; his demeanor in telling the story told me off the bat it was a total fabrication. It was more like "I got to shoot this guy" than "I had to shoot this guy."

Of course, a minute or two of checking showed no record of any such shooting, nor of any NY deputy with his name ever having existed.

It wasn't long before others medics here started mentioning his tall tales, but I was the only one who heard that one (until I spread it around myself on his behalf!)

He no longer works here, having been picked up by another agency elsewhere in the state. Good for them.

(Now, bring up Internet tall tales, and this thread will really take off..!)

I once had a gun shop clerk tell me that Winchester Black Talon ammo started expanding as soon as it left the muzzle.

Not really tall tales, but humorous stories.

Between Christmas and New Year of 2007 I was in a Walmart near the gun counter when a customer called. He had gotten a 7-08 for Christmas and was trying to find ammo. The clerk told the guy that currently they only had 07 ammo in stock, they would be getting a new shipment of 08 ammo in a couple of weeks.

My brother relayed this story. He was in a gun shop when a guy comes in asking if they had 357 Sig ammo. The clerk takes the guy to where the ammo is on the shelves and asks how much he wants. The reply; "well I have one 10 round magazine and one 13 round magazine, I'll take 23 rounds." It would have only been better if he'd brought them in and said "fill em up".

Youth, testosterone, and inexperience (other than video games) tend to be the perfect storm to generate a lot of humor. Now I mostly nod, smile, and agree unless something is downright dangerous to do.
Like the kid that shot three deer with a headshot at one and had to call a couple buddies to come and tag the others to keep him out of trouble the first year he went hunting.

Odd Job said:

The one I have heard most often is that a .50 BMG round doesn't have to hit you to injure you. If it just misses your arm, the shock wave alone will take that arm right off!

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Now you did it. You let the cat out of the bag. You weren’t suppose to let it known that this is really how Stonewall Jackson lost his arm. Imagine the horror if people learned that the 50 BMG was developed by the Confederacy.

Sorry couldn’t resist as I drive up and down RT 3 at least once a week past the marker where the general lost his arm. In fact, I then turn off onto 20 and go through the Wilderness where his arm is buried so your tale made me chuckle and connect it to that.

Kano383 said:

all day long

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A phrase that nearly always indicates fabrication.

I have heard more than once about rifles that will make a bullet climb after a certain distance.

Too many to count. One of the more memorable ones are the guy who built an AK that shoots sub MOA. I also enjoy the junk peddlers at the gun shows that are selling the various cute little trinkets, various gear, and even weapons and ammo ammo that are "Special Forces Issue". This usually happened at Fayetteville gun shows when I was on a team. I started wearing unit t shirts to the shows to prevent being accosted by these morons, but either they didn't notice, or it only made it worse. Sometimes I would say "well, I need to get on my supply sgt for not issuing us all of our stuff".

I knew a guy that swore up and down that he could kill a deer at 600 yards with a .22. All you had to do was hit ‘em right in the eye.....

One "claim" that even Roy Huntington has made is that the 10mm is equal to the .41 mag. Or that people load their 10mm to .41 mag levels.

Let's ignore the fact that the .41 mag has half again the case volume of the 10mm.

A guy I used to shoot with told me when he was in the service he saw a guy get hit in the hand by a 45 acp and it took him off his feet. Apparently he served in the Hollywood war zone.

The same guy told me about the 50 BMG remote wounding thing.

I don't shoot with him anymore because I can't stand full of crap people, and more importantly, he's an unsafe shooter.

I think he has wee man syndrome.

One "claim" that even Roy Huntington has made is that the 10mm is equal to the .41 mag. Or that people load their 10mm to .41 mag levels.

Let's ignore the fact that the .41 mag has half again the case volume of the 10mm.

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Shoot the 41mag from a common 4" barrel and compare it to the better DoubleTap and Buffalo Bore 10mm ammo. It may not equal it, but comes closer than most folks think. I'm getting an honest 1315 fps from 200 gr DoubleTap ammo in my G20.

These guys only got 1209 from 210 gr bullets and a 4" Smith 57. I only get about 1100 fps with 240's in my 4" 44 mag.

http://ballisticsbytheinch.com/41mag.html

Go to a 6" or longer barrel and 10mm can't keep up. But if someone wants a lot of power in a small package it is fair to say that the better 10mm loads are in the same league as 357, 41 or even 44 mag from shorter barrels. My G20 is considerably shorter and lighter than any of these 4" revolvers.

jmr40 said:

Shoot the 41mag from a common 4" barrel and compare it to the better DoubleTap and Buffalo Bore 10mm ammo. It may not equal it, but comes closer than most folks think. I'm getting an honest 1315 fps from 200 gr DoubleTap ammo in my G20.

These guys only got 1209 from 210 gr bullets and a 4" Smith 57. I only get about 1100 fps with 240's in my 4" 44 mag.

http://ballisticsbytheinch.com/41mag.html

Go to a 6" or longer barrel and 10mm can't keep up. But if someone wants a lot of power in a small package it is fair to say that the better 10mm loads are in the same league as 357, 41 or even 44 mag from shorter barrels. My G20 is considerably shorter and lighter than any of these 4" revolvers.

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Comparing apples to apples ,meaning BUffalo bore ammo in both guns ,4" revolver and a 4.6" Glock . Numbers are from BB website

10mm -4.6"
180gr jhp 1311fps
220 gr fn 1140 fps

41mag- 4"
170 gr hp 1640 fps
230 gr kieth 1370 fps
265 gr LWN 1310 fps

357 4"
180 gr LFN 1375 fps

357 3"
180 gr LFN 1302 fps


150 -250 fps difference is a decent amount considering the revolver has a little shorter barrel. Step up to a 6.5 barrel and your looking a 300- 375 fps difference .

Edit to fix grammar/add .357 data for a reference point.

redneck2 said:

I knew a guy that swore up and down that he could kill a deer at 600 yards with a .22. All you had to do was hit ‘em right in the eye.....

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In the mid 1990's I worked with a guy who had a .17 Remington which with a 20 or 25 gr. bullet was rated at over 4000 fps. I chronographed it for him and that's what it did. So he tells me with that kind of velocity it's capable of taking down cape buffalo. Said all he had to do was shoot 'em in the eye, the bullet would penetrate into the brain and produce an instant kill. I just wished him luck on getting a tag for that with some of the caliber restrictions in Africa and finding a PH ( Professional Hunter) to back him up.

Bones741 said:

Comparing apples to apples ,meaning BUffalo bore ammo in both guns ,4" revolver and a 4.6" Glock .

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Just dropping by to chip in on the 10mm/41 mag thing. I love both cartridges, and handload for both. There is overlap in their capabilities, but only when you push the 10mm hard and when you back off the .41. If you push the magnum as hard, relatively speaking, as you push the 10mm, it will outdo it by quite a bit.

But carrying 16 rounds of 41 mag means 2 extra speedloaders, and a heck of a lot more time reloading to get those shots off.

Fellow told me once how he skipped a 12 gauge rifled slug off the ice of a lake to kill a deer 300 yrds away.(one skepticle emoticon for each of the hundred yards)

My favorite was the husband of the manager at my favorite restaurant/bar.

He claimed that with his 4" Ruger Security Six, he could hit a Coke can every shot at 100 yards,,,
I asked him why he wasn't on Rugers Shooting Team and he got sorta huffy.

He said, "You think I'm lying?"
I replied, "No, I think you can hit the cans. I just think you don't know what 100 yards is."

Then I said, "You know, I'm a member of the Stillwater Rifle & Pistol Club. Want to go shooting this weekend?"
His reply was, "I would love to but I'm busy this weekend."

He was busy every time I asked if he wanted to go to the range.

Months later his wife told me that he didn't even own a handgun.

Aarond

.

aarondhgraham said:

He said, "You think I'm lying?"
I replied, "No, I think you can hit the cans. I just think you don't know what 100 yards is."

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Great comeback!

"Oh, I meant, um, Gregorian yards. You must be using Julian yards. Gregorian yards are more tactical. If you really understood shooting, you would never have made that mistake. Obviously nobody can hit a can at 100 Julian yards."

ATLDave said:

Just dropping by to chip in on the 10mm/41 mag thing. I love both cartridges, and handload for both. There is overlap in their capabilities, but only when you push the 10mm hard and when you back off the .41. If you push the magnum as hard, relatively speaking, as you push the 10mm, it will outdo it by quite a bit.

But carrying 16 rounds of 41 mag means 2 extra speedloaders, and a heck of a lot more time reloading to get those shots off.

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Agreed there is overlap and both are great. Each has their own merits.

Edit: sorry for the derail of the thread. Stories here have been pretty entertaining !