Things you have been possibly "misinformed" on

[WestKentucky]

Everybody gets info from various places. Sometimes your most reputable source is not reputable after all. What have you learned was wrong that you took as gospel over the years, strictly on topic for THR, so gun related stuff.

I learned today in another thread (still not fully convinced) that my grandpa may have hoodooed me on the case cannelures. I do believe that he truly believed what he told me years ago though and as he was a well informed man I simply trusted and accepted as fact.

I also grew up under the impression coyotes were a threat to people but in that era coyotes were totally eradicated around here.

 

[Sam Cade]

THR isn't a general discussion forum. Remember, Guns or RTKBA issues only.

 

[hartcreek]

I shoot coyotes out at my parents place when ever I get a chance. Or rather I try to I often am not successful but just me walking down the ditch bank and shooting floating objects in the ditch serves the purpose of of putting fear of man into them coyotes so they stay away from the folks place. The folks had dogs a Siberian Husky and some other kind of mut. Those stupid dogs would put their heads through the fence to smell and nuzzle the coyotes and the coyotes would bite the ears off the dogs. Occasional hunting is the only thing that puts fear in coyotes.

I have a wolf pack in the cabin area.....there are also coyote packs. The coyotes will come right up to the cabin unless I hunt them...the wolves only come down if someone lets their dog run loose. My brotherinlaw used to have a 140 pound Malmute. My brotherinlaw had let the dog run outside for the day and that dog had ran ten miles up the hillside to where the wolfpack roams and was doing something stupid and got chased back to the cabin by one of the wolves. Fortunately my brotherlaw was down close to the slideing door as saw is dog come tearing down the hillside so he was able to get over to the door in time to get it open before the dog slammed into the slider door.

AS to coyotes and people...... they might be a danger to small children because small children squeel just like game animals. My sister and I used to ride motorcycles down a ditch bank and the weeds were five to six feet high and thick and the only thing that kept a path open was riding through. If we were riding through late at night we learned to ride through fast because the coyotes would give chase but I doubt that they would have done anything if they could have caught up.

 

[Ed Ames]

I was taught that when shooting a handgun you always line the sights up like this:



When shooting at distance, I was taught, you hold over the target (so if you wanted to hit a door knob you might aim for the top of the door).

Turns out that there is a whole separate school of thought where you have the front sight raised above the rear like this:


http://blog.cheaperthandirt.com/long-range-pistol-shooting/

Live and learn...

 

[JSH1]

I was lead to believe that guns had been banned in the UK and Australia. This misinformation came from various communications I received from the NRA. Imagine my surprise when I was on a business trip to Oxford England and the topic turned to guns. I mentioned how unfortunate is was that civilian ownership of firearms had been banned in the UK. They just looked at me like I was an idiot (since I was an idiot) and corrected my ignorance. It turned out that about half the people at the table owned guns. The executive types were members of shooting clubs and the engineers and mechanics had arrangements with local farmers that allowed them to own guns for pest control. No handguns of course, but one of the mechanics had a straight pull converted AK. None of them seemed to think that gun laws in the UK were overly restrictive.

 

[barnbwt]

"None of them seemed to think that gun laws in the UK were overly restrictive."

They are 'misinformed'

TCB

 

[JSH1]

Having only bolt & break action rifles and shotguns is a total bend over IMO.

The UK allows centerfire rifles with every type of action except pump, semi-auto and fully automatic. Semi-Autos and pump action are allowed for rimfire rifles. A license in required to own a rifle and one has to show "need" to possess one.

Any type of action is allowed for shotguns with a capacity limit of 2+1. A shotgun license is required but one does not have to show "need" to get one.

Civilian ownership of firearms has not been banned in the UK. That was a topic that I (and many others) had been misinformed about.

 

[BullfrogKen]

I guess my misconception - not really misinformed, but misled by - was that military-trained shooters and military-career marksmen are the best shooters. As expressed in statements like, "a sniper shooter in the military is a top marksman and better than a civilian rifleman."


After I got out, and I saw the quality, dedication, and mastery of the art of riflery that exists in the civilian population, was it that I realized a few things.

Military shooters are trained to be good enough. Even snipers. The value of a scout/snipers skill is in his vastly highly-trained observation and ground intelligence skills over his shootings skills. And that was true in real world applications. We valued battlefield intelligence over taking out a high value target.

Military marksman train to be good enough to make kill hit. Civilian rifle competitors train to win in high level competition. The effort needed to achieve the latter is far greater.

The best military shooters, like the AMU, were directly recruited from civilian shooting teams who already had a huge edge on the skills coming into the Army from shooting on youth and civilian rifle teams. They didn't learn the basics from the Army. They were only given the opportunity to win with Army resourses. Even still, they face tough competition from civilian shooters like Carl Bernosky who never served a day in his life.


So my misconceptions centered around military shooters being the best, and knowing everything about marksmanship.

Only after I got out did I find both misconceptions were wrong.

 

[Armor Snail]

I've never been. What does it matter anyways? They lost big time & will never get it back.
Should be a warning for us.
Hell, it's probably better that folks here in the USA are misinformed about that. Lol. Keep their guard up.

 

[4season]

"None of them seemed to think that gun laws in the UK were overly restrictive."

They are 'misinformed'

TCB

I would add to this that anyone that thinks US gun laws are not overly restrictive is misinformed. Don't believe me? Let's look at a few.

1. The Constitution says "Shall not be infringed." But you need special permits to own full auto arms, special permits to carry in most states, and some places it is entirely illegal to have a gun.

2. In order to import a gun it must have a certain number of domestic built parts.

3. Some states and cities have restricted the amount of ammo we can carry.

4. Many simple modifications to our guns have been made illegal.

I am sure there are many others laws that have been added to infringe on our right to keep and bear arms.

Wake up people! What part of "SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED" do you not understand?

 

[Davek1977]

There must be a different species of coyote than the ones we have as our state animal here in South Dakota (lol). I've never seen coyotes chase motorcycles, nor did we ever fear them eating kids, despite growing up on a very rural cattle ranch with very few people around(far outnumbered by coyotes, that's for sure!!). We've always let our dogs roam free, from beagles to labs to mutts, and none have ever been harmed by coyotes in over 37 years. On the very rare occasion, yes, we've had coyotes chase a dog, but that has happened once, maybe twice that I can remember. By and large, they stay away from humans, although they do tend to come closer to the building site when the cows are calving, as not only the calves look tempting, but their afterbirth seems to be a coyote delicacy LOL We haven't even lost calves to coyotes, but it does occasionally happen in the area...and when it does, its typically a pack of coyotes and not a lone animal....

 

[akv3g4n]

2. In order to import a gun it must have a certain number of domestic built parts.

You can import a firearm without any domestic (US made) parts as long as it's in a sporting configuration (eg: Saiga rifles with the hunting stock). 922r compliance is for firearms in a "military" or "non-sporting" configuration.

 

[Armor Snail]

Here's a big one that irks me.

When people refer to NFA items as Class 3 guns and Class 3 dealers. Smh.
There is no such thing.
They are Title II firearms.
The FFL who you can obtain said Title II firearms is a dealer that has either a Type 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11 FFL and also pays a Special Occupational Tax. In the case of merely buying and selling Title II firearms for profit must pay a Class 3 tax to do so.

So bottom line, Class 3 has nothing to do with you or your guns. It's a tax paid by the FFL.

Bites my rear worse than clips vs mags.

 

[jrdolall]

I guess my misconception - not really misinformed, but misled by - was that military-trained shooters and military-career marksmen are the best shooters. As expressed in statements like, "a sniper shooter in the military is a top marksman and better than a civilian rifleman."

I always though this too. My brother in law was a Marine sniper and could literally shoot the nail we used to hold the target at 100 yards free hand The fact is that he developed his skills long before he went into the Marines hunting squirrels and rabbits in Georgia. His Marine training taught him how to "snipe" which, as mentioned, is far more difficult than putting a round in a target.

 

[Tirod]

Two major misconceptions that were foisted on me by those who have also learned better.

One, that the 5.56 was designed to wound. Not so, it was designed to fit the combat ballistics reality that most soldiers - quite as average as you or me - couldn't hit a standing man at more than 350 meters. So, a cartridge capable of shooting over 800 meters is a huge logistical waste of effort. Plus, the recoil inhibits shooting, and that leads to even more inaccuracy.

Before you object, consider that the target's teammates are shooting back at you. Then consider how long a window of opportunity you have staying above ground to acquire and hit a moving target. It's a proven fact, in combat, with bullets flying, the side which shoots more gets more hits, whether they are aimed at a specific target or not. The 5.56 allows a soldier to carry twice as much, and with less recoil, he will shoot it more often.

Second, that the M16 is fatally flawed because it gets powder residue on the bolt and carrier. The reality is that all self loading actions do that. Only manual action guns eject clean brass. Semi and full auto loading guns have gas residue from the chamber exhaust into the action while extracting the case. It's the primary reason the brass and action gets dirty.

Just look to blow back or roller locked guns and you will see dirty brass, fouled bolts, and gas residue in the action. No tubes, pistons, or whatever.

As for the specific issue that direct impingement is entirely responsible, that's false. Gas from the gas tube goes into the key, is directed into the bolt carrier, where it expands and rotates the lugs to open. It also opens the ports on the carrier to exhaust the gas out the ejection port. None of that can deposit on the bolt lugs.

Very simple facts that anyone can verify by just handling it. Those making the biggest objections continually ignore what Stoner's engineering team left as a clear explanation.

Two blatant misconceptions still being perpetuated in this day and time.

 

[WestKentucky]

One that comes to mind immediately today is a bit of a stretch, but it is that the history books are factual. They are not strictly factual, and often contain some of the most debated and opinionated info in print. Look at the "history" of the colt revolver. Was it the best revolver of the time as it's made out to be...maybe, but it was made popular by the army and then famous by westerns. Also if you look at the history books it seems like everybody in the old west was well armed, good guys and bad guys carrying multiple guns. Not so usually because of weight and cost. History books are there to tell a story that the writer wants you to accept as fact, and most people do. As they say history is written by the winners of wars...or the successful people with interest in you believing their side.

 

[jmr40]

I could write a book. I've found more misinformation repeated as gospel about shooting and hunting than any other topic. An awful lot of what was passed down from grandpa simply isn't true. Much of it was never true, just what they believed to be so years ago. Other stuff used to be true, but younger generations of shooters keep repeating what they heard from grandpa without understanding that things have changed.

 

[dogtown tom]

Misinformation?

1. Clinton administration banned kitchen table FFL's.
2. ATF will not issue an FFL to a home based business.
3. Steel cased ammo will ruin your gun.
4. Small of the back holsters are a good idea.
5. Machine guns, sawed off shotguns and silencers are illegal.
6. In addition to your own state, you can buy rifles and shotguns only in a contiguous state.
7. When you fill out a 4473 at your dealer, it "registers" the gun to you.
8. AR lowers are registered as handguns or rifles on the 4473.
9. Obama banned _____________ by secret Executive Order.
10. CCI Blazer will blow up your gun.

 

[Ed Ames]

1. Clinton administration banned kitchen table FFL's.

Never heard that one. I heard that in 1992 there were 284,000 FFLs of all types, and by 1997 that number had dropped to 107,000. As far as '01 FFLs, that was supposedly about 245,000 of the 284,000 in 1992. Never heard it was a ban so much as raising fees and making life more difficult for FFLs in general, to the point where most gave in and dropped their license.

6. In addition to your own state, you can buy rifles and shotguns only in a contiguous state.

GCA '68 did allow only in-state and contiguous state purchases. That changed in 1986, but not for everyone due to state laws. It's a situation designed to breed confusion.

 

[Midwest]

I remember hearing several stories floating around that the Clinton Administration sent U.S. troops to Australia to help the Aussie officials confiscate firearms after Australia passed draconian gun legislation. The troops were sent there to train in gun confiscation in order to disarm us when they get back here.

I asked this question here on THR in a thread if anyone could confirm that U.S. troops were sent to Australia to help with the Australian gun grab. No one could confirm the story.


Another one was that Janet Reno said "America's love affair with firearms will end"

Well she did say ""You've done the nation proud...AMERICA'S LOVE AFFAIR WITH GUNS IS COMING TO AN END" (In talking about the AWB) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/638176/posts

.

 

[WestKentucky]

Hydrashok ammo is the end-all defense ammo. One friend fired off a warning shot at a phantom in his apartment bedroom. That bullet went through 9 walls and 2 studs at varying angles and ended up in the bathtub undeformed. I know a wall is not flesh, but something is amiss. Fullsize xd-40sw

Hollow point ammo is a second to a hydrashok. Another friend had a glock ND into right buttcheek, exit just right of the ****, enter left leg level with crotch and exit just above the knee. He dug the bullet up a week later and it was only slightly mushroomed. Long slide glock-40cal.

Deer are good examples of what ammo will do to people. Both of the aforementioned friends have shot deer with the aforementioned guns with impressive results. Apparently deer and people are not one and the same.

 

[csa77]

I was taught that when shooting handguns you want the barrel inline with your forearm.


I stated doing some actual shooting competition around 7 months ago I noticed that the best shooters(fastest) actually had there wrist angled a lot leaving the gun at around a 45 degree angle to there forearm with both arms bent quite a bit.
when they shoot the gun is more aligned with there sternum than there forearm.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

I had a misconception once.

Turned out I was mistaken.




I used to swallow a lot of stuff that turned out to be nothing more than hype or just plain BS. Like a .45 will knock a person off his feet and such. I do the ole mental facepalm whenever I hear such tripe any more.

 

[Fremmer]

You don't need to aim a shotgun.

 

[commygun]

West Kentucky,
Do you go shooting with your friends much?