What do you think of this personal requirement?

[Skribs]

I have a coworker that states his test for whether or not a handgun works for him is this: he has to be able to hold it upside-down and accurately fire a shot using his pinky to pull the trigger.

He is the only person I've ever heard of giving such a test, and I just wondered if some of the more experienced shooters have heard of this before, and what your take on it is.

 

[tdstout]

I may not be more experienced than you, but I have never heard of it either. I have heard that people do this to see if the gun will jam or stovepipe, but I don't think that they try to fire the gun accurately while they do it

 

[Sam1911]

Please tell me that's, like, test number 39 out of 40 or some such. Just above "how nice does it smell?" on the list of test questions.

There are a whole lot more things that are important in finding a gun that works for you than whether or not you can pull off "stupid gun tricks."

Yeah, it's nice if it doesn't jam when you do that...but why not first decide if it work when you're operating it as you normally would?

 

[beatledog7]

There is not a gun on the planet whose trigger I can pull with my pinky (while holding my sight picture) that I would carry for personal defense. Such a trigger is way too light for carry.

 

[2wheels]

Makes a tiny bit of sense if he's checking for reliability in wierd conditions, but no sense to me otherwise.

 

[Skribs]

Please tell me that's, like, test number 39 out of 40 or some such. Just above "how nice does it smell?" on the list of test questions.

I couldn't do this test; I'm anosmic.

Yeah, it's nice if it doesn't jam when you do that...but why not first decide if it work when you're operating it as you normally would?

Well, when I bought my first gun, this was the question he asked me, and said that a gun is only good if you can shoot it like this. Not sure what check it is.

 

[Sam1911]

I'd smile and nod and move on. He heard something somewhere that he half-understood and he's adopted it as holy writ. There's a million of those guys out there and it's best not to engage in much discussion -- and for sure don't get into an argument over it!

"Did you do the upside down belly-button squeeze test? Gun ain't no good iff'n it won't pass the upside down belly-button squeeze test, ya know!"

"Uh, yup...sure does! Anyway, how 'bout them sports guys ... 'shore is hot out ... welp, gotta run now, you take care!"

 

[Bobson]

I like your style, Sam.

 

[Skribs]

Thing is, this is the "gun guy" at work, that when I got started on firearms I was told that I should listen to what he says.

 

[beag_nut]

Does it hurt, tickle, or get you mad when he is pulling your leg?

 

[Skribs]

Does it hurt, tickle, or get you mad when he is pulling your leg?

I didn't get the impression that he was. He's given me some other interesting advice, too, such as...

"If you get an AR, get the recoil operated instead of the gas piston, because on the gas piston model the gas tube gets fouled up and its impossible to clean."
"Don't get the .40 S&W, because it's a proprietary cartridge, go with the .45 ACP instead."
Among other things

But, as with everything, even if I think someone is smoking their own ego, if I hear something that I don't know whether or not its right, I'll ask another source. This seems to confirm my suspicions, however.

 

[Kleanbore]

I have never heard of such a "requirement"--but I did see a competitor from the TDSA stage a little "match" with a young policeman from a police department outside St. Louis. One of the things they did involved shooting their service-size autos weak handed and upside down at a steel torso target at 50 yards.

They both hit it.

I cannot do that. Not even close.

 

[Skribs]

Well that's one cop that goes against the stereotype of range eschewing mag dumpers!

 

[Old Shooter]

On an autoloader I could mayby see holding it upside down and cranking off a round or two to see if it jams or stovepipes or whatever.

If I ever get in a situation where I have to hold the gun upside down and trigger it off with my pinky finger and actually hit anything....I'm toast.

Mayby that's why I should practice this????

Gotta go now, check my pillbox and see if I took todays meds...

 

[Bobson]

Let me guess. Very few people at your work have an interest in guns. As a result, this guy, who likely gets his best information from Sesame Street, looks like an expert compared to everyone else. They've gotten used to him being "the gun guy," and he's gotten used to people taking his advice on the topic.

I know a few people who fit that same profile.

I've always taken the route Sam recommended. Just smile and nod. In my experience, these are people who don't handle even polite correction well.

 

[Bobandshawn]

Jason Bourne shoots a pistol in this manner during his escape from the safehouse...

Making it a personal requirement

~B

 

[Sam1911]

"If you get an AR, get the recoil operated instead of the gas piston, because on the gas piston model the gas tube gets fouled up and its impossible to clean."
"Don't get the .40 S&W, because it's a proprietary cartridge, go with the .45 ACP instead."

Congratulations. YOU are now "The Gun Guy" at your work because you know FAR more than this dood.

It might be fun, though, if you can sit him down in front of a web cam and have him explain how a recoil-operated AR-15 works! That'd be NEAT-O. (Yes, I know what he really meant. Doesn't mean HE does. Or that he's right.)

At least you should know that everything he says should be taken with a grain of salt. But keep in mind that the grain of salt is the more valuable commodity there.

 

[holdencm9]

"If you get an AR, get the recoil operated instead of the gas piston, because on the gas piston model the gas tube gets fouled up and its impossible to clean."

I really hope that there is was some confusion and that was just a misunderstanding. Whenever someone says something like that I try to give them the benefit of the doubt, but yeah, that's pretty bad. Any possible way he was saying to get the gas piston-operated AR instead of direct impingement, and just got all his words mixed up? Otherwise it makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[Sam1911]

Any possible way he was saying to get the gas piston-operated AR instead of direct impingement, and just got all his words mixed up? Otherwise it makes no sense whatsoever.

Of course he was. He just didn't really understand the difference, so can't possibly comprehend why he's wrong anyway!

 

[Esoxchaser]

What do you think of this personal requirement?
I have a coworker that states his test for whether or not a handgun works for him is this: he has to be able to hold it upside-down and accurately fire a shot using his pinky to pull the trigger.

His doctor needs to get on the same page as his pharmacist.

 

[Skribs]

Most of my coworkers are ex-army, a few are gun owners. But only me and this guy are "gun nuts"

 

[rcmodel]

I always test my guns upside down by standing on my head.

That way, there is no chance of dislocating my pinky finger.

rc

 

[dogtown tom]

Skribs Most of my coworkers are ex-army, a few are gun owners. But only me and this guy are "gun nuts"

Your co worker may think he's a "gun nut".....but anyone who advocates testing a handgun by firing it upside-down using his pinky to pull the trigger is just a nut.

Anyone with a shred of knowledge regarding firearms and their use would see that this guy is one taco shy of a combination plate. Just because someone says they are a "gun nut" doesn't mean they know one iota about firearms.

 

[TestPilot]

A gun must work in any angle or attitude, and testing that is a reasonable requirement.

I don't know about firing with the little finger though.

 

[2wheels]

He certainly sounds like an interesting guy to talk to... I'd start keeping a notepad of his best quotes, just for kicks.