You've Come a Long Way, Baby...

[TarDevil]

One of the channels in my Sling subscripton started airing episodes of "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" (1955 - 1961).

The lack of gun discipline is, honestly, hilarious. The acting is equally poor, so I'm not concerned about this old series influencing young gun owners. But I am thinkful modern media producers have become more conscious about muzzle discipline.

 

[rperyam]

In 1957 or 1958 Hugh O’Brien came to the Municipal Auditorium in San Jose where I lived. My uncle worked for the city and took me down to see him promote this show. For a nine or ten year old it was by far my favorite TV show at the time. I don’t remember what he had to say, but I have a picture of him dressed in full costume with me holding his Buntline Special. I really need to dig that out and put it on my reloading bench as a reminder of those bygone days.

 

[shafter]

Gun safety as we know it didn't always exist. I try to use impeccable safety habits with my personal firearm use but I don't buy into this current, almost weird obsession with calling out safety violations that people see online. If I'm not there being personally affected then I really don't care.

 

[The Night Rider]

I remember reading somewhere that when Band of Brothers was being filmed they specifically did not practice the modern gun safety techniques that we're all familiar with. Because they weren't practiced during World War II.

I noticed when I watched To Hell and Back that every time I saw Audie Murphy with a gun in his hand he had his finger on the trigger.

I also noticed that Reed and Malloy have their finger on the trigger every time they draw their revolvers.

Clearly, that was correct behavior for the period. It was also probably the way Audie Murphy really did it in combat.

Every time I watch television and there's a gun involved I make a conscious decision to ignore their poor gun handling and concentrate on the story.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

 

[doubleh]

I was around when the show originally aired. For some reason I didn't care for Hugh O'Brian in any part I ever saw him play so I didn't watch that show. I agree that firearms discipline has changed greatly from that era.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

As best as I can determine, with a quick Google search, Jeff Cooper established "The four rules of firearms safety" in the mid-1950's.

 

[J-Bar]

My first instruction to folks when teaching them to shoot is, "Forget everything you have seen and heard about guns on TV and in the movies. They don't handle firearms safely."

 

[tark]

View attachment 1208249

Ahhh... Yes! Eric Bana, in Black Hawk Down. He played a Delta Force Operator if my memory is correct. When some over zealous officer noted that he had a Magazine inserted and a round chambered in his weapon, with the safety off. this was the reply.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

It's TV and 1950s TV at that. Cf Jim Bowie (Richard Widmark) carrying a Nock Volley Gun in The Alamo, Luke McCain carrying an 1892 Winchester in a series set in the 1870s and 80s, etc. I read none of the original recipients of the Buntline Special found them practical.
Hugh O'Brian said of Wyatt Earp they cut every corner they couldk, the music was provided by a vocal quartet so they didn't have to pay musicians.

 

[mac66]

I remember reading somewhere that when Band of Brothers was being filmed they specifically did not practice the modern gun safety techniques that we're all familiar with. Because they weren't practiced during World War II.

I noticed when I watched To Hell and Back that every time I saw Audie Murphy with a gun in his hand he had his finger on the trigger.

I also noticed that Reed and Malloy have their finger on the trigger every time they draw their revolvers.

Clearly, that was correct behavior for the period. It was also probably the way Audie Murphy really did it in combat.

Every time I watch television and there's a gun involved I make a conscious decision to ignore their poor gun handling and concentrate on the story.

I'm reading To Hell and Back now. No mention of safety issues with firearms other than an occasional "we snicked off the safety on our carbines".

I saw a movie based at the end of WWII where the military police detective carried his 1911 cocked and locked, and when drawn held it up to his face in a two handed hold with his finger running along the slide. All those were completely wrong for the time period.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Wrong for the time period or just not recorded and later attributed to someone else ? Recall reading an article about the Pershing Expedition of 1916, someoe noted some of the soldiers were using a two handed pistol hold and getting good accuracy at long distances, names and details not recorded, alas.

 

[The Night Rider]

Ahhh... Yes! Eric Bana, in Black Hawk Down. He played a Delta Force Operator if my memory is correct. When some over zealous officer noted that he had a Magazine inserted and a round chambered in his weapon, with the safety off. this was the reply.

Not exactly.

There's a note at the end of the book. Apparently Delta's policy was to carry their M16s with a magazine inserted, an empty chamber and the hammer down. I need to clarify that this was in garrison. According to the book the Delta guys frequently shot wild pigs from helicopters. So I have to assume they were locked and loaded in the aircraft.

With the hammer down you can't engage the safety on the M16. The idea was that if you picked up an M16 that wasn't yours all you had to do was try to engage the safety. If you could the weapon was hot if you couldn't the chamber was empty.

This is my safety story Norm Hoot Hooten Blackhawk Down

From https://youtu.be/1Ebi36Q7uEI?si=9OHtawtS3NZ__FiP

youtu.be

Straight from the horse's mouth

 

[Smokin Gator]

I'm reading To Hell and Back now. No mention of safety issues with firearms other than an occasional "we snicked off the safety on our carbines".

I saw a movie based at the end of WWII where the military police detective carried his 1911 cocked and locked, and when drawn held it up to his face in a two handed hold with his finger running along the slide. All those were completely wrong for the time period.


Having your finger on the trigger at that time may have been much more common but I'm sure there would be some that didn't do it. If you see a movie that takes place in 2024 and a shooter has his finger on the trigger you wouldn't say it's wrong for the period. Even though most instructors teach finger off trigger until engagement plenty of people still have their finger on the trigger.

 

[kje54]

When I watch most Hollywood movies and TV shows, especially the older ones I never pay attention to gun safety. I do however focus on their historical anachronisms most of which gives me a good laugh. Some are so bad it's extra comical.

 

[The Night Rider]

When I watch most Hollywood movies and TV shows, especially the older ones I never pay attention to gun safety. I do however focus on their historical anachronisms most of which gives me a good laugh. Some are so bad it's extra comical.

Like when they're using model 73 Winchester in 1836?

 

[Electrod47]

Just watched Josh Randall in "Wanted Dead or Alive" Fan.....yes fan his mares leg for 2 rounds into the bad guy....Still love the show and won't stop watching.

 

[kje54]

Like when they're using model 73 Winchester in 1836?

Like in John Wayne's The Horse Soldiers the Union soldiers are all using the Springfield Model 99 AKA the 1873 Springfield Trapdoor Carbine.........

 

[Speedo66]

Hugh O’Brian started a youth leadership program, HOBY, back in the ‘50’s, that’s still going. My daughter attended some of the seminars when she was in school.

Home | HOBY Youth Leadership

At HOBY, we believe all students have the potential to lead. We are committed to continuing our legacy of youth leadership development.

hoby.org

 

[Bronco72]

I read or heard a story about Hugh O'Brian ( I think it was ) sitting around giving Audie Murphy some flack ! Audie told him to put some real bullets in the hand guns and " Lets go out back and settle things " . Hugh got real quiet! Audie was the real thing. he had been to hell and back plus being a actor

 

[Ignition Override]

A short video with a famous Navy SEAL involved in an extremely-complex and tragic rescue/extraction carried his AR, and mistakenly swept it towards the person holding the camera making the video.

Whether people have numerous back surgeries or not, it happens.

 

[mac66]

I read or heard a story about Hugh O'Brian ( I think it was ) sitting around giving Audie Murphy some flack ! Audie told him to put some real bullets in the hand guns and " Lets go out back and settle things " . Hugh got real quiet! Audie was the real thing. he had been to hell and back plus being a actor

Audie killed a ton of Germans with his M1 Carbine, Garand, Tommy gun, 1911 and a 50 cal mounted on a tank destroyer with which he got the MOH. He is credited with personally killing 241 but probably killed more. The real deal indeed. His book is 100 times better than the movie they made from it.

 

[Old Dog]

But I am thinkful modern media producers have become more conscious about muzzle discipline.

As far as network episodic television series go, the pendulum has swung all the way back, to the point of total and complete wokeness and political correctness.

An episode of CBS' Blue Bloods, Selleck's character asks a guest star if he'd had his "service weapon" when his house was shot up, the response was, "No, I'd locked it up in my gun safe as soon as I got home after my tour." (I guess the NYPD calls their shifts 'tours" instead of watches or shifts.). Additionally, this show has had some dialogue in it that just virtually screams "gun control agenda" in effect by young screenwriters with no real life experience. Like the episode where "Danny's" wife was talked out of buying a handgun for personal protection because... it could be used against her...

Seemingly every episode of SWAT depicts the "Hondo" character immediately removing his baby Glock (and AIWB holster) from his pants and putting it into his little safe right after he walks in the (unlocked?) front door of his house. (Disclaimer: as a former tactical team leader I only started watching the show in order to be able to assess its realism, tactics and firearms usage )

Almost seems as though none of the CBS cops (or NCIS agents) carry off-duty, which is somewhat unbelievable. At least on the silly (and usually wholly ridiculously dramatic and unwatchable) NBC show Chicago PD the cops carry off duty (of course, it is Chicago...)

But, yes, I will agree the producers and writers of these shows are making an effort to depict safe firearms usage (except for the bad guys).


He was my first hero when I was a boy in the early '60s (him and Willie Mays, but WIllie was just a ball player, Murphy was a Great American)

 

[Bronco72]

Another Audie Murphy story was, He was working in the back of a movie studio and a director or big name movie star asked why Audie walked so funny. They were told that he would walk funny also if he had half his ass shot off!
Don't know if it is true or not but I like the story.

 

[Armybrat]

I read or heard a story about Hugh O'Brian ( I think it was ) sitting around giving Audie Murphy some flack ! Audie told him to put some real bullets in the hand guns and " Lets go out back and settle things " . Hugh got real quiet! Audie was the real thing. he had been to hell and back plus being a actor

While that may be a true story, O’Brian - the son of a Marine Corps officer - was no shrinking violet:
(from Wikipedia)
”After one semester at the University of Cincinnati, Krampe dropped out to enlist in the Marine Corps during World War II. At 17, he became the youngest Marine drill instructor on record.[3][4”
(Krampe was his birth surname. His motivation for changing it when he became an actor is kinda funny)