Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Even More Gunnie Pet Peeves...

Caleb points out a rather unsafe firearms exhibit from Russia, and doesn't like it. I started to comment with some of the online stuff I've seen that makes me cringe, and it turned into enough for a whole 'nother "Gunnie Pet Peeve" post. Here's a bunch of things that, when I see online, I just shake my head and hope no one from VPC finds...
  • The "point the loaded gun at the camera" shots.
  • The "show the pretty girl with her finger on the trigger" shots.
  • Videos of yahoos playing tricks on their friends either with guns or using guns as props (the firecrackers-while-the-wife-holds-the-1911 video springs to mind here).
  • Videos where small women are handed ginormous handguns or shotguns and mocked when they get hit by recoil.
  • Pretty much any video that shows someone hit by a ricochet (having been hit myself I'm a little leery anyways).
  • Videos of questionable targets - propane tanks, improperly prepared cars, images of ex-wives...
  • Any pic or video that shows a shooter without proper eye- and/or hearing protection.
  • Any pic or video that substitutes a barely-clothed, silicone-enhanced model for a competent shooter.

That about covers it for now. What else pisses you off?

That is all.

8 comments:

BobG said...

That pretty much covers the worst of the offenders.

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure about the camera thing...I've set my video camera up on a tripod forward of the line (but off to the side) in order to capture images from that angle. There's no reason to assume that the stills that you see weren't taken with a camera on a tripod with a timer or remote.

If someone is willing (or confident enough) to risk destroying their equipment, I don't see anything inherently unsafe in it. This is only a problem with me when I know for a fact that there is a camera operator behind the equipment.

Also, why do you assume that scantily clad, silicone enhanced models are automatically disqualified as "competent shooters?"

Do you write off Oleg Volk's work (which occasionally features models significantly less than even "scantily clad") in such a way?

Unless the criticism is based upon an actual depicted safety violation (which you already covered by the "pretty girl with the finger on the trigger" item) then it's a matter of assumption and stereotyping...IMHO

The videos of "stupid human tricks" with guns I definitely agree about...not only are they a good way to forever sour the "victim" toward shooting and gun ownership, but they are wonderful propaganda tools for the anti's.

ASM826 said...

Yup, that last skeeves me the most. Why be barely clothed when they could be naked?

Jay G said...

Sailorcurt,

It's a broad-based objection, but based on a handful of actual instances.

When I'm talking about "point the loaded gun at the camera", I mean the shots where someone is pointing a loaded gun directly at the camera. Usually it's a revolver, and more often than not their finger is on the trigger.

Yes, the camera might be on a tripod with a timer, etc. It may very well be safe.

But that sort of image plays right into the hands of the antis...

As for my comment on scantily clad models, that's a pretty specific complaint - there's a video or series of videos with (Russian?) women in bikinis happily spraying full auto fire all over a range.

You can clearly see rounds going over the berm.

THAT is what I object to.

Oleg's stuff is first rate, and he is quite good about obeying the four rules. Completely outside the scope of my rant...

ASM826,

Heh...

Anonymous said...

I had a feeling it was something like that. You just made your comment so general that I had to mention it.

I see your point about the "pointing at the camera pictures" being used as propaganda even if done safely.

I'm not too keen on allowing some hoplophobe's misperceptions determine my actions, but I see what you're saying.

Bitmap said...

I've seen several pics online of hunters standing next to the animal they shot and they have the muzzle of their rifle resting on the top of their foot.

I'm both ways on ricochet videos. They really do happen and I think they are a good reminder to always wear eye protection and make sure you have a safe target and backstop, but they can also be used as propaganda to show how "dangerous" firearms are.

How about the video where the one drunk puts on a vest and has his drunk "friend" shoot him with a handgun to see if the vest will stop the bullet.

I'm not sure about pictures of people with grotesque wounds from firearms. On one hand they show the serious destructive power of firearms and can be a reminder to people that they better be careful when handling and using guns, but OTOH they are also great propaganda tools.

Mike W. said...

I have no problem with attractive, barely clothed models, but they're best left stock. No bolt-ons please.

Bitmap said...

Mike W., as far as bolt-ons go, mounting rails might be ok but I'll pass on the vertical foregrip.