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I’m sure how many of you have seen Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters. It a neat little show that takes common myths and attempts to prove or disprove them. On several episodes they have examined gun myths like shooting locks off, firing bullets in the air, bullets fired in water, ice bullets and others. Its great to watch, but last night(10-25-06) I saw something that bothered me.

Last night they looked at the myth that holding your hand to glass will stop it from shattering if its hit with a rock. Normally they take extreme safety measures, but I think they didn’t think things out on this one.

They used a pumped BB gun(6 pumps) to “dial in� the force needed to shatter the glass. Then Grant(one of the hosts of the show) got into the car and held his hand to the glass while another host fired into the glass off to the side.

What where they thinking? I know a BB gun doesn’t quite punch and a traditional firearm and Grant was wearing some safety gear, but they already establish the BB had the power to go right through the glass and Grant and right next to the BB’s path. While nothing serious happened, I don’t think it was a smart idea. As the very least I think it set a bad example on gun safety.

Maybe I’m just being over paranoid. I guess that’s why I’m posting this. What do you think?

Again I love the show (especially when they blow something up), and highly recommend it.

Randy
wo5m

Many years ago when I was a trainee in basic training. We trained shooting fellow trainees with b b guns. Safety equipment included goggles. I don't remember anyone thinking it was particularly unsafe or dangerous. Most thought it was excellent training. I'm sure most felt safer than when doing the"Confidence Course"

While not the smartest thing I've seen the mythterns do, Grant did have some protection, including a full face motorcycle helmet. When watching, I cringed a bit, but didn't worry about it too much.

AH Hmmm, I missed it Did holding your hand to the glass stop it from shattering?

I am surprised they did that. It seems like the perfect excuse to use a spring loaded prosthetic arm and hand calibrated to exert the proper amount of pressure on the glass. Sounds like they got in a hurry.

Diode wrote:AH Hmmm, I missed it Did holding your hand to the glass stop it from shattering?

+1

HighVelocity wrote:I am surprised they did that. It seems like the perfect excuse to use a spring loaded prosthetic arm and hand calibrated to exert the proper amount of pressure on the glass. Sounds like they got in a hurry.

Exactly, I think that would have been the smart thing to do. They have made plenty other artificial hands for other things. Back when they tested the myth that sticking you finger in the barrel of a gun could save your life, they made a hand that I think would have worked perfectly in this episode.

repsychler wrote:Grant did have some protection, including a full face motorcycle helmet

I’ll concede on the argument that his helmet protected his head, but what about his hand? It was up on the window and they already established the BB went right though the glass. While it would not have been life threatening, I wouldn’t volunteer for it.

Diode wrote:Did holding your hand to the glass stop it from shattering?

Nope! Mythbusted


On a side note it looks like next week they will test several “popular gunslinger myths�. No specifics were given, but it should another good one!

HighVelocity wrote: Sounds like they got in a hurry.

Quite likely. Some of the myths they were re-visiting (Like sword vs sword/gun) were pretty recent, so they might have been rushing a bit to put together a full episode.

And speaking of the sword myth, what did you guys think of sword vs gun barrel? Realistically how hot could that MG barrel get before you can't fire it any more? Anyone seen or heard of a barrel getting brittle from hot/cold cycles?
And it looks like they turned that Thompson barrel into one of those experimental guns for shooting around corners. Would have been funny if you could re-finish it and put it back on a tommy gun as a joke.

dumbbbbb

Maybe they did a off-screen run with an artificial hand and established that it wasn't dangerous.

- Jim