Killing a pie-pan ain't no big deal

[davidn]

One of the more unusual events of the last week was when I got to participate in the unarguably American hobby of firing small bits of lead off at high velocities. The photo on the left still feels absolutely surreal for me to even look at.

In Britain, through the general ban on firearms, we're taught to fear guns and their effects, and we never really use them or even lay eyes on them most of the time. As chance would have it, for most of my time in Scotland I happened to live opposite the only licensed gun shop in the entire region, and gun-owning Americans have asked me if this ever made me feel unsafe in any way. No, it didn't, because the town was a quiet place where nothing ever happened. However, if I had also been living next door to the Fred Nutter Institute for the Criminally Insane, then that would have posed a problem - and unfortunately I view a large amount of America as rather closer to this. Not the people I was staying with - they were extremely responsible in their use and knowledge of them, and I was given a strict safety course and an eloquent speech about a gun being a simple tool - but, for example, the idea that most of the people on FA who regularly post pictures of their arsenals are allowed to handle anything sharper than a 2B pencil quite frankly scares me to death.

Given the frightening image surrounding guns from my own point of view, I was very surprised at how this sort of mythically powerful weapon seemed so normal and almost toy-like when viewed up close. wolfekko will have to come in and say what I was actually firing again - because all the guns that I know anything about are used online and have names like the ASMD Shock Rifle, I was only able to refer to the two I experienced as "the big one" and "the small one". The larger of the two weapons was actually the less powerful of them, despite looking more intimidating because of its size and the scope bolted to the top of it - this was a pellet gun, and the other was a rifle that fired genuine bullets. In a similar way to their innocent look, it's surprising that they don't make the noise that you're used to from films and television, and if anything, the sound is a sharp SNAP, like a small firework being set off. I'm fairly certain, however, that both of them would hurt a lot - we did untold damage to a plastic bottle and a tin foil baking tray from a distance of fifty paces while we were out there.

On my own end, I had insisted for a long time that playing violent games wouldn't teach you how to handle and fire a real weapon, so it's rather unfortunate that I was told that people who played games tended to have a large head start in the co-ordination required to aim accurately. And I was rather proud of knocking one of the two targets over on my first attempt, even if there's video evidence of me being rather surprised by the recoil. In fact, it's frighteningly similar to just playing Silent Scope - only with the addition of being punched in the shoulder a bit every time you fire.

Comments

[stubbleupdate.livejournal.com]

Yep, when I went Clay Pigeon Shooting, the guy said that schoolkids were especially good at following the clays because of their videogame backgrounds.

I was also the best out of my party. Not that I'm competitive.

and time for an appropriate icon.

[davidn]

Ever done much shooting, Mr. Terminator?

Perhaps games are producing a generation of humans with augmented hand-eye coordination all round! And my mum used to think I was wasting my time...

[scani.livejournal.com]

I got subject to a lot of mockery for the restrictiveness of Canada's gun laws, despite the fact that it's probably one of the countries where it's probably most justified to have one. Not because of self-defense, but frankly, if you're out in the bush and you come across wildlife that wants to tear you to shreds (i.e. Ursus arctos horribilis, you may very well want one in your hands.

It doesn't sound like they put anything too powerful in your hands; I remember going out there for my first time, and deliberately having a 9 mm put in my hands first (as oppsoed to the .22). Hey, if we're going to introduce someone to a firearm for the first time, let's put the most intimidating and get the fear out of the way, right?

As I said to you upon my departure, though - you were definitely in good hands. It's important to have respect for them as a tool - albeit one that could cause significant damage - and frankly, not to view it as an extension of your penis.*

* Ironic that the short-barreled ones are almost better for that.

[davidn]

Yes, in Britain, they're just... not things that you encounter (although it's unfortunate to say this now that the links below have been provided...) because they're just not a part of culture and there's no dangerous wildlife to speak of beyond the occasional larger-than-average rabbit.

Your comment about the 9mm reminded me of something else - the surprising dissonance between how... big and menacing a gun looks and how intimidating it actually is. Of the selection I saw, the pellet gun - the weakest of the bunch - actually looked the most intimidating to me because of the long sniper-esque barrel and the scope.

[diarytypething.livejournal.com]

My dad taught me how to fire an air rifle when I was about eight years old, but I still grew up to be a vegan pacifist - just a vegan pacifist who can hit a fingernail-sized target from 12 yards away. It makes sense that computer games would give you a head start though, because even though it wouldn't teach you how to load and fire a gun, this is the easy part compared to actually hitting the target.

Maybe it's the grainy quality of the photo, but it really does look quite sinister...

[davidn]

With the small amount of bakery-related training I've now gone through by using foil baking tins as targets, I feel confident that I could at least incapacitate a quiche from a safe distance.

It really is a weird photo. It doesn't look like me because I never imagined I'd be in that setting.

[e-to-the-ipi.livejournal.com]

I think the gun ban did only become as extreme as it did in 1996, after Dunblane.

I'm not sure how much you've been following the UK news, but there have been two high-profile manhunts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumbria_shootings)for people who have gone crazy with a gun (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raoul_Moat) (the latter featuring an extraordinary guest appearance at the last minute from Gazza, of all people) in the last month and a half.

This Guardian piece (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/05/cumbria-shootings-not-inexplicable) was probably the most interesting look at one of these two events I've seen: it makes the valid point that our gun laws do still allow a large portion of freedom like this. Actually, that's the wrong article and I'm not sure I can find the right one. This is (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/03/gun-control-cumbria-shootings) certainly worth reading, if not the one I'm looking for.

Anyway, crucial point is that I'm glad we're not in place where we're taught that guns are a right or a normal part of everyday life. [There follows long discussion about the fact that regulation is a lot more feasible in the UK than US, which we all know, and I'll spare you.]

[e-to-the-ipi.livejournal.com]

That said, I am currently covered with bruises from a paintballing session...

[e-to-the-ipi.livejournal.com]

Ah! This article (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/03/uk-gun-laws-cumbrian-tragedy) by Iain Blair was the one I was thinking of...

[kibet.livejournal.com]

The problem I had when shooting/archery is that I am left eye dominant, so my automatic approach would be to close the right eye. I also got a nice bruise from the butt, although never really felt a kick (more a push). I did have a numb cheek afterwards although instructor put this down to the shotgun being the wrong type for my face structure.

I think games are getting more sophisticated so it is not just a stable cursor as here are slight movements for reality sake.

[davidn]

And the Metal Gear series included a "diazepam" item that you could use to temporarily reduce the swaying! Although they later switched this to the fictional "pentazemin".

It certainly sounds like it would be... awkward to be left eye dominant but right-handed - I can't imagine how any design could really get over that.

[kibet.livejournal.com]

I am not sure if you know how to tell what is your dominant eye, it is a simple trick which I am sure you would appreciate. You would need a second person for this, a wife would suffice should you have one on your person. Stand 2-3 meters away and create a triangle with your hands. Frame the person's face with the triangle and ask them what eye that they can see on through your hands. That is your dominant eye.

You can equally do this by the same triangle frame on an object, then close one eye, then switch eyes and see which one allows you to keep seeing the object. The former method is more interactive though with people which is apparently good for society.

[davidn]

I do like the interactive one :) The way that I had always known to do it was more similar to the second - actually to form your fingers into an imaginary gun and aim at something, then close each eye in turn to see which eye is aligned with your finger and the object.

[pami-zee.livejournal.com]

I've shot a 2.2 rifle or at least I think it was that. The Sloans own a shooting range. It's fun, but far too loud!

[wolfekko.livejournal.com]

I think the problem with video games is that they may bring some people to take firearms too lightly, but as for hand-eye coordination, it does help. You showed great responsibility in handling both rifles, so I know that you don't fall into that first group!

The first rifle you fired (and what is pictured here) is a Mossberg 702 rifle, .22 caliber. You also fired a spring-powered air rifle, .177 caliber. I don't know what make it is. And you were very good with them, especially given that you'd never done it before!

Next time we'll bring out the big stuff :D

[davidn]

22, I remembered that number, at least! Most of my carefulness with pointing them away from anything might have been due to sheer terror at what I was holding.

I think that what games do most of all - mostly with regard to guns but extending into other areas as well - is create this sense that death is something temporary and reversible. As much as I enjoy it, I was always uncomfortable with how Unreal Tournament used the word 'kill' and have made it a point not to use the word in any game that I've written, but I'm not sure how far this crosses the line into neuroses.

[wolfekko.livejournal.com]

I can understand why you'd feel that way. For something of this gravity, I don't think I'd call it neurosis, but rather a very thorough consciousness of what it is you're dealing with.

[starfishchris.livejournal.com]

Good to see you dealt with it well - when I first shot a rifle I forgot to account for recoil and got an eyeful of scope. Ouch.