The right to bear arms

[Jeff Higgins]

"Your example is disingenuous. A better analogy would be racing in general - some people engage in street racing (like drunk rednecks shooting at anything that moves), while the more responsible ones take it to the track (ie the range)."

Um... that's pretty darn close to what I thought I was saying. The folks in the videos don't look at all like "drunk rednecks shooting at anything that moves". They look like they are doing this in a controled setting.

To further develop your line of reasoning, this would be like some one watching videos of a track day and associating that with street racing. We try to distance ourselves from the irresponsible street racers and bristle at those who make the connection anyway. Same thing with shooters. These people look like they are being safe and responsible, yet there are those who will watch the videos and make the drunken redneck connection. They both promote unfair, dissingeneous stereotypes.

[Nathans_Dad]

A controlled setting? Really? It looked to me like they had various items with flammable liquids in them which would get "blowed up" when shot at. Not to mention the 1990 vintage beater that they somehow released down a hill to a torrent of machine gun fire (which also "blowed up good" much to the delight of the crowd).

You really consider that a controlled setting?

[BGCarrera32]

Originally posted by Nathans_Dad
A controlled setting? Really? It looked to me like they had various items with flammable liquids in them which would get "blowed up" when shot at. Not to mention the 1990 vintage beater that they somehow released down a hill to a torrent of machine gun fire (which also "blowed up good" much to the delight of the crowd).

You really consider that a controlled setting?

Will you guys stop? It was a lite-hearted video for humor. If you don't like it turn it off. Nothing good to say? Deal with it. Good grief...

[vash]

i consider it a controlled setting. they are not bothering anyone. well, i guess they bother you. whatever.

i think the situation appears safe. lots of clubs do it. i once hung out with a group in tucson, and i vaporized a bunch of rotted watermelons, with some bipod mounted MG. i admit it was fun, but i dont think i would ever own one, or make any special trips to do it again. where did the "blowed up good" come from? the weapons make them look dumb?

one day for kicks, i want to try mudbogging a 4x4 or maybe ride in one of those rockcrawlers. you know, doing stuff, just for the sake of doing stuff.

i want to see a link to a news article, where a dad gets killed by a gun on auto, walking up.

[techweenie]

I thought it was interesting that so many impacts were 40-50 feet from what these idiots were presumably aiming at.

I agree (for once) with Rick: nothing really wrong with any of it, but not the pastime of folks with a full set of teeth.

Of course, if it had been a 911 they rolled down that hill...

[FrayAdjacent911]

Originally posted by Nathans_Dad
A controlled setting? Really? It looked to me like they had various items with flammable liquids in them which would get "blowed up" when shot at. Not to mention the 1990 vintage beater that they somehow released down a hill to a torrent of machine gun fire (which also "blowed up good" much to the delight of the crowd).

You really consider that a controlled setting?

If it's in a closed area, with generally nothing around it, then yeah, it's perfectly fine. There is always the risk of ricochet or schrapnel, but the line is pretty far away. The stuff that was exploding (can't watch the video here, but I think I've seen it) is called tannerite. I've seen some shot before, and it's fun stuff.

Cars are really softer than you think. Bullets are not going to just bounce off and fly back at the shooters, so a couple hundred yards is fine for hosing at an old beater car. As far as explosions, as long as again, the shooters are at a good range to avoid schrapnel, AND the area is not prone to wildfires, what's the problem?

In this situation, as any other (racing at the track), the participants accept some measure of risk in participating.

[Nathans_Dad]

Again, I do not dispute their right to do this. I'm sure they had to file for proper registration and observe safety laws. Doesn't change my right to call the idgits for doing it.

[Rick Lee]

Rest assured, it's no small matter to own a full-auto machine gun. It requires a class III stamp from the ATF and a face-face interview with the local sherriff. Class III folks are among THE most law-abiding folks out there. Make fun all you want, but they're also savvy investors. The US no longer allows machine gun production or importation for the civilan market (since 1986). Those guns are as precious as real estate - they ain't making any more of them. I've seen plenty at gun shows for over $10k-$15k that cost a few hundred bucks in the '80s.

[emcon5]

Originally posted by Danskman
I was thinking more along the lines of a small girl not really knowing all the safety issues involved, and her sheer size causing her to be physically overwhelmed by the firearm. I think that if I were the Dad in the picture, I would have at least had my hands over hers, making sure she and others remained safe.

The weapon she was firing was on a tripod. It could only pivot around it's mount point probably about a foot in each direction, no more than the remaining length of the girl's arms. As distastefull as some find it, it was perfectly safe.

Originally posted by Thom
Because historically, gun nuts have been strongly identified with the "hey Cletus, hold ma' beer and watch this" demographic.

In my experience, that perception comes from people who have never been around, let alone fired, a gun.

Tom

[FrayAdjacent911]

In my experience, that perception comes from people who have never been around, let alone fired, a gun.

Same here. It's a stereotype, just like 'all young black males are criminals, thugs and gangster wannabes'.

It's just as bigoted, too.

[Nathans_Dad]

Maybe if they didn't advertise gun shows in the same breath as the Monster Truck SUPER JAMARAMA they might shake the stereotype...

[creaturecat]

[Nathans_Dad]

Ellie May was super hot...

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally posted by creaturecat

Is that you in the middle?

[Rick Lee]

Yeah, those look just like my guns.

[FrayAdjacent911]

Originally posted by Nathans_Dad
Maybe if they didn't advertise gun shows in the same breath as the Monster Truck SUPER JAMARAMA they might shake the stereotype...

I've yet to see a gun show advertised with anything else tagged on, actually.

Though, most of the gun shows I've been to were not really advertised, they are monthly events in most cases.

[Nathans_Dad]

Oh come on Matt. If you really live in Texas you have to be lying!!

I see these ads every other weekend:

"Gun Show! Gun SHOW!! GUN SHOW!!!! Also see Monster Truck Godzilla in Action as it tears through other Monster Trucks!! BE THERE!!!"

Sound familiar??

[FrayAdjacent911]

N's dad, honestly, nope. Never heard anything like that.


But vis a vis, if Porsche commercials didn't show rich snobby people, then Porsche owners wouldn't be labelled as snot nose buttholes who are compensating for something...

[nostatic]

hmmm...I have all my teeth except for two wisdom teeth (yeah, I know...that explains a lot)


and I like to blow things up. But then again, I'm a trained professional. Metallic sodium is my favorite, but my ex really liked thermite and sodium triiodide.

[Nathans_Dad]

And that is true as well!

Keep your eyes peeled for those ads though Matt...one good tip is that they seem to follow the Jim Adler, the Texas HAMMER commercials...