Why I Support Gun Control, Reason # 432

At the risk of being accused of over-compensation, I *like* having power in my firearms.  I desire the sublime marriage of velocity and impact.  My favorite pistol caliber is .44 Mag, and my hunting rifle is a .300 Win. Mag.   'Bring the smack down', that's my motto.

The downside is recoil.  Newton decreed that you will pay a price for the power.  Some weapons are just too much pain for the bang. 

That's a Ruger Super RedHawk, 2.5 inch barrel in .454 Casull.  I mean really, what were they thinking!?  I have large strong hands, and that gun intimidates me.  It's nothing but pain and punishment in a real tight parcel.  If you want me to shoot the big loads, put some barrel on the damned thing, for Christ's sake.

But no, some people go for ever more blast.  Like the guys who build the pistols ... in .600 Nitro Express.  If you're unfamiliar, that's an elephant round, commonly shot from a long double barreled rifle, or at least as common as such a beast is used.   Check out this bad boy:

The picture is reprinted only for scale and to wow you with the enormity of how big such a hand gun must be to control it.  Notice, the author takes pains to advise bench or brace shooting only.

But what happens when someone builds such a monster that doesn't have such weight?  And what happens when some eager buddy, over-estimating his own prowess, decides to shoot such a behemoth, free-hand.  A friend sent me a video of the event, so lets go to the tape:

Download elephant_pistol.wmv

Watch it, laugh and then watch it again.  And that, my good friends, is why I always agitate and advocate for gun control.    Hit what you're aiming at, nothing less and most importantly nothing more.  And whatever you do ... control the goddamned firearm.

Comments

[Doug]

And might I add, please don't hand such weapons to those utterly unfamiliar with them as a goof. Then again, even those familiar with them may end up removing themselves from the gene pool.