The first primitive firearms were invented and constructed by the Chinese in the 13th century A.D. to harness the explosive power of gunpowder as a powerful weapon of war. Since then, firearms have undergone an extensive progression of refinement from the first crude matchlocks to flintlocks to caplocks and on to the invention of smokeless powder and metallic cartridges.
However, although the firearm was originally developed as a weapon of war, civilians quickly realized the advantages of such a weapon as a hunting tool for providing much-needed protein for their families and thus, the firearm was rapidly embraced by civilians as well as military personnel.
Consequently, firearms have been an integral part of American culture since Europeans first landed on American shores and their popularity has persisted through modern times.
However, even though firearms are an integral part of life for many people, the fact is that only a small percentage of the population is truly familiar with their capabilities and limitations, and this lack of knowledge has given rise to many myths about firearms which, unfortunately, many people are adamantly convinced are true.
In fact, there are at least seven gun myths that persist in people’s minds despite evidence to the contrary.
1. Guns Kill People
One of the favored arguments of those opposed to private ownership of firearms is that guns kill people. However, while it is true that firearms were originally developed as a weapon of war, this argument ignores the fact is that firearms are inanimate objects that are simply not capable of taking action on their own.
Therefore, they require a conscious human operator with a clear objective in order to fire a projectile. Consequently, the truth is that it is not the firearm that kills people but, instead, the human operator who makes a conscious decision to take a life. The firearm is merely a tool to that end.
2. Hollow Point Bullets Are More Deadly Than Full Metal Jacket Bullets
Many people mistakenly believe that the hollow point bullet is inherently evil because it causes more damage than a comparable full metal jacket bullet. However, the fact is that full metal jacketed bullets not only tend to over-penetrate and thus endanger bystanders, they also tend to yaw and then tumble after penetrating a body which creates a devastating wound channel.
Therefore, the hollow point bullet was designed by a former police officer named Lee Juarez as a means of preventing over-penetration in police shootings; not as a means of doing more damage to the target.
3. Violent Criminals Favor “Assault Weapons” Over All Other Firearms
The term “assault weapon” is actually a term coined by the anti-gun media to cast the present, U.S. military issue, battle rifle as a weapon that has no civilian application. However, the fact is that the M16 was originally designed as a long-range battlefield weapon and only recently, due to its modular design, has the military made the switch to the more compact M4A1 version (which is perfect for home defense).
Also, due to its modular design, the civilian version (designated AR-15) can be configured to chamber a wide range of rounds which are imminently well suited for hunting a wide variety of game animals. Furthermore, rifles are difficult to conceal and thus, the actual weapon of choice for criminals is the handgun; not the so-called “assault rifle”.
4. High Capacity Magazines Kill More People
Proponents of gun control would have us believe that banning high capacity magazines will prevent mass murders. However, research has shown that the vast majority of homicides average a total of only four shots fired.
Also, in the case of criminally psychotic individuals who commit mass murders such as those at Columbine and Virginia Tech, research has shown that these individuals meticulously planned their attacks and thus, the Columbine shooter carried 13 ten round magazines whereas the shooter at Virginia Tech carried 17 of them!
5. The “Gun Show Loophole” Enables Criminals To Purchase Firearms
All commercial purchases and sales of firearms require the dealer to first obtain a Federal Firearms License and to adhere to a set of very strict rules surrounding the sale of firearms. Also, anyone wishing to legally purchase a firearm is required to do so through a licensed dealer and to fill a form that records such information as their name, date of birth, residence, etc. as well as being subject to an intensive background check.
Therefore, the only way for a criminal to illegally obtain a firearm is to either purchase it from a private individual or to steal it. In fact, according to a Department of Justice study, criminals obtain 78.8 percent of their firearms from friends or family members and 39.2 percent from illegal street purchases; not from licensed gun show dealers!
6. Handguns With Polymer Frames Don’t Appear On Security Scans
While it is true that handguns with polymer frames do appear to be less opaque when viewed with an x-ray security scanner than handguns with metal frames, the fact is that they are still visible and they do display the characteristic handgun outline.
In addition, all polymer framed handguns incorporate metal parts such as barrels, slides, and trigger mechanisms and thus it is simply not possible for them to escape detection despite their lightweight polymer frames.
7. So and So Has a Rifle That Will Shoot Through and Engine Block
It never ceases to amaze me just how gullible some people can be, and a prime example of this gullibility is the persistent myth that a hunting rifle is capable of penetrating the engine block of a motor vehicle. While there are certainly some very powerful hunting rifles available today that are easily capable of dispatching animals weighing as much as 2,000 pounds, the simple fact is that rifles designed for hunting simply do not generate enough kinetic energy to accomplish this feat.
Furthermore, bullets designed for hunting are constructed using a lead core with a copper jacket and thus, they lack the necessary integrity to penetrate even 1/2 inch steel plate; let alone an engine block! Therefore, penetrating an engine block requires a highly specialized military rifle such as the Barrett chambered for the .50 BMG combined with proprietary depleted uranium armor piercing rounds to accomplish such a feat and even then, it may not penetrate completely.
So, as you can see, despite the fact that the above-mentioned firearms myths persist in many people’s minds, the simple application of logic combined with a little research should make it immediately obvious to anyone that they are myths based upon fear of the unknown, misconceptions, and a lack of knowledge.
Marty says
April 19, 2019 at 9:25 pmWho cares! How many have a true reason to shoot an engine block? A .22lr will penetrate a water pump or radiator and it’s still game over.
Bruce Steger says
September 2, 2017 at 1:07 pmYears ago while a YOUNG guy with too much time on my hands, took a seized 6 cylinder Ford 300 CI engine block to see what a 3 inch mag 12 gauge slug would do! If I shot directly center of the cylinder, it went right threw the block! If I was off by an inch, the slug was slightly deflected by the liner to the side and and made a bulge where it just didn’t make it threw! A V8 block never made it threw but I now it would disable any engine a slug was shot in it!
Dave says
March 18, 2017 at 7:18 pmGuns are awesome. Guns are my right. I like guns.
Jeff says
January 23, 2017 at 4:23 pmYa’ll put way too much stock in Google and Wikipedia. Including the author of this piece. That’s all I got to say about that. Lol
Jacob says
October 24, 2016 at 3:54 pmI showed a person pretending to know guns two pictures:
1) a 22lr semi-auto rifle with a tactical design
2) a basic-looking rifle (chambered in 50 BMG)
I asked, “Which is more dangerous?” without asking any questions, they immediately said “that assault rifle” brilliant, right?
gilldoc says
August 13, 2016 at 6:30 pmGiven that an individual can purchase a 50 caliber, 35 caliber, 30 caliber, .338 lap, 300 Win Mag etc. all of which have more than enough kinetic energy to penetrate an engine block. In the case of some of the larger calibers, that is the exact reason they were created. If you shoot a 50 caliber round into the motor of a rocket you will render it useless without having to drop a bomb on it. Much cheaper and less collateral damage. With regard to hollow points, one great benefit to their use is the lack of over penetration, but make no mistake, the ballistic intention of hollow points Is to expand on impact, cause cavitation and then fragment to cause additional damage. Stopping power. If your life is truly threatened that is a survival benefit and less potential collateral damage whereas a full metal jacket round will most certain tumble around in the human body creating terrible wounds but then potentially exit and enter another object. As for criminals purchasing guns at gun shows this can be done illegally. If you are inside the gun show that is true. But I have been to many gun shows and have seen several swaps made in the parking lot while entering or leaving so it is very possible. It is interesting that of all the firearms deaths that occur in the United States, 60% are actually suicides and it is mostly done with handguns. There is not good access to mental health services thanks to our current culture of healthcare delivery. And a lot of the mass shootings would have been prevented as well if there had been. And I am a pulmonary and critical care doctor that has seen the results of all this first hand.
Charles says
January 12, 2017 at 2:15 amWhile some extreme magnums, such as the 30/378 Weatherby, DO have the kinetic energy to penetrate an engine block, hunting rounds do not have the integrity to penetrate…they will splatter on the surface, possibly leaving a small crater. Even the mighty .50 BMG has to use armor piercing rounds for penetration.
The “Hollow Point” was not designed by Lee Jurras, although he did do much to popularize the Jacketed Hollow Point.
The hollow pointed lead bullets produced at the British arsenal in Dum Dum, India were the first such mass produced rounds. The soft lead .577 caliber bullets made horribly devastating wounds, and were subsequently banned by the 1899 Hague Declaration.
I agree that the lack of sufficient mental health care is the major cause of most deaths by firearm. Having been a mental health nurse, I shudder at the thought of some of the patients I had being out in public. I think that may become a secondary cause in the years to come, due to the inclusion of refugees who are incompatible with Western lifestyles.
Bruk says
June 21, 2016 at 7:35 pmYears ago my dad fired a 1 1/4 oz slug at a six cylinder cast iron engine block near the cylinders and it went threw & threw with a bigger hole leaving. There was a large V 8 block that he fired at and that didn’t go all the way threw but stopped with the outside casting bulged. This was with a rifled slug barrel.
Sniper6772 says
June 20, 2016 at 8:07 amWhile I agree with most of the myths you point out, your Department of Justice statistics are bogus. In one sentence you state that the the Only way a criminal can obtain a gun is to buy it from a private owner, or steal it. Then in the next sentence you state that Department of Justice statistics indicate that 78.8% of criminals get their guns from friends and family members, and 39.2% of criminals get their guns from street purchases. That’s 100% of all criminal guns ??? That would imply the no criminal has ever obtained a gun at a gun show, or gun dealer, and no criminal has ever stolen a gun while committing another crime such as a burglary?
Also, most engine blocks are made of cast iron, and much of the sides of the block are hollow, containing chambers for the circulation of coolant and may only have about 1/4 inch side walls..or less since this is not a high stress area. It is possible to shoot an engine block and break a hole through the thin, brittle cast iron side walls of one of these cooling chambers or the webbing between crankshaft journals near the oil pan.
So if your intent was to destroy myths about guns, don’t do it by stating bogus facts and statistics that make you like a liar…with an agenda
Stophel says
June 11, 2016 at 1:58 pmThe Chinese did NOT invent gunpowder. They developed fireworks powder. They did create rockets, but never firearms. Real gunpowder and guns were invented by one of us Evil White Men.
Hollowpoint and softpoint bullets (rifle and pistol) are designed specifically to expand upon impact, creating a larger wound channel and disrupting more tissue than full metal jacket bullets do (I do not subscribe to the “energy dump” theory). Now, whether a specific bullet lives up to its claims or not is another matter…
Only certain FMJ rifle bullets will tumble upon impact, and that is by design, in order to make a more effective combat round while being restricted to FMJ bullets. The original M16 and cartridge designed by Stoner used a rifling twist that did not fully stabilize the bullet, so when it hit someone, the already unstable bullet instantly tumbled, creating a vicious wound. It worked very well, though accuracy suffered. The very earliest M16’s were issued this way, but, the Army wasn’t happy with the accuracy and made the manufacturers change the twist rate, and while accuracy improved, the deadliness of the tumbling bullet was gone. (As I understand it, the AK-74 was designed similarly with a purposefully-tumbling bullet.) Otherwise, FMJ ammo is a little ice pick, punching neat tiny little holes, which often pretty much close right up. They have long been regarded as inadequate man stoppers, no matter the caliber, though obviously, bigger is still better. This is why the Army and Marines (and FBI) have recently developed “Open Tip Match” 5.56mm ammo (“match”… yeah, right.). It is designed to have an expanding tip, but retain a solid base so that it can maintain some penetration capability over a regular soft point or HP bullet.
And yes, there are many gun myths out there pushed by the bolsheviks, but pointing out their fallacies to them does no good. They don’t care. Truth and falsehood are all gray to them. Facts mean nothing. Their “arguments” are based solely on pure emotion, lies, red herrings and straw men, driven by an agenda, meant to sway the weak minds of the media-controlled masses who have probably never had any experience with firearms and have no personal interest in bearing arms. “Guns are scary.” “Hollow point bullet… EEEK!” “What do you need a gun for, you have the police to protect you?” “You don’t need an AK-47 to go duck hunting!!!” “Defend yourself against a tyrannical government??? You’re CRAZY, that could NEVER happen!”
Charles says
January 12, 2017 at 2:43 amIt’s not known who exactly invented gunpowder, but the first instances of projectiles being ejected from tubes using the substance was the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1126 CE) in China.
These were cannon, or “Bombards” using somewhat spherical stones for ammunition.
The first known use of “Modern” firearms outside of China was in Europe in 1364.
Gary says
June 11, 2016 at 11:50 amHollow Point Bullets , are not a US invention
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollow-point_bullet#History
Corbin D says
June 3, 2016 at 11:17 amThe hollow point bullet think is not entirely true. The over penetration is possible, but on an individual target, a bullet that expands will deliver more energy. FYI the military doesn’t always use the best gear out their. To the best of my knowledge they use FMJ’s based on rules of war.
The engine block thing is also not true. It does depend on the rifle and the car, but a good portion of hunting rifle will penetrate the engine block, but probably will not go through the whole block. Also, most modern automotive engine blocks are made of aluminum not steel.
Chuck Pringle says
May 23, 2016 at 1:52 pmOne of the biggest myths perpetrated by the make-believe COPS on TV shows is that all guns must be REGISTERED…….
Eventually all TV viewers not in the know will begin to believe all guns must be registered, this is TOTAL BULL!!!
Actually its not the cop actors who perpetrate this myth but the liberal producers and writers who do.
J W Gatsn says
May 25, 2016 at 10:27 pmWhat the Hell are you trying to say? please try again because your misstatement says nothing.
Stophel says
June 11, 2016 at 2:06 pmThis goes back a LONG time. Since most movies and TV shows from the beginning even to today have been set in California, I do wonder if the gun registration thing reflects the situation in that state (I have NO idea if California had any kind of gun registration regulations 40-50-60 years ago). But yes, I do believe that the gun registration references on TV cop shows were placed there very much on purpose to indoctrinate the general public to the idea that their guns should be registered with the government.
Charles says
January 12, 2017 at 2:53 amThere were no wide-spread gun restrictions, other than certain cities, until the Gun Control Act of 1968. Up until then, you could order guns through the mail. I got my first hunting rifle in 1967 at a hardware store in Northern California at the age of 14, and the only paper that was involved, were the greenbacks my dad used to pay for it.
Chuck Findlay says
May 19, 2016 at 10:16 pmCriminals obtain 78.8 percent of their firearms from friends or family members and 39.2 percent from illegal street purchases.
New math??? that’s 118%.
And yes you can buy a gun with no paperwork at a gun show if it’s from a private person (as apposed to a gun dealer)
Having been a hunter for 35-years I can attest to the fact that hollow point ammo is more deadly as it is much better at delivering it’s energy in a target. If a bullet passes through a body it has unused energy the body did not adsorb, this is energy that is better put to use if it gets transferred to the body 100%..
Over all not a good article.
Jimmy says
June 7, 2016 at 6:56 pmGood points. 18% must be illegal purchases from friends or family who are on the street.
Tim says
May 18, 2016 at 1:30 pm#5 not true, last year (2015) I personally had gone to gun shows and walked out with one SKS and one 45 cal pistol (1911) and never filled out any type of paperwork, I specifically asked about the paperwork and was told it wasn’t needed. Other than a good article.
Mike_Hunt says
May 19, 2016 at 11:40 amYeah right…
Justin R says
June 3, 2016 at 11:12 amYou probably purchased your 1911 from a individual who wasn’t a dealer
William says
March 18, 2017 at 4:22 pmYou obviously made a purchase from a private individual. No reputable dealer would sell you a firearm without the proper paperwork. It’s a felony and they would probably suspect you’re a rat if you pushed the issue.
ArmedPreacher says
May 18, 2016 at 12:30 pmGood post but #7 is inaccurate. You state that only the 50 cal. is capable, with special ammo, of penetrating an engine block and most common hunting rifles lack the ability to pass through 1/2″ plate steel. Have done both with both a .308 and the ever faithful .30-06 at about 100 yards with lead hand loads. Also have a spinning target at the range set at 150 yard that has 3/4″ steel plate two sided targets. Guy who built it said it could stand up to anything, it now has a hole in one of the red side targets thanks to a .308. Yes the farther out you get the bigger the rifle you will need but it can still be done at 100 to 150 yards with common hunting rifle cartridges.