https://youtu.be/R-V_tseWkXA

I’m not one to recommend throwing a loaded gun — unless it’s a last ditch effort to disable/distract someone posing an imminent threat of grievous bodily harm or death. But an unloaded gun? That’s a different matter.

TTAG’s Jon Wayne Taylor introduced me to the concept, telling me to throw my multi-thousand dollar Wilson Combat X-TAC Commander-sized 1911 EDC onto the ground — so that I wouldn’t baby the thing. Seriously? Seriously. Re-sale value dinged, point taken.

At the same time, I’ve seen newbies who can’t rack or successfully reload their gun because they’re scared of it. My advice: be forceful! Stay safe (of course) but don’t baby the thing.

I’ve also worked with slow-fire newbies who get all flustered by their handgun’s recoil. Standing next to them for potential intercession, I advise them to shoot their gun as fast as possible, without worrying about hitting the center of the target.

It’s a psychological thing. The shooter learns to control the gun, rather than the gun controlling them.

At the same time, it leads to the lesson that self-defense shooting requires shooting as accurately as possible as fast as possible. Too big a group? Shooting too fast. Too small a group? Shooting too slowly.

Bottom line: a gun is a tool. There are times when you want to shoot slowly and carefully and, you might even say, gently. But there are other times when you need to cowboy up. Yippee-ki-kay, and all that.

[h/t everydaynodaysoff.com]

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

61 COMMENTS

  1. Beat em up like a cheap hooker I do, gotta make sure they will do exactly what I expect, mostly have combat grade weapons anyway, they should be up for a ton of stress.

      • Ya, I gotta agree. Guns are tools that are meant to be used, so run it as hard as you run your self. You wouldn’t throw yourself down on concrete or packed gravel so why toss your gun?

      • There are people who take care of their stuff and there are people who don’t. You can go into one persons garage and look at his China-Shit tool box with a mixture of Ja-pan brand tools scattered around loose, things missing, crap screwdrivers, drill bit sets that are missing half the bits and the ones there are dull or broken, essentially junk. You go pop the hood on their car and the first thing you notice is the battery looks wet because the clod filled the battery completely full of water and there is corrosion a half inch thick on the battery terminals. The serpentine belt is cracked and old, the air filter hasn’t been changed….ever, the cabin filter is full of….everything and the guy doesn’t notice because his ashtray is so full of cigarette butts his car smells like hell. You pull the dipstick and the oil hardly shows and what does show is black and thick This is the same guy that NEVER cleans his gun who says…beat it up, it’s a tool. Hey, let’s make a video of us throwing guns. Bro, it will be tight! Scoffs…..what a bunch of morons.

        My weapons are tools, but in my view, they are about as good as you can buy for that particular weapon. They weren’t designed to be thrown or abused. Could I take my SAM7R with a T1 and throw it? Sure, if I was a I was a long-haired idiotic douche bag who smokes way too much weed.

        If some blow-hards advocate throwing their weapons…although a Desert Eagle deserves to be thrown in the garbage, well goody for them. Every one of those guys looks, acts and talks like I described above. They are the same folks that think Fast and the Furious was “bitchen” and they could be a street racer because they can shift fast and double clutch.

    • Yup. Especially stuff I paid for. There’s a difference between not babying it and wantonly putting it through the ringer. I know my stuff will work if I throw it on the ground, but I elect not to because, well, it’s my stuff.

      Besides, in the .mil I had plenty of opportunities to be rough on stuff that wasn’t working. Had to do the boot to 240B charging handle a couple times

    • I’ll throw my tools on the ground – and I do. But I’m not throwing my guns on the ground!

      • You will note they are throwing into a soft, grassy field. If they were REALLY serious (and not all mall ninja), they would to an urban test. Don’t need to throw it…just drop it on the sidewalk from waist level. Somehow I don’t think that gold plated DE will be doing that soon.

  3. As much as I want a gun that can take some abuse (reason #2 for buying a RAP-45). I will not be abusing them. Ill leave that for the YouTube ninjas to capture.

    • Cokeman’s borderline insane. He also shot a makarov into a stack a books inside his house. He has a video of it somewhere on his YouTube page.

  6. I prefer a “patina” of use and holster wear. I don’t baby mine any more than I baby a handsaw. I get em dirty, run them hot, but I don’t throw them on the ground. They get dinged just enough without mindless abuse.

  8. Throwing your gun is a stupid scene from “Police Squad.” Or an equally stupid scene from “Independence Day: Resurgence.”

  9. Ah no I’m not tossing my guns on the ground. Too hard to procure. If it happens-it happens.

  10. Well, I used to shoot. Not right now. The owner of the private property I used to shoot on had long since pasted away. So, I kind of gave it up. And I live in a not so free east coast state. So, going back to secure my 2nd amendment rights *(I mean police issued permissions and privileges. )* would most likely be difficult. Since these parts a cracking down on “gun violence ” *(Infringing on lawful constitutional rights! )* So, as a matter of principal. I WILL NOT beg, or ask permission from a local/state police department to exercise my lawful constitutional right codified, and guaranteed by our National and State constitutions ! **Rant over**! Anyhow, if I had any options under the law. I’d probably choose ,*(police would most likely choose for you.)*, a good Ruger GP 100 with a 3 inch barrel. The most utilitarian and reliable platform you can get. From good .38 spl. + JHP to .357 mag 125 gr SJHP rounds for a top fight stopper. Or for an auto, and most likely capacity limited at 10 shots or less. A good .45 acp pistol–something cheap , well made, and accurate. A new ruger American, or an older P90 would do the trick…And if a 9mm was available as an option, a CZ po-9 On duty with 19 accurate shots! Also, if anyone has to defend themselves. The local police will confiscate your weapon, or weapons *(in violation of the 4th,5th, 6th, ,7th, and 14th amendments. Hope I didn’t miss any…)* You wouldn’t want your $2000 dollar plus custom pistol disappearing into a local police department never to return….

  11. Pro Tip: High end optics work better when hit repeatedly with 8lb chisel point sledgehammers.

    No, seriously, throwing your gun for no reason? That’s even retarded than freaking out that it got a ding.

    If someone actually said to me “Hey, that’s nice gun, throw it on the ground” they’d better be wearing a cup because you’re asking for a swift kick in the balls and we all know the saying about asking for things, right?

      • I think the better anecdote would be telling someone to slash their own break lines and go for a nice drive on the highway.

        What this boils down to is basically saying “Hey, look a machine that operates on insanely high gas pressures. Going out of our way to damage it couldn’t cause a bad outcome could it? Nah, of course not. Let’s intentionally beat the fuck out of it until someone loses an eye!”.

        The guy’s in the video need to start each toss by saying “Hold my beer and watch this!”.

      • I knew a guy who would scratch his new cars the day he got it home – nothing though the clear coat and usually on the plastic. The idea was that once t had the first scratch, you wouldn’t live in fear of the day it happened. He still took steps to protect it from happening, but it didn’t control him.

        Same thing here. I wouldn’t throw it, but you don’t want to let your fear of damage dictate how you handle it. I admit I do that on occasion – I wouldn’t let the bolt slam home on my Garand, when doing mag drills with the Glock I wouldn’t let them fall to the ground, etc. I takes a mental reminder that it’s made to handle use, and use isn’t abuse.

  13. Why would you throw a gun to the ground on pourpose unless you were French? … But yes, don’t be so attached to your fine silks snd wines that your not willing to dirty them to survive.

  14. Don’t baby the pump shotgun so you don’t short stroke it, check. Slingshot the slide or use the slide release– let the gun chamber with force, check. Drop it on the ground on purpose to dinging the muzzle and ruining the barrel crown. NO. Mar the finish through use? Of course. Damage the finish on purpose? Show some respect to your tools.

  15. Kinda of folks who would drain the oil out of their car and try to drive to Florida. Why? Just because the guns can take the abuse doesn’t mean you should abuse them. They are beautiful machines and deserve love.

  18. Throw my service weapon on the ground? Can anyone here tell me how the front and rear sights of your average weapon are attached? So you throw your weapon to the ground. Now you intend to pick it up and shoot a bad guy with it? What if you hit someone or something you’re NOT suppose to hit? You know, like an innocent bystander? Is this U-Tube idiot instructor going to stand by you in court and say, “It’s OK, I taught him to do that!”?

  21. I felt my IQ draining away every moment I watched that video. I finally had to stop it before permanent mental damage set in.

    • Yeager is an idiot so I would expect his instructors to be no better.

      If an instructor told me to throw my firearm on the ground I’d simply tell him to eat a bag of dicks and walk away. If he told me to throw it on the ground and stomp on it I’d tell him to go fuck his mother and then eat a bag of dicks before walking away. If he gave me shit about not doing what I was told he and I would have some much more serious words about how he’s a shitbird and all of this would be in front of the rest of the class.

      This is no different from a foreman telling you to throw your circular saw or impact gun on the ground. Look, shit happens and tools get beat up through use. That’s no reason to intentionally abuse them in ways that might make them unsafe.

      I bet these fucktards also think that angle grinder guards are for pussies. Well, this guy disagrees:

      [Warning, somewhat graphic].

      http://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/insert-bs-here-4/153276d1445615307-random-pictures-thread-only-rule-post-here-more-entertain-me-angle-grinder.jpg

    • My original comment probably won’t be up until tomorrow, if ever, since it’s awaiting moderation.

      Suffice to say Yeager is an idiot so the idea that his trainers are idiots too doesn’t really shock me.

  23. No offense to any girls out there, but that dumb SOB throws like a girl. I know that’s a big heavy gun, but that clown is a pussy and he must have stole that deagle from a pimp or a drug dealer.

  24. One of my newbs on a range trip started easing the slide down when loading instead of letting it fly. Technically incorrect, but one can see where she was coming from, wanting to control the machine and baby it instead of letting it snap shut. I should have explained better beforehand.

    It’s like, I learned to drive with medium OHV engine cars. When I bought a little DOHC car I felt like I was beating the crap out of it, but really was just letting it do its job.

  25. What a bunch of Dick Wheats including anyone who would suggest, and or do it!

  26. Guns are tools, but more like a power drill than a wrench or a hammer.

    Drop a hammer or a paintbrush for all I care, but don’t drop a nice Dewalt.

    • While I agree with your sentiment, my (ancient 18V) DeWalt gun has hit the pavement from 2M+ at least a dozen times. It does need new brushes – you can smell the ozone – but it still works.

      Buy quality tools, and you can abuse them….

    • Ha ha ha, “nice DeWalt”! Good one.

      Swarf’s four rules to live by: Shit rolls downhill, weld hotter, thou shall not suffer an earwig to live, and don’t buy yellow tools.

      • I dunno, selected “yellow tools” work for me. Especially like 10 years ago when it was new, there was very little competitive product. Watcha gonna get, Ryobi Harry Homeowner playset or something back then? Bosch cordless were mediocre, and Milwaukee wasn’t even a serious player. Many hundreds of hours of use, drilled anything I threw at it, hit the ground from height more times than I can count. Still works. Suits my needs, YMMV….

      • “weld hotter”

        Youz ain’t never done no stainless/aluminum/actual structural weldin’ work has ye son?

        As for 16V’s comment, one word: Makita. They’re for hardcore work. Other than that, DeWalt is good enough for around the house jobs.

        • strych9, I’ve found cordless tools to have regional and religious (as in Ford v. Chevy ‘religion’) aspects to what you see on sites. Not to mention hivethink…

          It really depends on the tool. DeWalt is far and away the gun of choice in the midwest, you’ll see a Makita cordless gun about as often as a Metabo (Not that both aren’t objectively “better”). Lot of Makita angle grinders, rotary shears, circular metal saws. Cordless guns? Not so much.

          Agreed about the welding, there’s some skill in stickwelding 1/2″ mild plate. There is much more skill in putting a nice bead around the outside of an aluminum beverage can.

        • I’ve still got a B&D corded 1/2″ from the ’70s my old man bought new. I use it when things get ‘heavy’ and I just want it *done*, no matter the cost (in tool life anyway). I’ve yet been able to kill it, despite my best efforts.

          That said, I wouldn’t spend a plug nickel on anything they’ve sold in the last 20+ years.

  27. This is dumbass thinking. I don’t pamper my stuff but I damned sure don’t abuse it without reason.

    This seems to be most preValent with the Glock crowd. I guess they want to crow that you can hurt the looks of a Glock or knock it out of alignment by rattling it on concrete.

    I also don’t agree with too small group – speed up mentality. You better shoot as fast as you can and punch as small a group as you can when practicing. Cause when the balloon goes up you are most likely going to speed up and your groups will be larger (much) than they are in practice.

    I see too many people thinking “minute of silhouette” means they are precison shooters. I am at the height of mediocrity when it comes to marksmanship, but I do my best to tear the center out not shoot some eight inch group at 10 yards. The will turn into 3 feet under stress.

  28. First, guns are tough. They have to be to be able to withstand the forces of doing what they do. But while I’ve put them through the mill under very harsh conditions in a lot of not very nice places, I don’t abuse them when it isn’t necessary.

    Second, the guy with the DE is a complete moron and I wouldn’t want to be within 300 meters of him if he had a gun of any kind. The things he does with it and his complete lack of muzzle control is beyond stupid. He and his buddies are all candidates for the Darwin Award.

  29. I buy soap made in Portugal or France exclusively, only buy German kitchen knives, and my living room furniture is manufactured in Italy with hand tanned leather, and Russian down pillows. I do not toss guns to prove a point. I owns guns that don’t break if you drop them but it doesn’t mean I go ahead and throw it. I have nice things because I take care of them and know it will last. I would not let these people come over to my house, they would likely break something.

    • German knives? Given the rest of your furnishings, that’s a bit, well, plebian, don’t you think?

      German knives are acceptable, but very mass-market and mittelklasse at most generous.

      The best knives are from Japan. Or the US(!).

      http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/default.html

      http://kramerknives.com/

      A quality kitchen knife is at bare minimum $300-400. Realistically $500. Each. Bright side is that unless you are incredibly nuts about very specific knives, you only need a maximum of 4 to do almost anything as well as you are capable of doing it. (I only have 2, and I’m OK with that.) Think of it like a gun, because there is more work involved in building a quality knife. It’s two, sometimes three days, per knife. It will last for dozens of generations, and like a good cast iron skillet, is a one-time expense.

Comments are closed.