“The only reason I know how to use any of my guns is because I watched just about every YouTube video I could find about each of them before I tried to use any of them, but I know that not everyone does that.” – Robin Earle, ‘The Gun Bug Bit Hard’: The Role Of Guns In Vermont [via digital.vpr.net]
Yes. Thank God for YouTube. Not just guns, but for virtually any other subject I need to figure out.
And don’t forget to subscribe to Instagram Taylor’s feed. Maybe he has posted his armor and protective eyewear pics.
Yup. I’ve found many videos invaluable for weird car fixes. The one for my jeeps left turn signal blackout still makes me laugh. A soldering iron saved me a hundred bucks.
And the ‘Net in general on all kinds of repairs.
For troubleshooting in general and for specific failures on gear, there’s a very good chance you’ll find it.
“The ‘Net. It’s got a lot more than just porn…” 😉
“The ‘Net. It’s got a lot more than just porn…”
I WILL NOT ABIDE SUCH BLASPHEMY!!!!!!!
No kidding, Youtube is a DIY godsend. It’s hard to say how much money I’ve saved in repair bills by watching tutorials.
Think of the page hits someone could get if they combined DIY troubleshooting *and* porn…
*snicker*
Backing out of driveway in my Honda Element 2007, my mom choose to start taking to me and ended off knocked driver side mirror due to distracting me. In order to drive safe, had to hold it at correct angle.
As soon as dropped her off at ranch outside of Fredericksburg when got home got a quote from
local Honda dealership. The mark up plus service fees were equal Colt Python.
Watch YouTube ordered on line and installed myself. The Element was meant for college kids, the target market.
Later odometer spreed limit reading went out.
That was going to cost a bloody fortune.
Brought one on EBay and took to JAP (Japanese Auto Parts) repair shop in San Marcos. Allowed me to bring my own part (entire instrument clutter)
and install for labor cost.
So Yes, internet ordering can save a lot of money
which allowed savings to start a handgun collection and buy ammunition for myself and gifts for family members. Also gifted my sister-law a Ruger SP 357/38 due to cayotes roaming the ranches. You can legally shoot them if a danger to livestock and since they have Long Horn cattle grazing. Also small dogs and those yummy cats that work as mousers. Can’t have the “help” being killed. Sister-in-law is one hell of a good shot. If she’s walking her little dogs you can bet she is packing a revolver.
That is often the lead in for porn anyway.
*Knock Knock*
“Who is it?”
“Plumber, ma’am. I’m here to lay some pipe.”
Learned how to use a slim Jim from a YT video.
My wife fixed our dishwasher after learning how to on YouTube.
Anybody that says you can’t learn anything about guns from YouTube is selling a class. I still want to take classes but there are so many tips and drills in the Internet gun community that if you do enough research and enough practice, you will get better and I think I can even teach new shooters just from what I have gleaned from YouTube.
(Jeep wave)
“(Jeep wave)”
Is that the wave Jeep owners use from the side of the road to flag someone down for a ride to the auto parts store to get parts to fix their busted-ass Jeep? 😉
From a previous owner of said busted ass jeep, and friend of an owner of a frankenjeep, high five.
Yeah, nnoo kidding. I had to replace a blown timing chain gasket in my Buick. The service manual and the Haynes manual both say you have to drop the oil pan off of it. But using a YouTube video I was able to skip about 12 steps of the repair by just coming up through a different angle.
Of course the problem with YouTube is that it does occasionally cause some moron to try something stupid. Like a certain someone from another certain gun related website that thinks it’s just fine to hit malfunction guns with a hammer for a ‘safety test’.
Now you’re on Patrick’s “list” buddy.
You’re fucking lucky you got a mulligan on a timing chain/belt. It’s usually catastrophic valvetrain failure. Hence my previous “3 successful videos” comment.
Like changing an alternator on a 2005 Suziki Aerio. Only alternator change I ever told someone to take it to a shop to have it done instead of doing it themselves.
I have learned to fix so many home appliances via YouTube, stuff I would have just replaced needed $5 in parts and 20 minutes to get working again.
Learned how to tear apart small engines and rebuild them thanks to youtube and getting my hands dirty. Now I can replace head gaskets, connecting rods, peen valve seats into place (brigs and stratton issue), clean carburetors, dare I say get my foot in the door with modifications.
I like me some YouTube, but seriously? Pick up gun, point at target, disengage safety if there is one, squeeze trigger.
That’s not hard, and you do those same steps with every type of man portable firearm. I like watching gun videos, and they can make disassembly and reassembly a lot easier, but basic gun handling is one of the simplest things a person can do.
Ever see someone grip a semi-auto pistol wrong and have the slide rip the skin off his thumb? You can see that on YooToobe, too. The cylinder gap on a revolver is another potential source of pain.
How about shooting a shotgun or .30-06 without shouldering it properly? Or getting your eye too close to a scope and have it bite you in the nose? It happened to my wife a few years ago. Blood was shed.
The point being… it seems simple enough to those with experience. Spend some time teaching newbs to shoot and you’re reminded of all the ways it can be done wrong.
So is using a camera but for some reason every time I hand mine to someone to take a picture they ask ‘where is the button?’
Without fail….
It’s in the same place it’s been for the last half century or more
[edit] I use YouTube religiously before buying a gun, I usually know how to do everything before touching it for the first time so I often take for granted my experience with guns but new things make people uncomfortable and thus drains their common sense. I try and cut first timers some slack
For someone that has never handled a gun, that process can be quite intimidating. This is what annoys me the most about what has happened to NRA training. They ruined their First Steps and Basic Pistol Classes with Blended learning, abandoned that, and are now pushing expensive Operating Operator training that your average middle aged grandmother is not going to feel comfortable attending.
The First Steps class was a perfect introduction for new gun owners for safe handling of firearms and now it’s gone.
Did you see the one where the instructor shot himself in the leg?? That was really educational!!!!!!!!
I especially liked the part where he was limping around the classroom and asked, “Is everyone okay?”
Actually, I thought that was the only intelligent (and selfless) thing he did. In my eyes, if you shoot yourself and your first thoughts are “is anyone else hurt?”, you have redeemed yourself.
Nah. Federal agents don’t get off that easy.
Anti’s have been pushing really hard in VT the past five or so years. I guess they think there are enough property owning, wealthy, uppity NPR lefties from MA, CT and NY there now to turn it into the next CO.
On a weekend trip in VT last year I heard the most inane cognitively distorted mentally deficient VPR segment on “assault weapons.” Everyone who spoke: the anchor, the police “expert”, the politicians and the callers both for and against had absolutely no idea what they were talking about. It was as if I was listening to a MadTV or Onion sketch.
ditto. if it wasn’t for youtube i wouldnt have EVER got that Para Double stack 1911 frame back together.
My wife thinks I’m some sort of electrical/mechanical/plumbing superhero who can fix anything.
She’s right, of course, as long as I have internet access and a little time to myself.
What I tell everyone about Yootoobe instruction is: Don’t watch just one video. You need to watch three or four to make sure the first dude you saw wasn’t full of crap. Do a search for “AR-15 lubrication” and you’ll see what I mean.
Yeah, I only use YouTube videos for reference only when I can find 3 different people doing basically the same job successfully.
Remember how stupid the average American is and understand that half of them are even dumber than that and they all have internet access.
Agree whole heartedly about the watch several videos point. Whether fixing appliances or cars.
When I found out that changing headlight bulb on my wife’s ’13 Chevy Traverse required taking apart half of front end of the car, I went to find better solution on youtube. Almost gave up, watching guys in first two videos following the proper instructions, while complaining about how time and labor consuming it is.
The third video shows a little shortcut. You can pop couple of plastic rivets in wheel well and bend the plastic fender out of the way. Then you reach in blindly and what should take half a day is done in 10 minutes.
Gotta love YouTube.
Couple weeks ago someone left a link to Buds here, pointing out heavy barreled Howa 1500 in 6.5 Creedmore package on sale for $700. Hogue stock, bipod, rail, magazine conversion, rings and FFP Nikko Stirling scope included. Free shipping.1 MOA guaranteed.
Sounded too good to be true, so to the YouTube I went. After watching bunch of guys in their respective videos shooting (and hitting their targets) over 1000 yards with this gun I got one. And since my friend asked me what would be good longer range target gun under $800 I steered his attention to this deal. Now he’s got himself one too. Nice gun, only if the stock was bit higher to allow better cheek weld… But I think I saw a video with instructions for building adjustable kydex cheek riser around here somewhere.
Thanks TTAG commenter, thanks YouTube!
“The second thing I think we should have is a one-hour class to acquaint new gun owners with their guns.
If you’re already familiar with the type of gun you’ve just bought, you should be able to test out of the class, but I don’t think that basic handling, cleaning and safety training is too much to ask of someone who has a potentially lethal new tool.”
this guy wants a mandatory 1-hour class when you buy your first gun. even though he learned everything about his firearms for free from the convenience of his own home on youtube.
Apparently he thinks most people are too stupid or too lazy to RTFM. Now, that may actually be true, but where he really goes wrong is where he implicitly assumes the government is made up of a completely different group of people, special people. He doesn’t realize the same people too lazy/stupid to RTFM will be either teaching the class, or mandating its content, or enforcing compliance.
the benefit of access to these tutorials cannot be overstated.
as a point of stubbornness, utilization may be a last resort but it certainly has supplied multiple aha moments.
i imagine spoogoo vids have saved millions in jesus clip, spring alert and eye injuries alone.
thisoldtractor helped me get the magneti marelli starter from a guzzi back together. sometimes you just can’t see it. thousand words and all.
hate to admit it, but the ruger mkll comes to mind. simple but hard to convey in words.
Jesus clip? As in yelling “Jesus Christ” when the thing goes flying across the garage floor?
Problem with u-tube is everyone thinks they are the worlds best teacher film maker etc so rarely will I watch anything; concerning hand gun shooting! when it comes to weapons I keep my own council and rarely seek another opinion, this does not mean nor is meant to imply that I am an expert and better than they are. Being a combat Vet: in my Opinion (I know a**hole speaking) their is no correct way! when the SHTF, most of people confronted, grab gun, point, shoot until it’s over. so why would I want to watch someone Else’s mistakes and techniques.although most of the gunsmith ones are OK. also wind doping for log range shooting etc! I can see it now; future money saving for Seal, Green Beanies, rangers, all worlds elite teams, watch these Videos and your good to go
Durr… Let me play my Vet card! It’s been 5 minutes since I told everyone!
Vet is the new black. I’m a vet so I can make vet jokes.
Can you de-worm my beagle? Lots of vets on here, figure one of you guys can help!
Hey, some of my best friends are Vets!
You Tube scares the powers that be. Ive changed brakes before. Now I’m learning on You Tube how to change my honda van brakes.
And learning about gun maintenance and finding out about accessories for the my older guns.
You Tube is replacing many brick and mortar classrooms.
You want to some hilarious gun handling videos?
Watch Firepower United
Their instructor, Phuc Long, pretends to be a Vietnamese idiot, but he is a gun expert
His “Fine vs coarse motor skills reloading the Scar” is a hoot!
His series on the Glock for self defense made me laugh my ass off
Watch them
You will thank me
Kinda wish I was asian so I could have a name like Phuc Long.
then you would have gals named snatchums chasing you.
…mmm… steakums…
I learned how to build my AR from Youtube, and also some good reloading tips. And now I am fleshing out my guitar repertoire using lessons on there. I’m surprised Google tolerates so much diversity in the gun culture!
It wasn’t a video, but an instruction manual with photos that I downloaded off the internet that showed me how to build an AR. Still have it somewhere, but an AR is one of those “you’ve done it once, you’ve done it a thousand times” kind of a deal. Same thing with a instruction manual on how to tune a SAA clone, which included a method of converting to a Ruger style plunger and spring in place of the prone to failure hand spring used in all Colt revolvers of the day.
Yep YouTube is a GODsend for me. As a non-nervous novice who hadn’t shot a gun in some 40 years I learned to shoot. Especially maintaining and reassembling a semiautomatic handgun. Or removing a plug from a shotgun. The gunshop and range were zero help. My gunbuddy is 50 miles away. I’m on my own…oh and I 2nd the car videos. Saved some $ on simple repairs. My only caviot is try to vet who you listen to. I like Hickok45 but he seems to not be able to criticize anything. Same with Gunblast Jeff Quinn.
YMMV…
YouTube is the only reason I’ve been able to successfully disassemble and reassemble my Ruger MkIII 22/45. Also, the Military Arms Channel is super informative.
Golly. In my day, we had these things called “books.” We seemed to get along OK without video.
Circa 1991, I had to overhaul the engine in an Oliver 1800 tractor (manufactured circa 1961). The company had been out of business for many years and there was a library somewhere out west that had all their repair manuals. I paid good money for them to send me a photocopy. Without it, I would have been screwed.
There’s probably a book on how to replace the water pump in a 2005 Whirlpool washing machine, but my local library doesn’t have it. Thankfully, Youtube did.
Oliver was bought up by White, and you can get some limited support/parts via Agco.
Full points on having an “Other Green” tractor. If I’d stayed in farming, I would have likely ended up with an Oliver tractor – we were looking at a 1955 at one point. They’re built well, and their rear ends are ferociously strong – unlike other tractors, you can turn up the smoke screw on the injection pump, and the rear end won’t come apart. The White tractors (successors to the Olivers) 2-85, 2-105 and 2-135 were pretty popular in central NV where we hayed. Great machines. The Herc engines were starting to have some parts availability issues…
No full points deserved. I bought a used Oliver because I couldn’t afford a used Deere. I did test drive a White for an afternoon while my Deere 4430 was in the shop. I think they were mechanically sound but the cab ergonomics were way behind the times. I couldn’t wait to get the Deere back.
Oh, the memories that just came flooding back! My stepfather had a White 2-85 while I was growing up on the farm, and we used that tractor for everything!
The best attachment for the 3-point hitch/PTO was the one we called the snowblower… two 4-ft vertical impellers blasting snow out of a vertical chute. Almost backed it into an unseen white car half-buried in a snowdrift one year… it would have chopped up that car like it was in a blender! 🙂
YouTube vids showed me how to remove the internal locks from my S&W handguns in under five minutes, without leaving a hole in the frame.
If YouTube did nothing else, those vids alone would secure its place in history.
Though, YouTube has started to pull advertising Adsense from gun channel videos, many gun YouTube channels have had to resort to other means to fund their programming such as patreon and soliciting companies directly. Personal bias from google as per usual.
I learned how to operate, disassemble, and reassemble countless guns from watching youtube. My dad is a fudd, so I didn’t learn anything gun-related from him growing up.
“No kidding, Youtube is a DIY godsend. It’s hard to say how much money I’ve saved in repair bills by watching tutorials.
Reply”
I saved $200 yesterday thanks to a Youtube video on fix for HP printer.
I made 10,000 dollars today by watching a video on YouTube about counterfeiting!!!
(Only joking Mister Treasury Agent man.)
My mother taught me how to drive a car in 1968 and she was a very good teacher. No need for driving teachers anymore. You can now learn how to drive a car by just watching YouTube!
You may see driving on YouTube, not learn driving on YouTube.
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