Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Vanity: Question for Gun Enthusiasts
Grannyx4 | 1/11/07 | Grannyx4

Posted on 01/11/2007 5:59:47 AM PST by Vor Lady

I need the expertise of the Freepers. Last night at my writer's meeting, another author described a scene from his current work in progress. The gist was that the protagonist could tell that the safety was off and a round was chambered in a weapon that was being pointed at him. The weapon was an AK-47.

Can a person tell by looking at a gun currently being pointed at them that the safety is off and a round is chambered? When I called the man on it, he told me that one could tell a round was chambered by the way the clip was seated. This sounds a little far fetched to me but I'm willing to be taught. How about it fellow Freepers?


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: ak47; banglist; guns
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-59 next last

1 posted on 01/11/2007 5:59:48 AM PST by Vor Lady
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Grannyx4; DaveLoneRanger; Mr. Mojo

Help!


2 posted on 01/11/2007 6:01:31 AM PST by Vor Lady (tagline will be returned from the cleaners after 5:00 pm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grannyx4
Yes, this is how one would check...


3 posted on 01/11/2007 6:03:08 AM PST by AmericaUnited
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Admin Moderator

I thought I put this in chat but it came up here. Can you please move it or send me instructions? Sorry and Thank You!


4 posted on 01/11/2007 6:03:11 AM PST by Vor Lady (tagline will be returned from the cleaners after 5:00 pm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grannyx4

Though i do not have much experiance with AK's i do know that with a mag. inserted in the weapon there is no way to tell if it is loaded or not. That is why you need to clear a weapon by bring the bolt back and looking up the barrel. So a weapon with a mag could be completly loaded or have 1 round or none and the only way to tell is to drop the mag and look.
I am not sure on the safty though. I do not think it can be seen from the front (i.e. if it was aimed at you)


5 posted on 01/11/2007 6:04:11 AM PST by ASH71
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grannyx4
one could tell a round was chambered by the way the clip was seated

Absolutely false.

6 posted on 01/11/2007 6:04:27 AM PST by Enosh
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AmericaUnited

LOL! I guess that is one way to do it!


7 posted on 01/11/2007 6:05:25 AM PST by Vor Lady (tagline will be returned from the cleaners after 5:00 pm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Grannyx4

Ain't no way, absolutely none!


8 posted on 01/11/2007 6:05:26 AM PST by SWAMPSNIPER (BUAIDH NO BAS, JUST SAY NO TO RINO!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ASH71

Thanks for confirming what I thought.


9 posted on 01/11/2007 6:06:03 AM PST by Vor Lady (tagline will be returned from the cleaners after 5:00 pm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Grannyx4
he told me that one could tell a round was chambered by the way the clip was seated

The moment he used the word "clip", he disqualified himself as an expert.

10 posted on 01/11/2007 6:06:14 AM PST by Cagey
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grannyx4

For an AK, and just about every semi-auto and auto rifle and handgun, one needs Xray vision to see if a round is chambered. There's a reason why one has to pull the charging handle and look at an angle into the breech in order to "clear" such a weapon.

As far as the safety, I know that an M-16 safety is a small, black 3-position rotary switch on the "face" side for a right-handed shooter, which would hardly be visible at any distance, especially if the rifle is shouldered.

the writer really needs to get a few more gun skills before they try to "finesse" such a scene. (I also write - mostly unpublished thus far - and it always bugs me when someone starts making stuff up that defies common sense)


11 posted on 01/11/2007 6:06:44 AM PST by MortMan (I was going to be indecisive, but I changed my mind.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Enosh

The author in question is a retired cop, so I didn't feel I could argue with him at the meeting. Thanks for the help!


12 posted on 01/11/2007 6:06:47 AM PST by Vor Lady (tagline will be returned from the cleaners after 5:00 pm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Grannyx4
Hi Grannyx4,

One can tell if the safety is off, but not if a round is chambered. That said, it's always a good idea to assume that the gun is ready to fire.

The safety lever is on the (shooter's) right hand side of the weapon - up is "safe", down is "fire". The magazine clips into the bottom of the weapon and does not move until the shooter presses the latch to remove it.

13 posted on 01/11/2007 6:09:21 AM PST by AngryJawa ({NRA}{IDPA} Proud Infidel Since 1968)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Grannyx4
When I called the man on it, he told me that one could tell a round was chambered by the way the clip was seated.

This ONLY works on the A-Team reruns, and even then it's unreliable! ;-P

/ sarcasm toward the OTHER writer

14 posted on 01/11/2007 6:09:25 AM PST by MortMan (I was going to be indecisive, but I changed my mind.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MortMan

See my post #11. He is in his 60's; former Navy and a retired Omaha cop. He is one of our published authors so everyone looks to him for gun information. I'm kind of a thorn in his side, since I do some shooting. Not that I'm any kind of expert in gun handling.


15 posted on 01/11/2007 6:09:26 AM PST by Vor Lady (tagline will be returned from the cleaners after 5:00 pm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: AngryJawa

Is the AK safety on the "outside" of a right-handed shooter's rifle? I figured it would be like the M-16, where it is thumb-actuated for a right-hander (i.e.: on the left side of the lower receiver, both for accessibility and shooter visibility reasons).


16 posted on 01/11/2007 6:11:41 AM PST by MortMan (I was going to be indecisive, but I changed my mind.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: MortMan

LOL! I forgot about the A-Team! Maybe that is where he was getting his information. ;)


17 posted on 01/11/2007 6:12:08 AM PST by Vor Lady (tagline will be returned from the cleaners after 5:00 pm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: ASH71
Though i do not have much experiance with AK's i do know that with a mag. inserted in the weapon there is no way to tell if it is loaded or not.

Sure there is, shoot him and then check it...

18 posted on 01/11/2007 6:15:04 AM PST by Sir Francis Dashwood (LET'S ROLL!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: MortMan

Yep, it's on the starboard side of the weapon.


19 posted on 01/11/2007 6:15:42 AM PST by AngryJawa ({NRA}{IDPA} Proud Infidel Since 1968)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: AngryJawa
Yep, it's on the starboard side of the weapon.

Oops, forgot to add that the AK's safety is manipulated with the right-handed shooter's right index finger.

20 posted on 01/11/2007 6:18:54 AM PST by AngryJawa ({NRA}{IDPA} Proud Infidel Since 1968)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-59 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson