Will a Gun Go Off If It’s Dropped?

/ Ben / 14 Comments
Just for the record: That's moss, not the carpeting in my house. (Shutterstock photo)

Just for the record: That’s moss, not the carpeting in my house. (Shutterstock photo)

TLDR: Despite how it might benefit a fictional scene, it’s extremely rare for a gun to off accidentally, even when it’s dropped. It’s far more likely the “accident” is due to negligence.

Pictured: Life. (GIF via giphy)

Pictured: Life. (GIF via giphy)

I have great luck with my push lawnmower. It’s old, missing a few bolts and requires just the right touch to operate, but it gets the job done. If I’m lucky, it’ll start before pull number three. If it doesn’t, I know there’s a mechanical error. I might not know exactly where, but I follow a logical path to find it. Is there gas in the tank? Is the spark plug throwing a spark? Is the throttle adjusted correctly? Is there grass preventing the blade from spinning? Continue reading →

Just for Fun: How Many Peeps Does it Take to Stop a Bullet?

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Peeps are like inverse zombies. They want you to eat them, not the other way around. This makes them especially insidious. Julie Clopper / Shutterstock.com

Peeps are like inverse zombies. They want you to eat them, not the other way around. This makes them especially insidious. Julie Clopper / Shutterstock.com

Marshmallow Peeps are the fruitcakes of Easter. They’re a time-honored tradition obligation, the novelty wears off after exactly six seconds and they refuse to die. Or do they? What would happen if you shot a bunch of Peeps? Would the science that brings these gooey creatures to life also stop a bullet?

Kirsten Joy Weiss, a terrifically talented shooter with a great YouTube channel, decided to find out. The following videos chronicle her heroic attempts to destroy the zombies of food, marshmallow Peeps. Continue reading →

Come See Me at the 2016 Writer’s Digest Conference

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2016 Writers Digest Conference New York City Tickets

I’m thrilled to officially announce I’ll be speaking at the 2016 Writer’s Digest Conference, which takes place Aug. 12 to 14 in New York City. This is Writer’s Digest‘s premier event, and one of the foremost conferences in the world of writing. You can see the full rundown of the speakers here, as well as the day-by-day schedule of events here. Continue reading →

Why Do Characters Blow Away Gun Smoke from the Barrel After They Shoot?

/ Ben / 10 Comments
Why do characters in movies, TV shows and (sometimes) books blow smoke from the end of their handguns' barrels after a shootout? The answer, perhaps unsurprisingly, is because it looks cool. But history shows this trope once served a practical purpose. (Shutterstock image)

Why do characters in movies, TV shows and (sometimes) books blow smoke from the end of their guns’ barrels after a shootout? Also, is this person blowing away the smoke or sucking it in? Is this a hookah by way of a pistol? Is that even possible? Asking for a friend. (Shutterstock image)

TLDR: This trope serves no practical purpose with modern firearms, but it did play an essential role many years ago.

I hate to break it to you, but much of the “cool factor” surrounding guns in fiction is based on what looks cool. Take away the arbitrary cool factor, and firearms are pieces of nerdy metal, square chemistry, dad jean physics and Nickelback designs. On their own, they’re boring. Just try talking to one.

It takes someone or something else to make them “cool.” One way characters in fiction do that is by blowing the gun smoke away from the barrel after an intense volley of gunfire, usually but not always involving a handgun. The website TV Tropes even has a page dedicated to this cliche.

Is there any point to this trope or is it just blowing smoke? Let’s break it down.

Continue reading →

An Interview with Bear Grylls About Survival Knives

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At the time of this interview, Bear Grylls partnered with Gerber to produce a line of survival knives. If you'd like to read the entire article, click the image and download the full issue. (BLADE image)

At the time of this interview in 2011, Bear Grylls partnered with Gerber to produce a line of survival knives. (BLADE image)

And now for something a little different.

I started my full-time career in the publishing industry as a crime/government reporter wayyy back in 2007 for a newspaper called the STAR. That led to a position with BLADE magazine as a print editor the following year.

I didn’t know a ton about knives at the time, but I grew into the role soon enough. I still work with BLADE and its parent company, F+W, although my days in the editorial realm are few and far between. I suppose that’s why I get nostalgic for things like an interview with Bear Grylls I did for the July 2011 issue of BLADE.

I never met Grylls in person, but we did work out this interview about survival knives via e-mail. At the time, he was launching a line of Gerber survival knives that went on to become a staple at sporting goods stores across the U.S. I thought it’d be fun to post it here. Continue reading →