Anyone else see Mythbusters and the S&W 500? They confirmed the myth that holding one's finger (thumb) exposed to the barrel/cylinder gap could blow off one's thumb.

There is a picture of some ol poor fella who had thumbs WAY forward and when he shot it cut it almost completely off, only hanging by a piece of skin.

Hell I believe a hot 357 load would do the same.

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Gun Control Kills

Kind of makes a revolver a bad choice for a truck gun, no? Shoot out the drivers side you burn yourself, shoot out the passenger side you burn your wife. I'll keep the Glock 20 myself. Worst case with an auto is a hot piece of brass. I know I'll pay for saying that here.

Sure, if you're using something like .357 Magnum or greater. .38SPL, even +P, shouldn't burn too much if at all...

Well, maybe with slower powders...

I had a regrettable experience in my much younger years along these lines with a 28-2 and no reattachment of any body parts was required, although it did get my attention and has yet to be repeated.

Brian~

Actually, the worse case with an auto is a ftf or fte. Don't have to worry about that with a wheel gun! Also, that hot brass can be pretty painful if it manages to drop into a woman's neckline! Not exactly easy to get out either!

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Misty

I didn't have to be convinced on this story. I saw a guy loose the last inch of his left thumb to a Ruger 454 cusall a year or so ago. There was nothing to sew back on. Looking back on it now it was a bit funny in the aftermath-- The guy asked where the restroom was (public range) the lady that runs the range with her husband (tough broad) told him where it was thinking it was just a cut/scratch. After a half hour in the ******* she went by the open door to see why he was "hogging" the toilet--the guy is white as a ghost kneeling on one knee with his hand in the sink; she said "are you still washing that hand you p*%#y? She then found out he had shot the end of the finger off , then came the ambalance, and so on. I damn neared died when we went out to see about gathering up his stuff to store it for him. It looed like someone shot three deer. Anyway, everyone now knows about the thumb dude and how "hard assed" the old lady is ( she is realy sweet to most everyone ).

I believe that the smith that the Mythbusters used was a 5" .460 with a hi-vis front sight.
It must have happened before as this is page 19 out of S&W's current owner's manual

I saw the episode I never doubted it was possible as hot as the 500 is. I got a pretty nasty burn from a .22 magnum in my single six. I rested it on fence with my hand near the cylinder gap, I was new to revolvers at the time, needless to say I won't do that again.

If there is no other valid reason for me to read this forum then this would be the one. I had never heard of this and didn't know it was possible until I'd read it here. Now as to why ANYONE would grip a revolver in that fashion is beyond me...

It wouldn't be just the blast at the B/C gap, the concussion and overall noise from a .500 Mag (we were talking about the .500 right?) across your chest would be staggering and that is a gross understatement. Your life had better be on the line because you're going to pay for such a shot. Don

I never understood why someone would doubt the damage potential in that situation. Anywhere from 40-60,000psi screeching out of a thin B/C gap is going to do serious damage to soft human tissue. Don

There is a Youtube video of the same with a 44 Mag.

Which one of you are going to do the field testing on this so we will all know what it will do. The fire that I have seen coming out of a 32 long, I don't want my hand near it.

Some time back I had a brain fart while doing some load development with a .357. Shooting off of a sand-bag I will massage the bag with my left hand to adjust he sights on the target. Naturally, I got my left hand too close to the b/c gap, and it peppered my hand and embedded fine particles in the skin. Hurt like @#$%@#!!. That was the last time I did that.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

4" 500 Video

Mind the gap!

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grit

You know, I have brought several shooters to my range who attempted to shoot a revolver this way. I was right there and offered grip instruction, but if I had not been there, they would certainly have hurt themselves, dropped the gun, or worse.

I find the ones who grip like this have used 22s and had no need to grip a gun properly. They think they know what they are doing but really do not. That's why I NEVER let anyone shoot at my range without my being there the first time (or more often if I feel it's required).

Misty,
Hello! I had to laugh at your reply. My step-daughter did a heck of a unique "dance" one day when a .22 case slipped down her front-side...fortunatly I was right there and managed to keep the Ruger Mk2 pointed down range as she proceed to let go of the gun!!

As a general rule: I advise lady shooters NOT to wear low-cut tops when shooting (I really hate this safety rule).

I also ask folks to wear a billed cap to keep brass from getting in along the glass frame and skin...I learned this one first hand! Ouch!

I also suggest people do NOT wear sandals while shooting as I've seen several "range dances" occur when hot brass falls in between one's toes!

Bob

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"Onward thru the Fog"

I'll try it with my 6.5" 500 next time at the range. I will try it with a carrot with different loads. And see what load works the most damage.

I hope you don't apply that rule to attractive females do you??. Yes, I've been called a pig by women before, it won't be the first time. Don

When I was a kid (early 20s, actually), I saw photos of Elmer Keith using his back rest shooting position with the handgun held against his drawn-up knee. I tried it, but didn't get the gun far enough forward for the cylinder gap to clear my leg. When I touched off my 4-inch Model 29 I thought I'd either shot myself in the leg, or had been hit by lightening! I was lucky enough to get away with a hole ripped in my pants and a painful burn on my leg! It was a lesson I've NEVER forgotten!

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SWCA 2379

I too think that was the 460V. My wife has one just like. They mentioned "2300fps".

Anyway, I was talking with the S&W service dept. (front sight blew off on my XVR!) and said something about the gap gas being maybe "dangerous"....he said...."it'll blow your finger off and we have pictures to prove it". I didn't doubt him.

I am VERY careful about who I let shoot our guns for this very reason. I had a fellow almost make the mistake.
HD2

I was practicing speed draws with my 357. I got a bad grip with my support hand and stuck my thumb slightly too far forward. The blast form the barrel cylinder gap drew a drop of blood from the tip of the finger. Lesson learned.

Do you shoot while sitting in your car often? I'd be more worried about losing my hearing than getting burned. A burn heals.

Regarding the guy who lost his thumbs...I don't even understand how you could grip it with your thumbs that far forward?

You'll lose your thumb if you grip any auto wrong, too. Don't misuse the equipment.

My friend went to the range after suffering a small injury to his index finger and decided that he could pull the trigger with his middle finger. His trigger finger took a little longer to heal after that first shot.

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SC Army National Guard

A lot of people who do that sort of long distance revolver shooting wear thick leather leg protection for exactly the reason you mention. Even then, if you shot high velocity loads out of the .460 or .500, it would quickly and seriously damage the leather. Don

Don that made me laugh, I know what you mean...

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Endowment Life Member NRA

Good to hear from you Redhawk1, hope all is well with you. Don

I used to help instruct at a women's introductory shooting class and in the summer we always cautioned the women against low cut shirts on account of hot flying brass -- and someone always ignored that advice and got to perform "the dance."

When I attended the police academy in 1978, an instructor wrapped a piece of white paper over the top of a S&W Model 64, and with SWC target ammo, showed us what would happen if we had our hands or fingers past or near the b/c gap. I've never forgotten that lesson.

It really is amazing just how hot that piece of brass can be! Especially on a ... well, y'all know what I mean!

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Misty

[quote]Originally posted by gunlovingirl:
LMAO
My wife has learned to wear a shirt with a collar on the range after a couple of experiences with errant 45 brass that broke her "concentration"

The last time I was at the indoor range (a couple weeks ago), hot brass went...you guessed it...right down a gal's open-top shirt. It left a burn welt, and I only know this because she was so frantically pulling her shirt that MORE than just brass popped out!!

Poor girl...

If you want to see actual damage to a thumb, go here:

http://forums.outdoorsdirector...owthread.php?t=44382

Yikes!!!!