Fantastic Firearms Fables and Tall Tales from Townies.

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

One of the Paul Bunyan stories was that one winter it was so cold that whenever anyone spoke their words would freeze in the air. When the spring came all the frozens melted and there was an awful racket.
Iron rule is have things witnessed. All of Ed McGivern's feats were accomplished in front of witnesses, timing devices used, targets signed.
My personal feats of marksmanship, at the long gone Englishtown range here in NJ, in the Fall of 1979 I got a 1.5" or so group at 100 yards out of my Marlin 336 with my reloads, a 1.5" group at 100 yards with my Winchester M70 XTR with GI ammunition.

 

[BE Mike]

For the most part, I let BS slide. Except, if someone claims they were in the Marine Corps, they better be able to convince me in 10 seconds or I call them on it. And when I do so, it's "You're a liar, you never served in the Corps". I paid full price for the Eagle, Globe and Anchor, I'll be damned if I let it slide when someone claims it and didn't earn it.

False claims to being a Viet Nam Vet stick in my craw. Back in the day, VN Vets wouldn't wear their uniforms because of negative public opinion. Name calling and finger pointing was common. Writers for the movies and tv would often portray VN Vets as wild eyed murderers of innocent civilians. Now a few idiots want to pose. Only if you walked the walk, may you talk the talk!

 

[DWalt]

I doubt anyone ever intentionally fired a round with C4 in it. But it was a practice to pull bullets from 5.56 or 7.62x39 rounds, remove most of the powder, and pack them with C4 before replacing the bullet. They'd then salt them in magazines that were left for VC or NVA troops to capture or recover. When fired the C4 loaded round would rapidly disassemble the rifle along with important parts of the shooter.

Even with a low probability that captured or recovered ammo had been tampered with, it did not inspire a great deal of confidence .

For the REAL story, look up "Project Eldest Son."

 

[CajunBass]

I still out shot Gecko 45 who was sure he would win it all

Randy

Oh man. It's been a LONG time since I heard the name of the man, the myth, the legend...(hushed, whispered tone) Gecko45.

 

[PALADIN85020]

About 10 years ago, my wife and I owned a rental home, and we had rented it out to a single guy. I should have checked him out more carefully. After he moved in he called me up and said he needed to talk to me, as he knew I had served in the Army. I walked over to the house and he sat down to talk with a whisky on the table.

He said that what he had to say was gnawing on him since he left Vietnam, and he was feeling bad about killing so many people - that he had over 100 confirmed kills as a sniper.

My BS meter was pegged, and I asked him a few pointed questions to verify.

He hemmed and hawed around for a while as to what he used, did he have a spotter, etc. No doubt in my mind he was totally full of it.

I stood up and told him that he wouldn't know a minute of angle from a mil dot, and that he should be ashamed of himself for spouting garbage. I had some friends who gave their lives in Nam, and his attempt to con me was an insult to me and to them. I also told him never to call me again representing himself as a veteran. He did not last long as a tenant.

I have no respect whatsoever for the stolen valor types.

John

 

[Echo40]

Gecko45 was unfortunately before my time on firearms forums, so I only heard of him after a few folks jokingly questioned whether I was an alt account of his due to my running jokes about "The Crackerjack Boys" and the "Tactical Pterodactyl" brand as well as my occasional tendency to defend clones/off-brands.

I actually had to look him up, but once I did I found an archive of his old posts which were outright hysterical.

That being said, I think Gecko45 was probably intended as a satire or parody of the Online Operator persona, (I'd say Mall Ninja, but seing as he's the progenitor of the persona it would seem anachronistic in context) not really intended to be taken seriously, but since he never broke character and vanished without a trace, we'll never know for certain.

 

[mikeruns]

I will sometimes run into someone who says they are a former Marine sniper or their friend relative or neighbor was one and then they go further into the stories not knowing my background as a Marine gunsmith at the RTE/precision wpns shop/WTBN, Quantico, Va., and then their sometimes interesting to hysterical furthering their slip into the abyss of no return when I finally reveal my knowledge of some subjects and Marine service to them….I seldom exchange anymore as the stories are so boringly and incredibly similar…..I have had some interesting knowledge pressed into my ears at gun stores and gun shows too lol…this is a fun thread!

 

[Skeet 028]

You know...I've seen a few things happen that I couldn't hardly believe. And done a couple once saw a kid who saw aa deer clean across a field. He up and shot at it with his 410 slug shooter..that poor deer musta got struck by lightning. Fell over dead with a 410 slug in his head. The shot was so far I probably wouldn't have shot at a groundhog with my 22-250. 400 was max with it...if it wasn't windy. And I did have a friend take a shot at a rock out in my bean field after we sighted his Rem 700 7mm mag in on my range. he missed by just a bit. I had an old 1917 Enfield on the bench we were going to shoot. I loaded a round of black tip AP inthe old rifle...took a good sight on said rock. Drilled it perfectly...I turned away from him so he didn't see the shock on my face. He was amazed...thought I was a great rifleman...still talks about it 30 years later. I was beyond amazed...but didn't let on. I actually sold that ol battle rifle before I shot it again...just in case someone wanted me to repeat my great shooting feat. I shoulda bought a lottery ticket. Gotta say...most of the guys that shoot those thousand yard shots generally take a few sighters before they hit what they are looking at. And shotgunning is my real love...and I'm really not a slouch at it. And we all have good days...but I've seen some people shoot shotguns so often so perfectly that it was almost beyond belief. Shooting IS a case of hand eye coordination. Sometimes I actually have it!!

 

[Krogen]

A few years ago, I was the membership chair for our gun club. Part of the job was using your BS detector (aka BSD). It was critical to screen out the jerks. There were lots of tales from prospective members, but one sticks in my mind, no, in my craw. It angered me greatly.

This knothead told me he had served as the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps. Really? I mean REALLY?? He sounded to be in his 20's. Do tell: Why would such an individual want to join a local-yokel gun club?

He got a severe talking-to and didn't even get close to the club's front door. I have ZERO tolerance for that sort.

 

[johngalt]

The LGS store once thought I was one of 'those guys'. I mentioned I had a 1911 in .38 special.

"You mean .38 super"
"No it's .38 special"
"yeah, ok" (rolls eyes)

I was a few weeks later for something else, brought my .38 with me. It's a Clark .38 Special Bullseye pistol, made back in the day when Jim Clark Sr. ran the shop. Shoots .38 special wadcutters (like a M52).

LGS guys: "....Ohhhh......"

Ever since, whenever an 'expert' tried to BS me, the LGS guys (who I got to know fairly well by then) would break in and tell them "That's guy's a shooter, he knows what he is talking about".

 

[steelslaver]

While it does not have a scope I have a revolver that will and has fired 45 Winchester magnum. Mine has a 45 colt cylinder cut to fire 45 acps in moon clips and if you put 45 win mags in those clips it will chamber and fire them with no problems. You could also just ream a 45 acp cylinder deeper and chamber them.

While I do nor recommend firing full bore 45 win mag loads in it, because of the thicker web at the base they will handle more pressure than 45 acp loads.

Freedom arms also makes a revolver for the round.

 

[Echo40]

Like I said, I had considered and even looked into the possibility that he might be in possession of a custom firearm, but he had a habit of telling tall tales and he was insistant that it was marked "Winchester" which no custom shop I could find was named.

Besides, he worked at a sports bar, so I doubt he had the kind of money to afford a custom firearm to begin with.