MAGNUMS SHOOT THROUGH ENGINE BLOCKS - NOT

SHOOTING THROUGH ENGINE BLOCKS WITH A REVOLVER ?

Writing a earlier piece I recalled a young cop quoting the engine block story – so here I go researching the myth:

On the Guns&Ammo Forum I found these: "Just shoot the driver and leave the car alone – especially if its a classic."

and: "my idea of a warning shot is when the second guy watches his first buddy go down." quoted as from Sir George Killian.(I thought that was a Coors beer).

There's always a Joker eh (Pastafarians thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster)

The most likely origin so far is that it comes from a 1950s Dick Tracey comic strip, - or that S&W may have said that "their .357' Magnum can crack the engine block on a Mack Truck."

You see the point here is that we are talking about a handgun – not a .50"Cal armour piercing round from a high power sniper rifle. No handgun round could reliably be expected to shoot through any cars bodywork, radiator, exhaust system, various other componentry, and then pass through a complete engine block – end of story! - And that is forgetting what kind of engine, 4 or 6 cylinder, V-8, "Detroit Iron" or modern alloy block?

              - Has it stopped yet? - BONNIE & CLYDES Bullet Riddled 1934 Ford (In museum)

Of course if you hit where there is a thin cast water-jacket in either a cast iron or an alloy block, you might well crack or penetrate it – or indeed if a carburetor or distributor on an old model was hit in the right place, the engine might stop. But a lead projectile leaving a revolver or auto at around 800 – 1200 ft per sec aint going to reliably win your bet.

                            HICKOK45 shoots a 3" RUGER GP-100 .357"Magnum

It's the old issue of the movies forgetting that some things are physically impossible – so they fake it and maybe some of the audience will of-course be fooled into thinking it's real. Similarly the media song "Don't ruin a good story with the facts" keeps being sung.

In science there is a physical law that reads "Every action has an equal and opposite re-action." - This means that if an "ARE YOU FEELING LUCKY PUNK" revolver could blow the perp off his feet backwards through a plate-glass shop window – it would have a similar effect on the shooter holding onto the gun.

The reality is that when our film actor fires his blank (.357") round from his .44 Magnum sized gun, the stunt-man double is jerked backwards by ropes through a window (made of sugar) onto a heap of cardboard boxes.

I mean, there are people who believe in SantaClaus and the Easter Bunny too, and maybe still go to church.

 To be honest with you - although I've been shooting handguns for 25+ years  I realy don't enjoy shooting real .44"Magnum ammo through a real S&W revolver - it really stings my soft hands!- One cylinder-full and I'll happily pass the artillery back to its staunch, really tough owner.

Marty K.
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