My father insists...

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Colvin

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Hey TFL, I have a delicate issue that I need to handle with your help.

My father, who has never owned a gun or shot without me insists on something that I believe to be less than legitimate. Keep in mind my father never taught me anything about firearms, I learned it all from my grandfather. My dad has no shooting experience and doesn't even know how to load and shoot a gun without my help. I don't mind showing him how, I enjoy when he takes the time to shoot with me because he knows it's my passion.

Well, I was loading a magazine near him and he started yelling at me. He said that I'm apparently unsafe because I load the mag in my direction, the rounds facing me. He said that the "bullets in the clip" could easily go of and hit me on my chest, which is two feet away from my magazine.

He has no scientific basis for this and just came up with the theory himself. I told him that while it's POSSIBLE for the rounds to go off, they cannot fly in that direction without the use of a firearm. He says I need to point it away so it'll fly out of the window instead of into my chest.

I listen to him because I'm in his house under his rules, but he will not listen when I tell him that he has no scientific basis.

However, I would be just as arrogant as him if I just assumed I was completely correct. This goes against all my knowledge, but is there any possibility of accidentally firing the round in magazine and have it propel in the direction it's facing without the use of a firearm- just my hands and the mag?

Thanks a bunch.
 
Well, I suppose a round COULD discharge and the resultant explosive bang COULD cause some metallic projectile to violate your epidermis somewhere (like the hand holding magazine and hand loading said cartridge) but with no steel tube to contain & direct the energy... pretty iffy in my book. ;)

But as you say, his roof... his rules. Turn your magazines around I guess, (ahem - should things go miraculously agly) better to harm someone else rather than sacrificing your own body for the good of the family I always say (better him/them than me) :D

ETA, just keep bits and pieces clear of the primer as you well know
 
He is full of bovine scatology.

If an unconfined round goes off the shell is what is going flying, not the bullet.

The odds of one going off while loading a magazine are so fantastically small as to approach zero, and in any case not worth worrying about.

It takes a pretty decent blow on a primer to set it off, and the primer is BELOW the head of the case (if only by a few thousandths of an inch).
 
The brass would explode. I doubt the bullet would be any real danger at that point, it's the heaviest and toughest piece of metal in that equation....the thin pieces of brass flying in every direction would be the biggest danger. That and burns. But you've got a better chance of winning the lottery.
But that's just my best guess.
 
I don't believe there's any real danger there but I'd load them facing away from me just to keep him happy. No sense in arguing it. Just as easy to load facing away from you as toward you. Keep the peace.
 
My folks passed away several years ago. As my mother often told me, "He is your father, treat him with respect." You are right. He is wrong. Now do as he says in his house, and hush.
 
I've always wondered if rimfire rounds could go off while loading them.

I just picked up a magazine and started loading it. The bullet was pointed into the palm of the hand that was placing the rounds into the magazine. I naturally hold the magazine sideways more than towards me, but either way the bullet would go into the palm of my hand if it went off.

Even if the bullet just set there and the brass exploded, I would think the worst damage would be to the hands, and possibly the face.
 
Nightsite,
I am swiping that picture! :rolleyes:
My Dad never taught me anything either and I never shot a gun with him, so you are way ahead of me in that department.
Being cautious with ammunition is comendable, Sometimes we all get a little to relaxed. Thank him for caring. ;)
 
You're probably just as likely to be struck by lightning. In which case the electric shock would probably fire the bullets in the magazine, and they may strike you. Though at that point, I imagine it won't matter very much. :D
 
It's the springs.

The bullets I trust, but there are no absolutes where springs are involved. They store the energy of chaos in their compressed coils.
 
Not only have I never heard of it happening before, I'd never even thought of the concept till I saw this thread.

I just can't think of a logical reason for how, or why it would happen.

Maybe, as others have suggested, humoring your father out of respect would be the best course of action though.
 
I always load w the bullets facing away from me. I wouldn't do a phd in physics to figure out the probability of something going bang. Why risk it? I also cut away from myself when using a knife. When I load my magazines with knives im twice as safe.
 
I load my magazines with knives im twice as safe.
Click to expand...

LMAO:D:D:D:D



No, nothing is going to happen, and even if it did, which it wont, you would be unharmed outside minimal perceivable flesh wounds.

Humoring thou father won't hurt you though.
 
Colvin wrote:

My father insists...
.....

Well, I was loading a magazine near him and he started yelling at me. He said that I'm apparently unsafe because I load the mag in my direction, the rounds facing me. He said that the "bullets in the clip" could easily go of and hit me on my chest, which is two feet away from my magazine.

.....
Click to expand...

Your father is watching out for you and is very afraid of firearms.
 
I don't watch the show all that much but didn't mythbusters do something like this? IIR they used a .22 as a fuse in a car. Anyway, I thought it flew in a random direction and couldn't penetrate the jeans of the dummy.
 
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