Method Guns/firearms megathread

[TAW122]

Here is a link to an article that describes about the damage of a gunshot wound to the head. Credit to @SiArc

Here is an image of a cross-section of the brain's interior, which will help even more with where one will place the firearm to hit the brainstem. Credit to @LayZ

 

[Arak]

Is the brain stem really that small ? Better fire a large bullet then, you don't want to hit the cerebellum.

 

[TAW122]

It's not, it's just slim and long, but to hit it requires being in the right position and angle. While it is possible to die with a near miss to the brainstem, death would occur due to shock and blood loss and extensive damage towards the other parts of the brain itself.

 

[Retched]

It's not, it's just slim and long, but to hit it requires being in the right position and angle. While it is possible to die with a near miss to the brainstem, death would occur due to shock and blood loss and extensive damage towards the other parts of the brain itself.

I'm nervous about missing the brainstem. If/when I go through with this I'm aiming behind the ear, not in my mouth. I have seen too many pictures of the mouth shots gone wrong and just can't do that. I hope that I don't miss. I have resolved to buy my firearm after work tomorrow. I don't want to live without it. Wait...that sounded weird. I just want it on hand if needed.

 

[SiArc]

https://www.scienceabc.com/humans/gunshot-to-the-head-does-this-mean-instant-death.html

Was advised to put this link here. Good reading about shot placement and such.

 

[johnny]

I'm nervous about missing the brainstem. If/when I go through with this I'm aiming behind the ear, not in my mouth. I have seen too many pictures of the mouth shots gone wrong and just can't do that. I hope that I don't miss. I have resolved to buy my firearm after work tomorrow. I don't want to live without it. Wait...that sounded weird. I just want it on hand if needed.

Could you point me to mouth shots gone wrong? The only ones I can find are from underneath the chin

 

[Retched]

Could you point me to mouth shots gone wrong? The only ones I can find are from underneath the chin

Ok, maybe it is under the chin, but the pictures with the guys' face just blown off and they are still awake scares the crap out of me. Just assuming that the way they looked meant they aimed in the mouth. Don't know.

 

[johnny]

Ok, maybe it is under the chin, but the pictures with the guys' face just blown off and they are still awake scares the crap out of me. Just assuming that the way they looked meant they aimed in the mouth. Don't know.

Pretty sure all those ones are from underneath the chin...I mean, the bullet basically went straight up, i don't see how that would be possible with the barrel in the mouth

 

[Retched]

Pretty sure all those ones are from underneath the chin...I mean, the bullet basically went straight up, i don't see how that would be possible with the barrel in the mouth

Yeah, you are probably right. IDK. I'm not an expert on this stuff.....at all. Gun in my mouth seems scary. Gun to my head seems scary. But less so than in my mouth. Who knows, if/when I buy one, I'll have to figure that out....

 

[TiredHorse]

Pretty sure all those ones are from underneath the chin...I mean, the bullet basically went straight up, i don't see how that would be possible with the barrel in the mouth

I would agree with this. Under the chin is a common Hollywood trope and a grave mistake for anyone who actually intends to die.

 

[Retched]

I would agree with this. Under the chin is a common Hollywood trope and a grave mistake for anyone who actually intends to die.

I worry about putting a barrel into my mouth at all. IDK, just me I guess.

 

[Anubis901]

I worry about putting a barrel into my mouth at all. IDK, just me I guess.

Same here. I find it very weird and haven't worked up the nerve to practice it that way yet. I'm also trying to figure out a way to hold the gun since it will be backward. While the temple shot isn't recommended by many on here, it seems to at least feel more stable.

 

[Retched]

Same here. I find it very weird and haven't worked up the nerve to practice it that way yet. I'm also trying to figure out a way to hold the gun since it will be backward. While the temple shot isn't recommended by many on here, it seems to at least feel more stable.

I hear ya. Glad I'm not the only one with the wariness about the mouth, just seems so weird. Behind the ear will be awkward enough. I wish the temple was recommended, I agree that it is more stable feeling/looking. Though I haven't been able to really practice yet...with an actual piece yet...

 

[TAW122]

I've done a few practice runs with my shotgun. I always place it in the mouth as it is hard to hold a long gun to one's head while stabilizing it (maybe someone has done it that way before, but afaik it's more difficult so barrel in my mouth is the way I go). Anyways, I've done it standing up and also sitting down. I try to tilt my head forward a little bit when I place the barrel in my mouth so that I will be more likely to my brainstem as well as the spine (if a near miss), as well as aiming a bit lower than higher. At any rate, 00 buckshot in a 12 gauge shotgun is extremely likely (99.9-100%) to be very fatal given the way I've set it up. If I don't die instantly, at best I will still die of extreme trauma (extensive damage to the brain itself -- virtually mush and guts) as well as blood loss. I'd imagine the moment I pull the trigger, I will lose conscious in 0.1 seconds or so.

I suppose with a pistol, yes, one could place it against their head, behind the ear as a handgun is easier to place and position than a long gun.

 

[TiredHorse]

I worry about putting a barrel into my mouth at all. IDK, just me I guess.

Me too. I don't know why I'm twitchy about it, but I am.

Do practice in the mirror, though: I've found that it's easy to think you're aiming straight across, when the gun is behind your ear, but actually be aiming up.

I always place it in the mouth as it is hard to hold a long gun to one's head while stabilizing it

As far as I know, in the mouth is about the only way with a shotgun. It still felt very awkward when I experimented with mine, though.

 

[BeyondtheVeil]

You can practice shooting a .357 with .38 special ammunition to experience less recoil. Do NOT attempt this with any other caliber ammunition. As to recoil and missing... don't worry about it. It's a cause and effect relationship. The gun recoils because the bullet has been fired. This means the bullet has already left the chamber before the gun moves any significant amount. What you have to focus on is aiming and pulling the trigger without also pulling the gun off to the side. If it is a double action revolver, cock the hammer before pulling the trigger. If it isn't, practice dry firing (make sure the gun is empty) in the desired position to make sure you can smoothly press the trigger without the barrel moving at all.

I've asked someone else this question already but I'd like to hear your opinion. I have access to a .357 mag with .38+p ammo. You mentioned using .38 ammo to practice shooting. In your opinion, will the .38+p ammo also be sufficient to successfully ctb?

 

[TiredHorse]

For a .38 Special, +P ammunition is loaded to produce 9% greater pressure than standard ammunition. Given that a properly aimed .38 should be adequate to ctb, I've been recommending +P hollowpoints (always use hollowpoints) as a good bit of extra insurance.

 

[Roadkill]

I made a cardboard gun that I have been practicing with.. I thought I had the angle perfect when I was looking in the mirror.. but I was only considering the upward angle in my mouth toward the brain stem.. when I finally viewed the sideways angle(which I had been ignoring), I saw that the gun had been aimed way to the side, which would have completely missed my brain stem and gone toward my cheek or ear... that would have been a grave mistake.. so remember if you are putting the gun in your mouth--there are 2 angles to consider.. make sure that you are shooting straight back and up, and not to one side or another

 

[Roadkill]

and speaking of failures of putting the gun in one's mouth, the Boston Bomber failed when he did that and tried to kill himself.. he aimed too low, and the bullet just went out the back of his neck, under the brain stem... and he also missed his spinal cord

 

[Stillnotsure]

I've asked someone else this question already but I'd like to hear your opinion. I have access to a .357 mag with .38+p ammo. You mentioned using .38 ammo to practice shooting. In your opinion, will the .38+p ammo also be sufficient to successfully ctb?

I second what @TiredHorse said. I would gladly use a .38+P round to CTB. I have no fear at all that it wouldn't do the job if you were careful where you aimed. I believe the ease of using a revolver increases the odds of success because it is a very reliable pistol and you can practice with it empty in the desired position without risk of damage to the gun itself. Handguns are not always Bigger Is Better, but they are more of a case of Less is More in this case. Just remember to get hollow point ammunition.

 

[GhostedToast]

is there a good way to pick a gun lock off. also would a .45 or .50 round be alright to use?

 

[TiredHorse]

is there a good way to pick a gun lock off. also would a .45 or .50 round be alright to use?

No, there's no good way to pick a gun lock off, unless you know how to pick any other lock. And I don't think you want to go stealing a gun, least of all to ctb. It's not a good idea.

.45 or .50 would be plenty, but --Heavens to Mergatroid!-- what gun are you looking at that fires .50? That's a rare round just because it's ridiculously huge.

 

[GhostedToast]

No, there's no good way to pick a gun lock off, unless you know how to pick any other lock. And I don't think you want to go stealing a gun, least of all to ctb. It's not a good idea.

.45 or .50 would be plenty, but --Heavens to Mergatroid!-- what gun are you looking at that fires .50? That's a rare round just because it's ridiculously huge.

i wouldnt be stealing the gun it's one of my family members i just dont remember if they're all locked or if one or two are unlocked. the .50 is a desert eagle if i can recall correctly.

 

[TiredHorse]

i wouldnt be stealing the gun it's one of my family members i just dont remember if they're all locked or if one or two are unlocked. the .50 is a desert eagle if i can recall correctly.

Well, if you point a .50AE Desert Eagle at your head, it's pretty near certain that it'll get the job done: there won't be much left above your shoulders. (That's an exaggeration, but not by much.)

As for picking trigger locks, to my understanding they're about the same difficulty as any padlock. Which is completely beyond my skill set.

 

[Anubis901]

@Roadkill, I like the idea of the cardboard gun. @Retched, maybe that would make it seem a little less weird at first.

I have seen a video of a guy who uses a long gun to CTB. He was sitting in a bathtub. The relatively short length and narrow width of the tub stabilized his body and the gun. The video wasn't the best quality but he did put the barrel in his mouth and fired. It worked.

 

[Stillnotsure]

i wouldnt be stealing the gun it's one of my family members i just dont remember if they're all locked or if one or two are unlocked. the .50 is a desert eagle if i can recall correctly.

As a gun enthusiast I have to stand up for the gun and gun owner in this scenario.

You are stealing the gun as you don't have permission to use it. You are ruining a $500-$1000 gun that isn't yours. Your blood and brain matter are going to spray onto the gun and get into its nooks and crannies. The police will be impounding the gun for evidence. They will further jeprodise the mechanics of it with fingerprint powder. Your family member can petition to have it back after the wait period. They will get it back covered in your body tissues and blood and the fingerprint powder. They will have to meticulously clean the gun. The serial number of the gun will be entered into evidence, so anyone who tries to purchase that gun in the future will know it was used in a crime, your suicide.

The gun owner will either let the police keep the gun because the thought of you having used it to ctb will be to heavy on them. They may be charged criminally if you are a minor for having made it accessible. They may have to grimly clean up your mess on it.

As @TiredHorse said, .50 Desert Eagles aren't something you find in every gun collection. They're usually an expensive novelty. Even .45 caliber handguns are valuable.

If you don't think this through you may even ruin your family member's love of guns.

I hope you reconsider this. There are other ways to ctb. Please consider the consequences of your choice.

 

[johnny]

I made a cardboard gun that I have been practicing with.. I thought I had the angle perfect when I was looking in the mirror.. but I was only considering the upward angle in my mouth toward the brain stem.. when I finally viewed the sideways angle(which I had been ignoring), I saw that the gun had been aimed way to the side, which would have completely missed my brain stem and gone toward my cheek or ear... that would have been a grave mistake.. so remember if you are putting the gun in your mouth--there are 2 angles to consider.. make sure that you are shooting straight back and up, and not to one side or another

What do you mean? Doesn't the gun just need to be centered?

and speaking of failures of putting the gun in one's mouth, the Boston Bomber failed when he did that and tried to kill himself.. he aimed too low, and the bullet just went out the back of his neck, under the brain stem... and he also missed his spinal cord

Which person are you talking about? One of the bombers was killed during a shootout with police, the other was captured and is in prison.

 

[Roadkill]

What do you mean? Doesn't the gun just need to be centered?
Which person are you talking about? One of the bombers was killed during a shootout with police, the other was captured and is in prison.

yes, the gun needs to be centered, but the upward angle needs to be perfect--aimed right at the brain stem, about a 30 degree upward angle

yes, the one that was captured is the one who fired the gun in his mouth, missing his brain stem and spinal cord.. he aimed too low and to the side.. the bullet just went out of the back of his neck

 

[johnny]

yes, the gun needs to be centered, but the upward angle needs to be perfect--aimed right at the brain stem, about a 30 degree upward angle

yes, the one that was captured is the one who fired the gun in his mouth, missing his brain stem and spinal cord.. he aimed too low and to the side.. the bullet just went out of the back of his neck

I just read the wiki article on him and found this, it doesn't look like he attempted suicide after all

"Tsarnaev, who had been shot and was bleeding badly from wounds to his left ear, neck and thigh,was taken into federal custody after the standoff. Initial reports that the neck wound was from a self-inflicted gunshot due to a possible suicide attempt were later contradicted by the revelation that he was unarmed at the time of capture and a description of the neck wound by SWAT team members that it was a slicing injury, possibly caused by shrapnel from an explosion."

 

[Retched]

yes, the gun needs to be centered, but the upward angle needs to be perfect--aimed right at the brain stem, about a 30 degree upward angle

yes, the one that was captured is the one who fired the gun in his mouth, missing his brain stem and spinal cord.. he aimed too low and to the side.. the bullet just went out of the back of his neck

So maybe I should overcome my fear of gun in mouth and try working towards the correct angle? I still am partial to behind the ear...