The Down Range Forum

Member Section => Politics & RKBA => Topic started by: Pathfinder on August 08, 2008, 06:12:14 PM

Title: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: Pathfinder on August 08, 2008, 06:12:14 PM
FYI, that new show, How It Works on the History Channel will be running an episode on gun and ammo (their words) next Thursday. I will be watching, and fully intend to vent to THC (and here of course) if they get all warm and liberal on us. The promos, tho, show the host shooting what appears to be a S&W 500 at a range.

Here's the synopsis:

The Works : Guns and Ammo  Airs on Thursday August 14 10:00 PM (EDT)

Host Daniel H. Wilson traces the history of guns and uncovers their incredible role in our everyday lives. Gun technology is all around us, from lighters, to a simple rubber band, to the meat in our freezer! Gunpowder, a centuries-old invention still used today, has a key ingredient: urine! Experience the future of ammunition at a test facility where plasma, compressed gas and light-powered guns are being perfected that can send projectiles into orbit.

They will repeat it on Friday August 15 02:00 AM EDT
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: 1776 Rebel on August 08, 2008, 07:06:53 PM
I doubt that it will be unfair. They have a "history" of neat shows about shooting etc (Sharp Shooters for instance) Mail Call (for several years their highest rated show !) and others. I bet it will be worth taping and keeping !!!
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: tombogan03884 on August 08, 2008, 08:02:43 PM
They used to have one about "How it's made"  They tend to put so much time into the technical info to waste any on politics.
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: PegLeg45 on August 09, 2008, 07:45:01 PM
Their series "Tales of the Gun" was a great history of firearms.

I think THC was in cahoots with the NRA to make those NRA videos for Tales of the Gun.
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: twyacht on August 09, 2008, 08:52:12 PM
I think THC was in cahoots with the NRA to make those NRA videos for Tales of the Gun.

I watch a bunch of THC, if the story was firearm related, it was not politically biased. They were actually pretty pro-gun.

(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/twyacht/ermey.jpg)

Plus, during Mail Call, someone like this calls BS, when he sees it.

Thanks for the post, I'll be watching.
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: Pathfinder on August 14, 2008, 09:41:12 PM
I'm watching this show right now, pretty good.

The host is a PhD in robotics who wants to show us how things work. He is also a bit of a dork. He fired a shotgun with slugs, then took out his cellphone camera to take pictures of the target with the holes.

Also got Ed Head from Gunsite to help him.

So far, not too bad, and occasionally funny.
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: CJS3 on August 14, 2008, 10:17:43 PM
Just finished watching, and it was pretty good. The science of firearms.
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: Dakotaranger on August 14, 2008, 11:39:27 PM
Anything that would show the uninitiated the truth about firearms and our history as man is a good thing.  This program is only helps our cause
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: kmitch200 on August 15, 2008, 09:31:53 AM
Just finished watching, and it was pretty good. The science of firearms.

Me too!
I didn't get to see the ending, I'll finish up with the recording later.

Watch this show if you get the chance. If nothing else, for the hosts reaction to doing things we all take as second nature.
He does get to go to some neat places and fire, (or watch being fired), some very cool weapon systems.
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: tt11758 on August 15, 2008, 11:10:05 AM
GREAT show!!!  I'm just jealous that he got to fire full-auto and I have to settle for semi.    ;D
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: jaybet on August 15, 2008, 11:33:23 AM
I was waiting and waiting for the show then  missed it. Does anyone know if they'll be re-running it?
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: tt11758 on August 15, 2008, 11:35:32 AM
I was waiting and waiting for the show then  missed it. Does anyone know if they'll be re-running it?


C'mon over......I have it on DVR!!   ;D
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: 1776 Rebel on August 15, 2008, 04:32:17 PM
Next showing of this episode according to TIVO is Sunday 8/17 at 12 noon.
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: Pathfinder on August 15, 2008, 07:21:25 PM
Next showing of this episode according to TIVO is Sunday 8/17 at 12 noon.

Time zone?

I have it on DVR too, forgot to set it before, found it repeated at midnight CST Thursday night.
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: Jim Urban on August 15, 2008, 07:36:04 PM
Jay/Pathfinder

Replay is Sunday 8/17 at 12:00 Eastern(noon) 9:00 AM Pacific
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: BigSaucy on August 16, 2008, 12:17:39 AM
Thanks for the tip Pathfinder. I set my DVR when I first read your post and promptly forgot about it. I just re-read your post and finally watched it. Good show and good info.

I believe I saw on another documentary, possibly "Tales of the Gun", that the Germans in WWII and probably others experimented with actual curved barrels (or barrel attachments) so the 'trick' question about shooting around corners might not have been entirely accurate. Anybody have any info on that?
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: tombogan03884 on August 16, 2008, 12:47:34 AM
Thanks for the tip Pathfinder. I set my DVR when I first read your post and promptly forgot about it. I just re-read your post and finally watched it. Good show and good info.

I believe I saw on another documentary, possibly "Tales of the Gun", that the Germans in WWII and probably others experimented with actual curved barrels (or barrel attachments) so the 'trick' question about shooting around corners might not have been entirely accurate. Anybody have any info on that?

Yes, the Germans made a device for the StG 44 that would shoot around corners, it was a barrel attachment with a 90 degree sweep and a prismatic sight, they also had a 45 degree version made in much smaller numbersIt was made for urban combat on the Eastern front, Some claim it was for use in tanks to clear Russians off who would place satchel charges on the tank or drop grenades down the hatch, anyone who has seen the tight quarters inside a WWII German tank doubts this theory as the StG 44 was longer than an AK, with out the folding stock, it would have been far more practicle to apply the same technology to a sub machine gun than to try weilding a full size rifle inside a tank. post war evaluations rated them as reasonably accurate.
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: SigShooter on August 16, 2008, 01:07:18 AM
I saw the show. It was pretty fair and comprehensive, which would be most beneficial to people who don't shoot for whatever reason, IMHO. I do recall a portion of the show in which the host describes the differences between the most basic types of bullet profile, the round nose and the hollow point. He shot them against a steel plate and tried to explain the differences in the performances of each bullet based on how they reacted with the steel plate. I think it would have been better to show the differences with ballistic gelatin rather than a steel plate, because the both of the rounds shattered on the steel. Gelatin would show why use hollow points and why we don't use round nose, be they FMJ, Lead, Semi-wadcutter, or other variations, for self defense. But I do understand that it was a basic show and was geared towards those with less experience than those who study firearms religiously, and I liked it over all. That's just my opinion, though.
Title: Re: History Channel - How It Works on guns & ammo next Thursday
Post by: Pathfinder on August 16, 2008, 04:46:55 AM
Yes, the Germans made a device for the StG 44 that would shoot around corners, it was a barrel attachment with a 90 degree sweep and a prismatic sight, they also had a 45 degree version made in much smaller numbersIt was made for urban combat on the Eastern front, Some claim it was for use in tanks to clear Russians off who would place satchel charges on the tank or drop grenades down the hatch, anyone who has seen the tight quarters inside a WWII German tank doubts this theory as the StG 44 was longer than an AK, with out the folding stock, it would have been far more practicle to apply the same technology to a sub machine gun than to try weilding a full size rifle inside a tank. post war evaluations rated them as reasonably accurate.

I remember thinking as he talked about shooting around corners, he missed two weapons - the Israeli one made essentially from a Glock, and the German curved barrel Stg44. The Glock one is just silly, as it is a plastic frame that is hinged in the middle, and looks fragile.

As I recall, the curved barrel on the Stg44 was developed for the Elefant (might have that one wrong), a rather large SPG, which was never supplied with a commander's MG, and consequently had no way to keep enemy infantry away from its hull.  So the curved barrel Stg44 was developed to be shoved through a gun port, and spray and pray the BG off the hull. The barrel tended to shatter the bullets, not a bad thing when you're shooting at those ranges with the desire to clear the hull.