Do guns like other machines have "feelings"?????

[oldracer]

When I was in the Navy, working in various engine rooms I always said hello to the turbines and pumps every day and I would think that it made them "happy"?! Never hurt anyways I figured so now I am thinking maybe my guns are the same? Case in point.....I have not had my Pedersoli Gibbs out to the range for 6 months or so and this past Monday I decided to unlimber it a bit. I pulled out my note book, since I try to take clear notes on what bullet, powder load and tang sight settings are used and if anything changes. I checked the tang sight, set for 100 yards which I remember as the last distance I shot at so I set up, same bullet, same powder load, same wad, etc and Ka-Boom. I looked through the spotting scope.......NO hole anywhere? Huh, so I tried again aiming a bit high and again a bit low and still no holes. So finally I moved the target in to 50 yards, aimed dead center and boom, 1 o-clock at the edge of the standard black NRA target!

I tried one more, nearly touching, soooooo I moved back to 100 yards, no changes and Ka-Boom, level with the center and an inch to the right. Three more shots all almost touching! Now I was really thinking, no changes to the gun, same powder, same caps, same paper patch bullet, same 0.060 wad and so on. Several more shots so I decided to go home and ponder it, but as I put the rifle away I told it I'll not wait that long to bring it out so maybe it will be happy???!!

[DR Owl Creek]

There's a reason why they've always said you should give a gun a girl's name...

Dave

[John Taylor]

Gremlins in the gun locker.

[Omnivore]

It is a sort of humorous question, but, looking at it seriously; I figure that we ascribe to "feelings" things in inanimate objects that we don't fully understand. In the case described above, It's likely due to the condition of the bore. How clean was it when you dialed the sights in previously, compared to how clean it was, or what particular variety and nature of crud was in it, when you took it out this time? The need for a "fouling shot" in a well-known phenomenon. I've noticed in my 50 cal muzzleloader rifle that I need to have the bore in just the right status to make it hit POA at 100 yards. If it's "too clean" and too well lubed, for example, my shots go low, all else being equal-- the ball needs to have a consistent amount of resistance for the powder to build the pressure and burn rate to push the ball out at a consistent velocity.

So; does it need to be treated just a certain way? Of course. And that simple description matches that of your wife or anyone else you associate with. Does that mean it has feelings? Well it's a tongue-in-cheek sort of question of course. Sorry if I'm not "playing along", but you asked. Then there's possible swelling of wood and whatnot, and a whole bunch of other possible variables. So sure; get out a rattle and dance around a fire chanting various spells and so on-- once in a while it will seem to actually work.

[dtknowles]

Naming a gun or talking to your motor or car can have effects on its performance as it changes your attitude toward the machine and how you treat it.

Tim

[rhbrink]

Try shooting a flint lock for a few years you'll develop quite a relationship with it!!!!!! Sometimes it's love and sometimes people clear the firing line around you until things calm down a bit and things get a bit more civil!!!

RB

[johnson1942]

i used to have guns like that but their is a reason for it and when you figure it out, they are not like that any more. non of my guns are like that any more.

[condorjohn]

I hear mine from the closet, every night, "please take me out and shoot me"!

[oldracer]

At first I thought it was a prep issue or bullet issue but I prep the same way each time, I.E. wipe the barrel with several dry patches using a small jag so I can get into the patent breech, especially with the Gibbs or my copy and then check the fire channel with some pipe cleaners and insure the nipple is clear and install it. The two long range guns are stored with the barrels removed in the case laying flat so there is no oil build up. In the case of bullets, I have them in their own boxes bepending on the rifle. With round ball guns, no big deal as they are all 0.495 diameter but the slug guns are 520 grain lubed, 540 grain lubed, 540 grain paper patch and 560 grain paper patch. The last time I shot it was with the 540 lubed according to my notes???????

Oh yeah, it is named "Rosilita" after my wife! The other slug gun is "big Louie!

[GhostHawk]

Intellectually I know that they are not alive.

Looking at it from a common sense perspective I know that weather changes, humidity, temp, will change POI on some rifles.

Emotionally I feel that rifles are a bit like dogs. When you first get a puppy all does not go smoothly. Pup does not yet know you, know what his job is, or how to do it. Know what is, and what is not allowed. Yet you keep it close to you and over a period of time they eventually figure some, or most of it out.

That is my theory on rifles in a nutshell.

Keep it close, handle it weekly, oil it regularly, polish it gently with a soft cloth. Talk to it if you like.
Over a period of time it either figures out what it is that you want, and expect, or it gets traded.

[JonnyReb]

i used to have guns like that but their is a reason for it and when you figure it out, they are not like that any more. non of my guns are like that any more.

Fascinating answer.

[ukrifleman]

Giving personality to an inanimate object doesn't make you a bad person!

I talk to my boat (she's beautiful) and I have a Swede Mauser called Ingrid!

ukrifleman.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

Naming a gun or talking to your motor or car can have effects on its performance as it changes your attitude toward the machine and how you treat it.

Tim

bingo

it is about your attitude towards a machine that will make you more or less patient with it's care and maintenance, talking to it like a friend makes you better.

[fouronesix]

:evil:http://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by dtknowles http://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?p=3226424#post3226424)
Naming a gun or talking to your motor or car can have effects on its performance as it changes your attitude toward the machine and how you treat it.

Tim


"bingo

it is about your attitude towards a machine that will make you more or less patient with it's care and maintenance, talking to it like a friend makes you better."

bingo, bingo

But I do have my suspicions about those safe gremlins.:evil: A couple of years ago I had one rifle, that when last shot, was consistently grouping 1/2" @ 100. I put her away clean and oiled. She had an SS barrel & receiver with bedded synthetic, high-end stock. About two years later I pulled her out and she stunk up a 100 yd target?? Identical everything- same load, rest and range conditions.

As to muzzleloaders "acting out"? They've been pretty consistent over time, but I treat all guns well- sometimes to the point of being anal about it.

[johnson1942]

are you lubeing the paper of the paperpatch bullets?

[doc1876]

The history of the Sword, tells us that they have a soul or a spirit. At the battle of Culloden for example, the swords of the defeated Scots were gathered up, and the hilts broken off, and then the blades were used as ornamental fencing. This was done as an insult to the spirit of the offending army's weapons.
When I worked at the paper factory, my machines would talk to me in numerous ways that told me what adjustments needed to be made in order to accomplish which ever goal I wished for that day, making paper, or not.
This being said, I will have to concur, that yes, firearms have feelings and respond to care. How many times did you feel some sort of relief fall over you after reassembling a carefully cleaned firearm? This is the gun telling you it feels good to be clean and petted. I almost always talk to or pet my guns before loading them up to take them out. I will sometimes stand at the safe, and say "Who wants to go shooting today?"
Nuts, maybe, but you know the old saying "if momma ain't happy, nobody's happy" well I don't like to take chances.

[Geezer in NH]

NO, it is a human thing

[dikman]

Just ask the Japanese about paying reverence to an inanimate piece of steel - in their case, a sword.

Or steam trains - they are often considered to be "alive" by those who are close to them.

So, it doesn't hurt to be nice to your guns - just in case :smile:.

(Computers, however, are a different breed, they just love being cantankerous and ornery!).

[GoodOlBoy]

To quote the movie Serenity (yeah I'm a scifi nerd get over it) "Love. You can learn all the math in the 'Verse, but you take a boat in the air that you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurtin' 'fore she keens. Makes her a home."

Yes I think machines and other in-animate objects do sometimes have a spirit or attitude to them. Naming them, talking to them. It does indeed make us closer to them and we notice when they hurt before a "normal" person would. There's a reason old mountain folk use to name their guns. There's a reason sailors name their boats. There's a reason many of us name old pickups or cars.

Doesn't matter if it's fact or not. It's still true.

GoodOlBoy

[usmc1963]

my swiss will only shot good when its raining cats an dogs 1/2 inch groups when its flooding nice sunny day 3 inch @ 100 she dose like going out on sunny days but love very bad weather go figure and i talk to my guns at lest 1 time a day

[heelerau]

Naming a gun or talking to your motor or car can have effects on its performance as it changes your attitude toward the machine and how you treat it.

Tim
As above I agree with. Name most of my rifles and pickup truck, tractor, truck. Helps when you cuss them !! Iffen its got wheels or t*ts its bound to be trouble !!

[SeabeeMan]

To quote the movie Serenity (yeah I'm a scifi nerd get over it) "Love. You can learn all the math in the 'Verse, but you take a boat in the air that you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurtin' 'fore she keens. Makes her a home."

Yes I think machines and other in-animate objects do sometimes have a spirit or attitude to them. Naming them, talking to them. It does indeed make us closer to them and we notice when they hurt before a "normal" person would. There's a reason old mountain folk use to name their guns. There's a reason sailors name their boats. There's a reason many of us name old pickups or cars.

Doesn't matter if it's fact or not. It's still true.

GoodOlBoy

brought me me to tears right there. No more forum tonight, I'm going to go binge on Firefly.

[alg3205]

All things have a spirit, why else would we plead, curse, beg and praise our guns, and other machines. Sometimes they listen, sometimes they answer.

[koehlerrk]

brought me me to tears right there. No more forum tonight, I'm going to go binge on Firefly.

Never a bad plan for an evening. Remember, Jayne, the biggest gun-nut on Serenity, named his favorite rifle Vera.

In the end... yes, they're machines, but no two are exactly alike. Those of us who pay close attention to our machines see the results of those tiny differences. Those tiny differences are what make them have a personality. Is it all in our heads? Nope. But many people don't pay close enough attention to notice.

So, do they have feelings? Yeah, they do, and I'll argue that with anyone who says otherwise.

[SeabeeMan]

I lied, I'm back. To weigh in on the original topic...intellectually, I know they don't. In real life, it sure seems like it.

Guns that come out of the safe not shooting for a darn until they get used a bit and settle in: gun shoots better with a dirty bore or feels neglected?

Gun that I can't shoot for anything but my brother can make run smooth as silk? That's couldn't possibly be me.

I've even seen a Ma Deuce that refused to run right on one vehicle and with no adjustments, then purred like a kitten when swapped to mine. Loose pintle on the original turret or something? Maybe, but I like to think she felt safer with me than the other guy.

[quickdraw66]

Do guns like other machines have "feelings"?????

I dunno, but if I ever bump the gun into something, I always apologize to her. :D

[Springfield]

I doubt guns have feelings, but I think it is just human nature to pay more attention to and take better care of something we have bothered to name.