Things we hear

[Tatume]

A fellow stopped at my bench and asked "what kind of rifle is that?" I responded that it is a Stevens 44-1/2. He replied, "that a weird bullet."

[nagantguy]

The 44 1/2 isn't so common, his mistake is funny but not unforgivable. The guys dropping 22lr down the barrel of a ruger chambered in 222 they were perplexed as to why the rounds went all the way through.when I told them 222 was a center fire varmint cartridge I got the "look" like lost in space.

[JSnover]

Should have told him it was twice as powerful as your Asperly Aimless 22-1/4.

[leebuilder]

Some times i just laugh and walk away. There is so much niffty and wierd stuff and gear i have never seen.
Nice to watch and learn.
Once was told a 303 mag will hold as many as 13 rounds. Arg.

[mart]

Heard one of the gun shop blow hards telling his audience, "I only uses a 20 gauge to hunt birds cause it don't hurt the dogs like a 12 gauge does. "

[Petrol & Powder]

I'm not too worried about stupid people it just bothers me that we let them vote and serve on juries.

[dilly]

Heard one of the gun shop blow hards telling his audience, "I only uses a 20 gauge to hunt birds cause it don't hurt the dogs like a 12 gauge does. "

Was he talking about hearing?

[iron mule]

here is one more for you all
was at a cowboy completion a few years back and a shooter there was short on ammo and was asking around if any one had any extra to spare
he asked me what caliber you shooting i replied 38-40
then he asked you have any spare ammo i can use
i said yep have an extra box you shoot 38-40 also yep i do he replied
well to make a short story of this during the match he cam up to me and said you must have given me the wrong box these will not chamber in my gun
check his gun yep he was shooting 38 but it had special behind it
i tried to explain that 38-40 was not that common a caliber when he first asked but he was one of them experts so i let it ride to see the show
mule

[Shiloh]

Heard one of the gun shop blow hards telling his audience, "I only uses a 20 gauge to hunt birds cause it don't hurt the dogs like a 12 gauge does. "

Huh!! This person should not be hunting. Maybe not even around guns.

Shiloh

[jugulater]

Sometimes i get the ich to take my 50-70 Gov't rolling block out. the nearest outdoor range is a 100 yard public range and is usually populated with Ninjas and their black guns spraying at the 25 yard line, but anyways usually i hear comments such as "what kind of muzzle loader is that?" or "that old thing probably cant hit a bucket at 50 yards". when i flip open thd breech and stuff in a 50-70 cartridge they usually stare at me with a blank look, then when i start blowing clay pigeons apart at 100 yards they completely go quiet.

[Spector]

Stupid can't be fixed, but it is much easier tolerated when it is silenced......Mike

[hot diggity]

I wear amplified hearing protection, so I hear all the good scoop. Frequently this can keep a bad situation from becoming a disaster. Little things like "It won't quite close", or the "pop" of a squib in a .44 Magnum. These are the things that give me white hair. I have quite a collection of fire formed brass that was shot in the wrong chamber.

Heard a fella tell his wife that the black rings around the holes in his target were burn marks, because .270 Winchester ammo is so fast the bullets get really hot. I bit my tongue, but with that reasoning the .220 Wilson Arrow should set the cardboard on fire!

Latest hot scoop was heard right after the 5.56 Green Tip flap. I heard several guys talking about how they were shooting only .223, because 5.56 was too powerful. One even went so far as to claim that "Five-five-six holds twice as much powder as Two-two-three."

I'm stuck there all day, in the tower, trying to keep a straight face. I'm the RSO.

HD

[shooter93]

I get asked all kinds of things at the range. Generally I answer them and if they look confused I try and explain a few things to them. We were all once quite ignorant about guns and shooting. I want them interested in guns and willing to learn all they can. It's good for gun owners both politically and for range safety. Some may be a hopeless case but at least I tried. If they seem genuinely interested I ask them if they want to shoot whatever it is I'm shooting that day.

[gwpercle]

Stupid can't be fixed, but it is much easier tolerated when it is silenced......Mike
Duct tape can't fix stupid but it can muffle the sound it makes!

[whisler]

What a great ad for Gorilla Tape! "Gorilla Tape can fix anything but stupid...and even there it can muffle the sound it makes."

[azrednek]

I'm not too worried about stupid people it just bothers me that we let them vote and serve on juries.

I spent several weeks on a Grand Jury and wholeheartedly agree. Each and every case my jury heard was given the green light for prosecution. I voted no often and occasionally another juror voted no with me. The prosecution only needs a majority to go forward. The prosecutors often chastised me saying things like "this is a Grand Jury not CSI", "why do you want to know" often telling cops not to answer my questions.

One prosecutor suffering with short man's syndrome tossed his pen on the floor in a temper tantrum after I asked a cop how he knew what he claimed were "SKS machineguns" he saw through an apartment window were full auto by looking at them. The prosecutor ordered the cop not to answer. I followed up by asking if he could do a warrantless, no knock search if they were simply SKS or any other kind of rifles. The prosecutor pulled the case and brought it before another jury.

The prosecutor with short man's syndrome tried to get me kicked off the jury claiming I misrepresented myself in the juror selection process. When asked if I was married, related to or living with a LEO, lawyer or anybody working in the courts. I responded "no". They never asked if I was formally married to a cop. The prosecutor also showed the judge the picture of my pick-up's bumper with a NRA bumper sticker taken from parking lot video. When I was asked if I had any bumper stickers on my car. Told them I had a worn AAA sticker and I later told the judge they didn't ask or say "truck". Judge over ruled him.

A few days later I missed some sessions due to illness and the first thing shorty said to me "what are you doing here". He then went into a lecture about certain jurors slowing things down and we need to pick up the speed. I followed up by asking him if his lecture was on the record. He then told the recorder "come with me" and was gone for almost 30 minutes. I presume he went and spoke to the judge again.

The other jurors simply believed everything they heard, voted me down every time I tried to exercise our right to call witnesses and the jury foreman often accused me of being a trouble maker on my no votes and what she claimed were irrelevant questions. Other than the one that voted no with me on just a few cases. All 10 of the others voted to indict on every case we heard. They sat like lumps on a log, never asking questions, never wanting to discuss anything and voting immediately.

Nearly all jurors were govt employees with apx 50% working in public schools. One exception was a Philipino that barely spoke English, came to court after working a 10 hour graveyard shift and could not be excused because his work hours did not conflict. He slept through most everything and if he wasn't awake during the vote he was counted as an abstention. Another juror that never showed up until he was arrested and escorted in by Deputies voted "what ever". Judge finally excused him after he claimed mental stress caused him nightmares. He was replaced by an elderly school cafeteria worker.

Sorry for the rant. I get hot under the collar every I recall it. The story about a Grand Jury indicting a ham sandwich is a stretch. They'd vote to indict a ham sandwich with no ham!!

[Blackwater]

Azredneck, you're one heckuva' dang good man, sir! Our courts and their officers have come to regard themselves as "royalty," seemingly thinking they're "entitled" to get their way WITHOUT doing their own due diligence. I DO understand how the time constraints make them WANT to short-change the system, BUT .... and this is a big "but!" .... doing so shows a neglect of their sworn duties, and short-changes the Constitution itself, both the state's and the national one. In the minds and hearts of way too many prosecutors, judges and police, "any ol' perp will do" seems to prevail MUCH more frequently than any of us would want or tend to realize. It's just plain UGLY, and you're to be commended for your simple common sense, knowledge and willingness to USE it. Thank you, sir!

[DrCaveman]

What the hell are we talking about? Stevens 44-1/2? What in the hell is that?

Color me a fool, ridicule me, kick me off of juries.

I have learned a lot about a bunch of obsolete cartridges...never heard of that one. If my ignorance regarding this trivial minutae is grounds for me falling into the category of ignorant newbie, then i will gladly pass on your approval. Surely 5 minutes with google could impart wisdom beyond that of the average cartridge enthusiast, but why bother? Im never going to shoot this round. Plenty others to occupy my time

I heard that you cant shoot lead boolits in an indoor range without poisoning the members. ****ers wouldnt even let me shoot my water dropped boolits. Now that is a shame, when they are letting all those primer gases circulate unrestricted

[mart]

Was he talking about hearing?

No, this wingnut was specifically referring to hitting the dogs with a charge of shot. I knew before I opened my mouth, this Einstein was not about to grasp reason or actual ballistics so I just smiled at the proprietor and made my exit. The shop owner was rolling his eyes and trying not to laugh in the guy's face.

[mart]

What the hell are we talking about? Stevens 44-1/2? What in the hell is that?

Color me a fool, ridicule me, kick me off of juries.

I have learned a lot about a bunch of obsolete cartridges...never heard of that one. If my ignorance regarding this trivial minutae is grounds for me falling into the category of ignorant newbie, then i will gladly pass on your approval. Surely 5 minutes with google could impart wisdom beyond that of the average cartridge enthusiast, but why bother? Im never going to shoot this round. Plenty others to occupy my time

I heard that you cant shoot lead boolits in an indoor range without poisoning the members. ****ers wouldnt even let me shoot my water dropped boolits. Now that is a shame, when they are letting all those primer gases circulate unrestricted

Not a cartridge but a model of a single shot rifle Stevens made. It was/is on of the more sought after of the old single shot actions. Wonderful action and hard to come by.

[Lead Fred]

You can not drop a 22 rimfire down the barrel of a 222.
The 222's barrel is .224, the same size as the rimfire boolit.
The rimfire case wont fit down the barrel, and just the boolit would have to be pushed though.

[DrCaveman]

Well now ive seen the gun, it took about 2 minutes of research. If you had come to ask me about it before that moment, i would have been as dumb as the OPs target.

Looks like a cool gun, available in several reasonably useful calibers. I wish you the best with shooting it, but dont be surprised if i make a stupid commemt when i see it!


Not a cartridge but a model of a single shot rifle Stevens made. It was/is on of the more sought after of the old single shot actions. Wonderful action and hard to come by.

[dondiego]

"I heard that you cant shoot lead boolits in an indoor range without poisoning the members. ****ers wouldnt even let me shoot my water dropped boolits. Now that is a shame, when they are letting all those primer gases circulate unrestricted"

I shot at an indoor range last winter and they did not allow jacketed. The jackets were tearing up the backstop and some were coming back towards the line.

[mdi]

Heard one of the gun shop blow hards telling his audience, "I only uses a 20 gauge to hunt birds cause it don't hurt the dogs like a 12 gauge does Did you ever stop to think he was concerned with the dog's hearing?

Some things are just from ignorance, and there's nuttin' wrong with ignorance. I'll bet I would get a laugh at some of you guys if I was talking with you and you asked stupid questions about my expertise, something you knew absolutely nuttin' about; computer controlled scale/lift angel sensors on a 27 ton hydraulic crane. It's OK to share funny stories about unknowing comments, but sometimes this arrogance/superiority just makes all shooters/reloaders/casters look bad.

Or perhaps I'm wrong about this whole thread, and we're supposed to laugh at ignorance. Just saying...

[rintinglen]

We are all ignorant: only thing that differs is what we don't know.

[JSnover]

I had an experience similar to Azredneck on a grand jury.
It really cranks me up to hear people whine about being selected and try to figure ways to get out of serving, and then hear them whine about a bad verdict. If you think you have half a brain or at least more sense than the other boneheads, then get your *** in there and do your civic duty. Be part of the solution.

[edctexas]

Many years ago I was supposed to serve on a jury where a person was on trial for having a firearms "semi-concealed" in their waistband. The person was in a rest stop near a area where some one had taken shots at passing cars. During the voir dire questioning, I asked questions of the judge and attorney about various things and got removed from the panel. I asked if the person had a CHL, if the pistol was DA or SA. It turned out that the person had a CHL, it was a SA Long Colt .45, and did not have a round under the hammer. Why even bring it to trial if they knew he had a CHL? Well the paranoia about cars being shot up at night. Plus most all of cars had been shot with rifles, not pistols. It is strange how the legal system works.

Ed C BTW that Stevens is quite a nice little gun.

[Mike in TX]

I served on a grand jury where one person stated at the beginning that one was guilty if they were being brought up to court. Stupid SOB. The grand jury did no bill on murder charge, it was a bogus charge from the beginning. Of course the DA could have taken it to another grand jury. The experience was well worth it.

[country gent]

When at the club with my single shots I get alot of intrest from club members about them. I rarely shoot them other than at 200 yds. My CPA ( Stevens 44 1/2 reproduction) is in 40-65 with fancy wood on it Paul Showed true craftsmanship with this rifle beautifull wood,fit, and finish. The Hepburn is 45-90 ( C Sharps rep[roduction pewter forend tip Fancy wood 34" barrel. Again almost perfect fit and finish. A pendersoli sharps ( Cabellas long range model from a few years ago) in 45-70. Decent wood fit and finish. These are attention getters on the range Also several number 1s a Martini cadet in 218 bee. I have had alot of intrest and not alot know about them most ask questions and listen. I normally offer the chance to fire a few rounds to most. The Range Ninjas are interesting with thier opinions and ideas. Ive been told thier ARs in 223 / 5.56 are way more powerfull than my 45-90 with the 550 grn loading, That black powder has no range to it. One told me I hadnt hit the target at 100 yds yet, never mind the fact I was shooting at 200yds. I offer help to all and sort out from there. Several are real pains with thier constant "opinions" and misinformation. One is a US Marshall and can be a real pain complaing about anything and everything spouting his opinions, but until listening to him I didnt realize the 55grn fmy was what the amu and Marine teams were shooting at 1000yds.

[Blackwater]

We live in a day and time when fools, idiots and the puffed up get preferential treatment to "normal" folks. It's just the way it is, and the way we've ALLOWED it to become. Sad, and always disgusting when blow hards decide to blow their little trumpets, and show off their "knowledge." All of us who've hung around gun shops, shooting clubs, gunsmiths, etc. have heard them. When in a gun shop, I defer to the owner since I don't want to embarass anyone and maybe cost the owner a customer, but one shop I frequent doesn't mind, and thus, I've taken to just asking questions of these blow hards, and it's always satisfying, in what's really an evil sort of way, to see their eyes kinda' glaze over when they realize they've been had. They usually come in a bit more humble the next time, though. It seems my concern about "losing customers" wasn't too well founded after all. Funny how all that works, ain't it?

[mart]

Did you ever stop to think he was concerned with the dog's hearing?

Some things are just from ignorance, and there's nuttin' wrong with ignorance. I'll bet I would get a laugh at some of you guys if I was talking with you and you asked stupid questions about my expertise, something you knew absolutely nuttin' about; computer controlled scale/lift angel sensors on a 27 ton hydraulic crane. It's OK to share funny stories about unknowing comments, but sometimes this arrogance/superiority just makes all shooters/reloaders/casters look bad.

Or perhaps I'm wrong about this whole thread, and we're supposed to laugh at ignorance. Just saying...

As I stated in my second post on page one, this fellow was specifically talking about the dog getting hit with shot from his gun. In his infinite wisdom, he espoused the 20 gauge does not hurt the dog but a 12 gauge will. I'm pretty sure the dog's hearing wasn't high on his list of concerns.

[Cmm_3940]

What the hell are we talking about? Stevens 44-1/2? What in the hell is that?

I heard that you cant shoot lead boolits in an indoor range without poisoning the members. ****ers wouldnt even let me shoot my water dropped boolits. Now that is a shame, when they are letting all those primer gases circulate unrestricted

The CRO at the closest range to me absolutely insists that this is true. According to him, the rifling cuts into the bare lead bullets and spews out tiny lead particles, which poison the customers and clog up his air filters. You can even stand to the side of someone shooting lead bullets and see these particles flying off.

22lr seems to be OK, though. Then again, they sell 22lr. :rolleyes:

[M-Tecs]

The guys dropping 22lr down the barrel of a ruger chambered in 222 they were perplexed as to why the rounds went all the way through.when I told them 222 was a center fire varmint cartridge I got the "look" like lost in space.

Bores on a 22 rimfire are .222" and bores on most 22 centerfire are .224". The older 22 Hornets tend to have .223" bores. The 22 Savage High-Power had a .228" bore. The rim on a 22 rimfire is .278" -.012".

A 22 rimfire round will not go all the way through a .222 Remington barrel.

[Tatume]

The largest diameter of a 22 LR cartridge is the rim, 0.278". The 222 Remington cartridge case is 0.378" diameter at the base, and the 22 LR cartridge will certainly drop freely into the chamber of a 222 Remington rifle. As to whether it will "drop down the bore," I suggest we are now talking semantics. The meaning was clear, and as I understood it, correct.

[azrednek]

It really cranks me up to hear people whine about being selected and try to figure ways to get out of serving, and then hear them whine about a bad verdict.

I can understand some people weaseling their way out of a Grand Jury. I was paid $12.00 per day. I was committed to 3 days per week for a minimum of 6 weeks. It lasted 8 weeks. A good portion of the population, living paycheck to paycheck can't afford it.

One juror, a small business man I served with. Got himself excused about half way through. He brought in a police report showing he terminated an employee for theft. The whiners that claim they can't afford one or two day DUI trial is a real stretch of the truth. I was really surprised at the number of hands that went up if they objected to being on the same jury with a member of a minority or different race.

When the potential pool was asked if we belonged to an organization that either supports or opposes the ownership or use of firearms. Myself and one other raised our hands. A young woman after being denied an excuse for financial reasons said she did not want to be in the same room with somebody that supports "guns and eww blood sports".

Our juries, Grand Juries especially are going to be packed with govt employees as they draw their regular pay less the small amount paid by the court. One woman on my Grand jury was a classic example of a limousine liberal. She arrived in a chauffer driven Caddy limo, really sucked up to the Judge, cops and prosecutors but what the heck. She foot the bill for the entire jury's lunch on two occasions.

[azrednek]

My apologies for jumping off subject. I'm not trying to change the gist of the thread or the OP's "Things we hear".

So to get back on track the best one I heard. A gun show vendor selling a sportorized but more correctly described as butchered. A K98 Mauser as a "high ranking Nazi officer's rifle".

[dondiego]

I had an acquaintance who shoots quite a bit tell me that "those lead bullets will wear out a barrel pretty quick"! I asked him if he had ever worn out one of his .22 RF barrels?

[Blackwater]

My hat's off to the lady in the limo. Not many who have limos would deign to serve!

[JSnover]

"high ranking Nazi officer's rifle".

That right there is funny! I would have asked him how he knew and why did he suppose an officer would be issued a rifle?

[warf73]

I had an acquaintance who shoots quite a bit tell me that "those lead bullets will wear out a barrel pretty quick"! I asked him if he had ever worn out one of his .22 RF barrels?


I've heard about this several times over the years and find interesting and also have used the statement " Have you ever worn out a 22RF". Like most you can hear anything at a public range, and at times I wounder how they even made it to the range.

[Digital Dan]

Kids casting aspersions on a muzzleloader at the range are some of my favorite students. I particularly enjoy it when their buddies poke fun at their target with no holes.


Hollywood is the source of much humor as well, but it fertilizes malleable minds inappropriately from time to time.

[blackthorn]

We had a guy who would not shoot from the position next to the wall in the indoor range. Claimed that position affected his POI!

[Tatume]

Actually, I've heard several Bulleye competition shooters say exactly that. They claim that having good light on only one side affects sight alignment, and therefore point of impact. Shooters near the center of the range have equal illumination on both sides.

I never tested this claim, so don't assert that it is either true or false. However, I will say, it takes a very good shooter to detect the difference, if it exists.

Take care, Tom

[Tatume]

P.s., However, I do know from my High Power Rifle experience that changes in light do cause a change in vertical point of impact. This inspires the rule of thumb, "lights up, sights up." A change from cloudy to bright light allows the eye to see the target better, and the bull therefore appears larger. If one is using a six-o'clock hold, this will result in a lowered point of impact. The reverse is also true. If one uses a center hold, there is no effect.

[Thin Man]

Grand Jury feedback. Many years ago I was called to the Grand Jury to present information on an arrest I had made. A local acquaintance of mine from a rifle club was known as "Crazy" Charlie Adams, who got this nickname for being a genuine, card carrying idiot of the highest order. It turned out that "Crazy" Adams was the Foreman of this Grand Jury. Talk about putting a shiver down everyone's spine when they heard about it. We still laugh about how that Grand Jury performed.

Question: Can a light source affect the point of impact of a fired shot? Answer: Yes. I used to compete in PPC (Practical Pistol Course) competition. My first experience with the light source influencing the impact of a bullet was at an outdoor range. That range was positioned such that the targets were on the true North end of the property. Fired rounds traveled south to north. The sun passed overhead east to west. In the afternoons (our usual time for competition), with the sun on our left, the shooters would get a false image of their sight alignment. Bullet impacts went toward the source of the light and hit to the left of the POA. Close in shots, fired at the 5 and 10 yard line, showed no deviation from the point of aim. Farther out shots showed the influence of the sun on our sights. Shots fired from the 15 yard line all hit at the 9-ring on the left of the target. Shots fired at the 25-yard line all hit at the 8-ring on the left of the target. The competitors who did not know about this problem had targets with bullet holes running from the center of the target toward the left side. Those who did know to "hold to the right" at longer distances had all their bullet holes in the center of the target. I used to joke that "the sun acts like a magnet on bullets". Our team planned to fire at the RIGHT side 9-ring at the 15 yard line, then at the 8-ring on the RIGHT side of the target at the 25 yard line. Our targets had their holes in the center of the targets. The differences in the teams' targets caused more than a few good jokes.

Thin Man

[lightload]

Yessir, grand juries are stacked. Texas has a very high number of wrongly convicted persons who are now being cleared after new evidence(DNA especially)is submitted. DA's fight these efforts vigorously.

About stupid. When working part time at a gun shop, I heard one genius say that if a scoped rifle shot too low, you can correct it by using higher mounts. Another idiot brought in a scoped .270, which "confused" him. He had mounted his scope backwards.

A police officer bought a S&W 9mm that was double action/single action and brought it back the next day. He complained that every time he fired it, the hammer stayed back. This was 35 years ago when the big change over to pistols was starting.

[paul edward]

What a great ad for Gorilla Tape! "Gorilla Tape can fix anything but stupid...and even there it can muffle the sound it makes."

There was a welding shop in Silver City NM that claimed they could fix anything except the crack of dawn and a broken heart.

[hardy]

My dear,departed brother in law had a saying regarding doubtful comments."Consider the source!"Sounds about right..Mike.

[Chev. William]

Enjoyable Sunday Humorous Reading.
Chuckling,
Chev. William

[Handloader109]

I've been selected for a couple of juries, served on one and released from a couple of others due to me being somewhat intelligent. No, I'm not anywhere near a genius nor highly intelligent, but I was knowledgeable enough to answer the questions asked and one or the other lawyers would get me dismissed. Me thinks that they really want ignorant people on the juries...... At least when that suits their goals. Was an alternate that was ultimately dismissed in a murder trial.....woman killed her husband with shot gun while he slept in bed.....they empanelled a jury with at least three women that had either been abused by spouse, or were familiar with abuse very closely. Only one man on final jury. Woman claimed abuse over time, but had to kill the guy while he slept rather than leaving....was acquitted. In part because police did not take bed sheets iinto custody. And these jurors overlooked the obvious..... I really believe the prosecution wanted her acquitted but were forced by his family to prosecute.....

[mongoose33]

The thing I overhear all the time is someone calling a magazine a "clip." Makes my teeth hurt when I hear that, because I'm gritting them so I don't correct the guy showing his "gun knowledge."

On Thursday, I heard someone call the 30-round magazine for an AR a "clip." Threw up in my mouth a little.

[Goatwhiskers]

Well, I did have a well experienced loader friend of mine state that he would not allow cast boolits to be fired thru any of his rifles, doing so "leads up the bore." Handguns are OK tho.

As far as gunshop stories go, heard a fellow one day claim that the ultimate rifle is the 8mm Mauser. Shoots perfectly flat for 300 yards, then starts to rise. All you gotta do is hold on hair for anything out to 1000 yards. Gotta get me one! GW

[wills]

We are fortunate ignorant yahoos identify themselves so readily, enabling us to avoid them without wasting time getting to know them.

[tazman]

Had a customer at a gun store tell me that any rifle will shoot sub 1 inch groups at 100 yards or farther. All you need to do is put good optics on it.
He was looking to purchase a 7mm WWII Mauser with a corroded bore because it was cheap. He was going to put an expensive scope on it.
I had to walk away.

[castalott]

I like the story of a man that carried his telescopic sight (no gun) into the gun store and asked for it to be zeroed at 300 yards....

Speaking of welders, I know a guy that can weld a fart to a pop bottle....

[oneokie]

There was a welding shop in Silver City NM that claimed they could fix anything except the crack of dawn and a broken heart.

You omitted the part that comes after the broken heart. Which is a good thing as this is a family oriented site.

[TXGunNut]

Silly comments come from both sides of the counter at gun shops and even from a few RSO's. I suspect a very entertaining book could be written on the subject but only a few would truly understand it.
On shooting next to the wall in PPC at least two rangemasters I've known prefer(ed) to shoot from the first position. It may have lighting issues but it's the most consistent in other aspects.
On juries, I've never been selected for a criminal case because of my LE background. I find this amusing because I was a training officer and supervisor for most of my career. I'd probably be much harder on a cop than the average civilian and would never let them get away with mailing it in. I never knew which side used a strike against me but can assure you it was a waste either way.