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Pet peeves about firearms in movies and TV

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https://sigforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/320601935/m/2970073225

October 01, 2026, 07:13 AM
egregore
Pet peeves about firearms in movies and TV
quote:
by Gustofer, previous page: Likewise, all you have to do to save their life is get the bullet out and maybe cauterize the entrance wound.
We Have to Get the Bullet Out!

Guns Don't Work That Way

Guns and Gunplay Tropes
October 01, 2026, 07:37 AM
fischtown7
People shooting especially in buildings and vehicles and then carrying on normal conversations or being able to hear as if nothing has happened.
October 01, 2026, 07:39 AM
229DAK
Silenced guns way too quiet.


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“A man’s treatment of a dog is no indication of the man’s nature, but his treatment of a cat is. It is the crucial test. None but the humane treat a cat well.”
-- Mark Twain, 1902
October 01, 2026, 07:49 AM
mdblanton
Someone racking a shotgun when they get out of the car and again right before or when they make entry to a structure.
October 01, 2026, 08:46 AM
HRK
Revolvers making the sound of a semi-auto slide being racked and as mentioned, the sound of the hammer being cocked on a Glock, fingers on triggers, it's just lazy directing....
October 01, 2026, 09:14 AM
xd45man
I think pistols look thinner on the screen. For example, a Glock17 looks lean and mean on screen but then you hold one in real life and it is a chunky monkey.


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October 01, 2026, 09:33 AM
egregore
Swing-out cylinders on revolvers going click-click-click when spun. Since they obviously don't normally, somebody felt it necessary to add the sound in post-production.
October 01, 2026, 12:09 PM
Fly-Sig
quote:
Originally posted by 2000Z-71:
Glocks going, “CLICK!” when supposedly empty and the trigger is pulled.


Clickety Click Click. It seems to signify either preparing to use it, e.g. when drawing from a holster, or when threatening a person with it, as if to emphasize they are about to shoot if the person doesn't comply. Then when de-escalating such as pointing it down it's another bunch of clickety-clicks.

It is everywhere in every show it seems.
October 01, 2026, 12:13 PM
BigSwede
Cocking the hammer noise on a Glock


October 01, 2026, 12:39 PM
armored
Swat teams maneuvering as a group with all the members behind the front officer pointing there weapons at the guy in front of them and then firing past the guy in front of them, usually right over that guys ear.
October 01, 2026, 02:52 PM
Voshterkoff
quote:
Originally posted by tleddy:
quote:
Originally posted by Voshterkoff:
On the flip side, the empty revolver in SAW paying off was surprising and welcome.


Sorry - not familiar…


Two people trapped in a room, with an apparent suicide holding a revolver. Revolver is found out to be totally empty, no brass. For some reason I strongly suspected that it was a plot point rather than Hollywood buffoonery, and it was indeed Chekhov's empty gun in the end.
October 01, 2026, 03:32 PM
TMats
The movie, Open Range is listed as a favorite by many. I have a hard time getting past Costner’s 14 shot revolver in the climatic street fight with the bad guys.


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despite them
October 01, 2026, 03:35 PM
229DAK
The ricochet sound every time a round is fired.


_________________________________________________________________________
“A man’s treatment of a dog is no indication of the man’s nature, but his treatment of a cat is. It is the crucial test. None but the humane treat a cat well.”
-- Mark Twain, 1902
October 01, 2026, 05:00 PM
Patrick-SP2022
quote:
Originally posted by 229DAK:
The ricochet sound every time a round is fired.


^^^^^
That and the sparks thrown when hitting/ricocheting off some surface.




October 01, 2026, 05:23 PM
sigfreund
quote:
Originally posted by Patrick-SP2022:
That and the sparks thrown when hitting/ricocheting off some surface.

The ones we see in movies are fakes because they’re pictured as being seen in daylight, but it’s not totally bogus.

At one time I would have bet the house that a gilding metal (copper) jacketed bullet with lead core and no steel could not possibly cause a spark of any sort when hitting something else.

Then, though, I started holding night training shoots and lo and behold: flashes when pistol bullets like that hit armor steel targets. I was amazed and didn’t believe my eyes at first, but it’s true. There are extreme high speed YouTube videos that prove I don’t just imagine it. Some even show flashes when one bullet strikes another, so it’s just jacket and core material that are involved in both. That seems to be why when bullets strike rocks in close vicinity of dry vegetation that that can cause fires—something else that has been credibly reported.




“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.”
— Plato
October 02, 2026, 09:34 PM
jljones
quote:
Originally posted by armored:
Swat teams maneuvering as a group with all the members behind the front officer pointing there weapons at the guy in front of them and then firing past the guy in front of them, usually right over that guys ear.


You also notice that all teams look like they bought their gear from Temu. They have uniforms that are overly baggy and generally the lead detectives in the show lead the SWAT team in.

There are few examples I can think of off the top of my head that looked decent.

Robbery Homicide Division
Mayor of Kingstown

Both come to mind as at least look the part.


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October 03, 2026, 07:22 AM
jeeperxd
The no recoil.
October 03, 2026, 07:46 AM
.38supersig
quote:
Originally posted by egregore:
...somebody felt it necessary to add the sound in post-production.


And the dog barks every time one is shown on screen, the ever present toot-toot of a semi truck everywhere.

Maybe they think the audience is too stupid to recognize the truck, dog, revolver, etc... by seeing one.




October 04, 2026, 09:02 AM
TMats
Reminded because I saw it again last night.

Chambering a round in a firearm (any firearm) long after there should have been one in the pipe already. Directors are so in love with the pregnant pause while the person on screen racks the slide, or the shotgun, or trips the follower…


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despite them
October 04, 2026, 09:59 AM
Orguss
Phone Booth: the sound of the sniper rifle bolt chambering a round everytime the bad guy gets angry.

Most television shows where a bullet is recovered and it's still in the casing.

Tables and other flimsy objects being used as cover against gunfire.



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