# Hot Gun Barrels Burn People **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 14, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850 "2012-02-14T20:45:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Baruch\_Spinoza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f04885/32.png) [@Baruch\_Spinoza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baruch_Spinoza)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/1 "2012-02-14T20:45:01Z")
In too many TV shows and movies, someone fires a revolver and then puts it into the front waistband of their pants, barrel pointing downward to a sensitive area. Isn’t the barrel very hot, enough to burn your hand if you grasped it? In real life, wouldn’t these shooters be burning themselves very badly? Related question: Why do so many of these Hollywood shooters use their waistband, especially their back waistband, to hold a gun, instead of using a holster? Wearing a gun in your waistband, particularly your back waistband, is dangerous, uncomfortable, hard to access, and looks very stupid for some character that is supposed to be famililar with guns. Why does Hollywood do this? After all, since they are beholden to the NRA in never showing the serious long-term effects of the gun violence, in speading the myth that you can shoot hundreds of bullets without hitting anyone, and that personal gun use never results in you shooting your someone you know in anger, like 75% of all gun murders, shouldn’t they be equally beholden to the stated NRA goal of gun safety and use a holster? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/2 "2012-02-14T20:49:08Z")
I would think that one or two shots wouldn’t add much heat to the barrel. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/3 "2012-02-14T20:56:22Z")
> [@Baruch\_Spinoza](#): > > Why does Hollywood do this? After all, since they are beholden to the NRA in never showing the serious long-term effects of the gun violence, in speading the myth that you can shoot hundreds of bullets without hitting anyone, and that personal gun use never results in you shooting your someone you know in anger, like 75% of all gun murders, shouldn’t they be equally beholden to the stated NRA goal of gun safety and use a holster? Uh…I think you have some misconceptions about the NRA. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/4 "2012-02-14T20:58:27Z")
In the case of outlaws in the Wild West they might have acquired the revolver without a holster as they ripped it off a bandit but with a posse bearing down on them there was no time to unhitch the holster and the leather strap that ties it to the hip. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/5 "2012-02-14T21:00:00Z")
I don’t know if I have seen that in movies as often as you have and I don’t think the NRA has anything to do with it. Barrels get hot from shooting lots of rounds. One or two won’t usually make it hot enough to burn. Still, you are correct that tucking it into your waistband is irresponsible to show. The NRA is certainly opposed to that type of thing in real-life and in the media. Maybe the directors of the show were just trying to give an indication of how dumb and reckless the character is. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/6 "2012-02-14T21:04:34Z")
> [@Baruch\_Spinoza](#): > > In too many TV shows and movies, someone fires a revolver and then puts it into the front waistband of their pants, barrel pointing downward to a sensitive area. > > Isn’t the barrel very hot, enough to burn your hand if you grasped it? > > In real life, wouldn’t these shooters be burning themselves very badly? > > Related question: Why do so many of these Hollywood shooters use their waistband, especially their back waistband, to hold a gun, instead of using a holster? > > Wearing a gun in your waistband, particularly your back waistband, is dangerous, uncomfortable, hard to access, and looks very stupid for some character that is supposed to be famililar with guns. > > Why does Hollywood do this? After all, since they are beholden to the NRA in never showing the serious long-term effects of the gun violence, in speading the myth that you can shoot hundreds of bullets without hitting anyone, and that personal gun use never results in you shooting your someone you know in anger, like 75% of all gun murders, shouldn’t they be equally beholden to the stated NRA goal of gun safety and use a holster? Well, see, you were fine right up until the political rant. Now you’re going to get a visit from a person who may seem unpleasant to you. A gun barrel doesn’t get all that hot after a round or two (possible exception of larger bore). Sticking a gun in one’s waistband is not a very secure way to carry. Even a small weapon has the alarming tendency to slide down and make an appearance at your shoes. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/7 "2012-02-14T21:04:58Z")
[There are holsters meant to be worn inside a waistband.](http://www.google.com/search?rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-US&oe=utf8&hl=en&q=inside%20the%20waistband%20holsters&spell=1&sa=X) I’m not sure if Hollywood/TV is actually showing people using these types of holsters, but in some cases they might be. And as stated, a few rounds won’t heat up a typical gun barrel enough to be uncomfortable. As this is GQ, I’ll leave the politics alone, but I would appreciate _you_ doing the same. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/8 "2012-02-14T21:07:35Z")
> [@Lukeinva](#): > > In the case of outlaws in the Wild West they might have acquired the revolver without a holster as they ripped it off a bandit but with a posse bearing down on them there was no time to unhitch the holster and the leather strap that ties it to the hip. Many people (e.g. Wild Bill Hickok) carried their gun(s) tucked into their sash. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/9 "2012-02-14T21:10:37Z")
> [@Baruch\_Spinoza](#): > > the myth that you can shoot hundreds of bullets without hitting anyone, _I’ve_ fired hundreds of rounds and never hit anyone. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/10 "2012-02-14T21:16:14Z")
> [@Baruch\_Spinoza](#): > > Why does Hollywood do this? After all, since they are beholden to the NRA I thought they were beholden to the CFR? ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/11 "2012-02-14T21:26:08Z")
> [@Baruch\_Spinoza](#): > > Why does Hollywood do this? After all, since they are beholden to the NRA So Hollywood is run by Jews, Gays and Liberals, yet beholden to the NRA. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/12 "2012-02-14T21:30:24Z")
Carrying a pistol in your waistband without a holster is often referred to as [Mexican Carry](http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_2_51/ai_n8591504/). And it’s not a racist term. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/13 "2012-02-14T21:35:51Z")
For an OP named after a rationalist, this isn’t a very rational thread. Try again without all the attitude. ---
**Author:** ![srzss05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@srzss05](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/srzss05)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/14 "2012-02-14T21:55:49Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > For an OP named after a rationalist, this isn’t a very rational thread. > > Try again without all the attitude. Well, then all we have left is “Movies aren’t documentaries”. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/15 "2012-02-14T21:58:12Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > _I’ve_ fired hundreds of rounds and never hit anyone. > 🙂 You aren’t trying hard enough. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/16 "2012-02-14T22:14:26Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Uh…I think you have some misconceptions about the NRA. Not to mention about Hollywood movies. Since when did they stop showing people firing in anger at acquaintances, for example? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/17 "2012-02-14T22:16:40Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > You aren’t trying hard enough. I think the barrel wasn’t hot enough. ---
**Author:** ![randomface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@randomface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randomface)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/18 "2012-02-14T22:24:16Z")
The barrel may not be hot, but damn the casings can be. The first time I shot a revolver with my dad, I went to reload it after firing all six shots. Ejected the casings into my palm to put in a collection bucket. I received three or four really nice blisters from that mistake. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/19 "2012-02-14T22:27:29Z")
> [@randomface](#): > > The barrel may not be hot, but damn the casings can be. The first time I shot a revolver with my dad, I went to reload it after firing all six shots. Ejected the casings into my palm to put in a collection bucket. I received three or four really nice blisters from that mistake. QFT. There’s a reason you don’t wear a loose-collared shirt to the range. Nothing like hot brass dropping down your back to make you wish you hadn’t tucked your shirt in. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850/20 "2012-02-14T22:36:56Z")
> [@Baruch\_Spinoza](#): > > in speading the myth that you can shoot hundreds of bullets without hitting anyone If anything, the shots-to-hits ratio is too high, for pistols at least. I’m not sure if even an Olympic-class athlete could hit as well as every good guy seems to on the screen. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gun-barrels-burn-people/612850.md?page=2)