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SHOP NOWPart four of Classic Firearms’ myth-busting series tackles five more common gun misconceptions, covering dropped-gun discharges, how heat and fouling affect rifle accuracy, and what suppressors can realistically do for noise reduction across different platforms.
The video continues a series on debunking gun myths, presented as part four in an ongoing discussion. The host notes that many shooters accept information from the internet, Reddit, or casual conversations at local gun stores without verifying it. Caliber arguments such as “why buy 9mm when God made .45” are used as examples of unhelpful, tribal opinions. Viewers are encouraged to research, ask questions, and rely on reputable, peer-reviewed information instead of repeating slogans. The goal is to test claims, understand how firearms actually work, and avoid becoming the person who spreads unexamined myths about guns, calibers, and platforms.
The first myth addressed is that if a gun is dropped, it will automatically fire. The explanation is that this is generally untrue for modern, reputable striker-fired pistols, but can be conditionally true for some other designs. Using a Glock 19 as an example, the host describes internal safeties, including a drop safety and a spring-loaded plunger that blocks the firing pin. When the trigger is pressed, the plunger is lifted out of the way, allowing the striker to move forward. If the pistol is dropped and the striker somehow releases without the trigger being pressed, the plunger still blocks the firing pin, preventing discharge. Modern striker-fired guns from reputable manufacturers are designed specifically to avoid firing when dropped.
The discussion contrasts striker-fired pistols with a 2011-style pistol and AR-15 rifles. A Bull Armory Tac Pro 5, a 2011 pattern handgun, is shown with an external hammer striking a spring-loaded firing pin. If the pistol is dropped hard enough, inertia can compress the firing pin spring and drive the pin forward into a chambered primer, potentially causing an unintentional discharge because it lacks Glock-style internal drop safeties. AR-15 rifles are also highlighted due to their free-floating firing pins. With the bolt closed on a chambered round, the firing pin can protrude slightly. Under strong impact or G-forces, that inertia can be enough to ignite a primer. A police anecdote is given where a loaded AR-15 in a squad car trunk discharged during a severe crash, illustrating why some departments prohibit chambered rounds in patrol rifles and shotguns.
Another myth examined is the belief that a rifle that groups well will always remain equally accurate under all conditions. The host notes that a properly set up bolt gun can start out very precise at 500 to 1,000 yards, especially with good optics and appropriate ammunition, but groups may open up after several rounds. Shooters may see hits on steel for the first five to ten shots, then unexplained misses despite solid fundamentals and a confirmed zero. The point is that the rifle’s inherent mechanical accuracy has not necessarily changed, but other factors begin to influence point of impact as strings of fire continue.
Several reasons are given for why an accurate rifle can start missing at distance. As the barrel heats, the metal expands and the bore dimensions change slightly, which can alter bullet travel. Barrel whip is another factor: each shot causes the barrel to vibrate, and as it heats up it can become more flexible, increasing that movement and shifting impact. Carbon fouling builds up after multiple rounds and can affect how the bullet engages the rifling. Heat also creates mirage, especially with suppressor use, which can distort the sight picture through the optic. Even with match-grade ammunition, a solid zero, and good trigger control and breathing, these combined effects mean the shooter may need to pause, let the rifle cool, and clean the bore to restore the earlier level of precision.
The next myth is that suppressors make firearms as quiet as portrayed in movies, where shots sound like soft whispers and go unnoticed in crowded spaces. The host emphasizes that suppressor performance depends heavily on the specific can, firearm design, and caliber. A Taurus TX .22 pistol fitted with a Griffin Armament suppressor is used as an example of a very quiet combination. Even then, the cycling action still produces audible mechanical noise, and holding the slide closed can reduce but not eliminate sound. The video stresses that suppressed .22 LR does not produce the silent, consequence-free kills often shown in films and that expectations should be grounded in real-world physics rather than Hollywood depictions.
The conversation moves to centerfire platforms, using a SIG Sauer MCX Rattler-style CaneBrake chambered in 300 Blackout as an example. This semi-automatic rifle, even with a very effective suppressor, still produces noticeable noise from the action cycling and from gas and pressure exiting the can. Ammunition choice is critical: subsonic loads travel below the speed of sound, reducing noise by eliminating the supersonic crack, while supersonic loads remain loud enough to require hearing protection and can sound similar to an unsuppressed 9mm shot. Subsonic 300 Blackout is quieter but still far from silent, and the shooter will always hear both mechanical operation and gas venting. The segment underlines that suppressors reduce sound and improve comfort but cannot negate the fundamental noise of firing a cartridge.
Finally, the host compares semi-automatic rifles with manually operated platforms for suppressed shooting. A lever-action rifle built by Mad Pig Customs, equipped with a Dead Air Nomad suppressor, is presented as an example of a very quiet setup. Because it functions similarly to a bolt gun, there is no semi-auto cycling noise during the shot itself; the only mechanical sound is the lever being worked between shots. With subsonic ammunition and an efficient can, the primary remaining noise is gas pressure exiting the barrel, which is still clearly audible indoors. Larger calibers like .338 fired through a suppressed bolt gun will produce much more blast than a suppressed .22 LR, despite both being “quiet” relative to unsuppressed fire. The video also briefly challenges the idea that racking a shotgun or cycling a lever gun is a reliable deterrent, noting that such sounds reveal both the shooter’s location and weapon type.
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