Shooting a gun...what an experience.

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  • Shooting a gun...what an experience.

    So I'm writing this action scene, which involves shooting--not my thang. And I thought perhaps learning to shoot might help the process.

    I go to the range with an expert--ex-military--and I know I do not want to fire a pistol...those shells fly all over the place and freak me out.

    The available revolver is a .357 Magnum. Okay...I think of Clint Eastwood, grit my teeth. I can do this...I can do this...

    Huh? I'm no Clint Eastwood.

    I try to concentrate, but I can't keep my eyes open. I point the gun--about five miles above the target, wince and...

    BANG! Forget bang...there's no way to describe this explosion. Arms shake, knees bang together and then,

    "Okay, do it again...but this time keep your eyes open."

    Ugh! Never mind. I'll BS my way through the script.

    Anyone else try to experience a scene? How did that work for ya?
    Brown-Balled by the Hollywood Clika

    Latino Heart Project's MEXICAN HEART...ATTACK!

  • #2
    Re: Shooting a gun...what an experience.

    I wanted to try on a prom dress for the teen romcom I'm writing, but the shop didn't have anything to fit somebody six foot three and two fifty.


    ******


    Sounds like they gave you too much gun.

    Maybe a smaller caliber weapon would be easier to handle.

    If you really want to do the research, challenge your fears. Since you claim you're scared of pistols, try shooting a 22 semi auto, a favored weapon for hit men. (It's smaller, lighter, easier to control, and is very quiet with a silencer.)

    I'd recommend talking to some women cops & military who've been required to master firearms.
    If you really like it you can have the rights
    It could make a million for you overnight

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    • #3
      Re: Shooting a gun...what an experience.

      I act out my scenes all the time.

      Try to experience them? Oh man . . .

      CoronaJackFrost
      I love you, Reyna . . .

      Brown-Balled by the Hollywood Clika

      Latino Heart Project's MEXICAN HEART...ATTACK!
      I ain't no punk b1tch...

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      • #4
        Re: Shooting a gun...what an experience.

        First gun they gave me was a .32 -- it felt like a toy and kept missing the target by a mile. Bullets must have been bent or something.

        -Derek

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        • #5
          Re: Shooting a gun...what an experience.

          Originally posted by Jcorona View Post
          I act out my scenes all the time.

          Try to experience them? Oh man . . .

          CoronaJackFrost
          And I've read your stuff, man! If you tried to experience that... damn!

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          • #6
            Re: Shooting a gun...what an experience.

            If you really want to do the research, challenge your fears. Since you claim you're scared of pistols, try shooting a 22 semi auto, a favored weapon for hit men. (It's smaller, lighter, easier to control, and is very quiet with a silencer.)
            Good advice--you seem to know a lot about weapons.

            Perhaps it's easier for me to re-write the scene with a knife? But then again, what do I know about knives--other than the cooking kind? I'm screwed.
            Brown-Balled by the Hollywood Clika

            Latino Heart Project's MEXICAN HEART...ATTACK!

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            • #7
              Re: Shooting a gun...what an experience.

              I learned to shoot because I was acting in a friend's entry for Rodriguez' "Grindhouse" trailer competition. I shot a 22 and some kind of Walther (I don't want to say PPK, but it was something fairly close in model to it, 'cause my friend has a James Bond thing).

              There's definitely a kick, but the thing to remember in terms of using to to write a scene is that a) your character is probably an experienced shooter who is not unsettled by kickback, and b) the kickback reminds you how much power there is in a gun, which is something that an experienced shooter knows and uses both physically and psychologically. It affects your confidence and posture and everything, knowing that you are holding in your hand the ability to send hard hot metal through someone's body with incredible speed and force.

              That said, for me, I think it took a few takes for me to control my face when my teeth were knocking together.

              The only other thing I noticed was when I watched the film, because I was wearing a tank top and firing the gun actually made my arm fat jiggle. And I don't really have noticeable arm fat when I'm not using firearms. It was pretty funny.
              The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter -- it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning. - Mark Twain

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              • #8
                Re: Shooting a gun...what an experience.

                I come from Northern savage land, so guns were all over the place - that and my grandfather was a gunsmith.

                The one producer liked the detail in my one script that when my heros lit up a couple large bore rifles indoors they were hard of hearing for a while. It's not something that people tend to think about, but to played into the script.

                Big guns are nasty at times. I have a .308 magnum that makes my shoulder hirt after 4 shots and I'm built pretty solid.

                I can control a 9mm with multiple quick shots and be relativelty accurate, but the recoil on say a .45 forces me to take a fraction of a second to re-set my sight or the next shot creeps up high.

                My dad's old .50 Desert Eagle will plant you on your ass and had my dad seeing the chiropractor for several weeks ( he's about 5'9" and 245 pounds).
                Half a bubble off level... systems normal.

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                • #9
                  Re: Shooting a gun...what an experience.

                  I taught my wife to shoot with a 44 magnum and worked back to a 22 cal. She was hooked and now owns more guns than I do.
                  "It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." - General George S. Patton, Jr.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Shooting a gun...what an experience.

                    Originally posted by dpaterso View Post
                    First gun they gave me was a .32 -- it felt like a toy and kept missing the target by a mile. Bullets must have been bent or something.

                    -Derek
                    I did the same thing first time I shot a gun -- I was pulling the trigger, instead of squeezing it. Big difference. The result was a bunch of bullets in the ceiling.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Shooting a gun...what an experience.

                      You should definately use a smaller caliber weapon. Let out half a breath, squeeze gently - when the gun goes off, it should come as almost a surprise - something you weren't bracing for. It just comes naturally during the course of you gently squeezing with slightly more, ever increasing force.

                      Start small, get used to it. Then graduate to higher calibers.

                      And don't try to curve the bullet's path yet.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Shooting a gun...what an experience.

                        And don't try to curve the bullet's path yet.
                        See...this is the stuff of real action. This is what I wanted to learn--to curve a bullet's path--whatever that means.

                        I'm guessing you guys write a lot of action--your knowledge is intimidating. Must write some great scenes.

                        I think I'd better stick to romcoms.
                        Brown-Balled by the Hollywood Clika

                        Latino Heart Project's MEXICAN HEART...ATTACK!

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                        • #13
                          Re: Shooting a gun...what an experience.

                          don't try this either:

                          http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/bogus4.gif

                          ...unless, of course, you have a Magic Bullet.
                          si

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                          • #14
                            Re: Shooting a gun...what an experience.

                            The only other thing I noticed was when I watched the film, because I was wearing a tank top and firing the gun actually made my arm fat jiggle. And I don't really have noticeable arm fat when I'm not using firearms. It was pretty funny.
                            Arm Fat Jiggle?
                            Brown-Balled by the Hollywood Clika

                            Latino Heart Project's MEXICAN HEART...ATTACK!

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                            • #15
                              Re: Shooting a gun...what an experience.

                              Originally posted by umo View Post
                              See...this is the stuff of real action. This is what I wanted to learn--to curve a bullet's path--whatever that means.

                              I'm guessing you guys write a lot of action--your knowledge is intimidating. Must write some great scenes.

                              I think I'd better stick to romcoms.
                              Not sure if you are kidding, but if you weren't, it's just a reference to WANTED (the characters can use their minds sort of to make a bullet fly in a curved trajectory, around obstacles). Now there's two guys that can write action: read any Haas and Brandt you can get your hands on if you want to see state of the art action writing, IMHO.

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