10 Fun Gun Facts Worth Bringing to Your Next Party
The Mona Lisa took Leonardo Da Vinci ten years to complete. Approximately 85% of men misinterpret a woman engaged in polite platonic conversation as flirting. So, what have we benefited from this experience?
Our universe is full of meaningless facts and figures that may or may not contribute to a more educated path to a better life, but we enjoy studying them. Like the thrill we get when we crack open a Snapple cap to see what's on the inside.
Given that this is a Ballistic report, let's take a look at some gun-related details that are both amusing and potentially troubling. Although these gun stats are unlikely to inspire you, there's nothing wrong with a little mindless entertainment now and then. Before we begin, let me state unequivocally that I did not return a 12-pack of Snapples to obtain these details!
1. Before BB Guns
The Plymouth Iron Windmill Company, which was established in 1882, sold steel windmills before becoming Daisy Outdoor Products. The company began giving away BB guns with each windmill purchase in 1888. However, the BB guns became so famous that Plymouth shifted gears, changed its name, and started selling them instead, establishing itself as one of the industry's most recognizable brands.
2. Failed Attempt
Richard Lawrence, a house painter who thought he was the King of England, tried to kill President Andrew Jackson at a funeral in 1835. He pointed two guns at the target and pulled the triggers. President Andrew Jackson, 67, beat the man to death with his cane after both weapons misfired. The one and only Davy Crockett was one of the people who helped restrain the would-be assassin. I'm just curious about the pistols this guy was wielding. Imagine attempting to take someone out with not one, but two cartridges, only to be nearly killed by an elderly man with a cane!
3. Death Darts
In 1975, congressional testimony revealed that the CIA had developed and used a gun that could fire darts into the heart, triggering a heart attack. The dart just left a tiny red dot after entering the flesh. The poison itself worked quickly and then denatured, leaving no trace. This raises the issue of what is going on right now that we aren't aware of.
4. Real Patriot
During WWII, the 82nd Airborne's Company C captured a small town and 80 German troops. However, the POWs were only guarded by four American soldiers, and a small group of Germans aided in their liberation and turned off the tables. When Sergeant Leonard A. Funk returned and was ordered to drop his weapon under duress, he chose to use his Tommy gun and order other Americans to pick up their dropped guns. 21 Germans were killed in a matter of seconds, and the Americans were set free. For his courage, Funk was later awarded the Medal of Honor.
5. Man of Steel
Fans would also try to measure Superman's "invulnerability," so George Reeves, the actor who played Superman in the 1950s, was often suspicious of strangers. At one of his public appearances, a young fan pulled a gun on him to bring his bulletproof skills to the test. Thankfully, Reeves persuaded him to hand over the pistol by warning him that if the bullets bounced off, an innocent bystander might be harmed.
6. Scared in Oz
The Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz" had a rifle. Each character had a weapon of some kind in the scene where they had to ride through the dark forest; the Scarecrow had a revolver. When this is brought up, the majority of people say they don't recall the scene or that it was cut out. However, if you go back and search for it again, the gun stands out larger than life. Go ahead and do it. Look it up on the internet.
7. Picasso vs. Boredom
Picasso was known to have carried a rifle filled with blanks and would fire at people he felt were overly boring. Despite the fact that this sounds crazy, I believe there are moments when I would enjoy imitating this action.
8. Good Looks
Since he knew it would look better in a museum exhibit, President James A. Garfield's assassin, Charles J. Guiteau, chose an ivory-handled gun over a similar wooden-handled model. What a terrifyingly premeditated and cynical attitude.
9. Key Guns
As a last resort for self-defense, jailers in the mid-1850s had keys that doubled as single-shot guns. Jailers would use these keys to open cell doors, and if an emergency arose, they would place their cigar against the gunpowder opening, causing the key gun to explode.
10. One of a Kind
Last but not least, there's Ernest Hemingway, the ultimate badass. He was well-known for a number of achievements, including fiction, fishing, boxing, and a slew of other exploits, including eyewitness coverage of the Spanish Civil War. During WWII, however, Hemingway, then in his 40s, would board his fishing boat, armed with direction-finding devices, a machine gun, and hand grenades, and set out on the Gulf Stream in search of German U-boats.
Read next: 9 Oldest Guns in the World
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