Gregory Kielma • September 12, 2025
Common Myths and Misconceptions About Firearms and Ammo
Common Myths and Misconceptions About Firearms and Ammo
Gregg Kielma
Firearms and ammunition tend to stir strong emotions and heated arguments. Some of that comes from genuine concerns, but just as much is fueled by myths that have been repeated so often they feel like fact. You'll hear them in news stories, political debates, gun shop chatter, and even around the dinner table1 claims about how guns work, how dangerous ammunition really is, and what different terms actually mean. If you want a real conversation about firearms, it helps to clear away the fog. Here's a closer look at some of the most persistent gun myths, with a dose of reality.
Key Points
• Inaccurate ideas about firearms from rumors, mass media, and political rhetoric can endanger people and distort policy debates. It's important to ground our perspectives in facts.
Why These Myths Matter
• Some of these misconceptions are harmless but others shape how people vote, legislate, and talk about safety. Believing that a suppressor makes a gun silent, for example, can lead to calls for bans based on an inaccurate picture of what they do. Thinking that ammo is dangerously unstable might cause unnecessary fear, while assuming a gun never needs cleaning could result in a dangerous malfunction. Reliable information enables safe gun maintenance, clarifies risks for non-owners, and ensures informed public discussion. For those wanting more gun regulations, understanding how they work can help focus political effort on things that really will help improve public safety, not just assuage public opinion.
Myth 1: "Silencers" Make Guns Whisper-Quiet
• In Hollywood, the hitman fires a pistol with a little metal tube on the end and all you hear is a soft pfft. The truth is far less sneaky. A suppressor often called a "silencer “doesn’t make a gunshot silent. It simply reduces the noise by about 20 to 35 decibels, which is enough to make shooting safer for hearing but nowhere near silent. A typical suppressed handgun is still as loud as a jackhammer. It won't go unnoticed, and hearing protection is still a must at the range. Suppressors are about reducing ear damage and improving shooter comfort, not about turning gunfire into a whisper.
Myth 2: Ammunition "Goes Off" Easily
• Some imagine that a box of cartridges is like a row of tiny grenades, ready to detonate if dropped or left in the sun. A bullet fires only when its primer is sharply struck, usually by a gun's firing pin. Dropping a round might dent the casing or damage the bullet, but it won't cause the kind of dramatic explosion you see in movies. Extreme heat can make ammo dangerous, and rounds tossed into a fire may pop. But without a gun barrel to contain and direct the energy, the bullet isn't going to rocket across the room like a miniature missile. Safe storage still matters, but the odds of "accidental" firing from normal handling are extremely low.
Myth 3: Modern Civilian Guns Are "Machine Guns"
• A common confusion exists between semi-automatic and fully automatic firearms. Civilian rifles that resemble military models are typically semi-automatic, firing one round per trigger pull. In contrast, fully automatic weapons—often called machine guns—fire continuously while the trigger is held and have been strictly regulated in the U.S. since 1934. Visual similarity does not mean identical function.
Myth 4: Bigger Caliber Means Guaranteed "Stopping Power
• Pop culture often portrays larger bullets as having greater effects, but while bigger calibers can generate more energy, shot placement is generally more important for stopping a threat. A small round placed accurately may be more effective than a larger one that does not hit vital areas. Medical studies indicate that there is no specific bullet size that ensures instant incapacitation, except for explosive devices such as grenades. Actual outcomes are influenced by factors like target movement, shooter accuracy, ammunition design, and chance.
Myth 5: Ballistic "Fingerprints" Are Foolproof
• Crime shows often portray forensic experts matching a recovered bullet to a specific gun with certainty. While it's true that rifling in a barrel leaves unique marks on bullets, these markings can change over time as the barrel wears. Poor-quality ammo, damaged bullets, or environmental factors can make identification harder. In the real world, ballistic matching can be a valuable investigative lead, but it's far from the flawless "fingerprint" you see on TV.
Myth 6: You Don't Need to Clean Modern Guns
• Some owners believe that advancements in modern manufacturing make gun cleaning less necessary. While many contemporary firearms are more corrosion-resistant than older models, regular maintenance remains important. Powder residue, dirt, and moisture can cause malfunctions, particularly with frequent use or improper storage. Cleaning and applying lubrication support reliable firearm function. For guns kept loaded for home defense, periodic inspection and maintenance—at least every few months, or sooner if fired—is recommended.
Myth 7: "Smart Guns" Are Common and Reliable
• Smart guns, designed to work only for authorized users via fingerprint or RFID technology, remain costly, slow, and prone to malfunction in real-world scenarios. Adoption by police, military, and civilians has been minimal. Colorado's Bio fire is among the first to offer a biometric gun with facial recognition.
Myth 8: Gunshots Have Great Range and Accuracy
• Many people believe firearms can easily hit distant targets, but actual effective range varies by firearm type, ammunition, and shooter skill. Most handguns are reliable up to 25–60 yards, while rifles require training and good equipment for consistent long-range accuracy—details often overlooked in movies.
Myth 9: "Armor-Piercing" Ammo Is Everywhere
• The term "armor-piercing" is often misused. Police body armor stops most handgun rounds, but some rifle cartridges can penetrate based on bullet type, velocity, and armor rating. True armor-piercing rounds are military-grade and illegal for civilians.
Myth 10: Ammunition Expires Quickly
• Ammunition has a shelf life of decades when stored in a cool, dry place away from temperature extremes. Many World War II surplus rounds still function reliably. However, any ammo showing signs of corrosion, swelling, or damage should be safely discarded.
Myth 11: Explosions, Richochets, and More
• Films often depict cars exploding when shot, bullets propelling individuals backward, and ricochets occurring on any metal surface. Gunfire rarely causes cars to explode, as gasoline must vaporize and mix with air at a specific concentration for an explosion to occur, and vehicles are constructed to reduce fuel explosion risks. Individuals struck by bullets typically fall in place or stumble rather than being forcefully moved. Ricochets are less frequent than commonly portrayed; their occurrence and behavior depend on the bullet type, the material's hardness, and the angle of impact.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 87 Months in Trafficking Nine Firearms, Including to Buyer Who Said He Was ‘At War’ Thursday, April 30, 2026 U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia WASHINGTON - Brandon Smith, 34, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 87 months in prison for conspiring to traffic at least nine firearms to a prohibited buyer over the course of six months, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “Brandon Smith was already on supervised probation for a violent felony when he chose to traffic firearms, and he continued even after being told the buyer intended to use them for violence,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Over the course of six months, he arranged the sale of at least nine guns—including one with an obliterated serial number—to a prohibited individual. This was not a momentary lapse in judgment, but a sustained and deliberate effort to arm someone who could not legally possess firearms. My office remains committed to holding accountable those who endanger our communities by trafficking illegal guns.” On Jan. 9, 2026, Smith pleaded guilty before Judge Howell to conspiracy to commit trafficking in firearms. In addition to the 87-month prison term, Judge Howell ordered Smith to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 108-month prison term. According to court papers, beginning in November 2023, ATF opened an investigation after a confidential source reported that Smith, then on supervised probation for a violent felony, was actively advertising firearms for sale by texting photographs of guns to prospective buyers, including individuals with prior felony convictions. During the next six months, Smith sold or arranged the sale of nine firearms to a buyer on six separate occasions. During the transactions, Smith sold his own personal carry firearm on multiple occasions when a supplier failed to deliver, then purchased a replacement for himself afterward. In early January 2024, as Smith and the buyer discussed an upcoming transaction, the buyer told Smith he needed the firearms because he was “at war” after his cousin had been killed. Smith proceeded with the sale. The buyer had also told Smith he was serving a criminal justice sentence at the time of the transactions. Smith acknowledged that he, too, was “on papers.” Smith arranged a total of six transactions from Nov. 30, 2023, through May 30, 2024, resulting in the sale of nine firearms. At least one of the firearms had its serial number obliterated. On Oct. 26, 2024, MPD officers conducted a traffic stop on the 1600 block of 16th Street SE and found Smith in the front passenger seat of a parked vehicle. Officers observed open containers of alcohol and discovered a satchel at his feet. Inside the satchel, in plain view, was a loaded Glock Model 19X 9mm handgun with a round in the chamber and 16 additional rounds in the magazine. The bag also contained a bank card and government-issued identification in Smith’s name. Smith has prior convictions for Simple Assault (2011), Attempted Robbery (2013), and Robbery and Possession of a Firearm during a Crime of Violence (2016), for which he was sentenced to five years in prison. He was serving a term of supervised probation from the 2016 conviction at the time of the firearms trafficking conspiracy. This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Office, and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan. Convicted Felon Sentenced to 87 Months in Trafficking
