The Comforting Sounds that Guns Make
Dr. John Woods 04.14.20
There are endless sounds around us every day which we immediately recognize. They have become so common that we know exactly what they are or where they came from the second we hear them. Just think of the noises or sounds you hear all the time. Hearing is among one of our most-used senses as a human being.
A car door slamming across the street, a house alarm going off a block over, the microwave buzzer when the burrito is cooked, the dryer timer in the laundry room are just a few of the sounds around us on a regular basis. And for gun lovers, there are other sounds that soothe the savage brow as it is told.
Remember the character Tuco (Eli Wallach) in “The Good, the Bad, and Ugly?” In one scene Tuco was trying to pick the best revolver in a gun shop by taking several apart and using components of several guns to make the best one. As he changed parts, he would put the revolver to his ear and cock it slowly to listen to all the parts engaging. The slow cocking of a single action revolver is one of the most recognized gun sounds of all. Just crank the hammer on a Colt SAA or Ruger SA to hear the music of the four clicks spelling C-O-L-T.
Another common gun sound is the slam-slide of a semi-auto handgun like a classic 1911 charging into battery. Letting go of the slide release or pulling the slide back to let it go issues the sweet sound of a steel slide grabbing a round off the magazine and loading the chamber. There is no other sound like it.
Crank the slide on a pump shotgun like an old Winchester Model 97 or 12, a Mossberg 500 or a Remington 870 and that gets everyone’s attention. It has been said that just that sound alone is enough to stop bad guys in their tracks. The slam-shut of a pump action shotgun resonates with anybody familiar with shotguns.
Lever action rifles have a sound of their own. It’s a kind of a sha-shing if that is a word. The lever is cranked down drawing the bolt back and ejecting a spent round. Closing the bolt threads another round into the chamber with a secure lock. It brings back memories of old western movies or an early time in the deer woods. A sweet sound indeed.
Gun sounds are good for the soul. Go make some!
