this post was submitted on
986 points (78% like it)
1,351 up votes 365 down votes

TopGear

unsubscribe30,025 readers

~21 users here now

Welcome to Top Gear

The best subreddit... in the world!

Episode Guides

Latest Top Gear Episode: March 11, 2012 [S18E07] Episode discussion here

Next Top Gear Episode: 2013

Next Top Gear USA Episode: August 14, 2012

Next Fifth Gear Episode: September 3, 2012

Top Gear Websites

Car of the Week

Submitted By: IndoCroatPerson

Submit a Car of the Week


Add spoilers to your comments:

The Stig is [??????](/spoiler)

Will show up as

The Stig is ??????

Reddits you may like

We need more Car of the Week pics! Submit them here!
created by kugaia community for

reddit is a source for what's new and popular online. vote on links that you like or dislike and help decide what's popular, or submit your own! learn more ›

all 93 comments

[–]jamesneysmith 106 points107 points ago

hammond and clarkson's reaction always cracks me up

[–]JakeRadden 47 points48 points ago

Richard's face really gets me.

[–]Funkagenda 39 points40 points ago

Hammond goes from normal to totally horrified in record time, and Clarkson just laughs at him. Typical.

[–]SurrealEstate 14 points15 points ago

Seems like Clarkson is reacting to the instructor who immediately grabs the barrel and points it down, and Hammond reacts the second that May has the barrel pointed at his face.

[–]wartornhero 4 points5 points ago

Not surprised; out of all of them I would be willing to bet that Hammond is the only one who would have handled a firearm before that scene.

[–]DmcDT 2 points3 points ago

You're joking right. Jezza owns guns and is noted for using them where he lives in the country.

Pretty sure there's an episode where they go through Switzerland where Jezza has an AK47 on him

[–]wartornhero 0 points1 point ago

I was mistaken then. I thought Hammond was the only one that lives out in the country based on another comment on here a while ago about Jezza and May hanging out all the time because they live closer to each other in London and Hammond lives out in the boonies.

[–]Decka17 0 points1 point ago

I'm not sure which came first, but in the TG: Ground Force special Clarkson goes weeding and branch removal with a shotgun.

[–]Arve 0 points1 point ago

Jeremy is plenty gun-savvy

(Edit: Linked better version of same video)

[–]cybix[S] 12 points13 points ago

I've watched it a good 10 times now and it still makes me laugh uncontrollably.

[–]footstepsfading 5 points6 points ago

Hammond: Oh god he's gonna shoot his face off! I shouldn't watch this!!

Clarkson: Oh no I can't watch. He's such an idiot!! Tehehe.

I think this means that Hammond actually likes him more.

[–]smokeymcpot69 0 points1 point ago

every time!

[–]thestig8 33 points34 points ago

Highly relevant

I think he's right.

[–]CalicoJack 8 points9 points ago

I'm not sure why you got downvoted, this is entirely right and extremely relevant. James was later vindicated by having a gun expert tell him that he did the right thing by breeching his gun, placing his finger in the breech, and looking down the barrel to ensure that it is clear.

[–]richalex2010 8 points9 points ago

If others don't see you confirm that the gun is clear, they'll still react like this (completely appropriately, I'd say). You need to demonstrate that it's safe not just for yourself, but for everyone around you before doing something like this. In gun stores, you'll see the salesmen clear a gun before giving it to someone - this isn't done for their benefit, but to demonstrate to the customer that the gun is unloaded.

[–]mimicthefrench 2 points3 points ago

Exactly. He did the right thing for if he was alone but he should have been more clear with them as to what he was doing. You don't want to scare people like that.

[–]frezik 0 points1 point ago

You must have better gun salesmen than the stores around here.

[–]jamduck 53 points54 points ago

I love the innocence he has.

[–]jigielnik 41 points42 points ago

I've said it before and I will say it again (and it has been said all throughout this thread) James was not being innocent or stupid but in fact he was completely in the right. This bit was included in the polar special for entertainment purposes. James has spoken about this (the link is later in these comments somewhere) and a gun expert confirmed it:

"this is entirely right and extremely relevant. James was later vindicated by having a gun expert tell him that he did the right thing by breeching his gun, placing his finger in the breech, and looking down the barrel to ensure that it is clear."

[–]ThEgg 12 points13 points ago

I wish we could sticky this at the top of r/TopGear and put an end to this damn repost gif.

[–]YouSuck22323 4 points5 points ago

Sure but you could always look down the other side of the barrel.

[–]jigielnik 3 points4 points ago

Indeed. For most shotguns you can look through the other side, but the very fact that you can negates the need to do it from the other side, as when the barrel is pulled out like that, mothing that could possibly go wrong from either side since its not actually touching the area it would need to to fire.

This gets at the point i was making though... Just like driving, there is nothing dangerous about looking down your barrel for obstructions, just as long as- like driving- you do it safely and intelligently and follow the rules.

[–]gigidy5 1 point2 points ago

You can't with a pump action shotgun.

[–]cybix[S] 7 points8 points ago

Couldn't agree more.

[–]shnoobles 32 points33 points ago

He later explained that it's a proper method for checking the interior of the barrel for ice. The reactions are fantastic though

edit - I should clarify that I'm not a firearms expert, just repeating what I had heard James say.

[–]npadger 13 points14 points ago

I just took my firearms course so I know a bit on this topic. The Canadian Firearms Safety course instructs you to "See the firearm is unloaded- PROVE it safe". PROVE STANDS FOR:

Point the barrel in the safest available direction.

Remove all cartridges.

Observe the chamber.

Verify the feeding path.

and finally...

Examine the bore for obstructions. Now there are a few ways of going about this. You can use a long rod to ram down the barrel and check for obstructions by making sure the rod is visible in the action, but it's a bit impractical to carry around a rod while hunting. You can also use a bore light. To do this you place a curved piece of clear plastic in the action and bore, and look down the barrel from the front. The reasoning behind this is that the light is jamming the action so there is no way it will fire, and you're already very sure the gun is clear. The third way I was taught was to completely remove the bolt on a bolt action gun and look down the breach.

Now I'm not sure about checking for ice, but if the gun has been PROVEn safe, looking down the barrel would be 100% safe.

[–]DORTx2 0 points1 point ago

Yea I took this course too I was taught the same.

[–]TheCatapult 3 points4 points ago

The proper way would be to take the barrel off. It isn't very difficult.

[–]irisher 0 points1 point ago

takes about 15 seconds and no tools at all.

[–]iPodAddict181 0 points1 point ago

Anyone who knows anything about firearms will always say to pretend like the gun is always loaded, you never point it at yourself or anyone else, otherwise that's how accidents happen. If you need to look down the barrel you should remove it and look down the breech.

[–]large_poops 10 points11 points ago

Except if you are in the arctic, you need to check your barrel for obstructions before shooting it. A surprisingly small amount of ice in the barrel will blow the barrel apart (next to your face). James was okay in this case (as he personally checked and clear the shotgun before looking down the muzzle).

[–]kevler9oh 2 points3 points ago

So being in the arctic means you can't take off the barrel to inspect it?

[–]nwestnine 4 points5 points ago

It means you can drink and "sail".

[–]ThEgg 1 point2 points ago

For a quick and easy inspection? Why bother? Jam the action with a flashlight and there you go, all done.

[–]redsmith12 8 points9 points ago

From the North Pole special.

[–]cybix[S] 2 points3 points ago

Yes sir

[–]TacticalVirus 4 points5 points ago

Good to see this is still able to draw the ignorant people out of the woodwork whenever it's posted.

There are very few firearms where you can check the bore from the breach end of the weapon. Bolt Actions, Break Actions, and certain semi-auto rifles (M-16 pattern rifles) are pretty much it.

For Bolt Actions you can just slide the bolt out by pulling the trigger or pressing a catch. Then you can look down the breach end and check the bore.

Break Actions, it's in the name. You just crack it open and look down the breach.

Certain semi-autos can be checked by using the steps from Bolt Actions and Break Actions. I.E.; pop the rear pin of an M-16 pattern rifle, crack it open, slide the bolt out, and observe the bore from the breach end.

In this case, James May is holding a pump action shotgun. You cannot observe the bore on a pump action shotgun from the breach end unless you unthread the barrel. In some instances, this involves tools. In most instances, this is counter productive as it increases the chances of dirt or debris getting into places it shouldn't be. So, you examine the chamber visually and then physically with your finger. Then you hold the bolt back with a finger or thumb and examine the bore from the muzzle end. At this point, it is no more dangerous than looking down a lead pipe. There is litterally zero reason to be concerned. Those that say otherwise are overzealous safety queens that do not actually understand how firearms function or have never relied on one on a daily basis.

Source; Four years as 00011 in the Canadian Forces, another four as a civilian owner.

[–]anonymfus 4 points5 points ago

He said in one of the previous series that lack of gun is the only reason that he had not committed suicide.

[–]FreeTopher 1 point2 points ago

Back to the studio!

[–]twist3dfear 1 point2 points ago

May just makes my day sometimes.

[–]tyrroi 1 point2 points ago

Makes me flinch everytime.

[–]Peydenvtrumpet 1 point2 points ago

What series and episode was that clip from??

[–]nhall6 1 point2 points ago

series 9 episode 6 polar special

[–]Highofftofu 1 point2 points ago

from the north pole special

[–]Peydenvtrumpet 0 points1 point ago

Thanks for the help with identifying the episode.

[–]canuckmakem 1 point2 points ago

It is my favourite show. But I don't think people realize how heavily scripted it is.

[–]JDawn747 0 points1 point ago

Jeremy and Hampster's faces.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

Imagine if he just blew his whole head off, that would really put a damper on the bit.

[–]heyyouwtf 0 points1 point ago

So is this guy

[–]SilverGoat 1 point2 points ago

I felt so bad for the guy while watching that, he took it like a champ though.

[–]heyyouwtf 0 points1 point ago

You should never feel bad for stupid. Thankfully he didn't shoot a student.

[–]andrea_fever 0 points1 point ago

I can't stop watching it over and over and laughing more and more every time. Thanks for posting! This is definitely my new favorite .gif now!

[–]musicnap 0 points1 point ago

What episode is this, please?

[–]nhall6 1 point2 points ago

series 9 episode 6 polar special

[–]FireTempest 0 points1 point ago

May has always been the man who stares down the barrel of a gun, though absentmindedly

[–]MyDogPoops 0 points1 point ago

And on that bombshell, check out James May's show "Man Lab" in which he teaches us how to duel like real men. It's available here.

[–]anonymfus 0 points1 point ago

Sorry, currently our video library can only be watched from within the United States

[–]CapnSammich -1 points0 points ago

The first time I saw this gif, I didn't even recognize these people. Now I'm like oh man, James May really IS an idiot!

[–]HazyMoonDragon 0 points1 point ago

One of the many reasons why they can't have nice things...