Beards and gun safety

Status
Not open for further replies.
H

hotwheels

Joined
Dec 18, 2014
Messages
884
Location
San Francisco, CA
I recently stumbled across the episode The Battle of Maynard's Beard (S2 E26) of the old TV show The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1959-1963). Dobie and Maynard have joined the US Army and Maynard gets into trouble because his goatee is against regulations. As is repeatedly demonstrated during that episode, a beard may interfere with safely operating a firearm. For those who have never seen that episode, Maynard keeps getting his goatee caught in the receiver. Then again, I never hear of Talliban getting injured because of their bushy beards. Beardos, discuss!

hotwheels
 
Not only is it a danger when using firearms, a beard can be grasped by an enemy during hand to hand combat and used for an advantage while he uses a knife/sword. That's why long hair and beards are a no-no while in active service.
 
Related, but a bit off topic. This reminds me of something my dad told me towards the end of his life=His 41st Division was invading Biak Island off New Guinea. A few days after landing there was a nightime Banzai attack. It was repulsed with the Japs decimated and quite a few GI's also killed/wounded. In the light of morning my dad noticed one of the dead GI's somehow had his shirt collar stuck between the bolt and reciever=the M1 was jammed up tight.
 
I wore a beard and a mustache in Vietnam. It was protection against bugs and abrasions from tromping thru the jungle. And come to think of it there was never any concern for hair getting caught in a weapon or having someone grab my beard in a fight. It also meant less grease paint, too. Everyone in our group wore beards and mustaches including our sniper and me, the SARC.
 
Reminds me of the joke about Ma/Pa Kettle.

Ma Kettle calls out to Pa Kettle that the long drop needs shovelling.

Pa Kettle agrees.

Next week same thing.

Week after, Ma Kettle grabs Pa Kettle and pushes his face into the longdrop.

"Ma, my beard is getting sticky"

"Aggravating, isn't it ?"
 
Originally Posted By: berniedd
Not only is it a danger when using firearms, a beard can be grasped by an enemy during hand to hand combat and used for an advantage while he uses a knife/sword. That's why long hair and beards are a no-no while in active service.


Alexander of Macedon had his troops shave for this reason...it caught on with the Romans later and we've been plagued by shaving ever since...
 
I haven't seen Dobie Gillis in years!
crackmeup2.gif


I was led to understand that facial hair was a no-go because your protective mask would not completely seal in a chemical or biological attack.
 
Also true. Mustache only in fighters because the O2 mask won't seal. This is also true in commercial aviation.
 
Originally Posted By: Astro14
Also true. Mustache only in fighters because the O2 mask won't seal. This is also true in commercial aviation.


When I read mustache and fighters, I instantly thought of Robin Olds.
 
Originally Posted By: berniedd
Not only is it a danger when using firearms, a beard can be grasped by an enemy during hand to hand combat and used for an advantage while he uses a knife/sword. That's why long hair and beards are a no-no while in active service.


Speaking of hand-to-hand combat. After the Vietnam war was over, a Vietnam solder who fought on the US side left his country and came to my town in the US. He started working with me and after I go to know him some, I asked him why his thumb nails were so long and pointed. He said it was because if he was in hand-to-hand combat, he could use his thumbnails to gouge out the eyes of his enemy! Pretty wild stuff.
 
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
I haven't seen Dobie Gillis in years!
crackmeup2.gif


I was led to understand that facial hair was a no-go because your protective mask would not completely seal in a chemical or biological attack.


Also true in firefighting. Even though the masks are positive pressure so you are safe from breathing the toxins in the smoke, the lack of a perfect seal wastes air and reduces your "inside time".
 
Probably would have been a danger during the flintlock era too! Might get your beard burned off by a flintlock or percussion cap musket!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top