MythBusters · Video summary

Can a Bent-Barreled Shotgun Actually Fire? | MythBusters

The MythBusters tackle the classic cartoon trope of a bent gun barrel, testing if a firearm can still shoot effectively after its barrel is severely curved. They also investigate whether a gun can fire in the vacuum of space and if a gun will discharge when dropped into hot oil.

MythBusters · September 16, 2026 · 27-min episode · 4-min read

Can a Bent-Barreled Shotgun Actually Fire? | MythBusters

Key takeaways

🔫The MythBusters test the classic cartoon trope of a bent gun barrel, where a gun with a curved barrel still fires effectively.00:00
📏They successfully bend a rifle barrel to 45 degrees and find that the bullet still fires with only a 7% loss of energy, surprising the team.05:01
📐Even with a 90-degree bend, the gun fires, and the bullet remains lethal, though it begins to tumble shortly after exiting the barrel.06:10
🤯Against all expectations, the rifle with a 180-degree bent barrel fires a lethal bullet, confirming the cartoon myth.11:35
🌌The MythBusters construct a bulletproof vacuum chamber to test if a gun can fire in space, challenging Hollywood depictions.13:30
🚀A gun successfully fires in a vacuum, debunking the myth that lack of oxygen or slug deformation would prevent it.16:50

Chapters

0:00Bent Barrel
20:30Guns in a Vacuum
33:44Deep-Fried Guns

The digest

In the realm of cinematic physics and cartoon logic, certain scenarios are accepted as fact, even if they defy real-world principles. The MythBusters, with their signature blend of scientific inquiry and explosive experimentation, set out to challenge three such myths: the bent barrel, a gun firing in the vacuum of space, and a gun discharging when deep-fried.

The Bent Barrel: Shooting Around Corners

The first myth tackled is a classic from countless cartoons: a gun barrel bent into a U-shape still fires, allowing the shooter to hit targets around corners. The team's plan was straightforward: acquire a rifle, remove its barrel, heat it in a sword forge to make it malleable, and then bend it. Before bending, they established a baseline with a straight barrel, firing a bullet through a block of ballistic gel. The bullet penetrated cleanly, demonstrating the unmodified rifle's power.

Their initial bend was a gentle 45-degree curve. To their surprise, the rifle, once reassembled, fired successfully. The bullet traveled through the ballistic gel with only a 7% loss of energy compared to the straight barrel. This initial success fueled their optimism, prompting them to attempt more extreme bends. A 90-degree bend yielded similar results, with the bullet still lethal and traveling at nearly the same speed as the 45-degree barrel. The bullet did, however, begin to tumble shortly after leaving the barrel, indicating a loss of stability.

Undeterred, they pushed the limits further, creating a 135-degree bend. Even at this extreme angle, the rifle fired, and the bullet maintained significant lethal force, penetrating the ballistic gel. The muzzle velocity was reduced, but not drastically. The ultimate test was a full 180-degree bend, effectively turning the barrel back on itself. This was the moment of truth, and against all expectations, the gun fired, and the bullet exited the barrel with lethal force, completing the full curve. The MythBusters concluded that the bent barrel myth, to their astonishment, was plausible, demonstrating that a gun can indeed fire with a severely curved barrel, albeit with some ballistic instability.