Don't you hate when you settle in with the latest mystery bestseller and find a reference to the "safety on a Glock" pistol?

Do you hiss out tactical instructions to the celluloid villains randomly spraying big city streets with automatic weapon fire-and hitting nothing but plate glass-as the rest of the audience in the multiplex "shushes" you?

Did you laugh out loud at the "Law & Order" episode in which a gun was positively determined to be a "Smith & Wesson .32" after the fictional detectives recovered a shell casing-and only a shell casing-from a revolver, no less?

Believe it or not, professional writers are embarrassed by mistakes such as those described above. But they often don't have the tools-in the form of references, resources and practical experience-to prevent such gaffes, which reflect poorly on their skills.

Two non-profit groups, the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and Academics for the Second Amendment (A2A) have combined forces to make a dent in the misinformation appearing in popular culture by staging unique writers seminars for fiction writers and TV and screen scriptwriters.

The first of these, a test program in late 2000, convinced the groups to press on with a second seminar in October 2001, held in Las Vegas, NV, and attracting 18 mystery, science fiction and fantasy writers, as well as small press publishers and a movie producer.

Seminar objectives were detailed by SAF founder Alan Gottlieb and A2A president Prof. Joseph Olson on the first day of the 2-1/2 day program. Both were candid in saying that they hoped participants would become "second amendment converts" and reflect that conversion in their work. But, both stressed that the primary reason for the seminar was to give writers the necessary tools and resources to write with authority about guns and firearms-related subjects.

SAF president Joseph Tartaro led off with a history of firearms-going back to their pre-gunpowder days. Tartaro explained that no matter how modern firearms are (or become in the future), they remain at core devices for launching projectiles. That formula is contained in one of our earliest stories-David and Goliath from the Bible, Tartaro said. And, he said, the fact that David is reported to have gathered up "five smooth round stones" illustrates the earliest history of ballistics.

From there, Tartaro moved forward in history, describing bows and arrows and other devices used in ancient times and detailing the invention of gunpowder. He also discussed the earliest firearms and their effect on history. With firearms-even the cumbersome primitive arms available in Europe, not only did warfare change, but so did politics. The advent of arms meant an end to the feudal system, Tartaro explained.

He also used a variety of exhibits, including a large flintlock pistol and a compact modern Glock, as well as early a pinfire cartridge, a Burnside carbine cartridge of the Civil War era and modern cebnterfire cartridge to illustrate that the relationship of projectile and propellant has not changed-only the technology.

Olson and Gottlieb, together with author and attorney David Kopel, next took participants on a tour through the US Constitution and several hundred years of scholarship on self-defense and modern concealed carry laws. While much of the scholarship presented is unlikely to make its way into popular fiction, it provided attendees with an important historical context. Among the many books given to participants at both the 2000 and 2001 seminars were Joyce Lee Malcolm's To Keep and Bear Arms, Stephen Halbrook's That Every Man Be Armed, David Kopel's The Cowboy, the Samurai and the Mountie, and John Lott's More Guns, Less Crime, familiar titles to gun rights activists, but new works to most in attendance.

The afternoon session began with two fascinating technical presentations.

John Mullins, author of Days of Fire and Frangible Ammunition, a manufacturer of frangible ammunition under the Longbow name and director of T-Catt Academy in Oklahoma, was first up with a discussion of ammunition and its properties. Mullins was able to explain, in very plain language, how ammunition works (and doesn't). He also explained wound ballistics and the various schools of thought on the issue.

Torrey Johnson, a criminalist with the Las Vegas Metro Police Department further explored ballistics and other forensic evidence, aided by a comprehensive collection of slides which detailed much of the material he and other speakers had presented.
Both Mullins and Johnson were peppered with questions from the group, at least one of whom said later, "I guess I can't use that idea I had-it just doesn't make sense. But I think I have a better one now."

Following a break, nationally known firearms and self-defense authority and author Massad Ayoob and Women & Guns editor Peggy Tartaro held forth on "fiction vs. reality."

Tartaro used several examples from mystery novels to underscore her point that bad information can lead to bad fiction, undermining not only a character's integrity, but the author's as well.

Ayoob took and held the audience's attention during his remarks, in which he also used bad examples in books, television and the movies to teach better ways to develop characters who are using guns.

At one point, while talking and standing in the middle of the conference room, Ayoob discussed body armor. As he did so, he removed his own-and passed it around to the group for examination.

Both Tartaro and Ayoob pointed out that good technical data could be worked into story lines without sacrificing narrative excitement.

Mullins and the rest of his T-Catt training crew-sheriff's deputy Clovis Oyler, fugitive apprehension agent Dave Swanson and criminal defense attorney Trey Minton-took center stage for the next segment.

Oyler, Swanson and Minton held forth on criminal misuse of firearms and criminal mentality, using their vast experience for discussion. Stressed was the fact that criminals are, in fact, "bad guys," intent on surviving situations and using methods which normal folks would consider "unfair." Criminals, said Minton, are working "24/7" to overcome obstacles and, for example, even as they are being handcuffed, will begin trying to escape-a process he demonstrated with Oyler.

In a startling set piece, performed with precision and safety, Oyler was "shot" with Simunition rounds by Swanson as flustered attendees struggled to figure out what happened. Accounts from those sitting a few feet away varied widely, underscoring the lesson. Participants later had a chance to use the Simunitions technology under controlled supervision to get what, for many of them, was the first-but not last-experience handling a firearm.

The first day's last presentation was by Kopel, who used data from other countries, including Great Britain, Canada, Japan, the US and Australia, to explore some of the myths about firearms ownership and national crime rates.

Day two of the seminar began with producer, director and writer Dan Gifford, whose credits include the Academy Award nominated documentary "Waco: The Rules of Engagement."
Gifford gave a nuts-and-bolts presentation explaining some of the intricacies of getting works published and filmed finanbced and produced while maintaining authorial integrity.

Many in the decision making position, particularly in Hollywood, are either hostile or ignorant about guns and gunowners-or, Gifford said, both. In many cases, their view of the real world is warped by a vast age and cultural chasm. Using examples from his own career, Gifford explained how works are treated merely as "product" with little thought given to original intentions of the creators. That trade-off can be rewarding financially, Gifford admitted, but doesn't necessarily reflect reality.

Seminar participants were directed to a variety of resources, including books, websites and magazines, by most of the seminar presenters, who also encouraged those present to contact them with questions that may arise in their work.

Women & Guns publisher Julianne Versnel Gottlieb, Peggy Tartaro and Ayoob took the floor to-literally-reveal some of the differences between men and women when it comes to concealed carry, both physically and psychologically. Tartaro, wearing casual slacks and a loose-fitting long sleeved shirt and Gottlieb, wearing leather pants, a sleeveless turtleneck and a cropped jacket, began by enumerating some of their own similarities and differences.
"One of us is a mom, and one of us is not," said Tartaro.

"One of us is a Republican, and one of us a Democrat,' said Gottlieb. "We're both about the same age and we both work in the same business on opposite ends of the country," she continued.

"One of us is carrying a gun now," said Tartaro, "and one of us is not."

Tartaro sat down, and with the help of Ayoob, Gottlieb showed how she was able to secure and carry a Glock in a shoulder holster, despite her fashion savvy.

Ayoob explained many of the different methods of carry available, including fanny packs and a variety of on-the-body holsters.

Demonstrating different body types, Tartaro, Ayoob and the now sleeveless Gottlieb continued the discussion and fielded a number of questions.

Toward the end of the presentation, Ayoob staged a mock attack on Gottlieb, who was able to retrieve a large knife she was still concealing under her top. "I saw a little bit of it under her arm," one participant said, but, she admitted, "I was sure it was just part of her bra."

Lunch was followed by classroom instruction in firearms safety and operation, and then participants departed to Desert Sportsmen's Rifle and Pistol Range on the outskirts of Las Vegas.

At the range, Minton, Oyler and Mullins first demonstrated a variety of firearms. Using a .223 rifle, a 9mm pistol and a 12 ga. shotgun, gallon jugs of water were shot to illustrate the widely varied effects of impact. The ball ammo produced small entry and exit holes with just a trickle of water. The hollow-point 9mm produces a much larger hole, visibly increased wound channel and a spray of water, while the shotgun slug seemed to shatter nearly the entire jug and spray water in every direction.

Afterwards, the group, who had previously detailed their firearms knowledge-much of it minimal- were instructed one-on-one with a variety of handguns and rifles. All were given the opportunity to fire revolvers of various calibers, including a single action Ruger in .44 magnum, as well as a selection of rifles chambered for various rounds from .22 rimfire to .308 and .30-06. (For the first seminar in 2000, which was fired on the PMC Ammunition range in Boulder City, a Barrett in .50 BMG as also available. Both seminars also offered an opportunity to fire full-auto smallarms.

Most gunowners are familiar with a range phenomenon-"can I do it again?"-that was much in evidence at the Desert Sportsmen's range that day, and at the previous year's seminar. It's interesting to watch a woman novelist with little previous firearm experience become determined to keep shooting a .308 rifle until she is satisfied with her score.

A half-day program finished the seminar, beginning with a presentation by Ayoob, Kopel and Oyler that further explored the criminal mindset, while detailing how law enforcement and government operatives really use firearms.

Gun laws and gun accidents were discussed by Gottlieb and Olson in the next panel, which sought to explore some of the myths surrounding some of these topics.

The last panel featured both Tartaros and Ayoob who discussed ways in which the shooting sports could be used as background and "props" in fictional settings, including the very visual Cowboy Action Shooting game, a variety of practical shooting matches, hunting and informal plinking.

The seminar and its previous pilot encouraged A2A and SAF to plan the third annual fiction writers seminar in 2002. While its impact might not be immediately reflected in a sudden gun savviness in all aspects of popular culture, it seemed a major start in an effort to promote positive and accurate firearms imagines through writers who collectively reach millions of readers in the US each year.

Other groups, including the National Shooting Sports Foundation and National Rifle Association conduct shooting seminars for news reporters and legislative staffs. The fiction writers seminars co-sponsored by the Second Amendment Foundation and Academics for the Second Amendment are designed to improve the images of guns and gunowners the public encounters in a relaxed, entertainment environment.

So far almost 40 writers have enjoyed the experience of attending the first two seminars, and more are expected to participate in future events. Feedback to date has been very positive.