The MythBusters The MythBusters

MythBusters Episode 64: More Myths Revisited

Premier Date: October 25, 2006

SPINOFF: A sword can cut a machine gun in two. (From special 9)


A machine gun barrel cannot be sliced in two using a sword. Using the barrel from a .30 caliber Browning machine gun, the team heated the barrel until it was red hot and struck it with the sword machine. Even with the barrel red hot, the sword could only make a small gouge in the barrel. What further disproved the myth was the fact that the barrel’s outer heat-dissipating shroud was removed and the machine was swinging the sword with power that significantly exceeded a normal human’s capabilities. The team then rapidly heated and cooled the barrel to make it more brittle, but when hit by the sword, it shattered instead of being cut. Finally, the team tried to cut a thinner Thompson submachine gun barrel, but only managed to bend it, proving that a sword cannot cut a gun barrel in two.

SPINOFF: Bracing a windshield can keep it from shattering. (From episode 58)



REVISITED: A hybrid rocket can be made out of salami. (From episode 51)


Using Salami as a rocket fuel can create high amounts of thrust with the right nozzle. Readings from the force gauge proved that salami did in fact generate much more thrust than just the released nitrous oxide gas alone, though they do admit that the NOX output alone could’ve launched the rocket, as may have been the case with the original launch.

REVISITED: It is more fuel efficient to drive your pick-up truck with its tailgate down, rather than up. (From episode 43)



SPINOFF: A plastic mesh tailgate provides superior fuel efficiency compared to the standard metal tailgate. (From episode 22)

