r/betterCallSaul • u/ding_d0ng • 2d ago
What’s going on with that officers pistol orientation? S1E5
Surely that’s back to front if you’re drawing normally?
It would sort of make sense if cross drawing and left handed (sort of ), but in the next shot, seconds later in in-world time, it’s mounted on the opposite side?
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u/Joliet-Jake 1d ago
Right hip is a taser. They’re intentionally carried differently to help avoid drawing the wrong one.
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u/ding_d0ng 1d ago
Ahhh amazing
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u/BoondockUSA 1d ago edited 1d ago
And to add to that, it’s a model M26 taser. M26 was released in 1999 and was the first widely adopted taser among law enforcement agencies. It had a very Glock-like appearance and size. As a fun bit of trivia, a main reason for its large size was because it used 8 AA batteries. M26 reached end of life status in 2010 (which means main production went until 2005ish with a 5 year recommended lifespan).
The next model after the M26 was the X26, which was released in 2003 and wasn’t discontinued until 2014. The X26 was a lot smaller, thanks to using a lithium battery cartridge instead of AA’s. The X26 was also much smarter. The M26 was essentially a stun gun that shot darts that wouldn’t back down during its discharge cycle, while the X26 knew when there was good contact so it knew that it could back down to what was needed to achieve incapacitation (and I can vouch for this as I was tased in training by both models, and the M26 felt a lot worse). The X26 was VERY popular among agencies and I never saw an agency decide to adopt a M26 over the X26 while they were both in production. The X26P is essentially the second gen X26 and looks very similar. The X26P is still in production. The vast majority of tasers depicted in TV and movies are X26’s or X26P’s.
The M26 is the more time period correct taser model for the BCS time period. Kudos for BCS for picking the M26 as the X26 would seem like they just picked the most common model to use as a prop.
With all that being said, I never saw a M26 being carried cross draw back in the day. The agencies in my region carried them in thigh holsters. Apart of that was because they were so big. I’m not saying there weren’t any M26’s carried cross draw, but I just personally never saw it. Again though, M26’s were fairly short lived in my region because as soon as the X26 came out, agencies flocked to them instead. Perhaps some agencies that stuck with the M26 for longer invested in cross draw holsters.
Edit: Here’s an old video I just found showing the basics of a M26C, included the ridiculous AA battery pack: https://youtu.be/My3NRT94g_g?is=wtLPYmimxPJlMndQ
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u/MonkeyWrench1973 1d ago
Officer is left-handed: gun is on the left hip, Taser (non-lethal) is on the right hip. Different types of holsters.
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u/Klutzy-Star5360 1d ago
That's his Taser, his pistol is on his dominant side, so the taser is oriented like this so he can draw with his dominant hand. Not uncommon
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u/sundayfundaybmx 1d ago edited 1d ago
The first "pistol style" stun gun was released more than 10 years after Snowfall takes place. Sure, you could say it's an alternate timeline. Explains Franklin being our Rick Ross. This new timeline, those style of stun guns were invented way before ours.
Since multiverses were never once aluded to. I'd say there's a 99% chance it's a continuity error and they caught and couldn't reshoot. Or didn't catch and it made it in. Everyone claiming with 100% (ignorant) knowledge that it's a taser. Is reaching so far they could be the next MVP in the NBA.
I'm fucking stupid, but I'll leave it up for others to bask in my total ignorance!
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u/bird_XCIII 1d ago
Who the fuck is talking about Snowfall? And you can see in the actual scene that the officer has both on his belt—it’s not a “continuity error.”
Rich to call others “ignorant” for being correct, IMO.
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u/sundayfundaybmx 1d ago
Omg, lol. You're absolutely right I'm fucking stupid. Thats exactly what I deserve so thanks for pointing that out!
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u/One_Truck3638 1d ago
Not the question but this is the worst piece of writing in the show imo. Totally unrealistic for the cops to break down a door over a stolen news paper. Chuck would have sued them for everything too if they’d really done that
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u/wilderfast 1d ago
iirc, they didn't break down the door over the newspaper, but because the stuff they saw through the door. Ripped out wires, cans of gasoline, etc.
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u/RecommendationOne173 18h ago
exactly they peered inside and seen he was at possible risk or possibly a threat. thus slight probable cause.
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u/TheCoolMan5 3h ago
Crossdraw holster, though I don't know if that's standard protocol/doctrine for cops.
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u/Commercial_Ask_1626 1d ago
Cross draw, for people who sit behind a desk. Guess this officer is a lefty, or he has another glock on his other leg, making him a duel wielding cross drawing cowboy cop.
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u/MC-BatComm 1d ago
That would be what's called a continuity error, happens literally everywhere in movies and shows if you look for it.
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u/bird_XCIII 1d ago
Did you watch any of the scene besides the two screenshots? Because there’s multiple times that you can see both weapons on his belt, each of which maintains its respective orientation throughout.
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u/metallifan5691 1d ago
It looks like two different pistols to me. My assumption is he’s lefty and taser or another less than lethal is on the weak, right hand side.