AK Guy Recreates the Reagan Assassination Attempt

In a recent video, Brandon Herrera, known online as The AK Guy, took a deep dive into one of the most unusual firearms ever tied to an attack on a sitting U.S. President: the German-made RG14S.

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The .22 caliber six-shot revolver was used by John Hinckley Jr. in his March 30, 1981 attempt to assassinate President Ronald Reagan.

The firearm, sold at the time for roughly twenty-nine dollars, became a historical footnote for its low cost, crude construction, and surprising role in a major national event.

Herrera walks through the mechanics of the revolver, noting its toy-like feel, cast construction, and unusual loading system.

Instead of a conventional swing-out cylinder, the RG14S requires the user to pull out the ejector rod entirely before loading.

As he demonstrates, the same rod must then be used to punch out spent casings because the design lacks an ejector mechanism.

The video blends Herrera’s typical humor with an overview of Hinckley’s motives, including his obsession with Taxi Driver and actress Jodie Foster, as well as his fixation on The Catcher in the Rye.

Herrera highlights that Hinckley’s motivations were personal rather than political, even though the attack reshaped national gun-control policy years later.

Reagan was one of four people hit during the attack, along with James Brady, Tom Delehanty, and Tim McCarthy. Herrera revisits the well-known details: the bullet destined for Reagan first ricocheted off the limousine’s hood before entering his chest, puncturing his left lung.

In a ballistic reenactment, Herrera manages to duplicate a similar ricochet effect into a ballistic dummy, demonstrating how the small .22 LR round could follow an unpredictable path through soft tissue after deflection.

The video also recounts Reagan’s famously calm remarks following the shooting, including “Nancy, I forgot to duck” and “I hope you’re all Republicans” to the surgeons preparing him for emergency care.

Herrera closes by noting the long-term political impact of the incident, including the eventual passage of the Brady Bill and the creation of federal background check requirements.

The episode continues his series exploring historical assassinations and the firearms connected to them, offering a mix of education, dark humor, and ballistic experimentation for viewers.

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