(I've heard you're an expert on these things.)
~
The majority of handguns are semi auto. and you can't peek into a clip, lol.
I'm not looking down the barrel of that gun. I know it's loaded and will go off if I do.
True story: I knew a teen who stuck his finger down the barrel of a gun, (just because) it became stuck so he tried to shake the gun off. The gun went off and blew his finger to smithereens.
OH! you are right, I'm sure they did it as well. haha Maybe thats where he got the idea.