Safety Violation Say Something Or MYOB

I voted "yes" recognizing that a lot depends on the situation. I know most of my neighbors reasonably well, and want their welfare. We work together to keep our eyes on our neighborhood, have shared security camera video, etc. We're a pretty "heads up" bunch. So yes, I'd point out a safety violation if I observed it, and would do so casually even if directly. "Scott, I noticed when you were showing your piece to Bill you covered yourself a couple of time. I trust your gun is unloaded, but it would make us all feel better if you handled it like it was loaded ... muzzle in a safe direction, ya know? We wouldn't want to lose you!" I think it could be done non-confrontationally and still make the point.

Gun class or range is an environment where rules enforcement is known and expected.

Randomly happening upon an guy in public that’s pointing a gun at himself while declaring the gun to be unloaded is chaotic. If you tell him the gun may be loaded, then he may decide to point the gun at you and pull the trigger to prove that the gun is unloaded. Sounds crazy but that’s what idiots do.

readyeddy said:

If you tell him the gun may be loaded, then he may decide to point the gun at you and pull the trigger to prove that the gun is unloaded. Sounds crazy but that’s what idiots do.

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Good point.

Really stupid people don't even think the same way we do; their brains don't even work the same.

Also, my own point is that unsolicited advice is most often unwelcome.

What gets me is, personally, I'm very conscious of where a muzzle is pointed all the time, especially if it's near me. I'm always on the lookout as to where they're pointed if I'm in a place where guns are present, i.e., a range, the locker room in the agency where I worked, etc.

I get very annoyed even if I'm in a gun store or show and people are looking at a gun and they start to sweep me, I'll put up a hand and brush it out of my direction. Sometimes I get looks for that, but so far no harsh words. Only things like "it's not even loaded." Yeah, well, I don't care.

For someone to point a gun at their chest is so far out of normal for me, I have to wonder what their regular routine is as far as safety, period. I wouldn't trust a person like that with a pair of scissors, if I had young kids I'd never allow them in his house.

Seems like a future Darwin award winner in the making.

Personally I'd mind my own business.

When I opened this I was asked to vote on a safety violation, without any amplifying info.

The poll should be after the example situation. Now, any answer to this poll is situational.

Document the unsafe act, time and place.

This might be a total waste of time, but despite the slim odds that anything would happen, it shows that somebody warned the dumb ass.

A lady shot herself in the leg recently inside a range near Jackson MS (survived). My friend walked past the pool of blood..
Did anybody ever try to warn her about finger discipline?

Two little, tiny kids were on their trikes yesterday in the middle of a fairly quiet street--no parents visible.
I posted the street's general spot, and irresponsible act on the suburb's website.
And our name is included. Tough.

WrongHanded said:

Just pointing it around and about in public (even on his own front lawn). I'm sure there's more to it from a legal stand point, but if a neighbor called it in as him "waving a gun around", it'd be a pretty sticky situation. And likely one he'd want to avoid.

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All depends on the neighborhood. If they did that around here half the Amish boys in the region would be in jail, as would most of the rednecks, (and there's a whole bunch of them).

bearcreek said:

All depends on the neighborhood. If they did that around here half the Amish boys in the region would be in jail, as would most of the rednecks, (and there's a whole bunch of them).

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My original comment was regarding that behavior inside city limits. Either in an urban or suburban setting. Outside city limits, I doubt it'd be considered a big deal.

Yes, I would have said something. After his response, I would steer clear of him. I have never taken any guns outside in plain sight except at the range. I have and would NEVER point it at a person especially myself. There is a small auto spring repair shop across the street from us. The former operator once asked my opinion on a high power rifle he could get for his GF. I took my Mossberg 4X4 in 22-250 over to show him. Instead of getting out a case I wrapped it in a throw. If I it was a friend at my house I'd take him inside. Dude needs a new lesson on firearm safety and discipline.

Darwin at work....

readyeddy said:

There’s not much one can do for people who drink Clorox, eat Tide Pods or point guns at themselves.

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Yup

He had a hell of a flinch on that third attempt, bet it's even worse now.

I voted yes without reading the opening statement. if on the range and I see somebody doing something unsafe, hell yes I'm calling them out on it. when I say unsafe I mean gun pointing in the wrong direction type stuff where some innocent 3rd party can be killed as a result of the gun handler's negligence.

I am not trying to be a jerk, but the only issue that I see is that event occurred outside where others could see.

I am not joking, but pointing a gun at oneself is not a problem if the gun has been checked and confirmed to have an empty chamber. When I am cleaning or perhaps getting ready for dry fire practice, I check the gun numerous times and then check it some more. Then I will pull the trigger on empty chamber (pointed in safe direction of course), then I will check the chamber again. At that point I have no problem pointing my gun at myself, look down the barrel, etc. It is an empty gun and I have confirmed it 10+ times.

johnandersonoutdoors said:

I am not trying to be a jerk, but the only issue that I see is that event occurred outside where others could see.

I am not joking, but pointing a gun at oneself is not a problem if the gun has been checked and confirmed to have an empty chamber. When I am cleaning or perhaps getting ready for dry fire practice, I check the gun numerous times and then check it some more. Then I will pull the trigger on empty chamber (pointed in safe direction of course), then I will check the chamber again. At that point I have no problem pointing my gun at myself, look down the barrel, etc. It is an empty gun and I have confirmed it 10+ times.

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Do you leave the action open when looking down the barrel?

whm1974 said:

Do you leave the action open when looking down the barrel?

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Yes, usually the action is open of course. If I am trying to see the inside of the barrel then the action will be open and I might hold the action up to the light on my workbench, which gives a nice bright view down the barrel. However, if I am just looking at the muzzle, then I won't necessarily open the action (although I will keep my finger off the trigger too)

But again, the gun has been check a boat load of times. And if I walk away from my bench and come back, I assume a ghost has chambered a round while I was gone, so I check it another bunch of times before getting back to random gun handling.

I consider myself to be quite strict with the safety rules, never been dq'ed from IDPA, nor hurt anyone, nor any accidental or negligent discharge, never muzzle anyone else, etc. but I don't have a problem pointing a guaranteed unloaded gun at myself once I have checked it numerous times.

I’ll correct my brother, a couple close friends, or anyone on my property. Other than that I tend to MYOB, probably to a fault.
I also don’t really shoot with many people other than that, I shoot with my brother and those couple good friends and occasionally teach new shooters at my house.

I have to have a pretty good relationship with you to go shooing/hunting with you, at least good enough to crawl you about safe gun handeling and know you want act like a prick about it, nobody is perfect and everyone needs to have it pointed out when we’re breaking our own rules as we all do on occasion.
Now, If I don’t know you and you’re not on my property, I assume if you wanted advise you ask and I leave you alone, but honestly I don’t really put myself in that position, but when I am I myob, and sometimes leave.

Jammer's rule #3: Never go to war with a neighbor.

Jammer's rule #4: If you go to war with a neighbor, have another place to live, and win.

At my range, I'd say something. Guy was on his property, holding his property, right?

If I corrected the neighbor on either side of me, I hope they'd listen. On one side, I taught them both to shoot and on the other, I taught their parents to shoot, and they've made noises about me teaching their kids.

johnandersonoutdoors said:

I am not trying to be a jerk, but the only issue that I see is that event occurred outside where others could see.

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I think the main issue is that it occurred while "showing a RDS to a neighbor". I agree with you that pointing a gun at something "that you don't intend to destroy" (to use the classic "rule") happens all the time and isn't an issue, given the right circumstances. I don't think that doing it while showing an optic to someone is the right circumstances though.

Speedo66 said:

What gets me is, personally, I'm very conscious of where a muzzle is pointed all the time, especially if it's near me. I'm always on the lookout as to where they're pointed if I'm in a place where guns are present, i.e., a range, the locker room in the agency where I worked, etc.

I get very annoyed even if I'm in a gun store or show and people are looking at a gun and they start to sweep me, I'll put up a hand and brush it out of my direction. Sometimes I get looks for that, but so far no harsh words. Only things like "it's not even loaded." Yeah, well, I don't care.

For someone to point a gun at their chest is so far out of normal for me, I have to wonder what their regular routine is as far as safety, period. I wouldn't trust a person like that with a pair of scissors, if I had young kids I'd never allow them in his house.

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The fact that even one person has accidentally shot themselves with an “unloaded” gun makes makes me absolutely distrusting of anyone who uses “it’s unloaded” as an excuse for anything.

daniel craig said:

The fact that even one person has accidentally shot themselves with an “unloaded” gun makes makes me absolutely distrusting of anyone who uses “it’s unloaded” as an excuse for anything.

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Which is why I would have the action open when show the guns. O have an empty case sticking sticking straight out of the chamber or cable lock doing the same.

Muzzle discipline is not hard for some, others never get it.
If it's on my property, I'm definitely speaking, and if it's in my direction I'm definitely speaking.

I have one friend who no longer shoots with me for this reason and I'm ok with that.