Huge Pet Peeve

See it all the time. I had to break my mother in law of that very habit when I was teaching her to shoot.

I haven't seen it, but if I do, i would definitely politely inform them that we don't do things like that.

I know what you're talking about. The remedy for that is to have them stand sideways, so the barrel stays pointed in a safe direction.

All the time, and being an RSO I remind people with "muzzle down range" close to their ear. By far and away, most are very understanding.

The hardest person to break of this was my wife. The last time she did it (she's a righty and I was to her left) I said "bang" and "fell down". She got the point and we talked about it again. She's now much more aware of where the muzzle is pointing.

Caught myself doing that in the woods after I bought my first semiauto. It wasn't pointed at anyone, but it was in the general direction where someone could heve been standing if shooting.

Beat myself up, and never did it again. Never done it on a range before.

It's a training issue, either they need to turn, or use of the alternate ways to rack the slide

(Those partitions aren't bullet proof)

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There is ample evidence at the two indoor ranges I use that they are indeed "bullet proof."


There are a couple partitions at the ranges that have entry holes on one side, and are unmarked on the other.

I've seen handguns handled in all sorts of weird and dangerous ways. Esp. on weekends or holidays when the ranges are most crowded. Now being retired I shoot during the week and it is usually the same bunch of cooters on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Small group of experienced guys so everyone handles properly. Just looking at the mechanics of manually cycling the slide it is easier to do so with the barrel pointed down range.

Dean1818 said:

Many times at the range, I see folks take their pistol, and rack the slide with the gun pointing to their immediate left.... I have seen some lefties do the exact opposite....


(Those partitions aren't bullet proof)

I have seen experienced shooters do this, and are safe in every other way......


Anyone else notice this?

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I see it most frequently with amateur shooters or individuals with weak wrists or gripping strength.

Yes it is annoying...particularly when they keep looking straight ahead as they point their weapon in another direction.

My pet peeve is fingers on triggers. For some reason, the layman finger seems to seek out triggers. It drives me nuts. You know what the fix is? Hollywood. Watch action movies from the 70's, notice all the fingers on triggers. Then, watch a current cops-n-robbers TV show, like The Mentalist or something. Those actors are METICULOUS about keeping fingers off triggers until they're ready to shoot. It is my belief that people learn by watching TV/movies. I'm hoping that the younger generation will learn that that's just how you hold a gun.

See it all the time. I had to break my mother in law of that very habit when I was teaching her to shoot.

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I'll bet there's an interesting story in there somewhere.

I shoot with the same old Fudds twice a week, and safety hasn't been an issue.

0to60 said:

My pet peeve is fingers on triggers. For some reason, the layman finger seems to seek out triggers. It drives me nuts. You know what the fix is? Hollywood. Watch action movies from the 70's, notice all the fingers on triggers. Then, watch a current cops-n-robbers TV show, like The Mentalist or something. Those actors are METICULOUS about keeping fingers off triggers until they're ready to shoot. It is my belief that people learn by watching TV/movies. I'm hoping that the younger generation will learn that that's just how you hold a gun.

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The younger generation doesn't get to play with toy guns like we did. That's where the automatic finger-on-the-trigger move comes from.

The sideways-point is the most natural way to rack a slide with the "overhand" grip that is currently in vogue. Never happens with the thumb-and-forefinger pinch/slingshot method.

CZguy said:

I'll bet there's an interesting story in there somewhere.

I shoot with the same old Fudds twice a week, and safety hasn't been an issue

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Not all that interesting, but it is tough teaching a family member sometimes since you want to be as nice as you can be. I am the quiet guy to them until we are talking about firearm safety, then I have no problem barking at you if you do something unsafe. She has limited hand strength so she'd use the point left and squeeze her arms together method to rack her Bersa. Once I firmly told her a couple times not to do that and explained the four rules again she stopped it...same with the finger she liked to camp out in the trigger guard.

I have booted more than a few out of our pin matches for letting the gun sweep me, their own bodies or others by doing this. Rules one through four!

I always stand sideways then rake the slide to the left.

One of the benefits of joining a range with five members only pistol ranges and one members only rifle range is that I can usually avoid shooting with others if I want to. And I usually do - fewer distractions and a lower chance of ending up with an extraneous hole.

I used to talk to a "national level" competitor about his habit with this when we'd shoot informally. Finally, I gave up and made a point (NPI) to stand to his right.

I asked him a couple times about how he could do this in competition and he'd say things like "dedicated lanes", "everyone's a pro", etc...

Eventually, a few years back he shot out his own left elbow racking a 1911 after the round travelled internally from nearly his wrist. As far as I know, to this day he will not admit that his technique was perilous.

Some people's kids...

Guess it depends on the shooter. With the "slingshot method" I tend to want to point to the right. Holding gun in right hand, I either tab the slide release which puts one in the chamber (while pointing down range, or holding the gun in right hand, I reach over and grab the slide by the portion ahead of the ejection port and rack it, gun pointing naturally down range.

Russellc

I never see people doing that, because I don't shoot around other people! Private club membership, best money I ever spent.

Don't know which is worse... Negligent racking, or negligent speed holstering...

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I just turn my torso when racking the slide to keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. It's not rocket science.