Big OOPS on the range last weekend

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I like to say you have to be able to operate all aspects of loading/racking/readying while pointing downrange. May sound simplistic and redundant but the challenge is a good learning tool; it takes some dexterity and concentration to learn to flip the pistol over with the wrist while aiming downrange.
 
Everytime I take my 10 year old shooting, I always ask all the 4 questions on gun safety. If they are all answered correctly, then I let her shoot. With new shooters, I firmly tell them to follow all of my instructions. I never let my eye wander from them.

Thanks for sharing.
 
I'm probably changing the subject a little, but...


Does anyone remember back in the days when double action revolvers were the standard handgun and nobody cared if your finger was in the trigger guard or not in the trigger guard? Of course people cared about where the gun was pointing back then, but the whole finger off the trigger thing was not an issue with revolvers.
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And drunk driving laws were lax/nonexistent, we never wore seat belts and we rode in the back of pickups at highway speed...
 
My mom did the same thing when I took her to the range for the first time, only she did it twice! Oh mom...
 
These stories always scare me. I never like to be in a lane next to someone being instructed with their first shooting experience...especially young kids.


I was standing back against the wall just a few weeks ago while my dad was at the line shooting his XD .40 . And a guy came in with two little girls...one maybe around 14 or so and the other 9 or 10.

He puts up a target, and hands them the fairly snappy Ruger LCP in .380. He then instructs the little girl for all of a minute and steps back...the girl pretty much takes her first shot and then turns around pointing it right at the partition where my father is standing on the opposite side. The guy then gently reminds her to point it down range and she does the same thing a few shots later....

Then he hands the gun to the older girl who fires off a round, and immediately sits the gun down on the table startled. He urges her to pick it back up and she does but is super jumpy and looks to be near tears...

Needless to say, I grabbed my dad and pulled him back out of the stall and we went on the other end of the range on the opposite side. I'm still not 100% sure that I think everyone should be allowed at a gun range.....
 
Also prep them for possible hot brass. Easy for someone to wave the pistol around trying to brush a hot casing that's lodged in the elbow, down the shirt, on the neck, etc. Teach them to use the weak hand to bat at the brass while keeping the muzzle downrange. And don't tuck the shirt in.
 
The point about revolvers is valid. They require a positive action before (easily) firing again, or a long, deliberate one. Still, redundant safety isn't a bad thing.

I believe in starting kids (as in 10 and under) with a BB gun, single shot. My dad, better than 25 years ago, had me shoot a styrofoam coffee cup off a fence post, and then he would go set it up. We were going to leave, so the extra 2 liter sprite bottle that we brought along filled with drinking water (sulfur water at that camp) was set up on the post, then was shot by the model 97 Winchester. Hydrostatic forces emphasized the power of firearms to an awed 6 year old.

While one can nitpick certain range rules (an open bolt collects dirt, muzzles pointed down can be safer than muzzles pointed up, range rules about loaded holstered weapons do not supersede local CCW laws, etc), those 4 rules are pretty much non negotiable, and must be paid attention towards especially during times when things aren't perfect.
 
I'm probably changing the subject a little, but...


Does anyone remember back in the days when double action revolvers were the standard handgun and nobody cared if your finger was in the trigger guard or not in the trigger guard? Of course people cared about where the gun was pointing back then, but the whole finger off the trigger thing was not an issue with revolvers.

Jeff82 said:
And drunk driving laws were lax/nonexistent, we never wore seat belts and we rode in the back of pickups at highway speed...
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...and we still survived.

PS you left out the part about babies riding on their mothers' laps in cars with no seatbelts or child safety seats.
 
Pretty scary stuff. I once had a guy slam a mag home on a Glock as I was picking up brass. He was behind me. As soon as he slammed the mag in, the slide went forward and the gun was pointed right at my head.:uhoh::eek:
 
I've Always Disagreed With That Wording..!

Cambeul 41 said in part..

cambeul41 said:
"Never point your gun at anything that you are not willing to DESTROY."
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As defined by the dictionary..

DE*STROY [dih-stroi]

–verb (used with object)

1.to reduce (an object) to useless fragments, a useless form, or remains, as by rending, demolish.

2.to kill; slay.

I've always used the statement.. "Never point your gun at anything that you are not willing to SHOOT OR FIRE YOUR WEAPON AT!"

Single Action Six
 
Average Joe said:
You must expect things like this with a new shooter, next time be more attentive and a little closer so you can rectify the situation.
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Agreed, it is a habit that must be developed.

Altho I feel like I developed that, and keeping my finger off the trigger, very quickly. Perhaps because their importance was really instilled in me from the start...that, and the gravity of handling a deadly weapon.
 
Offroader - thanks for an excellent reminder on how easy it is to have an "accident"!
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I was guilty of a similar thing.
I always pride myself on how careful I am at the range.
I'm not a "noob".
I'm not an idiot.
One time I took a neighbor shooting, he had the lane left of me.
After a bit, he asked where he could put the used brass.
Without thinking, I pointed to the bucket to my right.
Unfortunatly, I pointed with the right hand holding my loaded gun.
I immediately felt like a fool. I don't think anyone noticed but me.
I can't believe I did that. It ruined my day.
I'm sure I waved right by the guy in the next booth.
No, I didn't fire the gun, but it scared me.

It can happen. And it happens fast.
 
Guns and more brings up a good point...or at least it brought something to mind for me.

I am very conscientious when handling guns. Excellent 'record' of good habits. And yet I just realized that I handle my gun in the same places, in the same manner, all the time.

It never comes out when carried. So when it's handled it's:

a) at home being put to bed....same ritual everyday
b) being dryfired/cleaned in the living room....same ritual, no live ammo EVER in the same room
c) at the range, in 2 places...at the firing line or in the big room where we practice IDPA. Again....very consistent rules and habits.

I have yet to compete in IDPA, that's not really my goal except that I may so that it adds that extra element of pressure and stress.

I can see that in unfamiliar places/situations or *under stress* many of us could still trip up esp with crossing.

My cowboy mounted shooting has become a good place to reveal if I have really instilled my good habits...and so far it seems so.

Not to mention that I carry my power drill around the property bit down, and finger off the trigger....without even thinking :)

Sorry for the long post, it just made me think that maybe some of us, like the non-hunters, need to 'get out more' with our guns in different places and experiences.
 
Had a similar incident of piss-poor thinking by a guy at my range today. The line was cold and I was walking back to my lane after stapling my targets when I look up and there's the guy on the lane adjacent to mine racking the slide of a semi-auto pistol in my general direction. I yelled out at him that there is zero gun handling when the line is cold. He put the gun down and mumbled something about wanting to clear the gun because he didn't get a chance to do it before the cease-fire was called. The stupidity of his statement was too much for me to even respond, so I picked up my gear and left shortly thereafter. I'm still upset about the incident. The guy's a member at the range so I expected him to be smarter about safety but it was a reminder to me to not get complacent and keep my eyes open.
 
They were your guests and your reponsibility which you acknowledged. Just because she's an adult doesn't mean that she shouldn't have been supervised like a 10 year old until you had 100% confidence in her gun handling ability.
At our indoor weekly plate matches, a line officer stands next to each of the 2 shooters to check the chamber before leaving the line. And also to prevent mishaps such as when a gun becomes jammed or if there's a misfire and the person needs assistance, and to prevent the shooter from turning and sweeping the room with the gun whether it's loaded or not.
Before the match starts, the zero tolerance policy forbidding sweeping the room is announced. Anyone making a mistake will be asked to leave for the evening but will be welcome back next time.
However, they must learn the lesson because if it happens again then there will not be a third chance.
Either put the gun down on the table and let a line officer handle the problem or ask for help, but don't ever turn around with the gun and sweep a crowded room.
Some folks will have trouble manipulating their slide or removing the magazine while keeping the muzzle pointed downrange.
I try to show them how to turn their body instead of pointing the gun sideways toward the firing line, or at any angle beyond 45 degrees downrange for which the walls are marked at our range with painted lines.
It's more about experience than age has anything to do with it.
A novice can be dangerous to everyone on the range.
Even if they have taken a pistol or other safety course, guests need to become familiar with the procedures of how to clear the gun.
No one can assume that each of their guests already knows about it.
Hands on supervision is really important by someone who has some kind of experience under their belt and pays constant attention to their every move.
 
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When I shoot with a new or inexperienced person, I ALWAYS start with the four rules.

When I discuss Rule #2 (never let the muzzle cover anything you don't want to destroy), I role play the exact behavior you describe (with my index finger as the imaginary gun).

When I'm at the range and other shooters don't exhibit muzzle control, I leave.
 
My 8 year old daughter can quote the 4 rules verbatum. More importantly, she follows those rules even with toy guns. Practice makes perfect.
 
Start beginners with one round in the mag.
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That's the way I started my brother.
Once he did fine with that, he got the 2nd half of the safety speech & then 2 rounds in the gun. Once he did fine with that, then he got a full gun.

Kinda wish I had started like that with my nephew, but he got the whole big safety speech & did just fine.
 
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