Excessive caution at the range?

[parsimonious_instead]

Was shooting my Ruger Mark II when I *thought* I heard a "pffft" sound - uh oh - squib load!
I worked the action a few times - chamber completely clear.
Keeping the gun at a 90 degree angle to the ground, I calmly walked into the clubhouse and asked someone for a rod of some kind.
"What's going on?" I was asked.
"May have had a squib load, and I wanted to gently insert a rod down the barrel to check for an obstruction. There's NO WAY I'm ever looking down the barrel of a gun." (I didn't poke the rod down the muzzle, btw. I simply inserted it, and let gravity take it down to the point at which I saw it on the breech end).
Two of the guys were helpful, another guy mocked me a bit saying, "the chamber is open, and the round has fired, what could possibly happen?"
"Well it's not about what can or can't happen in this instance." I replied. "I just think it's a bad habit to be looking down the barrel of a gun whenever there's a malfunction."

Just curious what my fellow THR readers feel about this situation...

 

[allaroundhunter]

I say it was a good idea. Nothing wrong with taking extra precautions and there is no such thing as being too safe.

 

[M-Cameron]

eh......nothing wrong with either response in my book.

i can understand why people dont like to look down the muzzle of a barrel.....and that probably is the safest option.

that being said, if you make a gun safe, and double check that its safe.........the gun will be safe. its not all of a sudden going to load its self, load a round and pull the trigger...

i know on occasion i have looked down the barrel of a gun I have made safe.....

however, when i get a potential squib, i usually field strip the gun and look down the barrel from the breech end.....not the easiest thing with the MK2, so in your situation, i probably would have done what you did and looked for a dowel......and only if i didnt find a dowel i would look down the barrel.

 

[Flintknapper]

Nothing wrong with exercising caution to the level YOU are comfortable with.

Technically, the guy that asked the question was right. IF the magazine had been removed, the bolt locked back, the chamber visually inspected for no cartridge case, then yes....the gun can NOT fire and is perfectly safe.

Personally, if I thought I had a squib load in a Mark II...I would check to see that the chamber was clear, then remove the bolt from the barrel assembly (no tools required).

That way... you could look into the barrel from the breach end and the firearm (being broken down) would be demonstrably safe to all onlookers.

 

[BemidjiDweller]

I agree with you, all it takes is that one time that something isn't how you thought it was to make things very very bad.

 

[parsimonious_instead]

During The basic NRA pistol safety course I took two years ago, the instructor covered the various failures to fire, including hangfires.
He mentioned an incident in which an armed robber presented a handgun to a store owner, tried to shoot the weapon, and when it failed to go off, he looked right down the barrel and the round finished discharging - right into his eye, a lethal shot that killed him instantly.

 

[btg3]

Keeping the gun at a 90 degree angle to the ground, ...I simply inserted it, and let gravity take it down to the point at which I saw it on the breech end.

Did I miss the part where the barrel went from being pointed down to being pointed up?

And you brought a gun into the clubhouse that you thought might be unsafe?

 

[M-Cameron]

Did I miss the part where the barrel went from being pointed down to being pointed up?

And you brought a gun into the clubhouse that you thought might be unsafe?

the chamber was clear.....theres no danger of any type of discharge.......its only potentially unsafe if you fire the gun again......perfectly safe to bring into a clubhouse.

 

[Whacked]

I always carry a section of a cleaning rod for just that purpose.

 

[parsimonious_instead]

the chamber was clear.....theres no danger of any type of discharge.......its only potentially unsafe if you fire the gun again......perfectly safe to bring into a clubhouse.

If the slide were stuck *and* I thought there was some sort of odd situation with the round, I would have left the gun on the bench, suggested that everyone else on the firing line leave for a bit, and then sought assistance from the rangemaster.

In addition, the clubhouse is 180 degrees behind the firing line. With the muzzle pointed toward the berm, I pointed the muzzle toward the sky, action still open, and simply carried the gun inside, maintaining a perpendicular orientation with the ground the whole time.

 

[Loosedhorse]

I was once told that

"Seemingly obsessive preoccupation with safety is the mark of a professional." Well, I'm not a professional, but I have no problem emulating one in that way.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Many people die that way
but what are other options
A BRIGHT flashlight down the barrel so you can see or not see the light on the bolt
a cleaning rod

There are other ways that DON'T put your life at risk,
it's the habit of staring down the barrel you should avoid.

 

[jcwit]

With the magazine removed and the bolt locked open and the chamber inspected to be positive it was clear I would have probably looked down the barrel. No different than when I clean an semi-auto firearm be it handgun or rifle and inspect the barrel after cleaning.

With that said is you're happier in only using a rod or something, go for it. Hey, carry a few BB's in your shooting box/bag and if it ever happenes again, drop a BB down the barrel.

He mentioned an incident in which an armed robber presented a handgun to a store owner, tried to shoot the weapon, and when it failed to go off, he looked right down the barrel and the round finished discharging - right into his eye, a lethal shot that killed him instantly.

The above instance was not a case where the firearm was inspected and declared safe. Totally different circumstances

 

[cassandrasdaddy]

excessive caution? thats praise in my book

 

[Romeo 33 Delta]

The only time it's a problem is when something goes wrong and then it's just too late. Like John Wayne said: "Life's tough ... it's tougher when you're stupid!"

Always be careful ... the life you save may be your own!

 

[jcwit]

Simple question here. Have none of you ever used a bore light and looked down the barrel of a firearm that is not a bolt action at a gun show or store to check what kind of shape the rifling is in?

Just wondering?

 

[theicemanmpls]

delete

 

[theicemanmpls]

I always carry a section of a cleaning rod for just that purpose.

ditto on that.
I have no qualms about looking down the muzzle. I know how my tool works. That don't sound right.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

You're just following a safety protocol. Are you going to look at the front of the cylinder of a revolver with its cylinder closed to see if there are rounds in it (which would require pointing the barrel at or near your face)? Of course not.

 

[AK103K]

If the slide/bolt was locked back, and the chamber was clear, Id have just looked down the bore to confirm it. Ive done so quite a few times too, when something didnt sound or feel right..

Im more surprised they didnt jump on you for bringing a gun you thought might be unsafe out of the range area. Most ranges want the gun left at the booth/bench, and you get them if theres a problem.

 

[jcwit]

Well with the cylinder swung out of battery and looking sidewise at the front of the cylinder I see no real problem. There's nothing to strike the primer so the cartridges are no more dangerous than sitting in the ammo box.

Furthermore with the cylinder swung out of battery its obvious there's nothing down the barrel to come at you.

Come on folks, its common sense.

 

[The Sarge]

True safety is driven by habits. Repeatable habits. Obsessive habits.
Make safety a habit no matter how silly or ridiculous it may appear or others may feel it is.

 

[12gaugeTim]

A lot of people like to pretend that there are little ammo ninjas around every corner looking to load your gun every time you blink. If the magazine is removed or verifiably empty and you can visually and physically inspect the chamber and confirm it's clear, there's nothing much short of divine intervention that can make the firearm discharge.
Depends on how certain you are that it's empty.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

True safety is driven by habits. Repeatable habits. Obsessive habits.

Agreed.

 

[parsimonious_instead]

Im more surprised they didnt jump on you for bringing a gun you thought might be unsafe out of the range area. Most ranges want the gun left at the booth/bench, and you get them if theres a problem.

Nope, not at all. It's a pretty laid back place that's been in operation for over 70 years without a shooting related injury. And it's about 30 mins by car or train from New York City!