Gun Handling Etiquette

[MattTheHat]

A related thread got me to thinking about how I try to safely handle a firearm that's *supposed* to be unloaded. My gun handling etiquette follows. If you were the other party, would any of the following make you feel uncomfortable, or that I'm being disrespectful to you?

When I'm showing one of my guns to someone, before I hand it to them, I always say something like "Let me make sure it's clear" and then check it. If possible, I then hand it over to them with the action open. If not, I make sure they watching as I check. What I'm expecting is that the person takes the gun from me and verbally indicates that he, too, has checked it. If not, at least I know it's clear.

When I'm handed a firearm, I'm hoping the other party checks to make sure the action is clear. Personally, I prefer it when they verbally indicate that they are checking to make sure it's clear.

Upon accepting the gun, again, verbally, I indicate that I've also checked it. I usually do this by cramming my finger into the action, looking at it closely, and saying "Yup, all clear." If they don't say anything or don't inspect the gun, I will verbally indicate that I'm going to do so. This is where I worry about sounding like a jerk, since they obviously now realize they should have checked it. So I say something like "I'm just going to make sure someone didn't sneak a round in here while we weren't looking." If I don't know how to open a particular firearm, I simply ask "Okay, how do I open this thing."

The other thing I do, when checking how the gun handles when pointed, is to turn to a location away from other parties and aim the gun at about a 45 degree angle into the ceiling. (Most buildings here are single story. If not, the person on the second floor can't see me any way.) I'm always careful to keep my fingers out of the trigger guard. This keeps me from possibly sweeping others, or having someone walk into the barrel.

So, what do you think? Is this all friendly enough, or do I need to rethink how any of it sounds to the other party?


-Matt

 

[ezypikns]

All sounds very safe.

The only difference with me, is when I pass a firearm to another, I try to set the firearm down, action open, and pointed in a safe direction, and let the other person pick it up and clear it themselves rather than hand it directly to them. This may not always be possible, but that's what I try to do.
Also, where safety is concerned, I wouldn't worry too much about offending someone. You can be safe (as you suggest) and not be a "jerk".

 

[1KPerDay]

Sounds fine to me Matt. I appreciate being around people who make it a point of being safe.

 

[freakshow10mm]

I don't talk about checking the chamber, I just do it.

 

[harmonic]

Back in the day, when someone showed you their firearm, proper etiquette demanded you not touch metal. You only handled the gun by the wood.

 

[hso]

Sounds good to me. Beats getting shot.

 

[chuwee81]

one time me and my pastor just chit chatting and i showed him my mosin nagant, empty mag, action open. And we just kept on talking while he's examining the rifle. We got carried away until i finally told him; " hey you can try the trigger pull on that thing". He said "cool" in excitement and closed the bolt. WE, again WE, never verified that it's indeed unloaded, although i made sure before handing it to him. He took aim at a safe direction but then he looked at me and BOTH of us has the same look - are WE sure that there's no round in the chamber. So he opened the action, stick his finger in there and we both smiled. I told him, i was thinking about the same thing and before i could say anything him, he opened the action. No offense to me or him.

 

[TCB in TN]

I always open the action, and verify clear, then hand it over with the muzzle pointing in a safe direction. On a semi auto I always remove the mag, on a revolver I like to swing open the cylinder and hand it over with it open. Lever or bolt guns I also open the action and verify and pass them over open. BTW I have NO problem with anyone exhibiting safe handling. I have had a lot of people hand me a gun w/o them checking the chamber, and it doesn't worry me to much, because I am ALWAYS going to check it myself. It doesn't bother me when others check the chamber after me, I actually want them to do so.

 

[psyopspec]

To sum it up: Clear when giving, clear when receiving, don't point guns at people/things you're not willing to destroy.

Yup, good enough.

 

[Sav .250]

I fine no problem with your, lets be safe before we handle this thing(weapon) attitude.
Some where along the line somebody taught you ......well.

 

[Quoheleth]

Scary story...my CHL instructor would show off his toys to his classes. One afternoon, he picked up his SP101 and - "KNOWING" it was unloaded - demonstrated how a double-action revolver works.

As the dust sifted out of the suspended ceiling down onto his students, he realized with horror that his wife was sitting directly in the line of fire.

She was on the floor. Fortunately, the bullet missed her by mere inches, perforating the plexiglass window behind her, entering the next room, and punched out the outside wall of the building. She had hit the deck at the BOOM of the gun - a reflex action that was, honestly, too late (a .357 Mag travels 10 feet faster than you can react) - but served to scare the snot out of hubby, thinking he had just murdered his wife.

Since then, his technique changed to him checking the weapon, asking a student to verify it being empty, and then - and only then - continuing with his demo.

Stupid mistake.
Lucky man.
Luckier wife.

Q

 

[John Wayne]

Gun SAFETY requires that you hand a gun to another with the action open and pointed in a safe direction.

Etiquette goes beyond that, and means you don't get your greasy fingerprints on blued surfaces or let your watch/jewelry scratch the gun inadvertantly. Also, make sure not to let someone pull the trigger on a Mosin while the bolt is open, it hurts when it falls on your foot!

 

[HKUSP45C]

Maybe I'm different but I just tell people who ask to pick up my guns "be careful it's genuinely loaded with real ammo."

Because it is.

I expect them not to shoot either of us with it. Hasn't been a problem with the people I've chosen to populate my circle of friends with yet.

If I'm holding a gun and need to give it to someone else, either at the range or (seldom) in my home, I usually drop the mag, rack the round out of the chamber, lock the slide open, stick my pinky in the chamber and set it down. Wheelguns get opened, emptied and my thumb run over the empy chambers and set down open.

They can just pick it up after that.

I can't remember the last time I handed a gun a gun to someone, my friends all have their own.

Folks at the gun store and shows always clear it for me and lock the action open or hand me relvolvers with the cylinder open.

 

[Kwanger]

I always satisfy myself the firearm is clear, open the action and hand it over held open, not pointed at them, when I am handing a firearm to someone else. Way I was trained. What I would expect the other person to then do is take a good look in there to satisfy themselves it is also clear, before releasing the bolt and and/or dropping the hammer to signify 'handover complete'.

 

[ScareyH22A]

You're supposed to set the firearm down after clearing it and leaving the action open right?

 

[Devon]

I was at a WW1 and WW2 reenactment where the actors had some handguns and rifles on display. The crowd was allowed to pick up the weapons and handle them. I had in my hand a very early 1911 that, for the purposes of the reenactment was fitted with a blank firing barrel, nonetheless, I had to check it out. While I had verified the action was clear and locked open, I was standing there looking the weapon over, it was pointed away from the crowd and down at a 45 degree angle. There was an older fellow standing beside me to my left, he turned his body 90 degrees toward me, stuck his belly against the muzzle, and loudly asked me to point the weapon in a safe direction and not at him. I was so dumbfounded at his actions that I couldn't think of a thing to say other than "sorry." The folks around just looked at him like he was an idiot and the fellow that was at the rack of weapons told him so, apparently he had seen the whole thing happen.
Some people will just walk in front of you to make a point, he was an idiot. I wish I wasn't so young then, I'd have given him some advice but for the whole respect your elders that I was raised with.
My Father taught me at a very young age to always make safe a weapon and verify it was safe before handling them or handing them over to someone else.

 

[MrCleanOK]

I clear it in plain view, locking the action open. Then, hand it to the second party in such a manner that they can get at least as good or a better grip on the piece than I have before I let it go, muzzle always in a safe direction. Rifles get held by the forward handguard, barrel pointing straight up, so the receiving party can grab anywhere they want on the forend and butt/pistol grip area. Pistols get held with my fingers wrapped under the dust cover and trigger guard, grip extended toward the receiving party.
I don't sweat it if somebody doesn't recheck the open gun I just handed them. I'll be watching them anyway to make sure no ammo magically appears and finds its way in there. And of course, I'll be checking it when I get it back, just in case.

 

[Nairbedaw]

I was raised to check if the gun was unloaded first. Even if someone says it isnt I ALWAYS check for myself. Its just kind of common sense IMO. Never point it at or near anyone, and never put your finger in the trigger hole unless you are 100% ready to fire.

 

[chrisb507]

The only place this may be different is in a gun store. I've been handed a gun with the action closed, and the muzzle all over the place. I always return it open, and grip first.

Do the rules change in a gun store?

 

[Tamlin]

Recently got my wife a S&W .38 special. She's shot my guns before, at a range trip a few years back, but for all practical purposes she's still a noob. Planning on sending her to safety classes but hasn't happened yet. DIDN'T GIVE HER ANY AMMO WITH THE GUN. She's handled it, dry fired it, etc. Days go buy, I decide to get her snap caps so she can more safely dry fire. Load the snap caps in the gun, but for whatever reason, didn't tell her about it. Gun sits untouched. Couple of weeks go by - her sister comes into town, and she wants to show off her gun. She pulls it out, and pulls the trigger to demonstrate the action. I freak out on her, pop the cylinder, and show her the gun is "loaded." She freaks out, not knowing what snap caps are. Immediate lesson on Rule Nos. 1-4. My fault for thinking that she still knew the rules from that long-ago range trip.

Moral of the Story: No matter who hands you a gun, no matter how well you know them and/or trust them, YOU NEVER KNOW IF THE GUN IS LOADED! Safety demands that you check the gun; Etiquette compels you to tell the owner what a fine gun it is as you open the slide/cylinder.

 

[2nd 41]

My friend handed me a Cleared pistol. When I rechecked for Clear he got offended. I said sorry but...it's not clear until I Clear it. And I would expect you to do the same.
Story is.... never be timid about safety.

 

[matai]

Common sense

 

[LRaccuracy]

When I instruct using any type of firearm I always tell whomever I am with to make GUN SAFETY OBVIOUS.

exaggerate your motions. BE OBVIOUS to everyone even if they think it is a bunch of bunk. Don't be shy.

Even when you are alone, practice gun safety. It may prevent an accidents when you are the only one around to be hurt.

 

[Zach S]

The only place this may be different is in a gun store. I've been handed a gun with the action closed, and the muzzle all over the place. I always return it open, and grip first.

Do the rules change in a gun store?

Having been on both sides of the counter, I've learned that you can find idiots on both sides of the counter...

When I'm working (if you want to call it that), I mind the muzzle, check the chamber, and had it over grip first with the action closed. You'd be amazed how many people don't check.

And you'd be amazed at how few call me on the action being closed. So while opening the action for them, I explain that I've seen more slide slams and hollywood flips than I care too, and closing it back before handing it over is the easiest way to avoid that. The next question is always "Was this pistol one of them?" or something to that effect.

As a matter of fact, I always hand the gun over with the action closed, unless it was handed to me open. I don't like mine being slide slammed or hollywood flipped either.

Handing it over closed, combined with their handling (and a bunch of other things) can also let you know who you don't have to worry about on the range. Someone who re-checks the chamber and keeps their boogerhook off the bang switch wont be watched near as closely as the guy who doesn't check and practices his gangsta grip. If someone calls me on the action being closed, they really dont get watched at all, unless I'm admiring their target or pistol...

 

[22-rimfire]

I check if a gun is loaded when I pick it up. If I'm unfamiliar with the gun, then the owner will check it and hand it to me. Some people will simply say the gun is loaded when they hand it to you. That's okay as far as I'm concerned. I don't expect any statements like "the gun is clear" or whatever. Not really concerned about it; only my own safety and anyone nearby.