How would you handle this?

[BSA1]

How important do firearms play in your relationship with your FIL? Are there other hobbies you can enjoy with him?

The gun safety course is a good idea but I would not expect any changes. A lifetime of bad habits are hard to break.

I would limited my visits to my in-laws for starters and invite them over to your place more often.

I would gracefully think of excuses not to go shooting with him and I would not discuss shooting and guns in detail with him.

Cut out the gun related Christmas gifts.

Find different shooting buddies.

My wife enjoys a close relationship with her father and have never tried to change it in over 30 years of marriage. My FIL has done things that I didn't approve of but we worked around it.

 

[*NOVA*]

Does your FIL go to the range without you sometimes? If you knew ahead of time next time he was going you could contact the range and ask the Range Safety Officer to keep an eye on him. Soon as he commits an infraction, he gets corrected by someone else, not you. The RO could suggest safety classes. Once your FIL gets back from the range ask him how it went. If he is man enough to admit what happened, that would be the time to talk to him Man to Man, tell him how much you respect him and appreciate all he taught you but that you want to attend safety classes with him. Offer to pay for the class. Its all about mutual respect

 

[jeepguy]

The safty/shooting course is a great idea to start with. If he says that he is not interested then you have a number of options. You could buy him a good shooting video which would review the proper safty handling of firearms. If he still does not change his behavior, you could bring it up in front of him, your wife & mother in law. Start by telling him of all the reasons you respect & admire him but that he is putting his family at risk with the improper handling of firearms. I know this may strain or end the realitionship but for me the safty of my wife & my unborn child is more important then his feelings. Imo protecting your family first & then yourself is the primary reason to have firearms in the first place. Good luck to you & i hope your father in law sees the wisdom in your concern.

 

[SSN Vet]

Invite him to take a class with you as "something fun you can do together"

If you're in a similar situation as happened on Christmas and you need to say something, try to do so with humor..... "don't shoot me cowboy, I didn't do it.....honest!"

Make sure you wife appreciates gun safety and have her rag on him...."shrug....what can I say....she's your daughter"

Next time, give him a cordless screwdriver. ;^)

 

[robMaine]

Thanks Again for all of your replys, over the last week or so I have had a couple opportunities to diplomatically approach this issue and I am happy to say it seems to be making a difference for now.

The big one was I was showing him the Ruger 77/44 I just bought, I made a very obvious point of checking the chamber and showing it to him before handing it to him. When he handed it back, he did the same, which is not common for him. We seem to be making progress!!