Is it impolite to point a gun with your hand over the muzzle?

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I tend to keep my hands/fingers off the muzzle at all times unless I'm cleaning the gun or inspecting the muzzle.

I don't like people pointing guns at me. Not empty guns, not inactivated guns, not toy guns and not paintball guns. Sorry I guess I'm just boring.
 
The commandments for firearm safety are always to be respected. You never ever get complacent with any firearm. I've been shooting for over 45 years and there's some damn good reasons for safety rules with guns. As stated earlier is someone had killed their own son. Lots of people have been killed with unloaded guns. Or at least they thought it was unloaded.

Some people say the gun went off when they were cleaning it. How that could happen still puzzles me. I don't care of my best friend who has spent many thousands of dollars reloading his ammo hands me a gun he just checked. I still have to see that it's not loaded myself to feel comfortable. As soon as I handle any gun I check it, including the ones in my safe.
 
no one was ever killed by an unloaded gun... the gun had to be loaded the bullet had to be chambered... no bullets no bangs.. ppl are killed by loaded guns that are assumed to be unloaded or have been checked improperly
 
this would be a great topic for a thread.. as it is not really answering the OP anymore...
 
i know its kinda off subject but i cant help but contest that statement everytime i read it
 
no one was ever killed by an unloaded gun... the gun had to be loaded the bullet had to be chambered... no bullets no bangs.. ppl are killed by loaded guns that are assumed to be unloaded or have been checked improperly
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Hey, if people are infallible, then why won't we just have one gun safety rule: Don't shoot anybody?

The answer is contained in your statement: "that are assumed to be unloaded or have been checked improperly." People are fallible.

The reason there is a system of overlapping safety rules is to account for human error.

People are shot by "unloaded guns" because they assumed they were unloaded, made mistakes checking them, etc, and then proceeded to disregard other of the cardinal gun safety rules- rules such as "do not point guns at anything you don't want to destroy."

A primary reason to treat all guns as loaded is so that you don't ignore the other safety rules for thought-to-be "unloaded guns." This is where people get shot.
 
unloaded no bullets im not argueing that ppl never make mistakes im argueing the terminologoly the scimantics of the statement... a gun with no bullets does not fire.. and car with no gas does not run.. a lightbulb with no electricity doesnt light and so on and so fourth .. the statement is wrong not the implication presented
 
i really dont know why people keep argueing this simple point with me... im right its universal fact.. its in no way .. within the boundary of logic and rational thought ... that a unloaded gun... actually unloaded not a assumption of condition has ever shot and hurt or in fact killed anyone...
 
the terminologoly
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That's why PT1911, benEzra, and I put it in quotes: "unloaded guns". They are guns believed, incorrectly, to be unloaded, hence "unloaded guns".

When people make the distinction that "unloaded guns" are safe (there are those quotes again) and relax their safety standards, they become more dangerous and more prone to a negligent discharge (ND).
 
gramaticly you phrased the impossible sentence perfectly ... the "woman" was actually a man... looks great ... still wrong
 
gramaticly you phrased the impossible sentence perfectly ... the "woman" was actually a man... looks great ... still wrong
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???

Feel free to rationally refute anything I've said. There is no excuse for violating the safety rules. People have accidents with guns they believe are unloaded, in part because they wrongfully relax their safety standards with believed-to-be "unloaded guns." That was the point of the link to the gun accidents earlier in this thread.
 
you compete in 3 gun competitions... correct.. in which you actually run a course while fireing loaded and cocked weapons... one slip one fall one wrong manuvior and someone in proximity could be killed to run around with a cocked and loaded gun for the sake of 1stplace in a mean nothing compitition is given your rules far more dangerous and certainly breaking a couple common since gun rules... but im sure you consider these compititions fine... so please dont give me the sacred 4 laws speech... 3 gun is a viable excuse given by many ppl to be wreakless with guns for the sake of competition... i personally am fine with 3 guns comps im just saying in my opinion your dangerously close of letting your high standards of safety making you a hypocrite .. i would also suggest that since the 4 laws of gun safety should be followed at all times with the only acception being life or death as a viable excuse that you argue the danger of 3 guns as vigerously as the op here
 
To start with, yes, I would be VERY offended if you pointed a gun at me.

I have a small gunshop locally that I go to almost every weekend, and sometimes they're pretty busy. It's literally 3 walkways with one cross section to access them, with each walkway only being wide enough for two people. If it's one of those busy days I will go out of my way to make sure the muzzle isn't pointed at anyone. If I'm lining up down the sights, I'll make sure the action is open (Regardless of whether it's busy or not) and I've gone so far as to bend backwards to point almost straight up. I'm assured even if I somehow missed a round in the chamber the actions open so it cant fire, and I don't sweep anyone with the barrel.

If I want to examine it? Hold it action open muzzle pointed straight up. You can turn it and look at pretty much any part of the gun doing so, and once again, don't risk pointing it at anyone else.

As for hand over the barrel? Well hey, YOU may be sure it's not loaded. But as has been said, many people have been accidently shot by an 'unloaded' gun. Even if you are 100% absolutly positivly sure that it's unloaded, how does the person that it's pointing at know that? Do you have every person in the shop come over and inspect the chamber and watch you closely so they also are 100% certain it's unloaded? Do you take a poll of those there to make sure you don't point it at someone that is still uncomfortable with the thought? I'm guessing ya don't. So it STILL is a bad idea to point at them.

That's all my opinion anyways.
 
you compete in 3 gun competitions... correct.. in which you actually run a course while fireing loaded and cocked weapons... one slip one fall one wrong manuvior and someone in proximity could be killed to run around with a cocked and loaded gun for the sake of 1stplace in a mean nothing compitition is given your rules far more dangerous and certainly breaking a couple common since gun rules... but im sure you consider these compititions fine... so please dont give me the sacred 4 laws speech... 3 gun is a viable excuse given by many ppl to be wreakless with guns for the sake of competition... i personally am fine with 3 guns comps im just saying in my opinion your dangerously close of letting your high standards of safety making you a hypocrite .. i would also suggest that since the 4 laws of gun safety should be followed at all times with the only acception being life or death as a viable excuse that you argue the danger of 3 guns as vigerously as the op here
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The four rules of gun safety are not broken during 3-Gun, USPSA/IPSC, IDPA, etc matches. There are additional (and redundant) safety rules and protocols in place at such matches to ensure safety for everyone. If you'd like to start another thread, over in Competition, about whether or not you believe action sports are "safe enough", I encourage you to do so. Suffice to say, I hold safety in the same regard at the gun-shop as at shooting matches, both as a competitor and as a match director.

As a rule, practical competition shooters are much safer than the average shooter or gun owner, in part because safety violations are simply not permitted at a match, period - unlike a gun-show or shop where you might only get some grumbling - you get DQ'd and sent home.

I, for one, would like to know who some of the "many ppl" are who justify "wreakless" behavior with guns using 3-Gun competition as an excuse. Since there are "many", producing a half-dozen who have done so should be no problem.

But hey, I'm actually pretty satisfied that the "it's OK to sweep someone as long as your hand is in front of the muzzle" argument has been solidly refuted since now I seem to be the target, personally. :neener:
 
its not personal zak... i dont know you and no disrespect ment dont care what you think on any matter so far... would i listen to you about 3 guns tactics and training.. yes i would and probaly write down every word... my main and only true arguement here was that everything in life is relative... unloaded guns dont kill ppl... and the rules are bent when enough ppl get together and deem it okay... i would love to compete in 3 gun and plan too but as of right now im a gun type short lol
 
Hehe, depends on caliber I guess. If it was a .22LR I wouldn't be too worried, the hand might just stop it. Now if it was a .357 mag I might be a little upset, no one's hand is gonna stop that thing.
 
I generally "point" the gun at the floor and would advise others to do the same. But in the course of fondling said firearm at the counter should it "face" in someone's direction, I don't believe they are in the right to get upset about it.
 
I clear any gun first thing. When I received my Saiga rifle, I first cleared it. Locked it open, removed the magazine. I did this while standing at the end of the counter, so I could turn and keep the muzzle pointed at the wall. Even if I was looking down the muzzle, the only person it would be pointed at was me. The last thing I did, after taking possession, was released the bolt hold open, pulled the bolt back manually to inspect while saying aloud, "Checking chamber. Chamber clear." Then I aimed the rifle in a safe direction and said "Decocking" and pulled the trigger to decock it. I made it clear to those around me that I was following proper safety procedures.
 
I would say point it at the floor or the ceiling too. I generally want two hands on a gun when I am handling it. Not only is putting your hand over the end of the gun when pointing it someone, it also looks silly.
 
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