ol' scratch
Member
I was sitting here thinking that this has never happened to me when I realized it had. I was twelve and hunting with a single shot .410. It was 15 degrees below zero. The gun froze up and I went to chamber another round---BANG. I had just turned to the side of the trail to load the shotgun when it happened. Scared my father too. A family friend had just been standing in front of me. Fortunately, I turned to my right and closed the action.
I am VERY careful concerning muzzle direction. As far as your AR, drop all mags before you pull the charging handle back to check to see if they are loaded. I also don't dry fire unless I am practicing and I KNOW no mag is in the mag well and chamber is empty. I think one of the problems is that a lot of people dry fire their firearms. It was something my father always taught me NEVER to do. I remember showing him my 1911 and telling him not to ride the trigger, verify the gun was empty and pulling the trigger. He said he didn't feel comfortable doing that because dryfirering is careless. A different mindset and generation, but not all bad. I still dryfire when I practice, but make sure I have no mag in the firearm. I don't even use snap caps. You will not hurt the gun dry firering without a snap cap.
I am VERY careful concerning muzzle direction. As far as your AR, drop all mags before you pull the charging handle back to check to see if they are loaded. I also don't dry fire unless I am practicing and I KNOW no mag is in the mag well and chamber is empty. I think one of the problems is that a lot of people dry fire their firearms. It was something my father always taught me NEVER to do. I remember showing him my 1911 and telling him not to ride the trigger, verify the gun was empty and pulling the trigger. He said he didn't feel comfortable doing that because dryfirering is careless. A different mindset and generation, but not all bad. I still dryfire when I practice, but make sure I have no mag in the firearm. I don't even use snap caps. You will not hurt the gun dry firering without a snap cap.
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