The idea of a "class" for the teaching "gun safety" appeals to some people, though it may be that many of them have little idea of what might actually be involved, or of whether a "class" is the best way to go about it. Some of our members have said that all one really needs to do is learn the four rules.
When I was home from college on co-op assignments, I liked to head out to a nearby sporting goods store and hang out at the gun counter. I remember hearing three of four scary tales:
The people across the street were in the market for "a farm"--actually, for a place in the country for weekends, with access to fishing. Their eleven year old boy said that the planned to hunt there. I told the mom that the next time I want shooting at the MO Department of Conservation range, I would pick up something about hunter safety training.
That was misinterpreted by somebody, and the next Saturday, when I put a couple of cased rifles into the trunk and went back in for a canteen, I came out to find a kid in the passenger seat. "My mom says I have to be home for dinner".
I stopped off for some extra hearing protection, and I asked Danny if he had ever seen a watermelon break when it was dropped. "Yes". "That's what your head will look like if it is hit by a bullet".
As we drove on the highway, i handed him a ball-point pen, One one side was the name of a bank, and on the other, the telephone number. I asked Danny to read one side, and then the other.
"How many people did you point that pen at when you turned it around?". 'Dunno".
"Do it again, and pay attention this time". "Did you forget the people in those houses?".
My approach proved effective. I did not get in any shooting that day. I just handed ammo to Danny, one round at a time. The Remington 12C he learned on became his.
Years later, Dan's wife described the ritual through which he put his son when he gave him his first air rifle. He even sacrificed a watermelon.
Now the article. It is excellent. I would add one thing: never try to catch a gun if you have dropped it.
https://gunpros.com/gun-safety-rules/
When I was home from college on co-op assignments, I liked to head out to a nearby sporting goods store and hang out at the gun counter. I remember hearing three of four scary tales:
- The widow of a friend of one of the guys who worked at the store brought the friend a box containing a number of her late husband's pistols. He reached in, pulled out a P-08 Luger, pointed it, and pulled the trigger. BANG! Fortunately, the only casualties were a couple of window panes, a juice glass, some spilled orange juice, and the nerves of a neighbor who had just been raising the glass at the breakfast table.
- One of the guys who worked behind the counter a couple of evenings per month had two Ruger Super Blackhawks. He kept one for home defense. The other stayed in a holster, empty, and was brought out on Saturday evenings when he would try to outdraw James Arness. Somehow he mixed them up one Saturday. A .44 Magnum bullet destroyed his color television. His wife came into the room cursing, but he could not hear what she was saying.
- The manager of the gun department let it be known that our living room fast draw artist should not be allowed to own a gun. Shortly thereafter, some new Remington 870 shotguns arrived. The manager took one out, cleared it (or so he thought), snapped it up to his shoulder, and blew the butt-stocks off a couple of Browning shotguns in the upper rack. He took the damaged goods to the Browning shop in Arnold, MO. The guy there said "whoever did tis should not be allowed to own a gun".
The people across the street were in the market for "a farm"--actually, for a place in the country for weekends, with access to fishing. Their eleven year old boy said that the planned to hunt there. I told the mom that the next time I want shooting at the MO Department of Conservation range, I would pick up something about hunter safety training.
That was misinterpreted by somebody, and the next Saturday, when I put a couple of cased rifles into the trunk and went back in for a canteen, I came out to find a kid in the passenger seat. "My mom says I have to be home for dinner".
I stopped off for some extra hearing protection, and I asked Danny if he had ever seen a watermelon break when it was dropped. "Yes". "That's what your head will look like if it is hit by a bullet".
As we drove on the highway, i handed him a ball-point pen, One one side was the name of a bank, and on the other, the telephone number. I asked Danny to read one side, and then the other.
"How many people did you point that pen at when you turned it around?". 'Dunno".
"Do it again, and pay attention this time". "Did you forget the people in those houses?".
My approach proved effective. I did not get in any shooting that day. I just handed ammo to Danny, one round at a time. The Remington 12C he learned on became his.
Years later, Dan's wife described the ritual through which he put his son when he gave him his first air rifle. He even sacrificed a watermelon.
Now the article. It is excellent. I would add one thing: never try to catch a gun if you have dropped it.
https://gunpros.com/gun-safety-rules/
