Safety challenge to all gun owners

[beeenbag]

I would like to challenge everyone that reads this thread to take one extra step of precaution the next time you handle a firearm.

It could be as simple as using a chamber flag next time at the range, or adding side shields to your prescription glasses when you shoot.

I am not going to tell you how or what to do to improve, but rather have you think about it and do just one more little thing to improve your firearms safety.

Hope no one takes offense to this challenge as I know we all try to do the best we can, but no one is perfect and maybe a step back and analyze our procedures might break a little complacency. Happy shooting!

 

[RioKid]

Beenbag...i accept your challenge. Plan on shooting early tomorrow morning with some friends and i will inform them of the challenge as well. You brought up a good point. I work in the fire service and complacency is near the top of the list on reasons firefighters are killed at work.
If you get a chance, try and find a video on the web that while being very entertaining, slams home the lesson of being complacent. It is retired NASA astronaut Mike Mulane giving a keynote speech at the IAFF national convention. The topic is what he calls " Normalization of Deviance " and is pretty cool to watch. Check it out if you can.
I will be sure to throw in a little extra safety measure somehow tomorrow. Thanks for the reminder!!
Rio

 

[jdc1244]

A chamber flag is a must for hot/cold ranges.

 

[DoubleMag]

bravo! bravo! Food for thought

I look and yes actually read the safety notices at the range. The big obvious signs posted at each firing point.
In case of a kaboom-how many on here know the actual address at the range they practice? How many have looked at the 1st aid kit?
How many own and take with them their own IFAK?

 

[Jack B.]

I've made a check list of all items needed for safety and a day of shooting. Before I leave the house to go shooting I must have a check mark next to every item on the list and I don't cheat and check something that I haven't done or need. The list is always growing as I am constantly striving to make my shooting experience safer and satisfying.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

My initial response was WHY?

After a little thought, I agree we all need to re-evaluate things on a regular basis especially safety and how to handle an emergency.

So thank you to OP as today to get away from the political crap, I’m going to spend some time thinking about this without any distractions. I’ll begin by seeing what first aid supplies need updating in my range bag.

 

[beeenbag]

My initial response was WHY?

After a little thought, I agree we all need to re-evaluate things on a regular basis especially safety and how to handle an emergency.

So thank you to OP as today to get away from the political crap, I’m going to spend some time thinking about this without any distractions. I’ll begin by seeing what first aid supplies need updating in my range bag.

And that is exactly the thought process I was hoping to trigger. Good on you!

 

[PabloJ]

Being responsible gun owner I keep all my firearms in safe when away from the dwelling. I'm concerned with safe or not handling of what I have by unauthorized people. I would hate to know my firearm was used in a crime. I'm big on protecting my 2nd Amendment rights.

 

[MistWolf]

I agree that we all should be aware of safety. But we should not mistake "hardware solutions for software problems" as a layer of safety.

All firearms are to be treated as if they are loaded, are they not? Not if a chamber flag is used to tell others that the firearm is unloaded. Chamber flags are a hardware solution to a software problem. The real solution is to treat every firearm as if they are loaded.

The real solution to firearms safety, to all safety including aviation, is to identify software problems and train them out. Train out complacency.

Before anyone gets their knickers in a knot and tries to misinterpret what I'm saying, safety also involves hardware solutions to hardware problems, such as wearing Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). For a shooter, PPE includes wearing safety glasses and hearing production.

 

[Redacted]

Great idea, beeenbag, I did a quick search on "chamber flag". There is no shortage of different chamber flags available. Some YouTube videos are even on the subject.
Does anyone have experience with which chamber flags work the best?

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

I usually use plugs or muffs, but have been doing both lately to help with pressure changes.

 

[Iroquois]

I’ll be shooting with my 12 year old son this week. I think I’ll let him gather everything together and make a list ( thanks for the idea Jack B). After we get to the range I’m going to let him run the shooting session, I’ll intervene if I have to. This should be a good test for him and for me as well. It will certainly tell me if I missed teaching him something or it may reveal we need to change some things to make it safer for us and the people around us. Great idea for a post beeenbag.

 

[Kame B.]

Who doesn't use a chamber flag? Seriously, the range I work (maintenance) and shoot at is very strict, and supply chamber flags to all the shooters. The one thing I will see from time to time is people on the handgun range not keeping the muzzle pointed down range when reloading. Once that happens, they get a little one on one time with the retired Lt. Colonel that owns the place.

Please keep your muzzle pointing down range at all times, and never handle a weapon while folks are down range checking targets. Those two rules get broken more times than I can count.

 

[RETG]

I don't use a chamber flag, but if I am at a range, I keep the weapon pointed downrange at all times, till I reload, holster it and walk out.

 

[tygranch]

I get my chamber flags from the CMP.

 

[MistWolf]

I don't use chamber flags. When I set a firearm down, the bolt is open and the ejection port is up.

 

[cslinger]

Bravo. We are stewards of the 2nd. I would also ask all of you to lock any and all arms not in direct control up. You may not have kids but you have dumbarse friends.....we all do. Invest in a quality quick access safe(s) for your defensive arms. Make sure they are locked up when you have a party or friends over or are out of the house.

Also a zip tie makes a great chamber flag for an AK or similar weapon that doesn’t lock open.

 

[Blackstone]

Not a fan of chamber flags personally, to me it ingrains a lax attitude towards gun safety. It teaches people that all they need to look for is a red flag in the chamber. Soon you will have a generation of shooters who don't know the 4 rules, and just rely on a chamber flag.

 

[P5 Guy]

Flags are now mandatory at Wyoming Antelope Club, Florida chapter, and have been mandatory at Mantee Gun and Archery for years.
If that makes the Range Officer's job easier I can see no problem. The Range Officers have a hard job and making easier serves all our purposes.

 

[milehighjc]

Bravo... IMHO, we all need to be focused on safety and I believe even the most experienced can fall into an inadvertent trap of habit. Challenge accepted.

Sadly, I have not been shooting at all in the past couple of years, as our family was dealing with the failing health, and ultimate loss of my father (dont be sorry, 100 1/2 fantastic years). Prior to that I was pretty active, and in fact had volunteered as an RSO for about a year and a half. There was a lot of stuff I saw on the public range was disturbing - mostly centered on unfamiliarity, carelessness, or lack of education. As a staff, we tried to be very focused on being helpful, not just calling out bad behavior, but educating. It was rare (but not unheard of) for us to remove someone from the range. I think that experience helped ME massively to be more conscious of safety. I would very much like to get back into that.

Since I have not been shooting for so long, I pretty much have "grounded" myself from my guns (meaning at the moment, I do not have them readied for home defense, guns and ammo are locked up separately, mags always unloaded, etc etc) until I can get back on the range and reestablish safety routines and competency. I still try to clean regularly, and that is where I first noticed that I didn't have the familiarity that I used to have. It just isn't second nature anymore, and I think that is a problem that would be compounded a lot if I were to be in a stressful defensive confrontation.

My accept is that I am taking my wife and I to a conceal carry class at the end of next month (which happily includes 4 hours of range time). Her only education so far is basic safety from me. She wants/needs more foundation training, and I want a refresher. While I dont carry today, the class will be good for BOTH of us. Also, prior to that, I will renew my membership at the range, and get back into shooting.