Safety Is Everyone's Job.....

[Dave McCracken]

I was at the Wobble trap at PGC yesterday getting ready to coach some farily new shotgunners. Besides the three with me, there was a fair number of other people waiting their turn.

One of these walked up holding his Mossberg pump.

The good news.The action was open, the muzzle pointed straight up.

The bad news, I could see there was a shell in the receiver.

I approached the man, informed him of same, took his shotgun and removed the shell. I also checked for others.

The guy was embarrassed and upset, as he should have been. He then shot a round that I pulled for him and his buddies. He followed the Four Rules, range rules and procedures.

Was a tragedy averted? Possibly.

Was an incident reflecting badly on law abiding gun owners avoided? Probably.

We all are THE Safety Police......

 

[Drail]

I agree completely. Being safe isn't all that much more work. Just a few more brain cells engaged. And I have seen plenty of cases where one of the four rules were broken but the other three averted tragedy.

 

[zhyla]

Not long ago I had the opportunity to correct someone on the "pointed in a safe direction" rule at a local range. The best part was he happened to be the guy who did my firearm safety training 15 years prior. Everybody needs a pointer now and then.

 

[HiWayMan]

Why did you feel the need to take his shotgun from him? In this situation the more hands and transfers involved just compound a problem.

 

[MyGreenGuns]

I frequently shoot in the woods with a group of people that have had no formal firearms training. I proudly wear the "safety nazi" hat.

One of my friends told me he's glad someone laid down "rules" that everyone should follow. I had to admit these were not "MY" rules.

Anyone who goes shooting with us must follow the safety rules, or will not be asked to join us next time.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Hiway, he was clueless at that time. I knew what the problem was. I also wanted to see if there were more rounds in the magazine. There were not.

I wasn't a jerk about it. The first word I said to him was "Sir".

MGG, as a Jew, I'm not referring to myself ans any kind of Nazi. However, I do wear the safety hat. Everybody should, but not be a jerk about it.

 

[MyGreenGuns]

No offense intended. Dont worry, I'm the wrong color to be a Nazi anyway.

 

[morcey2]

We went shooting a while ago w/ some of my son-in-laws army buddies. After we got home from having a blast, both literally and figuratively, my daughter said to me "Dad, I'm so proud of you. You didn't have to yell at anyone today."

Every time we go shooting with people who haven't shot with us, even if they've done lots of shooting, I end up yelling at at least one person after they've ignored kind correction, strong warnings, and very explicit descriptions of the consequences. That isn't an x-box controller that you're holding there. Real people die when you're not paying attention to where it's pointed WHILE IT'S LOADED AND YOUR FINGER IS ON THE TRIGGER!!!!!

It was kind of nice to shoot with guys who were at least as safety conscious as I am, even if I did have to explain to them how the safety on a mosin works. That's always good for some weird looks.

 

[Mp7]

Like the thread.

And i like the "taking the gun from him" fast and with proper friendly adress.

I believe physically confronting someone, when things go towards going bad.
It does make it easier for people to remember THAT.
Wether gun, bow, knife.... machine at work.

And whenever in life i see someone going for it instantly
it seems to be a learning from someone who showed them.
Who insisted on the principle.

 

[Dave McCracken]

No offense taken.

Morcey, I rarely have had to yell. I do have a flat level tone I used in prison to explain to a number of dufi why it was in their best interest to be pressing their bunk instead of plucking my very last nerve. Most got the message,some served as examples to the others.

BTW, my duties included firearms instruction for a decade.

Mp7, I saw a problem, took action, problem solved. Most folks would have gone the same.

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

Not to go off topic here, but this is why I love this forum. We treat people as people, no matter race or religion.

On topic:

Good Job, Dave. I pretty much coach all my friends, too, when it comes to shooting. One of them, my closest buddy, has really excelled in shooting firearms. He's pretty accurate with irons despite his vision impairment (glasses).

First day, I asked him what he knew about firearm safety, and though he didn't know all of the rules, he at least knew to never point a gun at someone.

 

[Blackrock]

At a BIG clay shooting event yesterday my buddy called a cease fire on a trap stand when he saw a lady shucking a full load of shells into an auto loader shotgun while on the line. He politely showed her the correct way to load one shell at a time when it was her turn to shoot. She kind of got an attitude but my buddy got several thumbs up from several people.

 

[Sav .250]

Another example of why "safety" needs to be stressed at all times.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Safety Is Everyone's Job.....

And it's a full time job when the guns are out, too. No matter who, no matter where, no matter what.

In the line in shotgun class, the student next to me (a LEO) was careless about not putting his safety back on at the end of a firing string. This in spite of the range command being quite clear - "Safeties on and sling 'em." The way he had his shotgun slung, his muzzle trended in my direction. After the second time I mentioned it to him, I asked the instructor if I could change relays. He wondered why I wanted to do that, and the student next to me said "Aw, he's just worried about my safety."

The instructor said "I am, too."

I swapped relays and the other student got a lesson...

 

[Loosedhorse]

Whenever I take a new shooter to the range for the first time, we talk about range commands, and that it is the new shooter's duty, if at anytime he or she sees something unsafe, to yell "Cease fire!" Even on a RO-controlled range, they can and must give that command.

I also say that if they hear the command "Cease fire," they immediately unload, lock open, put down, step away...and then they can turn around and ask, "So, what's up?"

Your situation did not require a "Cease fire," but for newbies I keep it simple. I'd rather the whole line go cold for a couple minutes than a loaded shotgun and clueless owner approach the line unannounced!

 

[Dave McCracken]

LJ, that's the way it should be everywhere.

Amen, to the rest of this. We all understand that it's 24/7, 365 when the guns come out.

Any instructor has plenty of stories about this, and most experienced shooters also.

 

[wgp]

You begin to appreciate people who appreciate safety.

Two days ago on a preserve pheasant hunt, we had two experienced dog handlers in the group with 5 shooters. A bird flushed behind the line and the handler next to me flattened himself in the dirt, anticipating that I would swing around him and shoot. I did not. When he looked up, I told him that I adopted the rule years ago that a bird flushing behind the shooters gets a free pass because I won't risk swinging through the shooters to get one more bird. He really warmed up to me after that.

 

[ForumSurfer]

Two days ago on a preserve pheasant hunt, we had two experienced dog handlers in the group with 5 shooters. A bird flushed behind the line and the handler next to me flattened himself in the dirt, anticipating that I would swing around him and shoot.

Makes you wonder about the people he's been out with previously! I'd never swing the business end in the direction (tthat includes over his head) of a fellow shooter/hunter.

Many folks adopt bad practice. Half my relatives and friends feel that getting "peppered" on the other end of the field during dove season is perfectly acceptable and part of a day of hunting.

 

[Dave McCracken]

One time a ringneck got up in front of me as we worked up a hill behind two nice GSPs. I did not shoot. When asked why, I said that when I mounted the gun I was "Too much Dog". No further info needed.

Handlers have a boatload of stories. There are some oblivious idiots amongst us.

As for getting peppered while dove shooting, it's happened to me. After I vented using ALL the cuss words I know, it stopped.

 

[ForumSurfer]

As for getting peppered while dove shooting, it's happened to me. After I vented using ALL the cuss words I know, it stopped.

Same here...except I was met with blank stares like peppering was part of the experience. One cousin even said that was why he didn't wear mesh hats on opening day. Never went hunting with that side of the family again.

 

[Dave McCracken]

A wide brimmed hat and protective eyewear are essential for dove shooting, and not a bad idea generally.

So is limiting the number of shooters.