So, Whose responsibility is gun safety

[DocMustang]

The recent responses to the thread I started made me think further about this question. Whose responsibility is gun safety? Gun owners usual answer seems to be it is not anyone's business but my own. We resent others asking us about our safe practices. With good reason we resent state interference in our firearm safety practices. I have even gotten the eye roll from fellow gun owners (or at least the gun interested) when they simply picked up an AR-15 off the table, failed to it check clear, and swept over my then VERY pregnant wife with their fingers in the trigger and I asked rather politely that they please not do that.

Yet despite our assertion that it should be our responsibility with respect to how we store, handle and use our firearms accidents continue to happen. We all see unsafe practices at the range, at gunshows, and even in our homes. Most of us simply think to ourselves that it will not, could not happen to us. I suppose I will simply ask this question: Is firearm safety something we should be concerned about? If so how should it be addressed?

Standing by (once again) for rolls and heavy seas...

 

[History Prof]

Whose responsibility is it? Each and every gun owner.

I have even gotten the eye roll from fellow gun owners (or at least the gun interested) when they simply picked up an AR-15 off the table, failed to it check clear, and swept over my then VERY pregnant wife with their fingers in the trigger and I asked rather politely that they please not do that.

They need to be taught, even if you have to be "mean" about it. It is not only them, but under these circumstances, the safety of you and your wife. I have no problem discussing the safety rules with guys at the range if they sweep me or are behaving like idiots. If they don't want to listen to a safety lecture, I leave.

HOWEVER, being around guns and giving a safety lecture is different than being in your exam room (ala your last thread) and giving the same lecture, where no guns are present. When guns are present, gun safety is EVERYBODY'S business.

 

[Dr. Dickie]

Gun owners usual answer seems to be it is not anyone's business but my own. We resent others asking us about our safe practices.

Welll, I disagree with this assertion based on your thread. I know that my objection, and I think most other peoples as well, was not at being asked about our safety practices. It was the asking under the pretense of concern for child safety as apposed to political reasons.
If the doctor was asking in order of likelihood, they would never get to firearms.
If someone is asking out of concern, or genuine interest, I personally have no problem.

 

[ZeSpectre]

I have even gotten the eye roll from fellow gun owners (or at least the gun interested) when they simply picked up an AR-15 off the table, failed to it check clear, and swept over my then VERY pregnant wife with their fingers in the trigger and I asked rather politely that they please not do that.

You've hit one of my gunshow pet peeves. I wish there was some way to set up so that people could have a SAFE way to examine a gun, throw it up to your shoulder, and check the action. I try very hard but have been in some locations where it was impossible to both check a gun, and avoid sweeping others.

 

[aerod1]

Who's responsibility is gun safety?

Answer: Mine

 

[cmidkiff]

Each and every gun owner. In a range setting, each gun owner _and_ the RSO. In a gun-shop setting, each and every gun owner _and_ the employees/management of the store.

Sweeping the area with a muzzle is _not_ acceptable behavior. Anyone doing so needs to be alerted to that fact. Repeat offenses should result in being invited to leave.

 

[K-Romulus]

I have even gotten the eye roll from fellow gun owners (or at least the gun interested) when they simply picked up an AR-15 off the table, failed to it check clear, and swept over my then VERY pregnant wife with their fingers in the trigger and I asked rather politely that they please not do that.

When that happens I reply with:

If you keep screwing around like that, sooner or later YOUR accident will allow some A-hole to ban everybody's guns.

 

[Shifty]

those that know should safeguard those that dont.

plain and simple.

duty

 

[DC-Loudsound]

Mine .... Yours .... Ours .....

We all need to do everything possible to make ourselves safe. Guns included.

 

[cheygriz]

Whose responsiviity is gun safety?

• 
  YOURS

And mine, and everybody's else's.

No one today is willing to tolerate a drunk driver, so why tolerate unsafe gun handling?

1. Try politely to educate.

2. Try firmly to educate.

3. Make it clear to the arse-whole that his conduct is unacceptable, and will not be tolerated!

 

[Kimber1911_06238]

the person who has the gun in their posession...and anyone else in the area. I wouldn't tolerate someone in my presence to be careless either.

 

[Mr White]

Who's responsibility is gun safety?

Why, it's the government's, of course!
Don't you know that's what they're here for, to protect us from all the bad things that they don't know about or like? If everyone just trusted them to do what's best for us, we'd all be much better off.

That, or everyone who shoots or takes someone shooting. I forget which.

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

Everyone has personal responsibility. I avoid places and people where extreme safety is not practiced.

I do think that there is a need for a general practice in providing safe handling situations at places like gun shows, etc. I get very uncomfortable when I am at a gun shop and cannot find a safe direction for the muzzle of a gun I am checking out due to a large number of people milling about, walking in my "line of fire" and so on.

 

[tinygnat219]

It's mine. When I am at a show, looking at a revolver, or anything like that. I ensure that it's not loaded, then point it at the ceiling of the venue while asking to dry fire it. I will then do what I like to do while looking at the pistols and hand them back either with the slide open, or the cylinder open, butt first. One dealer was so impressed, he gave me 10% off.

 

[vynx]

As has been stated the responsibility for firearms saftey is the gun owners, whoever is handling it and those in its presence.

And remember if you are loaning a gun or shooting with someone make sure they know the 4 rules.

My friend was shot dead by his daughter-in-law when she turned and pointed a mini-14 at him as he was walking away from her - she turned to ask him a question and twisted her entire body pointing the rifle at his back - then she pulled the trigger and sent a .223 into his spine & heart - she doesn't even remember pulling the trigger - just a noobie that should have received more guidance before she was allowed to start shooting.

Destroyed an entire family.

 

[El Tejon]

It is your father's responsibility to teach you.

 

[Juna]

Is firearm safety something we should be concerned about? If so how should it be addressed?

Yes! It is the responsibility of all who own firearms. Every time I've witnessed unsafe firearm practices by other people (e.g. violations of the 4 rules), I have corrected them. It is our responsibility to correct them when we see problems--despite the eye rolling, etc. I've endured worse than that from people I've corrected.

Also, the NRA, local PDs, CCW courses, classes at the local range, etc. are all out there for people to learn firearm safety. We need to get the word out more. In addition, we have to pass a firearm safety course to get a CCW, and we take a small, written firearm safety test just to get a pistol purchase permit in MI. Practices like this are ubiquitous.

That said, there will always be stupid, unsafe people out there--not just with guns (cars, fireworks, etc.). People will always do stupid things. It's up to parents to teach their kids gun safety if there are guns in the home. Eddie Eagle also comes to mind. The resources abound, we just need to get the word out to people like the guy who muzzle flashed your wife, etc.

 

[ArmedBear]

I won't tolerate unsafe practices around me. I am not shy about it; I'm not a jerk about it, but I make it clear I want all of us to be safe -- and to avoid giving the anti's more ammunition.

If some guy's ego gets in the way of safety, I'm out of there.

If we say we are responsible, we need to show it!

 

[model4006]

gun safety is the responsibility of anyone who touches a gun, or stays in close proximity to a gun. thats the way i look at it, just because im standing there and youre handling the gun doesnt mean i dont have to be concious about safe practices, ie correct you if you make a mistake. i think i would flip out real bad on someone for sweeping my girl with a muzzle.

 

[orionengnr]

I have been sternly set straight

--As a young and foolish know-nothing.
--As a less young, less foolish know-something.
--As an older, wiser(?) know-a-bit-more.

Not recently, but perhaps not for the last time.

I have no problem with that. I'd rather have my ego bruised than learn/continue to practice bad habits.

My ego heals fairly well.

 

[sevesteen]

Each and every gun owner. In a range setting, each gun owner _and_ the RSO. In a gun-shop setting, each and every gun owner _and_ the employees/management of the store.

Sweeping the area with a muzzle is _not_ acceptable behavior. Anyone doing so needs to be alerted to that fact. Repeat offenses should result in being invited to leave.

I wish. Most of the shops around here have poor muzzle discipline among the employees, let alone the customers. It's about a 50/50 chance I'll be stepping out of line of a muzzle when being shown a handgun.

 

[lawson4]

It's my responsibility and whomever is handling the firearm. I work at a site where the security people carry P90's. I was being checked with a handheld metal detector and the guard was carrying his '90 so that it was pointed right at my belly button. I asked him to shift the muzzle and he said he didn't have to because the safety was engaged and his finger wasn't on the trigger.
I confronted the security head and said it was unacceptable to sweep people like that. I reminded him that I had been shot once, with "an unloaded gun". This one had fifty rounds.
The guard carries it a little differently now.

lawson4

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Whose responsibility is gun safety? Gun owners usual answer seems to be it is not anyone's business but my own. We resent others asking us about our safe practices. With good reason we resent state interference in our firearm safety practices. I have even gotten the eye roll from fellow gun owners (or at least the gun interested) when they simply picked up an AR-15 off the table, failed to it check clear, and swept over my then VERY pregnant wife with their fingers in the trigger and I asked rather politely that they please not do that.

The responsibility lies with the owner of the firearm. Period.

Look at your example. You cite it as if ... well, to be honest I'm not quite sure what your point was. The fact is, somebody handled a firearm in an unsafe manner. If it was not their own firearm they were messing with, the owner of the firearm should have taken it away from them chop-chop. If it was their own weapon, the fact they did not act responsibly in no way relieives them of being responsible.

If some "young adult male" gets a few too many beers down his gullet while watching Monday Night Football at the corner pub with his pals, then gets into his hot-rodded 5-litre Mustang and wraps it around a tree (or crashes it into an oncoming car full of high school cheerleaders) at 120 MPH -- whose "fault," whose responsibility, is that? The car maker's? The dealer who sold him the car? Is it an epidemiological issue that his family doctor should have asked him about at his annual checkup?

No, I respectfully submit that the responsibility lies entirely with the young man who got himself sloshed and then jumped behind the wheel of an automobile when he should have been calling for a taxi. His car ==> his responsibility.

The same applies to firearms.

Of one thing I am absolutely certain: it sure as hell is NOT my doctor's responsibility.

The problem, Doc, is that you're young. You literally are not old enough to remember a time when at least some people accepted at least some responsibility for their own actions. You have been reared in a burgeoning nanny state, in which and under which the State tries to absolve everyone of responsibility for their own lives. The State says it will protect us from ourselves ... and then proceeds to attempt doing so by making the implements of self-protection illegal for citizens to possess or use. New Orleans and Katrina finally showed us how well that approach works when the chips are down.

The State (and by extension the AMA and APA) needs to butt out of people's lives and allow (no, "require") people to accept responsibility for themselves again. Doctor's need to worry about practicing doctoring, not gun control. Same applies to mayors ... they should stick to running cities, and stay out of private issues.

 

[Im283]

[It is your father's responsibility to teach you.]

Lame answer, i am 49 years old this Sunday. My father died when i was 6 months old. he never got the chance.

 

[BobMcG]

Something tells me that your question could have been taken as a rhetorical one as in I believe you already knew that most will say it's everyones responsibility. For all practical purposes that's what you got back, and rightfully so as we all have to do our part in educating those who show a lack of safe handling practices.

That being said, I wouldn't doubt that there would be a percentage of people who'd object to say a state mandated firearms safety course requirement before being allowed to purchase a first firearm. Don't think that I'm in favor of more government bureaucracy either because I think the less government in our lives, the better. The only reason I mention it though is due to the fact that I know shooters in a lot of states (mine included) that are also hunters (me included) had to under go a firearms safety and shooting course in order to get a hunting license in the first place. It doesn't guarantee an accident free environment but it's a better start than a lot of non-hunters get. (And yes, obviously, military & LEO training are other good places to form a foundation for safety.)

BTW: In NY (I had to) and probably other states, you also undergo other training when you go for your pistol license.