YouTube videos..

[Sam1911]

there are lots of people watching Youtube that have never handled a firearm before and maybe, just maybe seeing this performed will sink in and save a life someday

You know, I think there's a lot in this.

We all know every 16 year old budding gun geek wants to dress and act like the "power users" he sees. Some of that is really annoying, as the "tactical act" he copied out of a MagPul team training video is unnecessary on the plinking range with the .22s.

But a lot of it is useful -- I'd rather a new shooter at least tried to copy what Jarrett or Miculek do in their videos (how they stand, how they move, how they set up their firing grip, etc.) than maybe the cup-&-saucer junk Uncle Jim showed them with that old H&R revolver he shoots about twice every five years...

So, maybe, if they see enough "professionals" and knowledgeable enthusiasts religiously clearing every weapon they touch, maybe they'll mimic that habit themselves -- even if only so they can look like a "pro." I don't care WHY they're racking slides and checking chambers, as long as they're DOING IT.

 

[Matt018]

I think that a feel check is BS if you cant see a hunk of brass in the chamber is there then you need to get off the firing line. This is also even more pointless on shotguns with an enormous ejection port.

 

[Sam1911]

I think that a feel check is BS if you cant see a hunk of brass in the chamber ...

It's a good habit to be in. Not all the ammo we all fire these days is bright shiny brass. Not every time we open the gun will the sun be shining bright into the action.

Plenty of folks have jacked the action open, glanced into the chamber, closed it up, and then fired a negligent discharge right into the ground! It happens.

That's why we say LAYERS of safety and habitual safety practices we use for all guns.

 

[230RN]

Why? An audible "this weapon is has been safety checked" is not sufficient?

No. Like Doubting Thomas (my favorite Saint), I too refuse to believe without personal*visual and manual [STRIKE]demonstration[/STRIKE] verification.

I don't know how many gun counter folks I've insulted when I refused to take a gun with an unopened action from them when they try to hand it to me... even though I had seen them inspect it.

"But it's not loaded, I just checked it."

"Nuts to that, brother. Don't hand me a closed gun."

Then you read about him bitching about that a-hole customer on one of the dumb customer threads.

Fine. I'm an a-hole when it comes down to gun handling, and I'd rather watch a couple of seconds of detailed clearing instructions on videos. To paraphrase our nanny-type legislators, "If it saves one ND, it's worth it."

Frankly, I do not understand how somebody can reasonably object to it.



By the way, I can attest that racking the slide does not guarantee a clear chamber. I had a broken extractor tip on my 1911 which operated normally all day, and when I racked that slide a couple of times on returning to camp, nothing came out.

BANG! at an innocent fence post. I found the broken extractor tip on my work bench the day after.

That was sure one loud "click," I tell you whut.



Terry, 230RN

*the word "personal" added pursuant to Post 32

 

[tactidrool]

Because the viewer is like a guest coming over to your house to take a look at your gun. Maybe you safety checked it before your guest arrived, but to be courteous to them and to have them also know that the gun has been checked before it's being handled and shown off, it's nice to show them.

Additionally, if your guest doesn't know much about guns, the emphasis on safety, to teach them that gun owners do take it seriously, is nice. I remember when I was just getting into guns, seeing people take the extra emphasis to safety check them left a nice impression on me, even though safety was already drilled into me by my dad.

 

[Skribs]

230RN, I'm a little bit confused here. So if I check the gun and it's empty, and hand it to you with the action closed, you can't simply keep it pointed in a safe direction and pull the action back yourself? As long as it is pointed in a safe direction the entire time, and we all keep our fingers out of the trigger guard and treat it like it could be loaded, I don't see the big deal.

Tactidrool, it is nothing like that. If the guy on Youtube has an ND, sucks for him, but I'm separated from the incident by both time and place. And nobody in their right mind would upload a video as a review or instructional kit if they shot themselves in the process, that would be edited out.

 

[atomd]

It seems there's people that watch gun videos solely to point out anything that they consider unsafe handling. I think a lot of people in the community are strongly opinionated and will take any opportunity to tell you how they know more than you about something gun-related. If they can point out how you are being unsafe they think it makes them looker smarter and more responsible. Maybe it's an ego thing.

For instance, go look at say...bicycle review videos. You won't see as many people fighting and calling each other names, telling the video poster that their brand bike is a piece of garbage and they don't know anything about that product or how to handle it properly. Sure there's some of that (it is the internet afterall)....but in almost every single gun video you get all that and a whole lot more.

I've seen videos where they are talking about a pistol. They drop the magazine and rack the slide 10 or more times and then point the camera into the chamber. It didn't become any safer from the 9th time to the 10th time they racked it. It's just silliness and a waste of everyone's time.

I'm all for being safe and everyone should use and promote gun safety when they can but I think a lot of people go way overboard. In the end I feel like they just like pointing out the shortcomings of others to make themselves feel better. All the fighting, brand wars, and foaming at the mouth safety nuts are part of the reason why I spend less time on forums/videos/etc than I used to.

 

[BellyUpFish]

No. Like Doubting Thomas (my favorite Saint), I too refuse to believe without visual and manual demonstration.

You apparently refuse to believe with visual and manual demonstration as well..

 

[WNTFW]

Bellyupfish,
Can you post some links of your youtube videos? I have no videos as I can't shoot, am ugly and my mother dresses me weird.

I know safety is important. Just what is overkill to some is just not enough for others. Then you have people that have been safe for years get complacent. So erring on the side of caution and limiting liability is the name of the game.

I have seen guys with pretty good videos get argumentative/negative comments. Even guy with a bunch of good videos have there detractors.

Some pet peeves about shooting videos for me are:
- 30 second video is 28 seconds of putzing around and finally 2 seconds of "action"
- sound; 28 seconds of wind buffeting the the 2 seconds or can't hear, too loud, can't hear, too loud or too much of a soundtrack.
- way too much sales pitch and too little getting to the point.
- showing only a shooter shooting and no results.
- To much "branding" with too long of an intro and graphics. If the content is good I will be back and search for more from them.

I do see some videos that are pretty well done at times.

 

[BellyUpFish]

I don't have many, and they are far from a "Nutnfancy" quality, but sure..

I'm on my phone and YouTube is only giving me the mobile link, see if this works:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afxdko6rhPg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[1911crazy]

"We all know every 16 year old budding gun geek wants to dress and act like the "power users" he sees."

hey i'm 15 and love shooting .45s

 

[Blackstone]

Because people will nitpick things like that as it makes them feel better about themselves.

(not clearing guns in videos, that is)

 

[TwoWheelFiend]

well said RNB65

 

[230RN]

....

 

[fpgt72]

Youtube is very....well we will just leave it at that. There are plenty of people that should not be allowed to have the loaded "gun" that god gave them in their pants putting on firearm videos.

That all said what chaps me more then anything is the youtube experts....you know the ones that THINK they know what they are talking about but actually have no clue.

 

[fatcat4620]

The safety check is the last of my concerns on youtube. Some people blather on for 15 min before they get to the gun or the safety check.

 

[230RN]

Deleted by poster

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

But a lot of it is useful -- I'd rather a new shooter at least tried to copy what Jarrett or Miculek do in their videos (how they stand, how they move, how they set up their firing grip, etc.) than maybe the cup-&-saucer junk Uncle Jim showed them with that old H&R revolver he shoots about twice every five years...

That's how I learned to shoot handguns, online research and videos. I've never gotten formal training with handguns ever and I only remember shooting them in 4H once and that wasn't much either.