Gun Safety

[96firephoenix]

kk, I just kinda need to rant about something. if this is in the wrong forum, feel free to move it, mods.

so my friend has a couple .22s. he's got a semi-auto rifle and a single action revolver. we went to the range this morning. well, before we left, he unpacked the gun to show it to me, and being the safety-minded person I am, I pulled the bolt back when he handed it to me to make sure it wasn't loaded... and in doing so chambered a round. he did not tell me that it was loaded when he handed it to me, and I promptly emptied the gun by repeatedly pulling the bolt back, and gave him a small lecture about safely storing guns unloaded (in all fairness, no round was chambered when I pulled the bolt back the first time)

so now comes the bit about the revolver. firstly, the sights are far enough off that you can't hit anything smaller than a ball cap at 20 ft going off the sights - he's practiced enough with it to aim along the barrel, but I was a little irked. so anyway, we got around to shooting the targets, and we were the only 2 at the range, so we were keeping good tabs on each other minding downrange rules etc... but when we went out to reset the targets, he carried the revolver with him... to me that sticks out as a no-no... am I wrong about that? carrying a gun with you when you go downrange if its not holstered? all the rounds were spent, so I didn't see too much of a problem, but I think its a bad habit to foster...

needless to say, I will give him a bit of a tutorial on range etiquette next time we go shooting... which hopefully is soon, cuz I accidentally goobered the sighting of his scope, and I want to fix it for him before I move home on tuesday.

 

[mjones]

if you were caught carrying a gun off the firing line at the range i shoot at you would for sure get a azz chewing and possibly be kick out of the range

 

[sj kahr k40]

That's a big no-no at any range, line cold means no one handles a firearm, I wouldn't go to the range with this friend until you had a serious talk about range rules. At my range that will get you kicked off the line and maybe out of the club.

 

[ihateiraq]

should have shot him with it. that would have taught him a lesson.

 

[Que]

How did he set/re-set targets with a gun in his hands? It is a safety concern in the first place and should not have been allowed.

 

[96firephoenix]

public range, not a club... I will definitely have a talk with him before the next time we go out shooting.

ps thanks for putting in the right forum

 

[Kirk Freeman]

he unpacked the gun to show it to me, and being the safety-minded person I am, I pulled the bolt back when he handed it to me to make sure it wasn't loaded... and in doing so chambered a round. he did not tell me that it was loaded when he handed it to me

You did the right thing by checking, but remember, Rule #1: all guns are always loaded. Many people at the top end of the gun culture food chain keep all firearms (even ones in safe) loaded so they do not get sloppy. Four Rules light is always on.

Tell your buddy, "Buddy, if you don't mind, I'd be more comfortable if you locked back the action when you hand me a weapon. Yeah, I'm a sissy, but better a sissy with only God-issued holes."

and I promptly emptied the gun by repeatedly pulling the bolt back

While obeying Rule #2, remove the mag (dump the tube) and THEN run the bolt. Everytime you pull that bolt back and load a fresh round the weapon can discharge, especially those platforms with inertia firing pins.

gave him a small lecture about safely storing guns unloaded

Remember many highly trained people store guns loaded, see Rule #1.

but when we went out to reset the targets, he carried the revolver with him... to me that sticks out as a no-no... am I wrong about that?

If the weapon is outside a holster, I would consider it unwise (but not necessarily unsafe). Next time ask your buddy if he wouldn't mind grounding his weapon or sticking his hawlaig in his holster.

If you don't have to ground weapons during a cease fire at your range, I would holster pistols or sling long guns. A long gun without a sling is like a pistol without a holster.

If you ground it, I'd lock the action back as a courtesy, apply the manual safety (if you can) and maybe stick a range flag in a long weapon.

 

[96firephoenix]

You did the right thing by checking, but remember, Rule #1: all guns are always loaded. Many people at the top end of the gun culture food chain keep all firearms (even ones in safe) loaded so they do not get sloppy. Four Rules light is always on.

Tell your buddy, "Buddy, if you don't mind, I'd be more comfortable if you locked back the action when you hand me a weapon. Yeah, I'm a sissy, but better a sissy with only God-issued holes."

I know that any gun is a loaded gun, and I was ensuring that it was safe to handle... for some reason, the bolt does not lock back. there is no bolt release, so I'm assuming it was made that way.

While obeying Rule #2, remove the mag (dump the tube) and THEN run the bolt. Everytime you pull that bolt back and load a fresh round the weapon can discharge, especially those platforms with inertia firing pins.

it was not immediately obvious to me how to go about that, and I really didn't feel like fiddling around with a gun that I was not familiar with that I KNEW had a round in the chamber. it seemed safer to me to keep a gun in my hands pointed towards the ceiling and empty it out the ejector than to have a locked and loaded weapon change hands or have me messing around with the blow-me-away end trying to pull the magazine

Remember many highly trained people store guns loaded, see Rule #1.

judging by our time at the range, I doubt he qualifies as a "highly trained person"

If the weapon is outside a holster, I would consider it unwise (but not necessarily unsafe). Next time ask your buddy if he wouldn't mind grounding his weapon or sticking his hawlaig in his holster.

it had no live rounds in it, so it was not unsafe per se, but anyone who came upon us would have no way of knowing that, and I think its a bad habit to get into... better to practice safe habits at all times to avoid any confusion. I made him give me the revolver on the way back to the benches, since I was the one wearing the holster.

*and call me a newb, but what 4 rules are you talking about? I'm totally drawing a blank, and you only edified one rule.

 

[wtfd661]

*and call me a newb, but what 4 rules are you talking about? I'm totally drawing a blank, and you only edified one rule.

RULE I: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED
RULE II: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY
RULE III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET
RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET

 

[Kirk Freeman]

96, you did the right thing.

I'm just adding my comments. Think of me as an avuncular uncle, a crazy, forlorn, but avuncular uncle.

The Four Rules:

1. All Guns Are Always Loaded.
2. Do Not Allow the Muzzle to Cover Anything You Do Not Intend to Destroy.
3. Keep Your Finger Off the Trigger Until You Are Ready to Shoot.
4. Make Certain of Your Target and What is Behind It.

A handy gunny kirtan from Uncle Kirk:

My gun is loaded, yes it is;
This one is Kirk's and so is his.

I'll never point my gun at anything at all;
I'll point it only at a brick wall.

This finger is always straight;
With that rule I'll never hesitate.

I'll watch my target and what's behind;
For if I do not I'll get in a big grind.

 

[Bisley Man]

Keep your finger off the trigger
'Till your sights are on the target
So you won't shoot someone
And be in the lawyer market!

 

[96firephoenix]

ok... for some reason, I've never had them listed as rules, its just common sense to me.

afik, I never had a gun pointed at me, but I'll be sure to watch my back around him.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Come now, you've been to a public range! Just how common is "common sense"?

 

[96firephoenix]

haha... so true... unfortunately. I've seen some stupid people at public ranges... also seen some rather inconsiderate people.