Sweeping the Universe

[dross]

You guys aren't considering that perhaps the people sweeping you ARE following the rule. The rule is, "Never point the gun at anything you don't want to destroy."

Think about your assumptions.

 

[Fishersjohn48]

When I am cleaning a gun or buying one and need to look down the bore, I have my finger hooked through somehow, making it impossible for it to fire because it won't be in battery. I use that too to reflect light so I can see down the barrel. This gets back to the "have a good reason to" vs. "doing so through carelessness."

That's exactly what I do as well. Your thumbnail reflects a good bit of light through the barrell. I also did some reading on the topic since the last post and some of them mention "an assembled gun" At some point in the cleaning process when you have it field stripped all you really have is parts incapable of firing anything. It still makes me think twice even then.

 

[ATM]

They did . . . at the Chinese Gunsite.

Obviously, the Chinese are very wise.

 

[Bapak2ja]

Also, I'm not saying that I don't ever sweep anyone, I know I have...crowded gun shops are bad... gun shows are almost impossible to not accidentally sweep someone at some point... I take exception to people who do it consistently, and/or do it when there is no reason/explanation to do so. I don't think anyone here can say that they have never done something that someone else might classify as un-safe with a firearm. We do what we can, and try to make sure that we all go home safe, and "un-ventilated".

Well said.

 

[Bapak2ja]

As a kid learning the one main rule of gun safety that my Dad taught - Don't point that F ing thing at people! - I always knew when I'd made a mistake. The way my skull would ring for minutes afterward, my brain having been bounced off of it courtesy of my Dad's construction worker hand always tipped me off.

That kind of education has a way of staying with you!

 

[Bapak2ja]

Insisting on absolute never ever happen is silly.

What do you people do at gun shows? How do you bring a gun from pointing at the floor to pointing at the ceiling while avoiding the crowd in between? The rules of safe handling are redundant specifically to allow for minor violations. Muzzle swept something? Well, my finger wasn't on the trigger so no harm done..not that I'm going to wave a gun wildly around, aim at folks and yell bang bang.

Here's something that will blow some minds. I point a .44 at my head on a regular basis. What a rebel, right! Horrible unsafe practice!

Well how else am I supposed to check the bore when I'm cleaning the thing?

Like I said, there is a lot of wisdom on this forum!

 

[Bapak2ja]

Many people are less diligent in proper gun handling when they know it's unloaded



I challenge it. Reality dictates that the gun I just checked and still hold is in fact unloaded. I cannot escape that reality even by repeating the rule #1 mantra any number of times.



They can't help it. Rule #1 is not a fact, simply a mantra to help people be diligent with rules 2-4. If they truly thought it might still be loaded, they'd probably continue with their strict observance of those other rules.



It's at variance with reality and inescapable undeniable human logic.

Rule #1 has become the logical reason to follow rules 2-4. This causes people to be sloppy when they "know" it's unloaded.

I'm happier when people follow rules 2-4 regardless. Just don't do those with an empty gun either.

Without rule #1, the other rules would be all we needed.

The absurdity of rule #1 weakens the other rules in my opinion.

Thanks. A little dose of reality is helpful.

 

[Bapak2ja]

I just thought of something else; how many people don't take a moment to peek down the bore of a used gun they're buying?

Clearly the solution is to pick someone you don't like, point the gun at their eyes and ask. "Does this look okay to you?"

 

[Bapak2ja]

You guys aren't considering that perhaps the people sweeping you ARE following the rule. The rule is, "Never point the gun at anything you don't want to destroy."

Think about your assumptions.

There are some things we just do not want to think about!

 

[Bummer]

does anybody here have shoulder holsters??

I have a Front Line vertical shoulder holster for my 1911. Points down except during draw, when it swivels. Almost no sweep. I like it a lot.

I had my wife sew a fabric holster into my riding jacket in place of one of the inside pockets. It's positioned as a horizontal shoulder holster would be. I don't like it as much as the Front Line because everybody behind me gets swept. I don't like that.

Some day I hope to get a nice custom made OWB holster for my 1911, but I have no butt. Just a couple of muscles hooking my legs to a little too much torso. I put something heavy on my belt it's heading for my ankles unless I wear suspenders too. Unfortunately, even if I lose the belly I won't have a butt.

 

[Bapak2ja]

Some day I hope to get a nice custom made OWB holster for my 1911, but I have no butt. Just a couple of muscles hooking my legs to a little too much torso. I put something heavy on my belt it's heading for my ankles unless I wear suspenders too. Unfortunately, even if I lose the belly I won't have a butt.

At least you will never be the butt of all the jokes.

 

[japartridge]

, but I have no butt. Unfortunately, even if I lose the belly I won't have a butt.

My wife tells me the exact same thing!!! and da**ed it if she isn't right!

 

[Bummer]

At least you will never be the butt of all the jokes.

Only indirectly

My wife tells me the exact same thing!!! and da**ed it if she isn't right!

Wimmen. They cut no slack. Well, with us anyway.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

You don't get to sweep people just because it is a gun show, or because you are family, or because you are friends, or because you don't like them, or because you are a highly trained LEO. Just as the law applies in a gun show (despite what the media tells us), the Four Rules always apply everywhere.

2 more people hurt, as in Illinois, because someone thought the rules didn't apply to him in a gun show.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo.../143655-nd_at_evansville_armory_gun_show.html

 

[BlueEagle]

Yeah, the "sweeping" thing is a tough call sometimes. I sweep myself a lot while I'm working with holsters; sometimes, you just have to hold it pointing towards you to get everything molded right, but of course I have checked it 96.4 times before I did that.

Now, sweeping someone else...no, never. Because THEY may not know that I cleared it, and its just plain rude to do it either way. Same when someone sweeps me; I didn't SEE you clear that gun, and even if I did...its still just rude.

Like the LEO in the thread mentioned earlier; the fact is, he swept others with a gun that he had never touched before, which was in an unknown condition to him. For all he knows, it has a broken part that will cause it to go off at the slightest bump, and there is a round in the chamber; and he is POINTING it at someone else.

I don't like that. Care should be taken with ANY weapon, and most especially any weapon that you don't know the details about.