Why do "smart" people point guns at themselves?

[ColdSteel223]

From a Gunsite Alumni Group.

You may recall some small bit of controversy over whether or not there were originally three safety rules - or four. This might clear that up. Again circa 1976, and typed by Janelle on her state of the art IBM Selectric - when you see the text go to italic... remember how that used to work.



_____________________My thought are below this line.____________________

No. 6. got moved up to make the 4 rules that we know today. There seem to be a BUNCH of hair splitting going on in this thread.

4 rules 3 rules Loaded Unloaded.

Rule II directly refers to rule I. It makes sense, especially if you don't try to out think basic common sense. (although common sense is not all that common.)

 

[Tynimiller]

"The muzzle is gonna cross someone no matter what!"
"It is unloaded...stop freaking out."
"The pro's muzzle cover people all the time at the gun shops and ranges."

This mindset and so many others is just naive in my opinion. Is it true that at some point the muzzle of a gun in a gun store or range crosses someone...probably. Does it justify it, HECK NO! I mean seriously to justify the ignorance of a rule by the occurrence of it being broke is the definition of idiot behavior. Now I'm no professional and I only work at a gun store/range as a part time gig, but you can bet your sweet biffy I absolutely attempt at every possible turn to never cover myself or customer or co-worker with the muzzle of a gun and demand the same from customers...especially customers. I cannot take someone else's word that a gun is unloaded, nor should they take my word for it. It is a sound practice and one which if it annoys you, you are the last person I want owning or handling a gun.

 

[Ahburns]

Only one rule needed. All firearm safety precautions can be derived from: always treat a gun like its loaded.

 

[bwframe]

I think we can all agree on this... except bwframe...
Looks like Burl lost the last best chance he had at "winning" this one... even Kirk Freeman, the safety Nazi disagrees with him...

I'm happy to "lose," (in your mind ,) to get you to think about firearms safety yet again, my friend. You'll think about this conversation every time you muzzle sweep your wife, your kids, your friends or your own hand. Eventually you'll pull away from such bad habits, hopefully not too late to avoid injury or worse.

...When I was a kid, I remember this manifesting with my brother. My father was getting ready to clean a rifle in the living room chair and my brother walked over and stuck his face over the muzzle, just being a kid.
My father repeated Rule #1 "all guns are always loaded"; my brother argued for what seemed like 10 minutes insisting that "t'ain't low-dead". Perhaps we never progress beyond childhood?...

 

[CountryBoy19]

You'll think about this conversation every time you muzzle sweep your wife, your kids, your friends or your own hand.

Actually I won't, because I don't partake in the bad habits you mention. I handle firearms with the utmost level of safety.

What we seem to disagree upon is the fact that there are instances in which pointing a firearm isn't inherently dangerous and may even be necessary. Those situations are few, and they are under closely controlled circumstances.

I find it interesting that you haven't answered very many of the questions I've posed to you, instead you've resulted to projecting your ideas of bad firearm handling onto me in a feable, weak-minded attempt at "painting" me to be unsafe when really there isn't a single thing I've stated here that is unsafe. And you cannot possibly have any clue about how I handle firearms because I've never been around you.

 

[ColdSteel223]

[video=youtube;o6Y7LIJm5gI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=o6Y7LIJm5gI[/video]

 

[bwframe]

[video=youtube;o6Y7LIJm5gI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=o6Y7LIJm5gI[/video]

Just some feable, weak-minded guy. He cannot possibly have any clue about how we handle firearms...