Incident at range

[Thud]

All these stories are after the fact. They don't help anyway. The damage was done.
Biggest issue is basic safety. Is it taught of since every magazine and our own NRA really never has a good article about safety. The ranges have a basic set of safety rule posted where?
The RSO and experienced shooters should pay attention to the novice shooter and reinforce rules.
And remember common sense learn to use it.
Remember all unloaded guns are assumed loaded.

 

[M-61]

All these stories are after the fact. They don't help anyway. The damage was done.
Biggest issue is basic safety. Is it taught of since every magazine and our own NRA really never has a good article about safety. The ranges have a basic set of safety rule posted where?
The RSO and experienced shooters should pay attention to the novice shooter and reinforce rules.
And remember common sense learn to use it.
Remember all unloaded guns are assumed loaded.

I disagree. Any story or talk about firearms safety I feel has benefit to someone.
Although some are retold versions of stories most have heard in my opinion are worth revisiting.
Additionally I would not count on the NRA for anything except collecting money.
You never know when or where you’ll pick up a piece of info regarding safety. If it’s here on the site so be it.
Beats reading about how to clean a barrel.

 

[Eagle Six]

All these stories are after the fact. They don't help anyway. The damage was done.
Biggest issue is basic safety. Is it taught of since every magazine and our own NRA really never has a good article about safety. The ranges have a basic set of safety rule posted where?
The RSO and experienced shooters should pay attention to the novice shooter and reinforce rules.
And remember common sense learn to use it.
Remember all unloaded guns are assumed loaded.

If common sense was common, we probably wouldn't have anything to say in a thread like this. I have seen just as much uncommon sense coming from some RSO's as I have from novice. How safe are the so called "experienced" shooters? Sometimes times it seems the blind are leading the blind. And, how did they, and what kind did these experience shooters get that experience?

I will agree that many ranges, certainly not all, in effect take gun safety lightly even when they talk hard about how it's all about safety. Many RSO's are quick to correct a novice and afraid to correct an old timer. One RSO I know wasn't going to tell the club president his safety mistakes! Some RSO's are too busy shooting the shit with other RSO's or shooters to care about what is happening on the line, behind the line or even in front of the line. There are some great RSO's working hard to ensure safe gun handling is followed by all, leading by examples, and going above and beyond to teach gun safety gospel. So also there are many shooters doing the same. Despite that, I don't feel comfortable at most ranges around most shooters, I prefer the forest.

It seem irresponsible to feel all these stories don't help.

 

[tangocharlie]

All points and pointers well taken. A couple of additions, please. Just because you showed someone last year how the rifle, pistol, shotgun, etc. functions, DO NOT ASSUME they remember. Hands-on repeated usage builds memory. Occasional use does not. Secondly, everyone has to learn. The unfortunate part of our interests (shooting in general) is that there are - or can be - deadly consequences for inadvertent acts and accidents. Welcome new and young shooters. Try and avoid the “You’re a dumbass and I know everything” mindset. Offer assistance as well as instruction and criticism. The downside of no young shooters is the ultimate eventuality of no old shooters. My opinion.

 

[RCE1]

I was at a range a while back. It was a public range on a big ranch and was pretty loose in firing periods. Policing ourselves, pretty much and working together. The rangemaster was shooting himself. Trying to practice his benchrest. A van load of, ahem, gentlemen who affected trendy gang fashions arrived. They unlimbered what looked like an AK variant. Pop. Pop. Pop....BRAAAAAP. Lots of laughter. Then a repeat performance. Handing the rifle back and forth to each other. The rangemaster looked like a deer in the headlights as his day had rapidly deteriorated. I packed up my stuff and took off. Called the sheriff and reported it as soon as I was over the hill.

 

[Hi-NV Shooter]

I volunteer as an RSO at one of our state's shooting ranges and want to share an incident that happened last week. It is a real wake up call for me. It terrifies me to think about how fast it happened.


Dad handed off a loaded gun to 12 year old son and the lad's finger went went right to the trigger. 4 or 5 rounds into the ground right in front of him in the few seconds it took a RSO to get behind him and grab him by both arms. RSO gets him stopped and takes the gun away, hands it off to dad while he tries to settle the boy down (big mistake). Dad tries to decock and lets another round go.

No one hurt but lots of RSO's, including me, shook up. I was not there, but am very sobered by it.

Do not let frequent gun handling lull you into complacency.

I don't think I have every handed a load gun to anyone. if they are not capable of handling the firearm and loading it themselves then they don't get to shoot with me.
to me teaching is making the person learn to handle the firearm properly. giving them a loaded firearm and then letting pop off some rounds is not proper teaching or training.

Lee

 

[snert]

I myself had a accidental discharge.
1998/99 timeframe at the red roof in rt19 iat the old PA turnpike on/off area. Jennings 25 auto. Went to unload it.
Gun goes bang. Ruined a brand new 2 days earlier polo shirt and pair of Levi's, slug laid on the reinforced bottom of my gym bag.
Miraculously now one called or showed up. It was middle of the week and my room faced directly towards the turnpike. It was summer and the room stunk of spent gunpowder so bad.
I had to fan the door back and forth just to move the air around.
I was so embarrassed at what happened that it took many years for me to talk about it...
Now I use it as a talking point tool for others when talking gun saftey.
I still own that piece of shit but no longer carry it with a loaded chamber. It is solely my canoeing/kayaking dry bag gun.

I know that place!

 

[Kalitrazescapee]

I know that place!

Having read thru most of this ..it was getting a little heated....muzzle control is paramount. I like modern firearms,well some, and having things over a century old or designed has many differences...no safety's on some.. When firearms were built long ago,they had those who were unfamiliar and there were only wisdom of those who lived with guns.
My own opinion...the second time you cover me with a muzzle.. I'll wrap it around the closest thing I can find even if it is a custom...which would be all the more reason....I think a lot of Dads made this proclamation.