Know How to Operate Your Weapon

[RedRaider]

I'm posting this as a reminder to know your weapon and how it operates before handling, loading, instructing others on how to operate it, etc.

Here's the story, many of the rules for gun safety were broken in this story, but one important one was followed thankfully. Let me preface this as my friend is not an experienced gun person and I don't even know if he's shot a shotgun before.

The other night a group of us were sitting around BBQing and got on the topic of guns and home defense. One of my friends and his GF just bought a house and he mentioned his brother gave him an "unloaded" shotgunand all he could do right now for HD would be to pump the shotgun to scare a robber/invader off (I know, whats the point of having an unloaded paper weight, I had this discussion with him already). Fast forward to this morning, so I guess he wanted to show his GF how to operate the pump of an "unloaded" shotgun just in case. Well he checked the the mag tube, saw no shells were in there, but tried to pump the action to check the chamber and it was locked, said he thought there was wasn't anything in the chamber so he told his GF to always point in safe direction at which point he aimed towards the ground and pulled the trigger..............BOOM, the gun was loaded and discharges into the ground.

Moral and leasons of the story (in no particalar order, they're all important):

1. Know your weapon, how to operate, etc before you handle it. Know how to safely load and unload, etc. If you are not familiar with a weapon do your homework to become educated on how it functions before handling.
2. All Guns are loaded, even if your brother gave it to you "Unloaded". Even if you unloaded it 5 minutes ago and pick it back up, its loaded until you check it again.
3. Never pull the trigger unless you have checked, rechecked, and rechecked to make sure it is unloaded. Even then I think you should have a good reason to pull the trigger if you're not target shooting or using it for self defense IMO.
4. Always point weapon in safe direction when handling (thankfully he did this)
5. Finger should not be on the trigger unless you are aiming at something you intend to destroy.
5. Once you are comfortable with you weapon and are comfortable shooting it, don't make it a paperweight, put ammo in it!


If I missed anything please feel free to chime in (I left out "know your backstop behind your target", which may apply if he was pointing it at a window, wall, etc..). I'm going to go over there and properly show him how to operate a shotgun. His GF was already scared of guns to begin with, hopefully this incident doesn't do her in permanantly. I'm just glad no one was hurt.

[dicion]

Good story. Thankfully he followed at least that rule, instead of the many stories we've seen where someone says "Look! It's unloaded!" points it at their head, and pulls the trigger....

[bpet]

Might also be appropriate to have a conversation with a certain brother as well.

[dicion]

Might also be appropriate to have a conversation with a certain brother as well.

If you hand me a firearm, in a way that I cannot plainly see that is completely unloaded (chamber open or similar, depending on the weapon), then you have just handed me a Loaded Weapon.

That is Rule #1 of firearms. There is no higher rule.

In that respect, whether his brother gave him a loaded firearm or not does not matter. He should have checked for himself.
But yes, his brother should have educated him better in the Rules of firearms.

[USA1]

he told his GF to always point in safe direction

at least this was a wise statement ..

[particle]

I've found that there is usually a clear view down the barrel on my (small collection) of pistols when the slide is locked back. I never dry fire, disassemble, or consider a gun 'safe' until I've opened the slide, checked for a round in the chamber, then checked again by locking the slide all the way back and looking through the tiny cracks/crevices on the back of the slide until I get a clear view all the way down the barrel to a light on the ceiling. Anal, I know, but at least I know 100% the gun is empty.

[Purplehood]

I've found that there is usually a clear view down the barrel on my (small collection) of pistols when the slide is locked back. I never dry fire, disassemble, or consider a gun 'safe' until I've opened the slide, checked for a round in the chamber, then checked again by locking the slide all the way back and looking through the tiny cracks/crevices on the back of the slide until I get a clear view all the way down the barrel to a light on the ceiling. Anal, I know, but at least I know 100% the gun is empty.

Not a single "anal" thing about it. I know it is what I was taught in the Military and it wouldn't surprise me if it is common elsewhere.

[particle]

Cool - I've never been in the military (unfortunately), but it's nice to know there are millions of others out there that do the same thing!

[striker55]

Know your weapon and how to operate, that is so true. I've been a competitive shooter for over 10 years, IHMSA. So I've mostly shot single shot pistols or a revolver, then I got into semi autos. At the range one day while shooting my Bersa, I've always shot it single action and decided to shoot the first shot double action, first time with this gun. I pulled off the first shot and the trigger felt different. While keeping it pointed downrange I held it out to observe the position of the trigger and pulled on it, bang! Did I feel like a dummy, it was a lesson learned.

[Catfight]

I think I would put the safety tenets before anything else. I dont care if you know your firearm or how to operate it, I care if you know the safety rules for handling firearms first and foremost.

[HighVelocity]

If you can not visually inspect the chamber (action jammed, ect), then you DO NOT know the condition of the weapon. Visual verification is the key. Otherwise, it's loaded and ready to fire.

I'm sure his EX girlfriend will probably not want anything to do with that shotgun now.

[dukalmighty]

I have had a ND of a handgun once,I now check my guns 3 or 4 times before dry firing,and even still will check the chamber again before dry firing.It's a brain thing,I am xtremely anal about not only clearing a gun before handing it to somebody but instructing them that that should be how they receive it and hand it back

[cougartex]

Always Always Always assume a gun is loaded!!

[RPB]

Reminds me of my first time firing a shotgun over 50 years ago. I had fired my .22 rifle before.
Me and 2 other guys went out with my .22 and one had a 20 GA and the other a 12 GA double barrel.
We all traded guns to let each other try ours. The guy with the 20 fired the 12GA and said it hurt when his shoulder got moved back hard from recoil .... now it was my turn with the 12 GA. I was smarter than him, (I thought) I braced my shoulder against a tree so it wouldn't get pushed backwards from recoil, then fired both barrels, squish went the shoulder .... I was done shooting for the day.

......... Never Again !!!!