People that get complacent with firearms

[Moby]

http://www.2atalk.com/?p=356" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Senseless deaths that should have never happened.
Let's all read this stuff so WE are more thoughtful about what can and has happened to others.

ALWAYS SECURE YOUR FIREARMS!!!

1. A gun is ALWAYS loaded.

2. NEVER point a gun at anything you do not want to destroy.

3. Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire.

4. ALWAYS know your target and whats beyond it.

[Gameover]

Its very sad that these people died when they didn't have to. I can never understand why someone cleans a gun while its loaded? I not only secure my firearms but my ammunition as well. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if one of my little girls got ahold of a firearm and something tragic happened.

[jmra]

I wonder how many of these guns were actually being cleaned when they "went off". Sounds like what you say to cover your behind.

[TexasCajun]

In half of these articles, the guns "went off". Somebody should do something about that.

[StewNTexas]

My firearms must be house-trained. Last night I placed a 9mm Sig on the coffee table, and left a Ruger 10-22 in the front hallway. I felt this was reasonably save as only my wife and I live here, and I made it a point to show both of them to here before we went to bed.

During the night, neither of them slipped out and got into any mischef. I checked this morning, and both still had full loads. I did not really expect either of them to "Go Off", but I feel good that behaved in a proper manner.

[TexasGal]

You know I would not hesitate one second to give a free short safety talk to anyone just for a public service to try to prevent things like this. I bet a lot of other instructors would too, yet I don't really see that offered anywhere. Gun stores should offer it. I know everyone wants to make a buck and get paid for a first steps class, but I'm suggesting just covering the four rules and how to make sure the chamber is empty. I know I'm an idealist, but it bothers me that so many newbies buy a gun and go home with nothing at all but the owners manual to read.

[Gordie Howe]

I am in favor of the Ruger semiauto design, where the gun doesnt fire, when the magazine is removed, even when a round is in the chamber.

That should be a mandatory feature of all new guns produced.

[jmra]

I am in favor of the Ruger semiauto design, where the gun doesnt fire, when the magazine is removed, even when a round is in the chamber.

That should be a mandatory feature of all new guns produced.

Uhm, no thanks.

[Seabear]

I am in favor of the Ruger semiauto design, where the gun doesnt fire, when the magazine is removed, even when a round is in the chamber.

That should be a mandatory feature of all new guns produced.

I'm in favor of people keeping their fingers off the trigger until ready to fire.
I harp on this during every CHL class I teach. Keep the booger picker off the trigger!

Our gun Club started doing First Shot programs last year. I teach it for free. People need the chance to learn the right way.

[jmra]

I am in favor of the Ruger semiauto design, where the gun doesnt fire, when the magazine is removed, even when a round is in the chamber.

That should be a mandatory feature of all new guns produced.

I'm in favor of people keeping their fingers off the trigger until ready to fire.
I harp on this during every CHL class I teach. Keep the booger picker off the trigger!

Our gun Club started doing First Shot programs last year. I teach it for free. People need the chance to learn the right way.

So, you mean if I pull this trigger like this...

[Chris]

During the night, neither of them slipped out and got into any mischef. I checked this morning, and both still had full loads. I did not really expect either of them to "Go Off", but I feel good that behaved in a proper manner.

People shouldn't leave guns out. "The next thing you know, there's money missing off the dresser, and your daughter's knocked up. I seen it a hundred times."

I only know a handful of guns that require you to pull the trigger before stripping to clean. So why are all these guns 'going off'?

[G26ster]

It's all well and good to constantly preach the rules for safe firearms handling. But unless the root causes of NDs are addressed, we will never succeed at reducing them. Completely eliminating them is not possible, as the major cause is simply the fact that we are human. Now that I've ruffled some feathers, let me give my opinion. In almost every human professional or sporting activity there are safety rules that should/must be followed to avoid serious injury or death. Take your pick. It doesn't matter if its boating, climbing, surfing, shooting, camping, hunting, skydiving, flying, biking, skiing, driving, building, etc., etc., yada yada, the list is endless. Firearms safety is no more or less important than rules for those activities. Regardless of safety rules, they will always be broken by humans at some point either due to willful negligence at worst, or momentary distraction at the least.

Beating the drums to keep the finger off the trigger is fine, but at some point we have to realize that it's much deeper than a few simple rules. And, we must recognize and accept that everyone that has a ND is not a complete idiot, or stupid, or willfully negligent. For example, some pistols require the trigger to be pulled to remove the slide (e.g. Glock). So, it's absolutely imperative that the firearm be cleared before doing this. So what prevents the person from being momentarily distracted in the midst of taking their weapon down, then returning to the activity believing they had cleared the weapon, but actually didn't, resulting in a ND when they pull the trigger? Simply beating into their head to keep their finger off the trigger until the sights are on target has no application in this case. Were they negligent? Sure, but we must endeavor to find out why. Therefore, we have to address distractions. That would be teaching that when distracted during an activity, and returning to it, start over. We also have to teach recognizing being distracted, and teach that it is a warning sign of possible danger ahead.

I am not an NRA firearms instructor or CHL instructor, but I spent many years as an Infantry heavy weapons firearms instructor, and a helicopter gunship weapons instructor, and even more years as a corporate pilot instructor. The rules for small arms safety apply very well to heavy weapons and gunship armament safety as well. During my civilian pilot instructor years of training professional pilots, it was no secret that crew error accounted for the vast majority of all aircraft incidents/accidents. These were not student pilots. They were professionals, most with decades and decades of safe corporate/airline flying. I know, I used the forbidden "accident" word when it comes to firearms, but that's what it is called in aviation. The key to avoiding these incidents/accidents is not just teaching a few basic rules. One of the main keys is teaching the person to recognize that factors that cause the loss of situational awareness, and the number one cause is distraction. When any of these type pilots were involved in an incident that cased damage, there is not ranting and raving about "rules" and talk of stupidity or ignorance. It's investigated to get at the root cause(s), so that future incidents rates can be reduced or eliminated, and that approach has been very successful over the years.

Sure we must teach the novice shooter the basic rules. But each time we hear of an ND, simply posting the head banging emoticon, and invoking the "four rules" will do little to reduce the number of NDs in the future. I think firearms instructors, and all of us in the shooting community owe their students and anyone we may be mentoring more than that. But let me make it clear that I am not addressing the true imbecile that intentionally points a weapon at someone or something, and pulls the trigger thinking it's "funny. In those cases, and others like it, head bang away and I'll join you. Thanks for letting me vent.

[TexasGal]

Well said

[C-dub]

I am in favor of the Ruger semiauto design, where the gun doesnt fire, when the magazine is removed, even when a round is in the chamber.

That should be a mandatory feature of all new guns produced.

My dad has one of those. I thought it was broken and he let me take it to a gunsmith to check it out. I showed it to the gunsmith and he thought something was wrong with it too. He had a few other guns he was working on first and put this one in a drawer for a couple weeks. He got it out to work on it and said it worked just fine and he'd never had a gun fix itself in the drawer before. I picked it up and before taking it to the range I was going to clean it first. I had to find instructions for taking it apart online and when I read them it mentioned the magazine safety. Doh!

Interesting idea and I'm sure that saved many officer's lives, but I don't like it. I wonder how many more lives might have been saved if they could have fired that one round in the chamber even with the mag out.

[TexasCajun]

I am in favor of the Ruger semiauto design, where the gun doesnt fire, when the magazine is removed, even when a round is in the chamber.

That should be a mandatory feature of all new guns produced.

No thanks. Trying to protect people from themselves never ends up the way it was intended. People who make the decision to own firearms should take the personal responsibility to learn how the firearm works and learn about safety.