Gun Safety Rules

[Ketsuban]

Kromm (as always) makes a lot of sense.

I can't help but wonder, though... given two people who've never held a firearm before, if one of them has received the safety lecture and comprehends the Rules enough to make a valid attempt at being safe even if he can't necessarily recite them from memory doesn't he stand an improved chance of not shooting his own balls off versus the other guy?

[Crakkerjakk]

Originally Posted by Ketsuban

Kromm (as always) makes a lot of sense.

I can't help but wonder, though... given two people who've never held a firearm before, if one of them has received the safety lecture and comprehends the Rules enough to make a valid attempt at being safe even if he can't necessarily recite them from memory doesn't he stand an improved chance of not shooting his own balls off versus the other guy?

Meh, it takes practice handling guns. "Don't shoot your balls off" is not really instructions most people need to be given, yet some people still manage to do it.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Crakkerjakk

Meh, it takes practice handling guns. "Don't shoot your balls off" is not really instructions most people need to be given, yet some people still manage to do it.

I was a vehicle commander on a ride along mission with some Army dudes (from a supposedly "elite" unit that I shall not name) that were the advanced party for the unit that was Relief-In-Place-ing us. When we returned to base, crossed the wire, and had to Unload/Show Clear, an Army Captain proceeded to clear his pistol by putting the barrel against his chest SAPI plate and racking the slide!

[Inquisitive Raven]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

I was a vehicle commander on a ride along mission with some Army dudes (from a supposedly "elite" unit that I shall not name) that were the advanced party for the unit that was Relief-In-Place-ing us. When we returned to base, crossed the wire, and had to Unload/Show Clear, an Army Captain proceeded to clear his pistol by putting the barrel against his chestplate and racking the slide!

He what? I've never fired a gun in my life and I know better than that. Then again, there's overlap between gun safety rules and archery safety rules, and I've pretty much internalized the latter. I've also had a gun safety (well, hunting safety) course.

BTW, I am very glad that my local Wal-Mart no longer carries firearms. I'm convinced that the salescritter I dealt with did not merely lack the Guns skill, but had Incompetence: Guns. He kept waving the gun he was showing us around in a potentially hazardous manner even after we pointed out what he was doing wrong.

[Crakkerjakk]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

I was a vehicle commander on a ride along mission with some Army dudes (from a supposedly "elite" unit that I shall not name) that were the advanced party for the unit that was Relief-In-Place-ing us. When we returned to base, crossed the wire, and had to Unload/Show Clear, an Army Captain proceeded to clear his pistol by putting the barrel against his chest SAPI plate and racking the slide!

I met a lot of people in supposedly elite Army units that behaved in manners that blew my friggen' mind.

Sometimes I really do wonder whether Marines are the only people to be trained specifically to do what they're friggen' told instead of acting like Billy Bad***.

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

I was a vehicle commander on a ride along mission with some Army dudes (from a supposedly "elite" unit that I shall not name) that were the advanced party for the unit that was Relief-In-Place-ing us. When we returned to base, crossed the wire, and had to Unload/Show Clear, an Army Captain proceeded to clear his pistol by putting the barrel against his chest SAPI plate and racking the slide!

I've never seen anyone do something that stupid with a firearm. WOW

[ClayDowling]

Originally Posted by Ketsuban

given two people who've never held a firearm before, if one of them has received the safety lecture and comprehends the Rules enough to make a valid attempt at being safe even if he can't necessarily recite them from memory doesn't he stand an improved chance of not shooting his own balls off versus the other guy?

Gun safety is as much about muscle memory as knowledge. You have to build the habit of handling weapons safely.

Some weapons are also easier to handle safely than others. People are a lot less likely to make a bad mistake with a long weapon than a handgun, for instance, because it's a lot easier to turn a handgun and point it in a bad direction. Although the only time my grandfather (a police officer and one of the best and safest shooters I have known) was shot was with his own .22 rifle while crossing a fence. The doctor was not sympathetic and used the cotton swab he cleaned the wound with much like a ram-rod.