"my gun is empty". Don't ever believe it.

Dux-R-Us

Fear the Duck
Joined
Feb 21, 2011
Messages
683
Location
Stillwater, OK
I'm getting on my soap box about firearms safety, just because of an incident today.

At the pheasant shoot today, one of our State legislators was present. During the introductions, with ca 35 people standing in a tight circle, I noticed the bolt closed on a Remington 1100 resting on a man's shoulder.

I walked over and kindly said, "Excuse me sir, I'd feel better if your gun were open."

"Oh, it's not loaded."

I pulled the bolt open and a 12 ga round flew out into my hand. At first he did not believe me and thought I was playing a joke, like I had palmed the shell.

"But I checked it when I got out of the car. How could it be loaded?"

Luckily, nothing bad happened.

Just a lesson to remember. Don't ever believe a gun is not loaded until you see it yourself.

I really appreciate the job the Range Officers do in our shoots, and how safe they keep everyone. They tolerate no unsafe action and that is the way it should be. I was DQ'ed a couple months ago on the first target of a stage. I deserved it and I learnt from it.

Have a super shooting weekend everyone!

K
 
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+1 Great catch! Couldn't agree with you more. I know it must have been embarassing for the gentleman, but how disastorous could that have been if you hadn't had the courage to say something.

I can't count the number of time someone had told me, "It's not loaded! I checked it", but when we check again, sure enough there was one in the chamber.

It only takes a few seconds to "LOOK :blink: " again to be certain the chamber is empty and that you didn't load one off the top of the mag before you dropped the mag or emptied the tube. Open bolt, slide locked back, whatever it takes to be safe.

Safety is key for all of us supposed "Experienced Shooters".
 
At Lexington - a Father and son had drove up an hour or so after I had been there. First they run into the barrier (very careless), I cringed at the sound of the plastics from that bumper first crumpling on impact and then ripping as they backed up. Then they pull out their arsenal slamming on the tables next to me. As I am sighting in on my target down range, the father proceeds to unload his sporter clone/galil at a can across lanes, 4 or 5 yards in front of my station. I yelled at him to cease fire and instructed him to stay in his lane. His response "It's fine, I'm ex-military and know what I am doing." Minutes later, he has his Makarov out, cocked and loaded, and his son crosses his path looking at his barrel and says "Your barrel is dirty" - I knew I had stayed too long. Since then, I have been looking for better controlled places for me to shoot!
 
Ya great catch and hopefully the guy learned a valuable lesson.

1st rule of firearms safety...
 
What gripes my ass is when I do see something unsafe or potentially dangerous and I DO say something, then the asshole has the nerve to get upset and be pissy with me because he's an idiot and can't handle a gun safely.
 
Dux,

All of the people shot with "unloaded" guns would definitely agree with you.

Good looking out, by the way.
 
What gripes my ass is when I do see something unsafe or potentially dangerous and I DO say something, then the asshole has the nerve to get upset and be pissy with me because he's an idiot and can't handle a gun safely.

I think that is what makes some people remain silent about it too. I don't care if it makes them mad or not, if they are risking my life with their negligent behavior then something is going to be said. I won't argue the point with them further but I'm definitely going to let them know about it.
 
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