Handling Firearms Around Other People

[shoxroxice]

Never assume other people around you are safe firearm handlers.

Last night I was showing a friend a new acquisition and I cleared it and left the slide locked back as I handed it to him. I've been around him a lot when he has been handling firearms and was comfortable with him handling it. He checked it out and then handed it to his fiancee (who is still very new to firearms) with the slide returned forward, and she immediately put her finger inside of the trigger guard and pointed it towards my torso and pulled the trigger.

I was so taken by surprise that he would even hand a firearm to her around other people to begin with that I didn't even react and within a second she violated all of the firearms safety rules. Luckily for me it was mine and I had just cleared it before handing it off. If I had not done my job to ensure it was cleared, I might not be here to relay this message.

Before handing off a firearm to anyone you may have any inkling of a doubt about their firearm safety knowledge/skills, it's better to ask them to recite the basics of firearm handling and ask them exactly what they're going to do with it and come off as a safety nanny than to have happen to you what happened to me last night. It's also extremely important to remind/teach everyone around us even better safety practices than we were taught.

[MSGT]

AMEN brother!!

[AM1958]

I was in CQT yesterday and for a short while I was alone... I felt very safe... :)

[XDM 40 cal]

Never assume other people around you are safe firearm handlers.

Last night I was showing a friend a new acquisition and I cleared it and left the slide locked back as I handed it to him. I've been around him a lot when he has been handling firearms and was comfortable with him handling it. He checked it out and then handed it to his fiancee (who is still very new to firearms) with the slide returned forward, and she immediately put her finger inside of the trigger guard and pointed it towards my torso and pulled the trigger.

I was so taken by surprise that he would even hand a firearm to her around other people to begin with that I didn't even react and within a second she violated all of the firearms safety rules. Luckily for me it was mine and I had just cleared it before handing it off. If I had not done my job to ensure it was cleared, I might not be here to relay this message.

Before handing off a firearm to anyone you may have any inkling of a doubt about their firearm safety knowledge/skills, it's better to ask them to recite the basics of firearm handling and ask them exactly what they're going to do with it and come off as a safety nanny than to have happen to you what happened to me last night. It's also extremely important to remind/teach everyone around us even better safety practices than we were taught.

Agreed, now was the right time to re-fresh her on the 4 basic rules... :thup:

Yes, your good for checking the firearm before you passed it to your friend, then your friend should have done the same.. Then she should have done as the both of you... Rule, all guns are loaded till i check them...

[partdeux]

Rule, all guns are loaded till i check them...
And it's still loaded!

I talked to somebody today that saw an empty firearm put a hole in a wall.

[XDM 40 cal]

And it's still loaded!

I talked to somebody today that saw an empty firearm put a hole in a wall.


:scratch: So that person forgot the rules... well :twak: :whacko: .............

[forrest0872]

OP when you see this behavior happening in your presance, take the time to properly educate them on firearms safety. :thumbup:

[JohnJak]

She was probably teaching you a lesson. Keep it in your pants.

[Bcar]

sounds like a pistol whip lesson is in order, bet she wouldnt do it again after that ;)

[michiganfan]

Thats an OMG moment

[Nick01]

Stupidity is rampant nowadays, a guy I went to school with was showing his girlfriend his loaded .45 and when she asked to see it, added 2 new holes in the wall. Good news is they're pregnant now....:twak:

[bredro1]

AMEN brother!!

+1

[TriggerMeister]

Everything is 'normal' when one is around people at the same skill level and everyone follows the rules. Your buddy just introduced a deadly variable. :enforcer:

[isw49017]

This is unreal. Bet that is the last time you will show a "friend" your piece.:shrugs:

[woody-99]

Glad you're o.k. Now I would have slapped her and punched him. Probably more than once. Who needs enemies with friends like that.... just saying. :|

[shifty_85]

wow i have a friend who even owns a few guns but every time i hand him one *i always check to make sure they are clear. with my eyes and pinky* his finger is always on the trigger i have told him many times to keep it down the side. even at the gun shows and stuff he does it when we handles those guns. i tell him not to. but he keeps doing it. he does not muzzle people thoe so that is a start.

my g/f even knows how to check for clear on all my guns and does it first thing every time i hand her one even thoe i just checked.

[shoxroxice]

Yeah, definitely a learning experience... luckily the cost wasn't extremely high.

[blatant blue]

People freak out for no reason.. I try not to whip out my acquisitions around other people unless they're comfortable with handguns in general.

[nathangriffor]

What are the 4 rules he should have told her

[tdbrown1969]

What are the 4 rules he should have told her


Treat all guns as if they are loaded.
Never let the muzzle cover/sweep anything you are not willing to destroy.
Keep your finger(bugger hook) off the trigger(bang switch) until your sights are on the target.
Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

[langenc]

Last week I reminded a 'shooter' that 86% of people killed w/ firearms are killed with an EMPTY gun.

He was not following the big 4 and messing with a gun while he expected others to go downrange.

My shooting buddy asked where I got the 86% number. I told him I just plucked it out of the air.

I was at a BIG range and they had a 1/2 gal glass jar about 2/3 full of a variety of ammo. I asked about it and was told "we removed those rounds from guns that were empty" before all clerar was given and shooters allowed down range.

I dont recall the time span that was required to get that much ammo-I dont think it was very long.

The original posters scnerio is one reason why I dont like the 'air soft/paint ball/ things'. Too many people get into the habit of 'shooting' others.

[shifty_85]

yeah i feel bad for people who shoot with me i always start by saying "i may come off as a dick but i dont want to get shot and i dont want you to shoot your self i dont know how often or how long you have been around guns i am going to lay the basic's out for you"

and sometimes ill get the oh my dad was a cop blah blah i say cops dont know anything about firearm safety im sorry if i offend you.

some people just give me a facepalm when i go threw safety but i dont know there back ground with guns. the second someone points a gun at someone else empty or otherwise they are done and i never invite them to shoot with me again.

my g/f had never been around any guns i taught her all the safety stuff on my BB gun. and now she loves shooting my M91/30 and my M1895 Nagant pistol. she wont shoot the "scary black rifles/pistols" just likes wood and iron. but she has fun with it and im glad she likes shooting those.

[MSUICEMAN]

the second someone points a gun at someone else empty or otherwise they are done and i never invite them to shoot with me again.

agreed. i don't know where some folks learned how to deal with firearms.... glad my dad instilled gun safety to me and my brother.

and with hunting.... one time i invited a friend to my family farm to hunt and he took out a six pack with him.... first/last time i hunted with him.

[shifty_85]

agreed. i don't know where some folks learned how to deal with firearms.... glad my dad instilled gun safety to me and my brother.

and with hunting.... one time i invited a friend to my family farm to hunt and he took out a six pack with him.... first/last time i hunted with him.

yeah firearms and drinking dont go togther at all. never understand why some people i talk to say "at deer camp we get up at noon drink till 4 take a 6 pack with us and go in the woods" uh no thanks ill go with my friends.

his dad is very strict when it comes to drinking and guns. if you have 1 beer and hour before we go out you can come. but if its been more than one beer or less than an hour you dont get to go out. i normaly just dont drink till we come back in at night.

no one tought me safety but my self its pretty simple. muzzle in a safe place weather it be the ground *best place to carry a long gun potined at IMO* off to the side up in the air. my hunter safety class tought me all the differnt ways to hold a long gun safely and i still use them today. and going to 3 guns and IDPA they are all about safety there as well. pretty simple to stay safe if you know the rules. treat every firearm as if its loaded *even if you know its not* muzzle in a safe direction at all times *not at people* never aim at anything unless you wish to destroy it. finger off the trigger untill you are 100% ready to fire **keep those 4 rules in mind and your golden everything else if 2nd to safety IMO**

[tcb]

A buddy had a similar scenario happen, everyone in the room got upset with the newbie. But he learned from it.

[Revdrshad]

wow i have a friend who even owns a few guns but every time i hand him one *i always check to make sure they are clear. with my eyes and pinky* his finger is always on the trigger i have told him many times to keep it down the side. even at the gun shows and stuff he does it when we handles those guns. i tell him not to. but he keeps doing it. he does not muzzle people thoe so that is a start.

my g/f even knows how to check for clear on all my guns and does it first thing every time i hand her one even thoe i just checked.

This guy needs to have his trigger finger duct taped to the side of a gun. (real, airsoft, etc) for a day or two. Or three, and see if he can get it through his thick head where the finger goes.

To the OP, I usually just say something along the lines of "Nothing good happens when guns come out." Surprisingly I've never had that challenged by anyone. And if someone wants to show me a gun, I usually make a point of clearing off a table area, and designating a "Safe Wall" for having the unloaded gun pointed at at all times.

[langenc]

yeah i feel bad for people who shoot with me i always start by saying "i may come off as a dick but i dont want to get shot and i dont want you to shoot your self i dont know how often or how long you have been around guns i am going to lay the basic's out for you"

and sometimes ill get the oh my dad was a cop blah blah i say cops dont know anything about firearm safety im sorry if i offend you.

some people just give me a facepalm when i go threw safety but i dont know there back ground with guns. the second someone points a gun at someone else empty or otherwise they are done and i never invite them to shoot with me again.

my g/f had never been around any guns i taught her all the safety stuff on my BB gun. and now she loves shooting my M91/30 and my M1895 Nagant pistol. she wont shoot the "scary black rifles/pistols" just likes wood and iron. but she has fun with it and im glad she likes shooting those.


Ill bet your g/f would enjoy shooting a little competatively.

We enjoy shooting 22LR on several different targets, benchrest and using the A25/5 target at 50 yrd w/ iron sights are especially good. Challenging-yes, easy-??some days, frustrating-YES.

[langenc]

The 4 big rules-

My wife understands a little better now about

KNOW YOUR TARGET AND WHAT IS BEYOND

the yard was loaded w/ chipmonks. We shot em w/ 22 cal Benjamin air rifle.
She shot one setting in the garage on the windowsill. She got the chipmonk AND the glass pane.

I told her that was a 100% sure thing on the window.. She has shot more lately and understands better now.

For those that wont hunt w/ a drinker-I hope you tell em why no more hunts. That is just like the business that wont allow CCW. Let em know why your business($$$) is going elsewhere.

[TopNotch89]

I try telling people all the time, I don't car if there's a lock/zip through the barrel and action one thru the mag well and action or even a big orange tag that's says "empty" assume its loaded an if you feel so obliged to point it at evryone just do us all a favor and check it by looking down the barrel dumbass!

[bagz013]

Thats an OMG I just crapped my pants moment

FIFY:thumbup:

[Mr. Bildo]

I have first hand knowledge of getting shot with an empty gun. Literally, I shot myself in the hand, point-blank with a pellet gun when I was a kid. That will do some damage.

My parents "banned" guns from the house, so I hid it from them. I had no guidance. I did what ignorant gun users do--they make mistakes.

Those kind of mistakes stick with you. I'm lucky it was a lesson I could walk away with. I'm also very thankful for my children that I have brought them up to respect firearms and know how to properly use them.

--Mr. Bildo

[customrace45acp]

My parents banned guns in our house all the while my brother and I lived there. Guns aren't really favored their state either - Illinois.

When my parents visit, I show my father newly acquired guns. After a short time, his interest was piqued. He finally asked if he could shoot one. After hours of indoor training; speaking the rules of gun safety, (unloaded) gun handling and some dry firing (in the basement), he was ready for a little range time.

My dad is a very intelligent business man and is strong willed. Most of the time, he teaches everyone else. So, getting him in the mindset that he was the student took him a little while.

My dad is 67 years young. He began shooting two years ago and has finally reached a stage of confidence to acquire his own pistol (mom bought him one for an early Christmas present).

My point is:

Even though most of his life he was disgusted with my interest in firearms, decided "if you can't beat em, join em".

With proper training, my dad will not handle a gun of any sort, assuming it's unloaded. If he knows the firearm he will check himself. If not, he will ask to show it's unloaded and clear. (He's come to watch me compete in pistol matches.)

My mom hates guns! Well, she used to hate guns. Seeing dad spend more enjoyable time with me, she's decided to try it also. She doesn't shoot a lot but mom ' the gun hater' shoots!

It doesn't matter how old or how long someone's been shooting - teach them proper rules. Everyone needs a refresher occasionally.

[SimbaLion]

Never assume other people around you are safe firearm handlers.

Last night I was showing a friend a new acquisition and I cleared it and left the slide locked back as I handed it to him. I've been around him a lot when he has been handling firearms and was comfortable with him handling it. He checked it out and then handed it to his fiancee (who is still very new to firearms) with the slide returned forward, and she immediately put her finger inside of the trigger guard and pointed it towards my torso and pulled the trigger.

Wow, an adult did that?