Another One to Learn From

[searpinski]

Tragic and preventable.

This.

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

When I'm at a range with more than one person. I typically leave all the actions open when someone is down range.

Same here. Range rule. Been thinking about using chamber flags for a definite visual indicator.

Sad and stupid all around. For holy sake people...

 

[rhino]

Some people gristle when at a Revere's Rider's event, the hosts get really tough on being safe. I applaud that and that is why I try to send new shooters to those events.

Once the line is done shooting, firearms must be unloaded, mags out, actions open, safety on, chamber flag in, muzzle over the line facing downrange and finally step away from it and don't go near it until instructed. Then after everyone is off the line, someone running the event walks the line and looks for anything missed. If he/she finds one item not adhered to, that gun owner will hear about it and so will everyone else.

It's interesting that someone would have a problem with that, especially at an event where it's guaranteed there will be inexperienced shooters present. I welcome such practices. I suspect people who don't like it are too smart and too experienced to bother over a silly thing liking everything as safe as possible before going down range.

 

[Redlinetoys]

Scary and sad. Condolences to the family.

 

[bgcatty]

You simply cannot cure stupid! What an idiot.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Some people gristle when at a Revere's Rider's event, the hosts get really tough on being safe. I applaud that and that is why I try to send new shooters to those events.

Once the line is done shooting, firearms must be unloaded, mags out, actions open, safety on, chamber flag in, muzzle over the line facing downrange and finally step away from it and don't go near it until instructed. Then after everyone is off the line, someone running the event walks the line and looks for anything missed. If he/she finds one item not adhered to, that gun owner will hear about it and so will everyone else.

Yep. ATM yelled at me for grabbing my mag off the back of the mat on the way by. Dont blame him, he didnt know the target of my reach prior to me bending over. (from that point forward I asked permission to grab something near my rifle.)

 

[churchmouse]

12 year old girl struck in head by .22.

While she is down range to check targets, another decides to "safe" a lever action rifle by lowering the hammer. (Likely tucking it under his arm, right at 12 year girl head height).

Took a life of a child because his own stupidity. Don't think I could come back from that.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...uring-target-practice/?utm_term=.77a35777c368

I could never come back from that. Ever.

 

[rhino]

Yep. ATM yelled at me for grabbing my mag off the back of the mat on the way by. Dont blame him, he didnt know the target of my reach prior to me bending over. (from that point forward I asked permission to grab something near my rifle.)

Did he yell at you or did he sing yell at you?

 

[Thor]

Why the heck was anyone picking up a firearm on a range with people down range? Ignorance of the basic rules of gun handling safety. Pick your number and follow them. This person should NEVER get over this. He should live with it every moment that she doesn't get to. If he ever 'gets over it' he just might do it again.

 

[Herr Vogel]

Talking gun safety is preaching to the choir: I would hope everyone here knows better.

The real question is: Is he getting hit with an Involuntary Manslaughter charge, and furthermore, should he?

 

[Cameramonkey]

Did he yell at you or did he sing yell at you?

No time to think about singing. Flat out yell.

Talking gun safety is preaching to the choir: I would hope everyone here knows better.

The real question is: Is he getting hit with an Involuntary Manslaughter charge, and furthermore, should he?

He didnt follow the 4 rules. I wouldnt call to demand he be prosecuted, but I also wouldnt bat an eye if he was. I dont care how safe you think the action of dropping that hammer is. keep that barrel pointed in a safe direction. If he had done that ONE thing this wouldnt have been an issue. And if he had and say it skipped off a rock on the ground and hit her then I'd most CERTAINLY be against charges.

 

[Thor]

If he had kept his mitts off the damn gun it wouldn't have fired and a girl would be alive today. It's not like it was going to go off all my itself sitting on the bench even if it was loaded and the safety off. This tragic chain of events started because he picked up a weapon and negligently fired it while pointed at a girls head.

If he thought something was unsafe he should have called the girl back behind the firing line before getting all hands on a loaded weapon. He was an idiot and she is dead.

 

[doddg]

This is such an extremely haunting event.
I cannot fathom life ever being happy again for the parents of this 12-year-old.
And, I would hope the same for the man who didn’t pay attention in the details.
I have a story where I got a gun back from the gun shop where they had done some repair work to it, and they left a round in the chamber.
Only by practicing basic gun safety of always pointing to the ground, even an “empty“ gun, did I prevent a tragedy from happening.
I did make the mistake though of not immediately checking to make sure it was unloaded when I got the gun back from the gun shop because I “knew” they would never be so stupid as to not taking out the ammo after testing it. Lesson learned: deeply!
And trust me: it could have been tragic and I’m not willing to tell those details this a.m.

 

[DRob]

Preaching to the choir is what we do best. There even seems to be a competition for the best sermon. That said..........preach on brother. We can't hear it too often!

 

[rhino]

Preaching to the choir is what we do best. There even seems to be a competition for the best sermon. That said..........preach on brother. We can't hear it too often!

Agreed. Given the stakes involved with failure, I can't get enough reminders about safety and risk management.

 

[rvb]

When I'm at a range with more than one person. I typically leave all the actions open when someone is down range.

chamber flags can be found for $2. I keep several in my range bag, there's a couple in the truck, etc. I've given away a bunch over the years. Eliminate any questions about the condition of your gun before people go down range. Many ranges require them.

a brightly colored or white zip tie works and is dirt cheap.

-rvb

 

[Cameramonkey]

chamber flags can be found for $2. I keep several in my range bag, there's a couple in the truck, etc. I've given away a bunch over the years. Eliminate any questions about the condition of your gun before people go down range. Many ranges require them.

a brightly colored or white zip tie works and is dirt cheap.

-rvb

Ive seen folks use a length of heavy duty yellow trimmer string.

 

[rvb]

Ive seen folks use a length of heavy duty yellow trimmer string.

 

[Gabriel]

Agreed. Given the stakes involved with failure, I can't get enough reminders about safety and risk management.

Agreed.

 

[Tactically Fat]

For sure.

My thumb slipped off the hammer on one of my Henrys a couple years ago while hunting out in my woods. I thought I had a shot, but decided I didn't like the background. It was cold and rainy. My hand slipped off the hammer extension and the rifle fired. It happens, but I had it facing a safe direction and down at the ground.

That incident is why my 1894 still has the cross bolt safety in it despite the fact that I initially intended to remove it.

Once or twiced during my early teen years, I went quail/pheasant hunting with my step dad. I didn't have a "real gun" to use, so he went to a shop in town and found an OLD, but still tight and operable, 16ga single shot break action shotgun. Needed manual cocking of the hammer to prepare it to fire.

Anyhow, on one of those hunting walks, it was cold. Quite cold. Cold enough that I needed gloves to approach some semblance of warmth in my hands. Thing is - I couldn't thumb the hammer back with gloves on because it was too slick.

At some point on the walk back to the truck, we jumped a small bevy of quail. I was in the process of raising the shotgun up and thumbing the hammer back when the hammer slipped. BANG! The gun went off halfway up (and harmlessly into the ditch).

The shot itself didn't scare me as much as knowing that had we still been walking outbound, my step dad would've been on that side of me.

That may very well have been the last time that gun was ever fired. There was an old beat-up 12ga in the house as a replacement soon thereafter this incident.