Please get basic gun training!!!!

by **BrianB** » Sun Aug 22, 2010 11:31 pm

Thought I would share my experience at the range today and get some discussion about it, maybe hear others opinions and stories as well.

So, for those new to guns, please get basic firearms handling lessons before heading down to the range. If you are not new to guns but have done the following then maybe you need training as well.

While at the gun range today I saw a woman, perhaps in her 50-60's) in the next booth have a gun jam. Not knowing what to do she calls (I assume) her husband over from the next booth over. He comes over, picks up the gun, tries unjamming the slide but can't. He then turns the gun from the down field position and points it straight to the left, twisting and turning the gun and trying to eyeball it in good light, which is directly pointed at his wife, and behind her, my wife.

I step over and tell him first that he needs to point it downrange, second, drop the magazine, then attempt to clear it. He does so, except for clearing it. Once the mag is out he is able to pop the slide forward and fires the gun at the same time downrange. No, that was not on purpose!!!

Now just imagine if that had happened while it was facing his wife!?! And mine by the way.

The range master was sitting only a few feet away but had his back turned. Call me a snitch or whatever you want but I want myself and my wife to live, so I tell him about it.

The old couple seemed to start packing up immediately, apparently learning a valuable lesson I hope, without hurting someone. The gun master did speak to him though and a couple minutes later they were gone.

I can not believe just how stupid this was, and this from people supposed to be older and wiser even to boot. Obviously not.

So, get proper gun training before heading to the range for the first time. If you don't you WILL screw up somehow and in some way and look like an idiot. If the worst thing that happens to you is looking like an idiot though then you and the rest of us are lucky.

The only thing between losing a loved one and being in the newspaper or walking away without realizing the stupidity of something you do without realizing it is the amount of collateral damage you cause.

Basic gun lessons are cheap, especially considering the possibility of killing a loved one or even a stranger. So don't think you know a damned thing about how to handle a gun before if you have not and have not learned from a professional how to do so.

Gun ranges take things seriously and will kick you out if you do something stupid and you may be humiliated. If that is the worst thing to happen to you though if you go to a gun range untrained then you are lucky.

I don't care how smart you think you are, you are not without proper safety training. So, don't point a gun at my wife or anyone else, and get lessons!!!

Thank you.

by **Brad270** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 10:30 am

BrianB has pointed out one of the problems associated with going to public shooting areas. Commonsense is not always common. Even persons that one would think should be well versed in gun safety can prove to be complete morons.

I was shooting at a public indoor range about four lanes down from a law enforcement officer that decided to shoot at his buddy's target several lanes down from him. He thought it would be funny for his buddy to see extra holes in his paper or something. He did not take into account that he was defeating the purpose of the backstop geometry and when a round bounced away from the trap and ricocheted off a side wall, I left the range and reported the occurrence to the management. Needless to say, the jerk denied that he had done anything wrong and proceeded to say that I had been the offender. The range official did not witness the offense so he lectured both of us, just to be sure, although I'm sure he believed my story. That has left a lasting impression on the dangers of shooting with people I am not familiar with.

I generally only shoot at my club and hunt on private land to minimize exposure to idiots. My club offers basic instruction classes free to the public to help educate the populace but, there isn't a class to prevent stupidity.

by **pastorfarley** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:35 am

Twice I have been hunting with someone and heard/noticed another member of my party had the safety off when no game was present. One was a younger man who said he wanted to be ready, I informed him of his error and the safety went on. The other was a peer who wanted to be ready, the hammer back and no other safety on the shotgun. I made sure I hunted away from him and he was never invited to hunt with me again.

Both these men had NRA hunter safety courses in order to get their licenses, training is good, but only repetitive use of the skills can make for truly safe gun handling.

by **keyman** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:35 pm

Well fellows, I can see that this is going to be one of the busiest threads on the website.

Thanks to all three of you for your fine comments and sharing your experiences with the forum.

Most people don't have any idea just how close they have come to being shot by some dummy at the shooting range.

Maybe this thread will be read by someone that can use the information to be a safer gun handler.

Many thanks to all three of you.

by **Will_Carry** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 3:55 pm

Before I will take a friend or loved one to a shooting range I give them two hours worth of instruction on gun safety. Then and only then will I take them to the range. At the range, until I am sure that they understand or " Get It", I stay within arms reach. I have very strict but simple rules that must be followed. If they follow these rules there is no way anyone can be hurt.

I have seen a You-Tube video of a news reporter shooting a hangun for the first time. She shoots the pistol and gets so exited that she spins around and starts flapping her arms like a bird. A man grabs her arm and gets control of the pistol, but it never should have happened.

Two of my rules for beginners:

1) a pistol will never be loaded until you are standing on the firing line. You will have your pistol and ammo and you will load the pistol on the line with the pistol always pointed down range.

2) When you have finished shooting you will check that the pistol is safe, then you will lay the pistol on the shooting bench, pointed down range, and step away from the firing line.

The only problem is, you never know who is shooting next to you. They could be stupid.

by **JustBen** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 4:46 pm

I have been muzzled before at a range. This was a high end range with safety officers and it still happened. My son had to tell me it happened since I did not see it myself. Finally we got the safety officer to take action. Another range I shoot at that has no supervision, has bullet holes in the wood between stalls. So I have been staying on the outside range at my local gun club where I can be by myself.

Also, I have received what I thought was great training when I first started shooting. Then I got some higher end training from TDI (Tactical Defense Institute) in southern Ohio. At that point I forgot everything I knew and started over again. Moral of the story, it is hard to get good training and enough of it.

by **agonist** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 5:31 pm

Amen pastorfarley. I haven't gotten to the range much this year so I gave MYSELF a little refresher before I went this weekend.

by **neverenough** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 12:36 pm

The incident that BrianB described, is what I refer to as "lucky learning". That little jam could have turned out really ugly and the womans husband hopefully learned something he won't ever forget.

Will Carry points out some excellent advise! I would add to Will's comments, treat a gun as if it were always loaded and ready to fire. Never let it's muzzle pass in the direction of an unintended target. Whether this be at a range, gun show, hunting or practicing.....

I kinda wonder WHAT IF, the guy were driving and his wifes cell phone locked up on her......

neverenough

by **robalan** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 10:37 pm

I am all for training and it really is true it is cheap. It is impressive how much time a lot of guys at my club spend teaching folks in classes that cost the amount of materials used in the training. God bless them!!

Also, be careful out there. We had a fellow in our area get killed at the public range for his $3,000 rifle.

by **BrianB** » Thu Aug 26, 2010 5:36 am

Great stuff so far guys, thanks for sharing.

neverenough, funny but good point about the cell phone.

robalan, I have heard of people being robbed at ranges here as well. I have not heard of someone actually getting injured, much less killed though, which is just horrible. I was given the advice to always leave with a loaded gun on you somewhere, don't use all your ammo and leave yourself defenseless.

The way I heard one situation went down was as the person was leaving through the parking lot, an individual approached him and asked if they had some left over ammo they could spare. The person said no and that was when they were robbed. Just one of a multitude of scenarios that are possible I am sure, got to watch out for anyone.