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| No Compromise |
Fear. Fear is necessary. It is the warning at the door that there is danger outside. Fear is a protection. If you do not fear the mishandling of firearms, you do not belong anywhere near a gun. While this fear does not overcome, or overwhelm you, it is a healthy thing to have a form of respect for what a firearm can do in the wrong hands, even if those wrong hands wind up being yours. Respect. A firearm can take a life, intentionally or not, the firearm does not care. It may not demand it be used in a life taking or lifesaving act, but it does command respect. It’s the respect for life itself that we must have. Vigilance. Having a healthy fear, and respect, for firearms requires you to remain vigilant. You can never allow yourself even a moment of distraction. While at the rage, at home, or on you hip, you can never forget the power it holds. Only through diligent vigilance can one approach safe handling of a firearm. And You. I discovered today that my fear, respect and vigilance for firearm safety had waned. I had to admit to myself for the first time, that I do not always clear a weapon when I pick it up, I don’t always keep all body parts out of the trigger guard until I am ready to fire, and I sometimes point a firearm at things I do not wish to destroy. I’ve never had a negligent discharge of a firearm. I’ve never suffered the shame, guilt or horror of having to wonder where my last shot wound up. But I’ve got to be honest with myself, I’ve gotten a little sloppy. This post is a wake up call. Mostly to myself, but to all of us. Do fear the mishandling of firearms. Do respect the life they may take. Stay Vigilant! What's your experience? H&K-Guy | ||
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| Member |
I an not able to estimate the number of rounds I have fired over the years. Firearms instructor with many advanced classes under my belt. So... I shot and killed a chest freezer once. Shot out my high dollar thermal pane window. Discharged a round into the ground at my feet while securing a Beretta. Whew! Actually shot myself with a load of buckshot. Ricochet. Why did this occur? Inattention. Familiarity bred laxity. In a rush. Distracted. How did correct myself? Trigger guard covers for all my Glocks. I properly holster up. Every time. EDC a DAO P250. And most important: I now handle everything that shoots with caution. Every time I handle a firearm. End of Earth: 2 Miles Upper Peninsula: 4 Miles | |||
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| Go ahead punk, make my day |
I was ‘fortunate’ enough to have an ND when I was a kid. It taught me an invaluable lesson and I’ve been fortunate to avoid the lazy / sloppy path to negligence. I never assume anything, ever. Every gun is an unknown if it leaves my physical possession until verified. Even it that is into the safe and back, where no one else could have touched it. It’s part of the firearm life. | |||
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| Member |
Why clear a gun when you pick it up? It’s supposed to be loaded. | |||
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| Member |
I lived in an apartment. I was going to clean my AR. When I picked it up I cycled the bolt and a live round dropped out. I just about shit myself. The last time shooting I left a live round in the chamber, safety off and put the rifle away. ____________________________________________________ The butcher with the sharpest knife has the warmest heart. | |||
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Oriental Redneck |
How about to practice dry firing? Q | |||
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| No Compromise |
Bingo, plus I need to be aware of my guns condition at all times. H&K-Guy | |||
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| Member |
Well of course. The OP made no mention of dry firing. | |||
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| Ammoholic |
If a firearm has been out of my immediate control (in my hand or my holster), I always press check it upon first picking it up. Check chamber, decock, drop magazine, check it and reload. If it is a gun that I am using for dry practice over an extended period of time, it may be in the safe unloaded, but the first act on pulling it out of the safe is to check it and verify that it is clear. Loaded or unloaded, it is vital to know the condition of every firearm I handle. | |||
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| Member |
I understand “check”. The OP said “clear”. | |||
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| 186,000 miles per second. It's the law. |
This is very good. Another thing that really bothers me is seeing someone "sweep" me or others when handling a firearm. Even if it has been cleared, I do not appreciate having a gun pointed at me. This happens a lot in gun stores. When I examine a firearm, I always point at the floor, wall or ceiling. The guy behind the counter appreciates this too. | |||
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eh-TEE-oh-clez |
I agree. I check my weapon to make sure it is loaded. Because it is supposed to be. Treat every firearm as if it were loaded. Because, it actually is. Even when a firearm is going into long term storage, it is secured loaded. If you are to assume all weapons are loaded, then it's best to make your perceptions match reality to prevent accidents. Making a firearm unloaded should be such a habit breaking, awkward, so-uncertain-that-you have-to-check-three-or-four-times procedure, that you would NEVER naturally assume that a gun was unloaded. | |||
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Member |
I press check a weapon near me at least once an hour. If no other reason to know there is a live round if needed. But even then, as a kid I was hit dead center of forehead from a BB gun because I was to close to the tree I was shooting Used guns deserve a home too | |||
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| A teetotaling beer aficionado  |
After shooting a gun at the range, I clear it in the normal fashion, then always end by pointing it down range and pulling the trigger. "Click" and I feel better about casing the gun and being on my way. Once with my 30.06 a round did go off doing this. When sighting in high power rifles I almost always load only one round at a time. For some reason I must have put two in the rifle and I guess I did a poor job clearing it. I suppose I was in a hurry. It surprised the hell out of me when it went bang and I'm forever thankful I've made it a habit of dead firing before pointing in any other direction except down range. | |||
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| Non-Miscreant |
I have adopted a slightly different approach. I agree, every weapon is always loaded. To force that on myself, I do have loaded guns in my safe in my gun room. I almost never allow others in that room. Intentionally. If I see a gun lying in there, I can pretty much assume its loaded. Even the guns in their box. If I want to pick it up and play with it, I've got to clear it because it just might be loaded. I've shifted that balance to the idea that it probably is loaded. I have no idea how many are, and I don't even want to know. All are loaded. I have my carry gun in the bedroom. I know its loaded. I like it that way. If you visit me and aren't invited, the loaded gun is to be assumed. An empty gun is a brick. We each tend to view our guns in a different light. I view mine as being loaded. If I'm taking the gun someplace, I pick it up and clear it. Then often as not, I load it!  I have no desire to tell you how to live your life. I will ignore your attempts to tell me how to live mine. My guns are loaded. I assume that and so should you. To me, that makes it safer. Oh, and those who don't like being swept with someone's muzzle should never, ever attend a gun show. Unhappy ammo seeker | |||
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| Go ahead punk, make my day |
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Member |
^^...and there's 24 hours in a day, carry the "at least", subtract(add) the anxiety, ... | |||
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Ammoholic |
I'm glad I'm not your coworker. That would really freak me out if you were doing that in the cube next to me. Jesse Sic Semper Tyrannis | |||
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| Get my pies outta the oven!  |
Wow. Are you sure you are meant to be owning firearms? FOUR negligent discharges?  What is this "I now handle everything that shoots with caution"? Isn't that something you should have been doing from the very first time you ever touched a gun? | |||
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| Conservative Behind Enemy Lines  |
A close friend of mine asked me to help her pick out a handgun and teach her how to handle it. When I started talking about the cardinal rules of safety, and muscle memory and its importance while under stress, I could tell she thought I was being too dramatic, etc. That really discouraged me because I thought she would understand how extremely traumatic a ND could really be! I ended up just backing out of her request. Thankfully, she never did obtain one. | |||
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