There are ALOT of new shooters. We have had a couple incidents recently locally where somebody has failed to clear a firearm and "hilarity" ensues.

Recently somebody "cleared" a shotgun by pulling the trigger and dumping a round into their leg/ankle/foot.

So besides the normal rules I thought I would post a quick how to clear etiquette post. I would imagine for every poster there are numerous lurkers who might be new and frankly might be intimidated by us old, grizzled, use the search function sonsabitches.

If you are new to firearms first and foremost ask questions. I get that you have hunter/gatherer/warrior DNA in you but understand we all had to learn.

Whenever you are dealing with a firearm ALWAYS check for clear yourself. If you are handed a clear arm, clear it again and hand it back clear. Never rely on others. ALWAYS verify open action empty chamber.

With a semi auto handgun that means magazine out first, slide locked back, chamber visually inspected/verified as empty and no loaded feeding device.

A revolver means cylinder swung out no ammo in cylinder chambers.

Semi auto rifle/shotgun, magazine out action locked backed chamber inspected. If shotgun action locked open no ammo in magazine tube. This may require you to either push on a mechanism to empty the loading tube 1x1 or cycle the action until empty. If a mag fed shotgun drop mag lock action open.

If a pump action shotgun or rifle you may have to cycle the action until empty and the. Leave the action left open showing clear.

If a single action revolver open the loading gate, spin cylinder to show all charge holes are empty.

Single shot/double barrel/break open design, break open the action, remove ammo and leave action broken open.

Bolt action arms should have the bolt open and no ammo on the magazine/loading area.

ALL Of these checks should be done with the arm facing in a safe direction. Always handle said arms as if they are loaded no matter what. Always verify cleared unloaded status EVERY TIME the weapon changes hands and always hand said weapon to another in a locked open cleared state.

I realize this is pretty much remedial for most of us but for the new folks or lurkers who are embarrassed or otherwise intimidated to ask I think this is worth stating.

Also worth stating is that we "experts" may give you crap about a question (caliber choice, gun choice, safety issue etc. and if we do remind us that not everybody has done this for decades and that you need to learn and we want you to learn.

I just wanted to post a little safety PSA for the new folks/lurkers etc. and hell, it doesn't hurt for all us "experts" to hear a safety briefing again from time to time.

Take care and shoot safe,
Chris

quote:

Originally posted by cslinger:
There are ALOT of new shooters. We have had a couple incidents recently locally where somebody has failed to clear a firearm and "hilarity" ensues.

Recently somebody "cleared" a shotgun by pulling the trigger and dumping a round into their leg/ankle/foot....

Chris

No! When an "incident" happened, it is never hilarious.

Chris, thank you for the safety briefing. There are a lot of new people here and hope this will help make them more safer.

A good reminder, but one thing to add:

With a gun like a shotgun with a common tubular magazine, it’s not enough to just cycle the action until shells stop coming out. Rounds can become hung up in the magazine only to be released later after the gun is jarred, etc. If that happens, cycling the action and pulling the trigger in the assumption that all the shells have been removed will result in a discharge.

It’s necessary therefore to not only ensure we don’t see a shell head when looking at the end of the magazine, but to be able to see and feel the follower itself. That’s why brightly-colored followers are a good idea. And the same is actually true of any gun with an integral nonremovable magazine such as many bolt action rifles: Don’t just rely on the fact that no more rounds are being ejected when the action is cycled. Look to ensure you can see the magazine follower.

When clearing a weapon it's important to remember that the purpose is to visually verify that the chamber and magazine are empty, not just go through the motions of dropping the mag, working the bolt, racking the slide, etc. It may seem like semantics, but it's an important point to ensure you don't fall into a complacent habit that could come back to bite you.

And people used to wonder why there was a 55gallon drum full of sand outside the building....

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
And people used to wonder why there was a 55gallon drum full of sand outside the building....

Or a 42. And a rookie is ordered to discharge his weapon there. Which he dutifully complies with.

Pity that the smoke extraction system wasn't working properly that day.

Learned this when I was nine at NRA class through summer camp. Nowadays kids don't learn about gun safety. Even anti gun people should have children take basic NRA class. Goes right hand in hand with the recent flat tire thread.

We never cycle the action to dump shells. Releasing them and removing them one at a time is the accepted method in our training.

The followers have been replaced with a better version in a high viz color.

Thanks for the reminder. I've never had it happen but my friend had it happen twice with his XD-9 by himself and another friend of ours. My guess is they racked the slide with the mag in but the 2nd friend is usually more cautious than I.

For semi's, I always take out the magazine, rack at least 3 times, and then visually check the chamber.

For shotguns, I cycle out all of the shells and then look at and push the follower in to make sure it's clear.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

Originally posted by cslinger:
There are ALOT of new shooters. We have had a couple incidents recently locally where somebody has failed to clear a firearm and "hilarity" ensues.

Recently somebody "cleared" a shotgun by pulling the trigger and dumping a round into their leg/ankle/foot....

Chris

No! When an "incident" happened, it is never hilarious.

Some also refer to it as job security.

I mentioned "clearing a cleared weapon" to someone I was helping at the range years ago (just a new person by themself) and in the same sentance mentioned that "treat the gun as if it is always loaded", and some buttinsky overheard and made some comment about knowing if a gun was loaded or not and that it was a "stupid saying".

I told him that doing the same thing each time you handle a firearm, every time, (treating it as if it is loaded and clearing) will make the likelyhood of an accidental or neglagent discharge less likely, and that it only takes once, to kill or maim. And that alone, if nothing else, is worth the effort. (thanks to a familiy of mechanical engineers and machinists and the USAF for beating safety into my brain)

The "new guy" saw me (well, heard my SCAR 17 barking) about 6 months ago at another range I started attending and wandered over. He told me he never forgot that day, or what I said.

So, thanks for the reminder, and the input. One never knows how many people might read this and it be the thing they need to hear, because tomorrow they are going to the range for their first time...

Always good to have a reminder. Thanks, Chris

I recently went shooting with a bunch of guys. We were all shooting each others weapons. Very safety minded guys.

Always following the rules. It was at a private range so we had our run of the place. As we were packing up one of the guys grabbed my 10/22 that they had been shooting. Helping me pick up my firearms. Put it into a rifle bag. I grabbed bag and packed it.

We moved over to a 300yd range. Shot the ARs for a bit then packed up and went home. About 2-3 weeks later I get around to unpacking. I pick up the 10/22, drop the mag, work the bolt. A unspent 22LR shell ejected from the chamber!!

Check before, check after, and check often. Always clear a weapon you aren't %1,000 sure of. Then even if you are. Check it again.

For years I volunteered as a RO at "Hunter's Sight In" for a Club I belong to. I can't tell how many guns were hauled to the range still loaded from last years hunt or how 30.06 bolts that the hunter had .308 ammo instead. We had to check everything and give lessons on safety/ammo selection/how to shoot. Most were seasoned hunters but not safe. Chris

You mean the two ladies shooting in the lane next to me, who I'd been chatting with earlier, were wrong when they suffered a FTE with their Taurus 709 and walked it around to where I was, muzzle aimed at me, to ask for assistance? Message to self after that experience. Add extra underwear to my range bag.

Simple rule of thumb I teach all new or inexperienced shooters. If the gun malfunctions in any way, or you have a question or concern, place it on the counter in front of you, muzzle down range, and go get help from someone who 'is' an experienced shooter. We're always around and available to help. This is a great opportunity to learn the proper way to deal with a problem.

I almost had a 12 gauge oopsie about 15 years ago.

I did have a BB gun oopsie when I was 8 or 9.

I am very careful. Very.

Can't go wrong with safety, practice, and repetition. You're an accident waiting to happen if you ignore the basics. I did a pistol trade with a guy a while ago, popped the case open and cleared it. Sure enough, one in the chamber. He was very apologetic, but I said that's why we check.

I forgot to clear my M-16 once. Protocol said I should have cleared it before I handed it over. I didn't. The armoror I handed it too, because we had had so much experience together, didn't follow protocol and do what he was suppose to (which he had done thousands of times correctly before) and he didn't clear it. He did pull the trigger, fortunately with it pointing up to a 12" concrete ceiling in the armory. Took out about 4 inches of it. So loud.

We were both idiots. And very experienced idiots at that point too. Never turn your back or your brain off even for an instant. Easy to say, but not so easy to not have that single instant of brain fade.

quote:

55gallon drum full of sand outside the building

Ha! The "old timers" know it's better to use the 55 Gal. drum of KY!