I don't recall seeing an increase in the number of holes in the ceilings, floors, and walls of indoor ranges.

There have ALWAYS been way more than I like to see.

I recall going to a new indoor range about two weeks after it opened only to discover a bullet hole in the table, another in the partition to the right, and a third directly above where the shooter stood.

Probably more gun owners who didn't grow up with guns in the home. People just buying for self defense and taking either no class or just the concealed carry class.

Older generations raised their kids with a rifle or shotgun (or four) sitting in a rack and you knew from a young age what the rules were. Keep it pointed in a safe direction and keep your fingers off the trigger.

All these responses and no one has come up with the obvious answer?



Millennials.

They should all be in Gitmo!

quote:

Originally posted by SBrooks:
Probably more gun owners who didn't grow up with guns in the home. People just buying for self defense and taking either no class or just the concealed carry class.

Older generations raised their kids with a rifle or shotgun (or four) sitting in a rack and you knew from a young age what the rules were. Keep it pointed in a safe direction and keep your fingers off the trigger.

I'm willing to bet that experienced shooters have many more ND's than novices or those who just bought their first gun. And not just many more but many, many, many more.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by SBrooks:
Probably more gun owners who didn't grow up with guns in the home. People just buying for self defense and taking either no class or just the concealed carry class.

Older generations raised their kids with a rifle or shotgun (or four) sitting in a rack and you knew from a young age what the rules were. Keep it pointed in a safe direction and keep your fingers off the trigger.

I'm willing to bet that experienced shooters have many more ND's than novices or those who just bought their first gun. And not just many more but many, many, many more.

I wouldn't take that bet. Are you basing it on the fact that they spend more time handling guns ? I've seen WAY more stupid stuff going on with younger people handling weapons than with my generation (50's and older).

quote:

Originally posted by SBrooks:

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by SBrooks:
Probably more gun owners who didn't grow up with guns in the home. People just buying for self defense and taking either no class or just the concealed carry class.

Older generations raised their kids with a rifle or shotgun (or four) sitting in a rack and you knew from a young age what the rules were. Keep it pointed in a safe direction and keep your fingers off the trigger.

I'm willing to bet that experienced shooters have many more ND's than novices or those who just bought their first gun. And not just many more but many, many, many more.

I wouldn't take that bet. Are you basing it on the fact that they spend more time handling guns ? I've seen WAY more stupid stuff going on with younger people handling weapons than with my generation (50's and older).

I'm basing it on the fact that nearly every single ND I've ever heard about was from a so called experienced shooter or long time owner of guns. Indeed, many of them were instances from members of this very forum.

Case in point, the retard in that video in another thread blasting a .44 magnum revolver into the ceiling and hitting himself in the face due to the recoil was no doubt "experienced."

"Experienced" doesn't necessarily mean competent.

Most of my thoughts on the subject have already been covered, but I'll add a bit on the inexperienced shooters.

I think a certain percentage of the problem comes from many of today's "new shooters" being a 30 year old CCW holder instead of a 10 year old with a 22.

I'm sure we've all heard a new shooter given the advice: "Now you need to get some REAL training" or "You need to get into IDPA (or whatever)". Some of these guys can barely load the pistol and hit the target. Making a rapid jump to higher level skills is a recipe for trouble. I think there is something to be said for learning to walk before running. That can't always be accomplished by drinking from the firehose.

Same as with most things today, good and bad, more people, more exposure!
We hear about it more often, instant news feeds and videos from more people having cell phones with cameras! Even here
Everybody wants to be a star, or be the source for breaking news!

quote:

Originally posted by BamaJeepster:
All these responses and no one has come up with the obvious answer?



Millennials.

They should all be in Gitmo!

Who do you think are guarding the detainees? Or the cactus curtain? Or standing the quarterdeck watch to the HQs?

Besides all the other good reasons, I'll bet that the "type" of firearm has a lot to do with it. First time shooters today are generally not buying double action revolvers, but striker fired, small semi autos. Guns without exposed hammers and decockers are much more likely to be involved in a ND. If you don't fully understand how it functions, it can be very dangerous.

Many good reasons mentioned that have validity in the discussion. Also in the discussion is the increase of national population.

1960 - 180.6 million
1970 - 205.
1980 - 227.2
1990 - 249.4
2000 - 282.1
2010 - 310.2

Then remember TV in the 1960's? Three tv channels, Huntley and Brinkley for news. "Good Night Chet"

Deduction- fewer people, greater percentage likely to be familiar with firearms (WW2 veterans children), news less often and covering immediate area rather than nationally. Yes, we had national news, but an unintended discharge wasn't news.

Statistically I would bet on the following:

UD's happened.
Considering population they happened less often. (Bell curve assumption)
Considering the media of the time, little got reported.

I'd need to be convinced that there are more. Like many, I suspect we may just hear about more of them.

But to be honest, I am not sure I have heard of more than I ever did either.

1. Plethora of first time gun owners.

2. New instructors who have zero business teaching firearms safety.

quote:

Originally posted by walkinghorse:
Everybody wants to be a star ....

That’s one phenomenon that I find very interesting and I believe probably adds to the exposure of such incidents. It never fails to amaze me when someone does something stupidly dangerous and then rushes to post it on the Internet. I’ve done some stupid things and will even admit to some of them for the right reasons, but I have no desire to advertise them to the world merely for the sake of being able to say, “Hey, I’m on YouTube!”

Added: But as for the firearms instructors, long ago unless one was involved in formal club-sponsored competition as a juvenile, in the military, or in law enforcement, I never heard of the creature. Hunter safety courses were uncommon and concealed carry classes were unknown because concealed carry permits were all but unknown. I was in my late 30s and most of the way through my Army career before I heard of the concept of not touching the trigger until one was ready to fire. Like anything else there are poor firearms instructors today, but there are more good or adequate ones.

No, it’s not because safety training was more common or better back then than now. Just the opposite is true.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
Speculation.

The number of "first time" firearm owners, fewer people were exposed to firarms growing up and the increased numbers over the past 8 years has a lot to do with it, as well as the proliferation of information spread on social media.

^^This^^

A lot of panic buying first time gun owners are probably part to blame. When I turned 21, I got my pistol permit (have to be 21 in my State) but I was smart enough to take a 2 day safety course so I like to think I started things off right.

quote:

Originally posted by Gutpile Charlie:
Besides all the other good reasons, I'll bet that the "type" of firearm has a lot to do with it. First time shooters today are generally not buying double action revolvers, but striker fired, small semi autos. Guns without exposed hammers and decockers are much more likely to be involved in a ND. If you don't fully understand how it functions, it can be very dangerous.

I am glad I read the whole thread before I replied. no basis on my "opinion" just a quick response.

striker fire would be my guess as well. other than the safety on or off, what happens when your pull the trigger?

SA/DA revolver, you see the hammer cock before the bang.

1911, cocked and locked, unlock and bang.

I have an older 1908 colt lemon squeezer, no hammer, safety visibly locks the slide. I don't really care for this or any striker fired weapon

too easy to ND.

still a newbee with handguns (less than 10 years) and I get a little nervous, releasing the hammer on a loaded chamber

john

people in general are used to getting away with stuff. if nobody is looking, nobody cares.
whats the worst that could happen?

They are SO! used to doing crap and not ! experiencing any consequences , that they are trained to just not give a royal fork.

Not saying please or thank you, parking in two spaces instead of one, not holding the door for another, tossing butts out on the street, touching other peoples brass, hats and neck ties w/o asking first,
cutting people off in traffic,
not shoveling the sidewalk, tailgating, letting you dog run loose, dining and dashing.


when your whole life revolves around getting away with shit, a body gets just a wee bit careless. and then they buy a gun and.....

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
Speculation.

The number of "first time" firearm owners, fewer people were exposed to firarms growing up and the increased numbers over the past 8 years has a lot to do with it, as well as the proliferation of information spread on social media.

I'd tend to agree with you here. When I was a kid, everyone's dad went hunting. When you reached a certain age it was a right of passage to go your first time hunting. As a 10 year old I had already completed the NRA safety course and rifle program.

I think I am on the boarder of that age group. When I google it sometimes I am millennial, some times GenX. I think that is where the transition was lost. I've lived between 5-30 miles of DC my whole life, there are very few hunters left in this area. Those younger people growing up in rural areas probably still hunt, or go out to the farm/private land and shoot, but not the suburbanites now. 20 years ago it was common. I have just a few friends that do hunt or shoot now.

I think the way we receive our information has a lot to do with it as well, and the fact that we all are gun enthusiasts and interested in shooting sports news biases the info we see. I am sure there are not people in NYC going, "damn, have you noticed a lot of dumbasses shooting themselves recently?"

I have been 5' from a man accidentally shooting himself at a match and had a good friend of a coworker shoot himself all with in the last 8 months. What are the freaking odds on that?

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
people in general are used to getting away with stuff. if nobody is looking, nobody cares.
whats the worst that could happen?

They are SO! used to doing crap and not ! experiencing any consequences , that they are trained to just not give a royal fork.

Not saying please or thank you, parking in two spaces instead of one, not holding the door for another, tossing butts out on the street, touching other peoples brass, hats and neck ties w/o asking first,
cutting people off in traffic,
not shoveling the sidewalk, tailgating, letting you dog run loose, dining and dashing.


when your whole life revolves around getting away with shit, a body gets just a wee bit careless. and then they buy a gun and.....

.....having a bad day?........lol

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
people in general are used to getting away with stuff. if nobody is looking, nobody cares.
whats the worst that could happen?

They are SO! used to doing crap and not ! experiencing any consequences , that they are trained to just not give a royal fork.

Not saying please or thank you, parking in two spaces instead of one, not holding the door for another, tossing butts out on the street, touching other peoples brass, hats and neck ties w/o asking first,
cutting people off in traffic,
not shoveling the sidewalk, tailgating, letting you dog run loose, dining and dashing.


when your whole life revolves around getting away with shit, a body gets just a wee bit careless. and then they buy a gun and.....

If all the millennials were locked up in Gitmo none of this would be happening!