What would you do if someone swung a muzzle at you?

[Scrapper]

See>>>Teen dies after accidentally shooting himself

What would you do if someone swung a muzzle at you?

When I was taught (by my Father) how to handle a gun, I was handed a fake gun and while practicing in front of him if I ever swung that barrel in an unsafe direction I was smacked and brow beaten until I understood what I had done. After 1 year of this I was trained and never pointed anything at anyone (not even my finger). I then always handled any firearm with the utmost respect. Soon after when I was in my backyard with one of my friends shooting my pellet gun and passing the gun to my friend he swung that barrel in front of me I told him not to ever do that again, and soon after he did it again, Laughed a little, I immediately took it from him and he was not my friend for quite some time. We both were 7yrs old.

 

[Mustang51]

When I was very small, my father gave me a little plastic M-1 Garand, with an admonition not to point it at anyone. At some point he caught me doing so, and took it away from me for awhile. Even as a little kid, the message struck home....I still remember it 45 or so years later. He was apparently more draconian with my older brothers. At one point he grabbed one of their toy rifles after a similar incident, and broke it over his knee. A non-gun family probably wouldn't understand this, but he was instilling a valuable lesson early-on.

 

[Scrapper]

That's what I was thinking when I saw that post in another forum. I know many people do not have this training, I feel honored that I do.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I know many people do not have this training, I feel honored that I do.

Interesting. I have been educated thus, by people who I feel are simply part of the mainstream gun culture. I do not feel honored. Rather, I feel that I can conduct myself as a civilized person in accordance with standards accepted throughout the United States and most of the civilized world. I know very few people who have guns who do not subscribe to standard proper gun-handling practice. I know that there are some out there, but I somehow manage not to run into them very often.

I am not so sure that the deranged person in the quoted news article lacked only training. In fact, he may not have lacked training at all. Pointing a gun at oneself and pulling the trigger is not something that lots of people would naturally do except for the fact that they had been trained that it was considered bad form. It is done for a REASON. A stupid reason, granted, and one whose details we will probably not learn with certainty. Hundreds of millions of people in this country are ignorant of the mechanics and safe use of firearms, yet almost none ever shoot themselves, because, being sane, they don't play with weapons they don't understand. Kind of like me and dynamite. This guy was pointing a gun at himself and pulling the trigger because he was terminally insane. It is highly questionable whether training, which may not have been lacking anyway, would have made a difference.

 

[ingmansinc]

Just this.http://www.polecatsecuritytesting.com/Gun___Cuff_Key_in_Rectum.jpg

 

[Scrapper]

Model520Fan,
Maybe I should have specified "I was honored to have been trained this way by my Father". I thought that may have been clear since I stated I was taught by my Father, but no problem. That friend I had, who swung my pellet gun at me and laughed, did not have a very good father (mostly absent) and therefore didn't have the love that he should have had which may have helped him. To this day that boy ain't right. Actually I'm surprised he's still alive since many at least 6 kids I know from school (who had absent fathers) are dead now from doing very very stupid things.

 

[scoutsdad]

I was on a search and rescue of two hunters at late dusk. One fell down a 40 ft cliff that he just walked over. I had 50 lbs of climbing gear on my back and the fallen hunters rifle. I had taken out the mag and cleared the chamber, before the climb out. Well I still got yelled at by a fellow firefighter who said that the gun was pointed at him for a short time on the way up. Go figure.

 

[jag312]

Several years ago a young man in Santa Cruz, California was showing his new gun to his friends. One of his friends asked if the gun was unloaded. The young man assured him that the gun was unloaded, but the best way to prove that it was unloaded was to put it to his head and pull the trigger. The young man died as a result of the gun shot wound to his head from the "unloaded" gun.

 

[feralmerril]

I had several incidents of it. Once I had a old gun friend of mine bring a couple of actors to my house. One was that guy that played carmine on the lavern and shirly show. (Eddie Mekka) He was a real nice funny guy but never had been around guns. (probley he was related to my buddy, as both were armenian). Anyway we went out to a shooting area to teach him and his buddy to shoot. This was around 1970. Eddie pulled a boner and had the muzzel of a 22 rifle aimed right at my gut! I almost felt sorry for him the way pete yelled at him! Never have met him since.

 

[neiljrosen]

"What would you do if someone swung a muzzle at you?"

I'd bring it to their attention and then they'd say "Don't worry it's not loaded" and then I'd say don't point it at me anyway cause if you're mistaken I could get shot, not you.

 

[Krull]

Generally? duck and ask them if the action is open.
I'm not anal retentive about this and if I have to move a gun around,like in a gunshop,I just make sure the action is open and the mag and chamber is empty,or the owner has it zip tied.

I feel comfortable enough around a gun that has the action open and the mag is empty/taken out that if I have to swing it around to put it somewhere and it's pointing at someone it doesn't bug me.

Now if the action is shut/not zip tied and I dunno about what's up with the chamber and mag? yea,I get a bit antsy....

 

[11B Lifer]

Safety is the priority-I don't point a muzzle at anything or anyone-even in a shop, or gun show-. Macho pistoleros at the shows (and sometimes in shops) will flag you with a gun-and they're generally tough guys who act insulted when you ask them to point it elsewhere (like not at my wife)-The "professionals" I have worked with, and expert shooters (like my wife) are safe-and I trust them-I know they won't flag me. The other folks who are sloppy-I don't shoot with them or go hunting with 'em.

 

[Stonecove]

I was at a gun show in Mason Michigan this past year and had a yahoo sholder a shotgun and proceed to sweep the whole show settling on me about 10 feet away at the same booth he was visiting. I quickly stepped back and told him he should be carefun where he points a gun. He called me an "NRA type" and it's no big deal because the gun was empty. Then I lit him up and in a loud voice told him to never point a gun at anyone and put the gun down. I told him I have been the in the vacinity (within 10 feet and I have bad tinnitus in my right ear from a .270 going off in a cabin) of 2 accidental discharges of EMPTY Guns. He was real embarrassed as I received a small round of applause from other guys in the isle. He then proceeded to ask me where I lived & he would put me down. I told him if I gave him the information, the only person on the ground would be him. His buddy grabbed him and left. The experience ruined the show for me, and I had to look over my shoulder in the parking lot on the way out too. I did however pick up a pair of walnut Sanderson thumb rest grips for $85.00! :~) Regardless, someone points a gun at me and they hear about it!
Stonecove

 

[cjw3]

It happened to me today at the public range I use. The man at the next table was shooting a Henry .22 lever action rifle. To reload it, instead of taking the stock straight from his shoulder keeping the muzzle pointed downrange to set it on the ground, he swung the muzzle around across me and then maneuvered the stock to the ground to refill the tubular magazine, which was awkward whether he pointed it at somebody or not. First time through I let it ride; second time I called him on it, he apologized so point made (maybe).

These issues, and similar things, are all too common on this particular range so I am becoming far more selective about when I go and who I stand next to. It's getting to be time to find somewhere else.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I'd say "DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY FIVE!"

 

[LTC]

#1 Duck or move

#2 Admonish or train as required

It is no fun looking down a muzzle.

LTC

 

[rcnixon]

Some years ago I was at a high-power match in Hernando County, FL. The safety briefing was always given by a retired Gunnery Sergeant named Bill.

I liked to attend the briefing before each match because I believe that you can't get enough of the fundamentals. One Saturday I found myself looking down the muzzle of an M1. I pushed the muzzle up into the air and politely asked the miscreant not to do that again. A short time later, sure enough, there it was again, waving in my face. This time, the mope had his finger on the trigger. I grabbed the front handguard and pushed the rifle vertical and twisted it to catch Mister Dumbjohn's finger in the guard. I got right in his face and gave him the three rules lecture at the top of my lungs. When I let him go, I took control of the rifle and returned it to Bill with a smile and a thank you. Bill thanked me for the live demonstration and continued the briefing. I treasure the memory of that moment with the old Gunnery Sergeant. I doubt that the subject has ever forgotten the lesson from the "bad, shouty man".

I was trained by men like Bill and I have trained my daughter as well. She must be smarter than I, because so far her muzzle control has been outstanding and I haven't had to do any shouting.

Russ

 

[ncy54]

Happens with novice shooters, especially during instruction and orientation. It doesn't matter if they're smart or dumb, or if they've been shown muzzle discipline techniques repeatedly.
As an instructor, I stand alongside and to the rear, and will push the firearm/arm away and down. It's then time for a firm, clear explanation about the implications of poor muzzle discipline.
I've had experienced shooters sweep me on a number of occasions. If I'm in a position to direct it away from me (as in close proximity), I do so. If a distance away, I step to the side and tell them that they're sweeping me (and possibly others). An admonition follows after the firearm is pointed in a safe direction.
Anyone who responds with, "It's not loaded" is just trying to justify their own carelessness.

 

[Snapping Twig]

In my late teens on a camping trip, one of our group was a moron and shot over my head from behind me.

I dialed my rifle on him, made him lay down and took his gun away for the balance of our trip.

Probably be a big deal today, but that was a different time.

These days when someone covers me, I treat the gun as loaded and jump out of the way and "educate" the person in a nice way.

No do-overs for mistakes and when they see how serious I take it, they catch on.

 

[springfield.45]

I've been duck hunting with a buddy for 3 yrs and last year he started getting sloppy with the handling of his firearm, on one trip he swept the back of my head 3 times, When i said something about it he laughed, so he got out of the boat to get a downed duck, i unloaded his gun and took all the shells out of his blind bag So know i'm in search for a new hunting partner