Second wife and my son gave me a SW auto pistol. Years back I pulled it out of the safe. Checked by cracking the slide open saw nothing. Bullet is in a different location on this pistol. Looking farther I broke the slide open again and a round flew out. I took the gun to my son and told him here I don't have enough sense to own this little auto. I just hate those cold chill times.
Clearing Your Weapon/ Who DOESN'T Do That?
- Thread starter Smoke
- Start date
Andy Griffith
Member
I always clear my weapon.
Oh....
you meant something else....?
Why would I want to clear it?
"Was it loaded and cocked?"
"An unloaded gun ain't good for nuth'n."
(The above is a bit of satire/tongue in cheek, in case you didn't get it)
Oh....
you meant something else....?
Why would I want to clear it?
"Was it loaded and cocked?"
"An unloaded gun ain't good for nuth'n."
(The above is a bit of satire/tongue in cheek, in case you didn't get it)
I just picked up a G17 from my FFL yesterday and of course checked the chamber first off. Then took a good look at the rest of it and wanted to check the trigger. I opened the chamber and verified, then showed it to the smithy and asked him to verify it was clear then pointed it in a safe direction before pulling the trigger.
He actually thanked me for asking him to verify it was clear.
Guess he doesn't get that request often enough.
He actually thanked me for asking him to verify it was clear.
Guess he doesn't get that request often enough.
When I’m handing the gun off I show the magazine well to the person I’m handing it to, put my finger in the well and state “no magazine”. Then I open the slide, look at the chamber and ask “Do you agree that the chamber is clear?” and I don’t hand them the gun until they verify that yes, they see the chamber is clear.
Get some strange looks ocassionally but I've never handed off a loaded gun
Old Corp
Member
Having worked in 3 LGS's over my lifetime, I long ago lost count of how many guns came in for sale, trade or repair, were checked and found to be loaded. And - as often as not, the owner stating just before handing it over -'It's not loaded'.
Even more interesting is the owner's reaction when the loaded round ejects from the action onto the counter or floor.
Some laugh, some are horribly embarrassed, some are completely non-plussed, sort of like, 'My, how 'bout that?'
In a nutshell - idiots abound.
Even more interesting is the owner's reaction when the loaded round ejects from the action onto the counter or floor.
Some laugh, some are horribly embarrassed, some are completely non-plussed, sort of like, 'My, how 'bout that?'
In a nutshell - idiots abound.
blackxpress
Member
I started hunting with my dad before I was old enough to carry a BB gun. Over the years he taught me all about hunting and firearm safety. But he was never into handguns. I started carrying a pistol about 30 years ago. When I bought my first .45 I was at my dad's house and we were out in the back yard when he asked to see it. I pulled it out of the holster, dropped the magazine and locked the slide back. I bent over and picked up the round that I had ejected and put it in my pocket. Then I handed the pistol to my dad. He looked at me with an insulted look on his face and said something to the effect of, "You didn't have to do all that. I wasn't going to shoot it." I really couldn't believe he would've been hurt by my attention to safety. I just reminded him of what he had always taught me. Never handle a loaded firearm unless you intend to shoot something with it. That seemed to satisfy him.
I always clear a weapon and hand the gun to someone with the action open to show them that it is unloaded.
When I am finished hunting for the day, I unload the rifle and with the action open I stick my pinky into the throat of the barrel to be sure no bullet is left in the chamber. Something that was beat into my head by my "Uncle Sam."
When I am finished hunting for the day, I unload the rifle and with the action open I stick my pinky into the throat of the barrel to be sure no bullet is left in the chamber. Something that was beat into my head by my "Uncle Sam."
Long Barrel
Member
Yes, ever since....
My first job out of college was as an FO for a 105mm battery in the Central Highlands. It involved a lot of travelling around with convoys and staying at transient quarters. Every BOQ, Headquarters, Mess Hall, etc. had a red 55-gal drum full of sand covered with a sheet of rubber roofing at the exterior door, marked with a sign that said, "Clear weapons here before proceeding". Almost every barrel had a large bulge in the back, garnered by stopping a 5.56 or .45.
Ever since I've been wary of a closed action, no matter who is carrying the firearm. I don't take offence if someone checks me, and I don't really care if someone is offended if I check them. It hurts like hell to get shot, and it hurts more if you did it accidently. And if you did it accidently, it hurts again every time you think about it. Sometime, I'll tell you how I know that.
My first job out of college was as an FO for a 105mm battery in the Central Highlands. It involved a lot of travelling around with convoys and staying at transient quarters. Every BOQ, Headquarters, Mess Hall, etc. had a red 55-gal drum full of sand covered with a sheet of rubber roofing at the exterior door, marked with a sign that said, "Clear weapons here before proceeding". Almost every barrel had a large bulge in the back, garnered by stopping a 5.56 or .45.
Ever since I've been wary of a closed action, no matter who is carrying the firearm. I don't take offence if someone checks me, and I don't really care if someone is offended if I check them. It hurts like hell to get shot, and it hurts more if you did it accidently. And if you did it accidently, it hurts again every time you think about it. Sometime, I'll tell you how I know that.
I always check.
I open the chambers and point the guns off to the side if I walk downrange. I can't stand the idea of a gun pointed my way if I'm walking downrange even if the chamber is open.
One thing that freaks people out is I will verify a gun is unloaded and then look down the barrel. I have a phobia about barrel obstructions.
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I open the chambers and point the guns off to the side if I walk downrange. I can't stand the idea of a gun pointed my way if I'm walking downrange even if the chamber is open.
One thing that freaks people out is I will verify a gun is unloaded and then look down the barrel. I have a phobia about barrel obstructions.
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No. Never.
No. And if I'm showing a rifle or handgun to someone else, I SHOW them that it's unloaded. If I'm handing it to them, it is almost always with the bolt or action open, again, after showing them that it is unloaded.
This is ingrained habit, from long training and experience, so I'm unlikely to forget. I also tend to assess other shooters by how well they follow this practice, as in: "Are they just going through the motions?", or "Are they actually paying close attention as the do this?"
Badkarma 1
US Veteran
You NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES assume a weapon is empty till YOU have both VISUALLY AND PHYSICALLY CHECK IT!
Gun Shows are notorious for having some noob dealer who will balk when you attempt to check a pieces status. To which I lay the piece down gently and walk away...FAST!
ALWAYS CHECK, NEVER ASSUME!
Dale
Gun Shows are notorious for having some noob dealer who will balk when you attempt to check a pieces status. To which I lay the piece down gently and walk away...FAST!
ALWAYS CHECK, NEVER ASSUME!
Dale
Capt Steve
US Veteran
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Like most folks here "Show and tell" with our gun collections is a regular event. I never assume that anyone knows how to properly clear a weapon. I always clear any gun before handing it over for them to check out. If they do not immediately clear again I take it back and explain why.
"But you just cleared it" just isn't good enough and if they don't have the sense to clear it they don't get to touch any of my guns again.... ever!
"But you just cleared it" just isn't good enough and if they don't have the sense to clear it they don't get to touch any of my guns again.... ever!
Wee Hooker
Member
Back when I was a pup, I took a muti-day hunting safety class. Through the whole class, both instructors taught us to check/clear a firearm every time we picked it up. So during those multiple days/hours there was lots of reminding and redundant checking as we all got to handle the guns. Then on the last night just before we were to do live fire training, the instructor picked a kid from the audience an had him climb up on the table so he should coach the kid on proper kneeling position /technique. So we all got so focused on the instruction for body position that nobody thought about it when the instructor handed the kid a (22) rifle to finally shoulder.. Seconds later the rifle went off as the instructor had the kid SQUEEZE the trigger. ( Thee instructor had slipped a blank into the chamber) There must of been a puddle under everybody in that room ! We then listened meekly as the instructor reamed us all for trusting him to the point that no one in the room thought to insist on the gun being checked.
I'll argue that this was the best way to teach a life long lesson to everybody in that room.
I'll argue that this was the best way to teach a life long lesson to everybody in that room.
Over the last 40 years I've found that 3-4 of my guns that I knew were unloaded,weren't.I always check a gun when I pick it up.Thats how I discovered them.
"Who doesn't do that? A former colleague from work.
He's the type who would hand you a handgun without clearing it and be insulted when you do so. He once called my a ***** for checking a pistol he handed me. While demonstrating to a mutual friend how safe a Glock is, he blew a hole in his living room floor between said mutual friend's feet. Later I learned he shot his TV dry firing with a gun he thought was unloaded. From what I hear, these two incidents seem to have made no impression on him. I terminated my association with him long ago because I didn't want to be terminated myself.
He's the type who would hand you a handgun without clearing it and be insulted when you do so. He once called my a ***** for checking a pistol he handed me. While demonstrating to a mutual friend how safe a Glock is, he blew a hole in his living room floor between said mutual friend's feet. Later I learned he shot his TV dry firing with a gun he thought was unloaded. From what I hear, these two incidents seem to have made no impression on him. I terminated my association with him long ago because I didn't want to be terminated myself.
When you pick up a gun it should (IMO) be a habit to verify it's status. I say "verify" because I don't "clear" my carry gun when I pick it up in the morning.
The easist way to make it a habit is to do every single time you pick up a gun for any reason no matter what including if some one just cleared it in front of you.
So if someone gets offended when I do so , as in the case of the SGM, that's what I tell them. Although in his case I just said 'No offence intended, that's how I was raised."
The easist way to make it a habit is to do every single time you pick up a gun for any reason no matter what including if some one just cleared it in front of you.
So if someone gets offended when I do so , as in the case of the SGM, that's what I tell them. Although in his case I just said 'No offence intended, that's how I was raised."
jtcarm
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Nope. I also never hand anyone a weapon without first showing them it is cleared, and hand it over in a cleared state (action open.)
Now, so far as failure to clear, every trip to my gun club, some idiot declares he's clear when the line is being made safe and I have to tell them "no you're not till that mag is out & slide open!". One guy had an ol Ruger MK I that has no slide lock. When he said he couldn't, I told him case the damn thing or stick a plug in it. Yellow plugs are free for the taking at our sign- in shack.
One guy was screwing with his rifle with his own kids down range and the flag up. My 11 yo son & I were the only other people there . We didn't need to go down range, but my son asked to . So I said loudly & sarcastically "not while that man is fiddling with his gun."
I'm not any kind of club official but seem to be defacto range officer on every trip. My son is always with me & by God , he's gonna learn it right!
Why these morons don't get basic safety rules is beyond me. All it takes is one accident & we all lose a place to shoot.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Now, so far as failure to clear, every trip to my gun club, some idiot declares he's clear when the line is being made safe and I have to tell them "no you're not till that mag is out & slide open!". One guy had an ol Ruger MK I that has no slide lock. When he said he couldn't, I told him case the damn thing or stick a plug in it. Yellow plugs are free for the taking at our sign- in shack.
One guy was screwing with his rifle with his own kids down range and the flag up. My 11 yo son & I were the only other people there . We didn't need to go down range, but my son asked to . So I said loudly & sarcastically "not while that man is fiddling with his gun."
I'm not any kind of club official but seem to be defacto range officer on every trip. My son is always with me & by God , he's gonna learn it right!
Why these morons don't get basic safety rules is beyond me. All it takes is one accident & we all lose a place to shoot.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
mg357
Absent Comrade
I ALWAYS check and clear each and EVERY gun that i handle even if i have touched that same gun several times i check and clear it.
