Monday, August 2, 2010

08/01/10 Gun Range Scare

My PSA for gun safety. Do I know everything? Heck no! I don't know much, at all. I know how to be careful myself, and general loading/unloading, along with all the typical cleaning procedures. I can tear down a Browning HiPower or a Kimber with ease (mostly, shh GunDiva,, shhh), clean, and assemble without help.

Saturday afternoon, after I assaulted a few paper targets, participating fully in gun powder therapy, I got scared.

I loaded the Browning.
Looked around, saw R busy with whatever he was middling with, and nobody else around.
Pointed
Safety Off
Bang
Bang
"Whoa! Wait a minute, hold on! Hooold On!"
I dropped the gun, barrel towards the targets, took a step back, raised both hands, and looked to my right.

Somebody about 60ft off
At the rifle range
Started walking down range to get his target
Without calling "all-clear"
Scared the living snot out of me!

I asked R, "What'd I do wrong?"
"Nothing babe. But you look scared. Good time to practice, since you'll be nervous if you ever really need it. Empty the magazine quick, while you're still shook up."

And I'm pleased to report
My aim accuracy didn't change
I was still shooting good
(a little right & low - trigger finger ... grrr .. habit I MUST fix soon)
I was still in the target
And still repeatable

Okay, idjits! I know I don't know it all! But I do know you ask EVERYONE at the range firing line for All Clear before walking down range! Idjits! Scare the crap out of me for no reason! I could've seriously hurt that guy with a stray shot. oi vey!

5 comments:

Yankecwgrl said...

Ummmm I take it you found the "key" huh?

Jennifer said...

nope.
I'll need it when I go to cleaning it..

Which is going to lead to a call to Kimber, unfortunately.

Daddy Hawk said...

Gotta love those range retards. That's one of the reasons I prefer to shoot at my mom's place instead of a range.

My BIL went to the range one time where a guy was trying out his brand new Desert Eagle .50 only to have it jam on him (big surprise). Range Retard proceeds to start asking for assistance from other shooters, DE in hand, barrel pointed in whose ever direction he was facing. He was genuinely shocked when people started shouting out him. He should have been thankful no one shot him for his stupidity. The best part was when he tried to field strip it on the shooting line and promptly lost the spring. Oops. Paper weight.

Stephanie - Siouxzeegirl Designs said...

idjits is right! Amazes me how some people even make it through life!!

You remind me that I need to brush up and review my gun procedures. It's been a while and no use having the darn thing if I am not comfortable with it. I have to add that to my 'to do' list!

GunDiva said...

Wow. That is scary. And shooting's a lot like horses - the more you learn, the more you realize you don't know.

Who on earth would walk down range while someone is shooting? Ack! I've been known to call for an all clear and then go tap people on the shoulder to make sure they heard me.