Gun Safety Demonstration

[fmhemker]

I haven't shot a gun in about 10 years. The last gun I shot was my father's Colt Commander 1911 which felt to me more like hanging on then aiming.

Anyway, I'm going to the range sometime over the next week. I'm really nervous about passing the gun safety demonstration because this is a range that apparently actually says no to people (Firing-Line, Burbank).

I'm going to rent their Ruger MK II. I've watched some videos on youtube(here too) and read the Ruger manual, but I haven't actually touched a gun for a decade.

Any hints or words of encouragement? Any idea what they are looking for?

[themailman]

Im sorry, I must be confused. Do you want us to tell you how to safely handle a firearm?

[drunktank]

I have no idea what they are looking for, but it doesn't matter. Following the 4 rules alone will most likely get you by.

[fmhemker]

Im sorry, I must be confused. Do you want us to tell you how to safely handle a firearm?

No, if I was that clueless I hope I'd be wise enough to just sign up for a class. What I'm asking is if they're looking for something in particular or is it really just the basics. Also, does not being all that familiar withe make/model of weapon in question make a big difference?

[wambrose02]

I shoot at firing-line and they are strict, as they should be. I have actually witnessed a staff member turn away a gentleman and his girlfriend within 7 seconds flat, literally. Aside from being hilarious, I instantly felt safer. They will inform a perspective shooter of their mistake and send them off to practice for another day. Practice all of your gun safety procedures, and be mindful of your hand and your gun and you will be fine.

[THE NEW GUY]

They are going to give you a dummy round. They will ask to to insert the round in the mag, place mag in gun, rack the slide. Then you need to disengage the dummy round, so droP mag, rack slide back and dummy round will eject.

KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER, AND DO NOT POINT THE GUN AT ANYONE!!!

[five.five-six]

Im sorry, I must be confused. Do you want us to tell you how to safely handle a firearm?

just don't do this

[Munk]

No, if I was that clueless I hope I'd be wise enough to just sign up for a class. What I'm asking is if they're looking for something in particular or is it really just the basics. Also, does not being all that familiar withe make/model of weapon in question make a big difference?

No, usually the testers can show you how the firearm functions, and you can just mimic it.

For the function check when purchasing a firearm, it's usually: Demonstrate empty chamber, empty mag. Load mag, insert in gun. Load a round, eject the round, show empty, drop mag.


Other than that, you're following the usual rules of safety, don't sweep people etc...

[BadIndianSwamp]

That video never gets old!

[bandsaw]

No, usually the testers can show you how the firearm functions, and you can just mimic it.

For the function check when purchasing a firearm, it's usually: Demonstrate empty chamber, empty mag. Load mag, insert in gun. Load a round, eject the round, show empty, drop mag.


Other than that, you're following the usual rules of safety, don't sweep people etc...

Speaking of which, I have yet to be asked to perform a function check when purchasing. I'll be DROSing a new handgun in the next week or so, so we'll see if it happens again. Anyone else getting a pass on the function check?

But as for the OPs question. If Firing Line turns you down, just find another range and tell them you're a new shooter. Most will run you through a quick demonstration. But for your safety and the safety of others, just be sure to follow the 4 gun safety rules.

[vincnet11]

Thats actually a cool range requiring a safety demonstration to rent, I haven't heard of such practices until now. Normally most rental ranges will let anyone rent unaccompanied as long as they bring a buddy or their own gun.

[Munk]

Thats actually a cool range requiring a safety demonstration to rent, I haven't heard of such practices until now. Normally most rental ranges will let anyone rent unaccompanied as long as they bring a buddy or their own gun.

I think Angeles makes you take a written test as a pre-requisite of your waiver that allows you to shoot there. One of the questions was "what happens if you put a 20-ga shell into a 12ga shotgun"... i stopped. it had never occured to me to do such a thing, so I asked the girl behind the counter about it. She said it'll blow up the shotgun. I said "that seems very unlikely and you'd be hard pressed to actually get the damn thing to fire, but I'll put that it blows up since that's what you want."

Mind you. You have to take this test even if you bring your own gun. Kinda threw me off a bit when I brought my old 870 out. (still shot a perfect game that day and a 24).

I'm a paranoid shooter, so I have no "safety" story of my own against me, but my brother was chastised for a "safety violation" because he had draped his O/U over his shoulder (broken open like ^ ) and his muzzle had apparently been sweeping... the ground? He was yelled at by some old biddy of an officer on the range because he wasn't keeping the muzzle straight up or draped forward over his arm toward the ground in front of him.

[Blackhawk556]

last week i was at a local gun store and this guy was picking up his glock. He was talking and making comments like he knew everything. When it came time to demonstrate how to load and unload the firearm, he failed miserably (IMO). the way he was handling the firearm made it obvious that he had no idea how to load it. The whole time he kept his sticking finger on/near the trigger while the sales guy just watched. When he walked out of that gun store I was thinking, "Man I hope that guy doesn't shoot himself or someone else accidently".

Is the sales guy suppose to stop and not let him walk out with the gun because he didn't safely demonstrate how to load/unload?

[InGrAM]

just don't do this

BAAAHAHAAHH!!!! i love this video.

[slick_711]

One of the questions was "what happens if you put a 20-ga shell into a 12ga shotgun"... i stopped. it had never occured to me to do such a thing, so I asked the girl behind the counter about it. She said it'll blow up the shotgun. I said "that seems very unlikely and you'd be hard pressed to actually get the damn thing to fire, but I'll put that it blows up since that's what you want."

I don't know what would happen, but it wouldn't "blow up your gun." The one way it would "blow up your gun" and most likely scenario in the hands of an inexperienced shooter is to have mixed shells and follow the 20GA shell with a 12GA shell. I've actually seen this twice and thankfully both times the shooter was stopped before firing the shotgun. In both cases the idiots in question had loaded a 20GA shell into their pump 12GA and then when they racked it closed the shell slid forward into the first few inches of the bore. So *naturally* they looked and saw an "empty" chamber, and put a new shell in. I can't say definitively what would have happened if they fired the 12GA shell with the bore obstructed by the 20GA shell but it would not have been pretty.

Is the sales guy suppose to stop and not let him walk out with the gun because he didn't safely demonstrate how to load/unload?

Yes. They are supposed to stop them, provide instruction if necessary, then re-start from the beginning.