Primitive Weapon

This was posted on a local news site here in Indy. A Ball State Student was recording an interview about gun safety with a "gun expert" when the gun fired during the interview.

There is some footage of the interview and the "experts" reaction. The interview turned into a public service announcement and won the student an Emmy.

The title of the announcement was "Even Experts Make Mistakes" and "Make gun safety your business."

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/6479963/detail.html

statjunk

The message is good. I'm just not sure how I feel about it.

Tom

midknightryder

statjunk, what do you mean you don't know how you feel about it?
I think it is an excellent public service announcement. In talking to professional gunsmiths that I know, it is not unheard of for a gun to go off in the shop. One has had two guns go off in his shop since he opened it about 8 years ago. One was discharged by a customer and one was discharged by him. We all get distracted or fall into a routine and forget to check something. Thats why big companys have regular safty meetings that go over the same topics over and over.
We all need reminders on gun safty!
Just thank God no one was injured in this case.
MKR

Duckbutter48

For some reason reading that just pisses me off. Could they have found someone older to talk to? I think the guy has to be an idiot or just losing his mind, I cant see any excuse for that. Why would he even pull the trigger in the first place sounds like someone forgot to take their meds to me.

I can just see all the anti-gunners just smileing ear to ear when they read this.

statjunk

I don't know how to feel about it because while the message is good it only provides more ammo to the anti-gunners. Also I agree with the above why would he have pulled the trigger. Why would he have had it loaded in the first place unless that gun was intended to protect the residence or store.

It is more of a bum feeling that anything else. I agree good message.

Tom

Primitive Weapon

If you watch him closely, he actually checks to see if it's loaded, at least twice.

I'm guessing his eyes just aren't what the use to be.

I also wonder what made him decide to pull the trigger, loaded or unloaded.

bigbulls

Yes everyone makes mistakes. Even experts.

Professional drivers get into wrecks, professional animal handlers get bitten, professional track stars trip and fall, etc... etc...

He pulled the trigger because that's what he does. We all dry fire our guns. Some more than others. I dry fire guns all day long at work.


I got a similar story for ya.

An employee brought a Ruger 17 HMR up to the service department for a customer for a jamming problem. I personally saw him open the bolt and look inside the gun to make sure it was unloaded. What he missed was the extractor was broke and there was still a live round inside the chamber that did not extract and eject when he pulled back the bolt. He pulled the trigger and shot a hole into the light and cealing. I was standing about 10 feet from him and the bullet struck the light just in front of me and just to my left. Scared the $@%& out of me.

If you do something long enough you will eventually have something happen that shouldn't. Hopefully no one will get hurt because of it and it will be a huge wake up call to you to make sure you do those little things that we can take for granted after a while.

I think it is/ was a great public service message. They didn't make an attempt to show guns in a bad light or anything like that. Just a notice that everyone needs to check and double check. You can never be too safe.

chma

I have taught firearm safety for the conservation dept. [hunter safety course] for 10 years in my home state I stress to everyone check then check again then check one more time make damn sure the chamber and magazine is empty with all of that said we still have accidents why??? I can't understand how people can be so ierrsponsible the first thing my dad taught me was gun SAFETY it is all of our responsibility to handle guns safely and stress to the next generation of shooters and hunters safety is first and foremost and then we can enjoy the sport chad

Duckbutter48

I understand people make mistakes but I think it easier to wreck a car or fall down running then simplychecking if a gun is loaded. When I hand a gun to someone or make the check I put my pinky in the chamber to verify nothing is there incase I would miss it visually. Im not perfect by any means but dont see why is so difficult.

I do dryfire a gun but surely wouldnt do it in the middle of some gun safety discussion like that.

I didnt see this video so maybe Im off track a little here. I dont think you guys are less safe, I just think you're making excuses for this guy that he doesnt deserve. thats all.

bigbulls

I am not making any excuses for him at all. There really is no excuse for that to happen.

I am just saying that even the best of us can have something go wrong.

I too look into the chamber and down the bore to make sure that the gun is definetly unloaded. But when you handle hundreds of different guns a month the odds get better and better as time goes on that something will happen eventually.