When dealing with firearms, safety should always be our most important consideration. For years now, when I work with classes, I tell them that they are all Range Safety Officers. As a rule, I don’t like clichés, but “If you see something, say something” really fits here.
For the beginners, it is often a case of not being familiar in the handling of firearms. The safe handling and management of guns just hasn’t yet become a habit, so things often become kind of clumsy. I recently saw a video of a woman shooting a handgun at an indoor range. She was doing pretty good until an empty flew back and ended up in her clothing. At that point, she forgot all about that gun in her hand and started fighting the burn. She also forgot about the trigger and ended up firing a shot during her dance. Fortunately, the shot went into the floor and it appeared that no one was injured.
This probably wasn’t a case of negligence so much as just the fact that she panicked and didn’t know what to do. It all would have changed in an instant if she had inadvertently shot herself or someone else. As it was, it was a case of something she will never forget as she is shown out the door and told not to come back.
I simply don’t know why beginners don’t seek out professional training when learning about firearms. It will avoid so much embarrassing stuff and serious injury.
And we life-long shooters aren’t immune, either. It may be that some of us get so used to handling guns that we no longer have that little bit of fear that is such a good thing. And it may be that we might get a little bit full of ourselves and think that if we know how to safely run some guns, we know how to safely run all guns. That was the case with the only negligent discharge, with injuries, that I have personally witnessed.
This fellow was a retired deputy sheriff, from the revolver era, who had a new job as a security guard and was packing a striker-fired pistol. He just couldn’t seem to remember to keep his trigger finger straight. And when he went to re-holster for the umpteenth time, it caught up with him. Fortunately, the injury was not serious and some stitches and bandages fixed things. However, I think his ego was pretty badly damaged.
I guess my main point is that none of us are immune from having a negligent discharge. It is something that we must continually keep in mind and guard against. It can ruin your day and it can certainly ruin your life. So, when you preach firearms safety, you are singing my song. We should all consider ourselves Firearms Safety Officers.
