Careful out there with firearms

[fireman32]

Accidental or negligent discharges scare me, especially with my two boys. I’ve preached, been mean and adamant about not loading the gun before getting settled in a stand. And unload before you start to get down. When they started carrying a 30-30 I saw that the barrel hung below their heads when they had the gun strap over their shoulder. They now carry longer barreled bolt actions. You can’t stop all bad things from happening, but you can certainly limit them.
Prayers for the man and his family.

 

[Curtis]

Just today out of Pennsylvania:
https://www.erienewsnow.com/story/45347907/man-shot-in-hunting-accident-near-edinboro

 

[Resica]

Just today out of Pennsylvania:
https://www.erienewsnow.com/story/45347907/man-shot-in-hunting-accident-near-edinboro

That's the 3rd one I've heard about in Pa. this year. One in bear season(fatal) and 1 in deer season(fatal).

 

[jimmy.444]

Years ago, On opening day of gun season, this fellow ask me to put his son in a deer stand to save him some time while he went to another stand. So I took him to the stand, (I had my 7 year old son with me), we waited till he got in the stand ok. I asked the fellow‘s son if he was good, he said he was, so my son and I left back down the trail with my son following me. We get about 25 yds away and the kids rifle goes off. It was a Marlin 336 .35 caliber with the hammer safety removed because the rifle had a scope on it previously. Believe me, I still to this day think of what could have been and how thankful I am that things turned out the way the did.

 

[CaptKeith]

I always treat a gun like a lazer, loaded or not. Always pointed in a safe direction. I bet Alex Baldwin wishes he did that!

 

[Spotlite]

What a horrible thing for the family!! Prayers for them!!

 

[lonewolf247]

Sad story! That's a hard pill to swallow as the dad.

What can I add? The bottom line, regardless of the firearm, or the type of action, the person handling it has to be fully understanding of the operation of it. Often that's some of the problem.

Rule #1 though, always practice pointing the muzzle in a safe direction. I always drill that into the heads of the youths that I teach. I did that so many times with my son, even if the firearm was slightly pointed towards someone. I would drill him, and keep the level of respect of the firearm.(I don't want to say fear, but respect) He'd always say, "it's unloaded". I'd say "always know if it's loaded or not, but treat the muzzle direction as if it's loaded, and it may go off at any time". Worked well for him, I see him watching and cautioning his friends, that come shoot with us, who are less experienced.

We all have our favorite action types, and exposed hammers are not my favorites, but, it's irrelevant. Firearm knowledge and safety, is a must.

I hate to hear these sort of stories....

 

[common man]

Muzzle direction Muzzle direction Muzzle direction

 

[ssramage]

I'll share another story. I took a friend of mine hunting a couple years ago. Set him up with one of my bolt actions on a powerline and I sat in the next stand down on the powerline so I could help better if needed. I had a doe come out that I shot and I got down to track. I asked my buddy after the hunt if he could see me from where he was at (because he somehow saw 0 deer). He said yeah but he could barely see me that far off and that he had been watching me in the scope while I tracked the deer. He has not and never will be back hunting with me. I'm still (sort of) friends with him and he doesn't understand why I'm so adamant that he won't be going with me again.

 

[JustUs4All]

When they started carrying a 30-30 I saw that the barrel hung below their heads when they had the gun strap over their shoulder. They now carry longer barreled bolt actions. You can’t stop all bad things from happening, but you can certainly limit them.

I appreciate this situation. I used to hunt 100% of the time with bolt guns that had their barrels cut down to 16.5". When slung I had the same problem. I learned to sling carry the gun barrel down on my weak side. I kept my weak side hand in a normal holding position on the forestock with the web of the thumb firmly against the front sling stud. This allowed me to control the weapon nearly as well as if I carried it in both hands even during a fall. It also allowed me to mount the gun very quickly if needed. It is pretty natural should you decide to try it and takes very little getting used to. It also keeps the barrel from catching on stuff as it will in a barrel up carry.

 

[common man]

Another warning please for goodness sake in the middle of all the excitement of getting your deer and wanting to take some great pics I have seen loads of photos of an excited hunter taking a picture of his trophy with the gunbarrel in the picture pointed right at him. Put the gun parallel with the deers body something please.

 

[tcward]

Another warning please for goodness sake in the middle of all the excitement of getting your deer and wanting to take some great pics I have seen loads of photos of an excited hunter taking a picture of his trophy with the gunbarrel in the picture pointed right at him. Put the gun parallel with the deers body something please.

This^^