How many times have you read it? I’ve heard it so many times my mind automatically changes it from “I was cleaning my gun when it went off” to “I was fooling around with a gun and I didn’t know what I was doing.”
The Akron Beacon Journal reports that our neighboring community of Barberton gives us another lesson in gun safety.
It seems that Patrick was sitting with the love of his life, Katie, and decided the TV movie wasn’t interesting. Despite consuming one or two ounces of whiskey, or perhaps because of consuming one or two ounces, this was a perfect time to clean his gun.
Taking a seat on a couch behind Katie he dropped the magazine and pulled the trigger. I can’t say who was more dumbfounded by the resulting noise: Patrick or Katie who was shot through both thighs. I do believe on the dumb-o-meter, Patrick scores very high.
The police arrived in response to Patrick’s call. I give him credit for stepping up and doing what’s right, at least he didn’t blame a bushy-haired, one-armed stranger. They applied tourniquets to Katie’s legs. She was transported to the hospital, treated and later released.
When asked what happened, Patrick told police he didn’t know there was a round in the chamber, didn’t know the gun was loaded……
The police gave him field sobriety test and found he did not exhibit signs of impairment.
What can we learn from this classic bonehead move?
One, the police had tourniquets on them. If you’re a shooter, practice CCW, are into sport shooting, are a hunter, never be without combat or SWAT tourniquets. They’ll save your life. They’ll save someone else’s life.
Two, alcohol and firearms never mix. Was it the booze that distracted Patrick about the round in the chamber? Did the booze give him a false sense of competency?
Three, know how your weapon works. Patrick’s gun was a high capacity Frankenstein monster he assembled from parts and pieces he bought online. Of course a safety manual doesn’t come with that. Perhaps gun building should be left to more experienced and trained shooters. I’d like to remind you there are no John Wayne or Keanu Reeves genes for gun handling. There are both NRA and private schools where you can learn just about any level of gun handling and skill you want.
Finally at four, but really it should be first, the gold standard, the three NRA rules of firearm safety.
Yeah, I know. You may not like the NRA because:
a, they are too hard about….
b, they are too soft about…
Too bad, get over it. The three NRA rules can save your life and keep you out of prison. I should mention that Patrick has been charged with a felony third class – negligent assault. It could have been worse, Katie could have died.
My wife likes to teach them in reverse order.
Rule #3: ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
But you can’t do that if it’s your CCW weapon, your home defense weapon, you’re walking a field looking for rabbits, if you’re on the firing line. That’s when Rule 2 spreads its wings and saves you.
Rule #2: ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
I know. Guns are made to stick a finger in the trigger guard, on the trigger. It’s very hard to get into the habit and very easy to slip out of it. So now you’ve got a loaded gun and your finger is on the trigger. You are Patrick and your Katie is in front of you. It’s up to Rule 1 to whisper in your ear and save your sorry ass by keeping people alive.
#1: ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
Even if the gun goes bang, even if you have to live with a angery someone, even if your underwear needs a change, no body dies or goes to the hospital.
Our Founding Fathers didn’t think it was necessary to explain that rights are linked to responsibility. Reject the responsibilities and society will take your rights away from you. Now go be safe.
The Akron Beacon Journal reports that our neighboring community of Barberton gives us another lesson in gun safety.
It seems that Patrick was sitting with the love of his life, Katie, and decided the TV movie wasn’t interesting. Despite consuming one or two ounces of whiskey, or perhaps because of consuming one or two ounces, this was a perfect time to clean his gun.
Taking a seat on a couch behind Katie he dropped the magazine and pulled the trigger. I can’t say who was more dumbfounded by the resulting noise: Patrick or Katie who was shot through both thighs. I do believe on the dumb-o-meter, Patrick scores very high.
The police arrived in response to Patrick’s call. I give him credit for stepping up and doing what’s right, at least he didn’t blame a bushy-haired, one-armed stranger. They applied tourniquets to Katie’s legs. She was transported to the hospital, treated and later released.
When asked what happened, Patrick told police he didn’t know there was a round in the chamber, didn’t know the gun was loaded……
The police gave him field sobriety test and found he did not exhibit signs of impairment.
What can we learn from this classic bonehead move?
One, the police had tourniquets on them. If you’re a shooter, practice CCW, are into sport shooting, are a hunter, never be without combat or SWAT tourniquets. They’ll save your life. They’ll save someone else’s life.
Two, alcohol and firearms never mix. Was it the booze that distracted Patrick about the round in the chamber? Did the booze give him a false sense of competency?
Three, know how your weapon works. Patrick’s gun was a high capacity Frankenstein monster he assembled from parts and pieces he bought online. Of course a safety manual doesn’t come with that. Perhaps gun building should be left to more experienced and trained shooters. I’d like to remind you there are no John Wayne or Keanu Reeves genes for gun handling. There are both NRA and private schools where you can learn just about any level of gun handling and skill you want.
Finally at four, but really it should be first, the gold standard, the three NRA rules of firearm safety.
Yeah, I know. You may not like the NRA because:
a, they are too hard about….
b, they are too soft about…
Too bad, get over it. The three NRA rules can save your life and keep you out of prison. I should mention that Patrick has been charged with a felony third class – negligent assault. It could have been worse, Katie could have died.
My wife likes to teach them in reverse order.
Rule #3: ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
But you can’t do that if it’s your CCW weapon, your home defense weapon, you’re walking a field looking for rabbits, if you’re on the firing line. That’s when Rule 2 spreads its wings and saves you.
Rule #2: ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
I know. Guns are made to stick a finger in the trigger guard, on the trigger. It’s very hard to get into the habit and very easy to slip out of it. So now you’ve got a loaded gun and your finger is on the trigger. You are Patrick and your Katie is in front of you. It’s up to Rule 1 to whisper in your ear and save your sorry ass by keeping people alive.
#1: ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
Even if the gun goes bang, even if you have to live with a angery someone, even if your underwear needs a change, no body dies or goes to the hospital.
Our Founding Fathers didn’t think it was necessary to explain that rights are linked to responsibility. Reject the responsibilities and society will take your rights away from you. Now go be safe.
Comments
Post a Comment