gemini52 Posted October 24, 2018 Report Share Posted October 24, 2018 On 23/08/2018 at 15:57, Westward said: Whichever way you close the gun, never have the muzzles pointing at the ground as the gun closes. Even on grass or dirt there could be something solid enough just below ground level to cause a deflection. New one on me, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gotgcoalman Posted October 24, 2018 Report Share Posted October 24, 2018 Hold and break gun with one hand. Insert cartridges. Flip gun so the barrel closes with the hand holding it. use the loading hand to grip the forend before firing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzicat Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 10 hours ago, gotgcoalman said: Hold and break gun with one hand. Insert cartridges. Flip gun so the barrel closes with the hand holding it. use the loading hand to grip the forend before firing. No thanks, saw Steve McQueen do it though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westward Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 15 hours ago, gemini52 said: New one on me, Ever seen a "slam fire"? That's when a hammer drops as the gun is closed. I've witnessed it once but fortunately the gun was pointing safely downrange. You should never fire into the ground or point a loaded gun at the ground when closing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salopian Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 Times change and people have very valid points of view. Maybe it is time for us all to give this some serious thought? If we close gun wood to barrels whilst holding out front , we risk shooting at beaters which is a no! NO! If we close barrels pointing at ground we risk ricochet from rocks or stones . If we close barrels at an angle we risk damaging dog or neighbours . So vigilance and care is required at all times . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 2 hours ago, Salopian said: Times change and people have very valid points of view. Maybe it is time for us all to give this some serious thought? If we close gun wood to barrels whilst holding out front , we risk shooting at beaters which is a no! NO! If we close barrels pointing at ground we risk ricochet from rocks or stones . If we close barrels at an angle we risk damaging dog or neighbours . So vigilance and care is required at all times. Knowing what you are doing, knowing the dangerous consequences of getting it wrong, knowing how to handle a weapon all come in to it, but surely, if you see someone doing it wrongly, have a quiet word with them in private in order to educate them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salopian Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 Agreed , but we all do not seem to agree what the correct way is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old farrier Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 Probably because it’s dependent upon the situation and environment that you’re shooting in many safe ways to close a gun the main thing should be muzzle awareness all the best of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gotgcoalman Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 On a more serious note. Open gun/load cartridges. Bring the barrels up to close. Ensure finger is resting on the side of the gun NOT the trigger or in my case triggers. Always pointing in a safe direction and never at the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 2 hours ago, Old farrier said: Probably because it’s dependent upon the situation and environment that you’re shooting in many safe ways to close a gun the main thing should be muzzle awareness all the best of This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzicat Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 26 minutes ago, gotgcoalman said: On a more serious note. Open gun/load cartridges. Bring the barrels up to close. Ensure finger is resting on the side of the gun NOT the trigger or in my case triggers. Always pointing in a safe direction and never at the floor. As I have said before closing a gun metal to wood must bring the muzzles up to waist level,a discharge into the ground could cause possible injury, if anyone was in range, a discharge at waist level would be sure to, where you have your fingers in the event of a discharge is irrelevant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 8 hours ago, Westward said: Ever seen a "slam fire"? That's when a hammer drops as the gun is closed. I've witnessed it once but fortunately the gun was pointing safely downrange. You should never fire into the ground or point a loaded gun at the ground when closing it. I have witnessed 'a LOT' of accidental discharges on DTL ranges over the years, ALL were user error. Either leaving the finger on the trigger, having fired 1 barrel, then the action of opening the gun, caused the trigger to be pulled again. OR, most commonly, the leaving of the finger on the trigger whilst closing the gun, as soon as the barrels reached the breech face the gun discharged. Thankfully in each case, the gun was pointing some 6/8 feet in front and slightly left AT the ground, of the right handed shooter, similar to the right of a left hander, and I never witnessed any injuries other than the odd dead worm ! I accept if the shooting ground had been in a rock or slate quarry, there may have been a risk of a ricochet, but on most normal terrain it just puts a graze on the floor. A week later, after the grass has regrown, it is invisible. Most of the 'guilty parties' of the above discharges were novices to DTL and a lot was down to nerves , however some had been sporting shooters for a while, but were new to DTL . My barrels will ALWAYS be pointing at the ground some 8 feet in front and to my left (I'm right handed) with the gun at a 45 degree angle away from me, when opening or closing any of my guns. My auto I hold in the same way, with my left hand, whilst closing the bolt with my right hand. I have been 'lucky' that I have never had an accidental discharge, as such, with any firearm......................YET, that is ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemini52 Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 (edited) 10 hours ago, Westward said: Ever seen a "slam fire"? That's when a hammer drops as the gun is closed. I've witnessed it once but fortunately the gun was pointing safely downrange. You should never fire into the ground or point a loaded gun at the ground when closing it. A shoot i go to on a sunday had stands that were enclosed with metal sheeting,a guy was using a lanber over and under,he loaded two shells into the gun and closed it barrel up the thing went off and blew a ruddy geat hole in the metal sheeting just missing my mate,his reply was it just went off,never saw the guy since,the stands have been replaced with concrete panels now,the moral being if he had closed the gun correctly the shot would have gone into the ground and not scared the s... out of me.and possibly killed or injured my mate. Edited October 25, 2018 by gemini52 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westward Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 Each to their own but as far as I'm concerned a gun with live rounds in the chambers should never have the muzzles pointing anywhere but in a safe direction and personally I don't consider the ground to be a safe direction. Working as ref at 100s of shoots over the last 7 or 8 years I've been hit by stray and ricocheting lead pellets numerous times, luckily never at close range, but ricochets do happen - even off clay targets - and a stone or anything hard can easily deflect pellets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozz Posted November 12, 2018 Report Share Posted November 12, 2018 We all know the solution to this is a semi auto 😂 Joaking aside iv been told off over the years for both ways i think key thing is here to know exactly where the end of ur barrels are when closing and exactly where they are while moving skywards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted November 13, 2018 Report Share Posted November 13, 2018 I have been on many gun handling 'Instructional' courses over the years. Some by Military or ex Military Instructors, some by both BASC and the CPSA. I can NOT recall any of them instructing me to load and close either a shotgun or firearm, with the barrel pointing anywhere, but at the ground several feet in front of me. I can only presume that I have been on all of the 'wrong' courses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salopian Posted November 21, 2018 Report Share Posted November 21, 2018 Three weeks ago :- Local Gameshoot , RH Gun closes his gun pointing at the ground , sadly due to probably having his finger on the trigger whilst closing it he blew his left foot off . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted November 21, 2018 Report Share Posted November 21, 2018 1 hour ago, Salopian said: Three weeks ago :- Local Gameshoot , RH Gun closes his gun pointing at the ground , sadly due to probably having his finger on the trigger whilst closing it he blew his left foot off . So, if he had been pointing the gun slightly forward, some 2 metres (so as NOT to confuse with feet !) he could have appeared on 'Strictly' next week, unless of course he had damned big feet ! Highlights one problem of a manual safety on a game gun too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted November 21, 2018 Report Share Posted November 21, 2018 1 hour ago, Salopian said: Three weeks ago :- Local Gameshoot , RH Gun closes his gun pointing at the ground , sadly due to probably having his finger on the trigger whilst closing it he blew his left foot off . However you look at it that takes some doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted November 21, 2018 Report Share Posted November 21, 2018 4 minutes ago, Hamster said: However you look at it that takes some doing. Yes, my thoughts exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted November 21, 2018 Report Share Posted November 21, 2018 (edited) I was once Reffing a DTL round when one shooter placed the muzzle of a closed and loaded semi auto on his foot, cos that's what the others were doing. Difference being the other 4 had OPENED O/U's ! I have put a post on here recently highlighting how often I have seen guns being opened and closed with fingers near triggers, also the need for added diligence when using a manual safety catch in the field. Edited November 21, 2018 by Westley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCat Posted November 21, 2018 Report Share Posted November 21, 2018 Just make sure that whatever you point the barrel at is ok to be destroyed, then if a careless finger is in the trigger or the gun dischages due to poor condition or improper maintenanc, no harm will come. If you have no muzzle awareness and poor gun handling then at some point you will have a ND and the consequences will potentially be severe. At a clay range you should only load in the cage with the muzzels down range. In the field id suggest a suitable spot 3 to 5 feet in front on you in the firing position (peg or hide) when ready to shoot. I dont see how wood to metal or barrels to wood makes an difference if you have the thing pointing in a dangerous place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted November 21, 2018 Report Share Posted November 21, 2018 (edited) I’ve said it before and it’s worth saying again....forget about your safety catch; muzzle awareness is EVERYTHING! Despite what anyone says, there will come a time on a driven shoot when you have guns to either side of you, beaters in front and pickers up behind, with birds coming over you thick and fast. Do what you think best, but keep your finger off that trigger til you’re ready to shoot. Or, as others have said....buy an auto. Problem solved. 🙂 Edited November 21, 2018 by Scully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted November 21, 2018 Report Share Posted November 21, 2018 On 23/08/2018 at 21:36, Walker570 said: Surely that's only when close to the border with Suffolk ???? We don't allow him near the border with Suffolk. It's a demilitarised zone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salopian Posted November 22, 2018 Report Share Posted November 22, 2018 Hamster replied:- " However you look at it that takes some doing. " Apparently not ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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