Gun Manners

[Willtallica]

They should put something like this up on a big sign infront of every shooting range.

[Mike45]

While looking back at some older posts, I returned to this great thread and figured some of the new members would enjoy it...Mike45

[SGTUSArmy]

I have one additional rule when handling firearms. When you hand me a firearm, it is pointed away from me. If it goes off for any reason it doesn't shoot me. When I hand it back, it is away from you. (side or at me. In the Armsroom the barrell is usually at a 45 angle either in or out. depends on which side I am on.)

[PA Rifleman]

Originally Posted by GRIZZLYBEAR

...
8. Don't drop an autopistol's slide on an empty chamber, nor "flip" a revolver's cylinder closed.

...

And certainly -don't- flip a cylinder OUT, since that can bend the crane.

[kimbershooter]

This is one of rules at my local club

No firearm or ammo is to be handled when someone is infront of the fire line.
Sometimes I have seen people loading their mags and even putting them back in the gun while people are still down range.

[JLStorm]

This isnt actually a rule....but it always gives me a good chuckle when I think about it. I remember the first time my dad took me shooting...when I began to reload a magazine he stopped me and I asked why...he said just be quiet and listen for a minute. I listened and he didnt speak, nor did I hear anything other than shooting. After about 30 seconds he smiled looked over at me and said, notice how no one seems to argue at a gun range.

"An armed society is a police society"

[Fitch]

Originally Posted by JLStorm

"An armed society is a police society"

The corollary to which is: "If you go armed in society, you better be polite."

I don't have a problem with the rules. In fact I was taught essentially this same set of rules by my Dad 5 decades ago.

However, there is an issue. There are some semi automatic pistols that can not have the slide locked back unless they have an empty magazine in them. My Walther PPK/S being one of those. There is no manual slide lock on it anyplace. That makes handing it over with the action open very difficult unless one either carries a spare magazine, or unloads a magazine, inserts it, then racks the slide so the action will lock open. Chasing dropped bullets isn't fun so I don't do that.

So what do I do if someone asks to see it and I am willing for them to see it? After giving it considerable thought this is what I came up with.

I clear it with the decocking lever on safe (and pointed in a safe direction of course). Then I tell the person that I'm about to hand it to about the characteristic, I hold the slide back for them to see the empty chamber before closing the slide (it will automatically decock if the lever is on safe) and then handing it to them.

The other gun that doesn't easily conform to the rules is a single action revolver. What I do with those (I have several) is open the gate and rotate the cylinder holding the gun so that the person I'm about to hand it to can see it is empty. Then I leave the gate open when I hand it to them.

Fitch