Gun safety training courses...

[JulesMaximus]

I see people recommending it to gun noobs all the time but I'm curious if anyone has anyone taken one? It's not exactly rocket science. You could give anyone enough information in 10-15 minutes to safely operate pretty much any gun.

I took a hunter safety course about 15 years ago to get my hunting license but other than that I've never had any formal instruction on shooting guns and I had been shooting for years prior to taking the hunter safety course.

I learned to shoot a rifle from my Step Dad when I was 11 or 12 years old. Never fired a handgun until I was in my early 20s when a friend of mine took me to the shooting range. I bought my first handgun shortly after and the rest is history.

 

[Kelvrick]

4 basic rules.

All guns are always loaded.
Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

2 more rules.

-You cannot easily teach your husband/wife/significant other because they generally just won't listen to you. Send them to a course.
-Think about what people tell you and compare it to rules above. If it goes against it, they are unsafe and you should seriously consider any advice you get from them.

 

[preslove]

4 basic rules.

All guns are always loaded.
Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

2 more rules.

-You cannot easily teach your husband/wife/significant other because they generally just won't listen to you. Send them to a course.
-Think about what people tell you and compare it to rules above. If it goes against it, they are unsafe and you should seriously consider any advice you get from them.

+ interior walls won't stop must bullets. For fuck's sake, if you're going to dry fire, point the gun at the ground.

 

[JulesMaximus]

4 basic rules.

All guns are always loaded.
Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to shoot.
Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

2 more rules.

-You cannot easily teach your husband/wife/significant other because they generally just won't listen to you. Send them to a course.
-Think about what people tell you and compare it to rules above. If it goes against it, they are unsafe and you should seriously consider any advice you get from them.

FTFY. Let's be honest here, bullets typically go through stuff, they aren't ICBMs or explosive tipped.

 

[tarheel1983]

Its amazing the things you take for granted ppl dont know if you have been trained in guns for so long

 

[Phoenix86]

FTFY. Let's be honest here, bullets typically go through stuff, they aren't ICBMs or explosive tipped.

Unless you are shooting explosive rounds. :sneaky:

But yeah, I have always heard that rule as destroy too. I think it adds a little extra punch so you understand the meaning.

 

[corwin]

Telling them that doesn't necessarily stick, a few hours of it including some range time and maybe some displays of what happens when you shoot something (fruit for example) makes a much better impression

BTW love the tags, that's the only book I've read more than once

 

[*kjm]

I had Gun safety training from 1983 to 1990

 

[HardcoreRobot]

driving a car is pretty damn easy too, do you advocate the same approach for learning how to do that?

 

[IGemini]

FTFY. Let's be honest here, bullets typically go through stuff, they aren't ICBMs or explosive tipped.

It's not really mutually exclusive. That discharged .22LR round can still potentially make one's computer useless. Not like you'd direct it that way or anything, just a point to not underestimate what you're handling.

My brother is expert-qualified army infantry so I've gotten a lot of pointers from him, got around doing any classes for the time being.

My own additions to Kelvrick's basic list:

• ALWAYS do a brass and load check of any firearm you start to handle in a given time. Even your own.
• PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. Not just sending rounds downrange. If you're doing concealed carry, practice drawing from your holster. Reloading, if necessary. If you use a DA/SA pistol, practice in DA mode-only a bit.
• Use trigger discipline: keep your finger outside the guard unless you intend to pull the trigger, whether for dry-fire practice or actual shooting.
• Keep your weapon clean and lightly oiled. It should be done whenever you get one and after each time you shoot, even just a few rounds. This makes it less prone to failure and rust.
• Get comfortable with knowing your weapon(s). Read the manual. Try different types of ammo if you can. Practice shooting in different scenarios, within reason (one-hand or off-handed for example). Youtube and reviews can be great information sources.

These are just things I go by, but the only thing worse than a trained person with a gun, is an untrained person with a gun...and not in a good way.

 

[JulesMaximus]

driving a car is pretty damn easy too, do you advocate the same approach for learning how to do that?

There are a lot more rules to know for driving a car. That's a really poor analogy. :thumbsdown:

 

[rudeguy]

You can never have enough training. And going back to the basics is always, ALWAYS the best idea when it comes to safety.

Go to any gun range on any given day. I promise you will see at least one person doing something that goes against the 4 basic rules.

 

[shortylickens]

Guys who think gun safety AND operation can be done in 15 minutes are a huge part of the reason liberals wanna ban guns entirely.
The shooting in at the Florida church is a fine example of this in action.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I've always been a believer that one should be required to have a special license to buy a gun. Getting that license should be similar to getting a driver's license. Only in America where you can buy a gun, bullets and a bag of chips at a gas station and walk away like it's nothing.

 

[911paramedic]

In CA you are required to if you want a hunting license. There was a really small amount of decent info and a ton of common sense crap.

 

[Brovane]

I took a class back in 1997 when I got my first hand-gun. The class was about 3-hours long and covered basic gun safety. The class also included range time also to get more familiar with loading, shooting a gun etc. There was several good tips and I am glad I went considering I was a novice at the time. The instructor also discussed practical things like when you can or cannot use a gun in self defense and laws regarding transportation of firearms in your vehicle.

 

[JulesMaximus]

In CA you are required to if you want a hunting license. There was a really small amount of decent info and a ton of common sense crap.

I took that course and I couldn't agree more. It was an entire day of common sense a few movies on surviving in the wilderness and that was pretty much it.

I am always aware of where the gun is pointing and always always always check the chamber before handling any gun. I don't care if you just watched the guy behind the counter clear the gun before handing it to you. First thing you do is check it again yourself.

 

[911paramedic]

I think there should be a mandatory gun handling class, which would include gun safety. I see so many noobs flag other people, and walk around with fingers on triggers, or magazines in the firearm when they are not using it, etc.

Heck, here's a ten minute video that covers safe handling...but it takes TIME and PRACTICE to get good at them and follow them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4sIGAuD90E

 

[ViviTheMage]

Take a concealed course, you get more information out of tha.t

 

[edro]

Ohio requires training to obtain your Concealed Carry license.
When I got my license, it was 2 days long, 8 hours a day.
The last 4 hours were on the range with your own pistol.

Our trainer was a professional bodyguard and taught us tons of info on self defense, which is not part of the normal training.
He went over the state mandated info in like 2 hours and spent the rest of the time going over real world situations.
How to escape a conflict, how to avoid conflict, how to always be on guard and anticipate situations, how to and when to engage conflict, etc.
It was very informative. I was going to take his advanced class, but it was more expensive and I never signed up.
He taught us drawing from holsters, special grips, burst patterns, finger positioning, etc.

I also took basic safety when I was 14 when I got my hunting license.
I don't remember anything other than not to aim it at anything you didn't want to die and to always wear orange.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I think there should be a mandatory gun handling class, which would include gun safety. I see so many noobs flag other people, and walk around with fingers on triggers, or magazines in the firearm when they are not using it, etc.

Heck, here's a ten minute video that covers safe handling...but it takes TIME and PRACTICE to get good at them and follow them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4sIGAuD90E

When at the range I always keep the weapon in the lane and pointed downrange even when loading, unloading, picking up to shoot etc. When I'm done it gets unloaded and then put away in my shooting bag. If it is carried back to the table it is done so with the slide locked back, the magazine out, and pointed at the floor.

It's not that hard to develop good habits.

 

[spidey07]

I think there should be a mandatory gun handling class, which would include gun safety. I see so many noobs flag other people, and walk around with fingers on triggers, or magazines in the firearm when they are not using it, etc.

Heck, here's a ten minute video that covers safe handling...but it takes TIME and PRACTICE to get good at them and follow them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4sIGAuD90E

Hell, I think they should teach it in middle school and again in high.

 

[SViper]

I personally have not had a professional training course besides my CHL course, but then again, I've been shooting guns with my dad since the age of 10.

I would absolutely recommend a gun safety course to anyone new to guns. Shooting a gun is an acquired skill like anything else (driving, walking, talking, typing, etc). Most people possess the fine motor skills required to pick up a gun and pull the trigger. To do it effectively and safely requires training and practice. Same with typing. Anyone who can read can punch at letter keys to type, but training and practice is required to do it effectively and safely.

 

[DrPizza]

Hunter safety course in NY is 10 or 12 hours now. 80% of that is about gun safety.

 

[rudeguy]

Hunter safety course in NY is 10 or 12 hours now. 80% of that is about gun safety.

way too long

3-4 hours is the limit of what classroom stuff should be. I'd love to see 8-9 hours of hands on training.