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How many times have you heard a person say,
“I have been around guns all my life. I was raised with them. I know about them.” I hear it on a regular basis as a trainer.
I hear it all the time. When I hear this said to me when we are discussing classes or setting up classes, I often cringe and wonder just how much the person really knows. My biggest concern is safety. Just how safe are these people when the handle a firearm? As a hunter, competitive shooter, a recreational shooter, and a professional trainer I can tell you I have had a lot of close calls over the years when encountering the poorly trained person who has “Been around guns all their lives.” More than once I have looked into a muzzle of a loaded gun on a range because a person displayed horrible muzzle control. On several other occasions looking into the muzzle of a loaded gun when a member of a hunting group failed to keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. Also have had a few rounds hit the trees in front of me because a hunter in the hunting party got wrapped up in shooting the deer and not keeping aware of where the other members of the party are. When a shotgun slug hits the tree next to you, within a foot of your chest, it quickly influences you to take cover in a hurry, make yourself a small target and hope this fool stops shooting soon. I can’t count the number of times poor muzzle discipline or other safety rule infractions had to be corrected when a student failed to follow the rules because past experience was getting in the way of safety. Someone in their lives just taught them wrong. Yes, I cringe when I hear someone say, “I have been around guns all my life.” Most often it is not realized by that individual that there is a safety problem and there is a rule being overlooked by the person handling the gun. This could be because the are stupid or incompetent. It likely just means they are very lax or have not been properly trained in safe gun handling. The part that concerns me most is that these people think they are and can be good instructors to new shooters. They, to many times, pass along their bad habits and failures to those they are attempting to instruct. I saw a resent statement made by a well known instructor that really hits the mark here and one that I tend to agree with. The only problem is I can’t remember exactly who said it.
“Your boyfriend, brother, Uncle, Dad, husband, girlfriend, sister, significant other or friend are not good instructors and are not the people you should be going to for good firearms training. Seek out professional trainers with a good reputation.”
To give you a great example and this actually happened; One bright sunny mid-morning my son and I were on the range. We were engaged in a simple group shooting practice session working on our marksmanship. A car pulled up to the shooting bay so we stopped for a moment to allow those in the vehicle to get out and set up without being subjected to the loud noise of gunfire. Out of the car came two middle aged men and what appeared to be two college aged girls. The group got their hearing and eye protection on and my son and I continued with our practice. One of the fellows was setting up a gun so I decided to keep a closer eye on him while my son shot. Once they had gear on the table the older of the two gentlemen stepped out with one of the girls. They stepped down range without warning. My son had finished shooting so we stopped to watch. This guy with the gun in hand said’ This is how you hold it.” The girl clearly very nervous and obviously had never handled a handgun before then took the gun and her finger went right into the trigger well before even getting the gun in a good grip. The man then stepped just behind her and told her to point at the target and pull the trigger. Naturally she did not hit the target and suffered an injury to her hand from placing her thumb behind the slide. She was hurt and now really scared and nearly dropped the gun as she handed it back to her would be instructor. He tried to coax her into shooting again but she would have no part of it. While this was happening down range I was also watching the other guy as he loaded magazines and talked to the other girl. Then I saw it. With the gun pointed at me and my son he inserted a loaded magazine and hit the slide lock chambering a round. Then he turned the gun to point down range with people down range and began to instruct the girl standing next to him in the same manner as the first. I quickly sent my son to stand behind my truck as soon as I saw the gun pointed at us. Primarily at my son. Once my son was safe I stepped over to confront these two buffoons who clearly had no business instructing anyone in gun handling.
First the man who had pointed the gun at me and more so my son. I started off by informing him that I did not appreciate having a loaded gun pointed at myself and worse yet my son and he should be more aware of safety and where he is pointing a loaded gun.. He turned to talk to me, loaded gun in hand, again pointed at me. I stepped away from the muzzle pointed at me and told him to put the gun on the table carefully and pointed down range. He did and then began to inform me the gun was not loaded. Then he other two came back from down range and the first man asked what was going on. I told him his buddy had pointed a loaded gun at me and my son and at him while he was down range. Now the guy with the loaded gun commences to tell me the gun was not loaded. Me,”Really!! Loaded or not it should not have been pointed in an unsafe direction!” At this time I had all present stand behind him and told him to pick up the gun and keep it pointed down range. He picked the gun up placing his finger on the trigger as he did so. I instructed him to remove his finger from the trigger. He did. Then I directed him through clearing the gun to prove the gun was in fact loaded and making it safe. First remove the magazine. A full magazine now falls into his hand. Put the loaded magazine on the table. Now, open the action to show clear. As the action opens a live round extracts and ejects from the gun and landed on the ground in front of him. He casually says, ” Hmmm. I guess it was loaded after all.” My first thought was to hit this guy in the teeth. Better judgement got the best of me and I didn’t even though this guy earned it. Then he and the other fellow stepped away to talk. The older of the two turns and says, “You know you are a real asshole.” Here was my response, ” You are a real pair of f******g idiots. The two of you have no business even handling a gun let alone trying to teach someone, especially someone new to shooting, how to shoot and handle a gun. You are unsafe and clearly uneducated in proper handling of a firearm. I would suggest the two of you incompetent fools go find a good instructor and take a class or two. Until then do all a favor and stay the F**k away from guns and shooting ranges and more importantly instructing.” Yes, I was angry and disgusted to say the least. People had been needlessly put at risk. I then turned to the two young ladies and gave them my card and told them, “If you ladies would really like to learn proper and safe gun handling and have a good experience doing it give me a call. After today I will give you instruction at absolutely no charge and I will supply the guns and ammunition.” Within minutes the group packed up and left the range. I guess I hurt their feelings. That’s better than some unintended discharge killing or critically wounding someone present.
Needless to say I never heard from the two ladies. Also, I never saw those two gentlemen on the range again. Hopefully they took my advise and got some training and today are safer in their gun handling. Hopefully these two idiots are leaving the instruction to someone that knows what they are doing.
In the end being around guns all your life doesn’t mean you now what you are doing or that you can handle them safely. Getting some formal training won’t hurt and if it makes you better it’s a good thing. Right? Please leave the instructing to the professionals. Be safe out there folks. See you on the range.
T-M Firearms Training 