safety at gun shows

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 26 January 2013

just hours ago an exhibitor shot himself in the hand while setting up ...at the big gun show at the fairgrounds in des moines ...

and last week there was another ( two ?  ) people shot at a gun show...maybe while clearing a gun ...


poor timing....  anybody remember any previous accidents at gun shows in the last 50 years ?   not me ...

ken

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R Dupraz posted this 26 January 2013

I'm not surprised from what Iv'e seen on our range in the last few yrs. And it's a members only facility with a locked gate. That's why I stay away on wk ends.

The only incident that I'm aware of, not saying that there hasn't been any, was, as the story goes, some spectator had put a live rnd in a rifle that was displayed on a table. Some one else came along, picked it up and inadvertantly fired it. No one hurt though. Two idiots, one after the other.

RD

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Michael K posted this 26 January 2013

Considering the events/accidents of last two weekends at gunshows, who needs congress or our “Dear Leader” to push for closure. Patrons and vendors will do the job for them.

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John Alexander posted this 26 January 2013

I was at a Gun Show in Indianapolis last June when guy shot himself in the hand. I wasn't far away but on the other side of a concrete wall in the men's room. We watched the cops bandage up the hand. Such things make gun owners look stupid.

Unless somebody died I don't think such stupidity wound up in the paper before now.

In more ways than one we are our own worst enemy.

John

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6pt-sika posted this 26 January 2013

I was at a gunshow in Fishersville Virginia back maybe 15 or 20 years ago .

 

Some idiot walked in with a 32 ACP round in his pocket because he wanted “to see” if it fit in the El Cheapo Jennings semi auto . Seems he had one at home that wouldn't function very well .

Anyway he picked up a new one off some dealers table inserted the round and shot I believe himself thru the leg and one or two folks as the round went thru his leg and richocheted off the concrete floor .

 

I was about to walk down the aisle this happened right before the gun popped . I was maybe 30 yards away when it happened . Talk about a room going dead silent !

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PETE posted this 26 January 2013

Just goes to show there a lot of people dumber than rocks.

A very good habit to get into is every time you pick up a gun make sure it's unloaded. Even your own gun you KNOW isn't loaded. Just a good habit to get into.

Especially at a gun show where who knows who looked at that gun before you did and what they might have done.

That self inflicted gun show shooting mentioned in the first message made for a nice piece in the States largest liberal newspaper. We'll be seeing letters to the editor about that for the next week or more. Bet you can't guess which side most will be on.

Pete

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Balhincher posted this 26 January 2013

This past weekend there was another negligent discharge at the big Indianapolis gun show. Apparently someone after unloading his gun to enter, shot himself in the hand while reloading out side later. I read about two other discharges at gun shows last weekend as well. Shooting sports has attracted a lot of new people in the last few years and unfortunately many of them aren't well schooled in safe gun handling. It's nice to get new members of the gun community but they can be a liability as these very preventable accidents show.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 26 January 2013

the exhibitor at the des moines show has been banned. bet that responsible action will make big news in the commie des moines register ... or not,

thedes moines show is a pretty good one, for anyone in the area. 2 more days.

ken

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Lefty posted this 26 January 2013

R Dupraz wrote: I'm not surprised from what Iv'e seen on our range in the last few yrs. And it's a members only facility with a locked gate. That's why I stay away on wk ends.

The only incident that I'm aware of, not saying that there hasn't been any, was, as the story goes, some spectator had put a live rnd in a rifle that was displayed on a table. Some one else came along, picked it up and inadvertantly fired it. No one hurt though. Two idiots, one after the other.

RD

I don't go to our gun club on weekends anymore, either. In Minnesota we allow people to take gun training on line. I fear that just reinforces that gun handling is a video game not an activity with real consequences. I suppose I am an old goat but just sayin something isn't working.

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cityboy posted this 26 January 2013

All the gun shows I have gone to required the gun to be made safe be inserting a cable tie into the action locking it open. Is this true at other shows?

Jim

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PETE posted this 26 January 2013

Jim,

The cable tie is required after it's inspected before entering the show at the above mentioned Des Moines show. I took a revolver in today to get a holster for it and went thru the procedure. The incident above was done by a dealer setting up there so doubt he had to have all his guns inspected. After he came back to get his stuff he was seen outside being interviewed by a TV crew.

At an earlier show, while standing in line, I witnessed a guy adjust his gun under his Belt at his back and then cover it up with his sweatshirt. Walked right by the two Police Officers set up to inspect weapons before they could be brought into the show.

Yes. I did turn him in and the Police kicked him out. People who heard me talking to the Police said I should have kept my mouth shut. Makes me wonder how many loaded weapons are actually carried at any show.

Pete

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Balhincher posted this 26 January 2013

The rule at the Indianapolis gun show that carry pistols have to be “made safe” is apparently what contributed to the negligent discharge.  The guy had to unload his gun and have a strap affixed through the barrel then after exiting the show he removed the strap and was loading it again when he shot himself in the hand.  Would that have happened if he had just carried it in loaded and not been asked to unload and load it?  Why is the gun show different than going into Wal Mart or some other place where people carry loaded guns but don't take them out and fiddle with them while there.  Is it possible it would be safer to simply allow people with a license to carry to go in rather than have them loading and unloading?  I don't know the answer but a holstered gun seems safer then one being manipulated at the entrance and exit.

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PETE posted this 26 January 2013

Seems to me if you don't know how to properly load and unload a gun without it going off then maybe, just maybe, you shouldn't be allowed to have a carry permit. Maybe the Sheriff over there should be looking into whether this guy is qualified.

What I'd really like to know is how you shoot yourself in the hand handling a gun. I had a semi- auto shotgun go full auto on me when I dropped the receiver. But all that happened was I put five holes in the sky.

Pete

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Brodie posted this 26 January 2013

Seems to me if you don't know how to properly load and unload a gun without it going off then maybe, just maybe, you shouldn't be allowed to have a carry permit. Maybe the Sheriff over there should be looking into whether this guy is qualified. Said Pete;

I''m with Pete I don't see why these idiots can't learn how to handle firearms safely and correctly.  The attitude that we should not call down or report some careless idiot to authority is ridiculous.  One of our best defenses against gun grabbers is to be safe and responsible AS A GROUP not only as individuals.  If it hurts some dimwits ego to have another shooter quietly point out his safety transgressions privately then his stupidity should be pointed out publically and loudly so everyone can be made aware of how dumb and careless this creep is.  For those who think that my attitude is too hard line; I have been shot once by a careless hunter (not seriously thank goodness) and damn near killed by one member of my family and another hunter .  I don't have much use for these fools.  If they can't keep the barrel pointed in a safe direction they should have their guns taken away from them and made to serve petifours to Diane Fienstien. Brodie

B.E.Brickey

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Wineman posted this 27 January 2013

One of my work mates came in one day with his new toy a “gangsta special” Tec-9. If you are not familiar they are a stamped metal “pistol” in 9 mm. They are similar to the old M3 “Grease Gun” in that there is only a hole for your finger to pull the bolt back. As usual I checked and of course there was a round in the chamber :X. The mag was empty though. This guy is one of those who paints us safe and sane owners with the wrong color brush.

I recently attended a class on High Power. We all had AR's and there was a young man there with his father. During a classroom portion we were asked to bring out the weapons. For some reason this young man did not have a chamber flag. He was a nice kid but it just made me nervous to see a rifle in his hands that was not safe for this exercise. He was surprised when I made him use an extra I had. I just thought of it as a teachable moment.

Dave

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hunterspistol posted this 28 January 2013

:coffee  He was a nice kid but it just made me nervous to see a rifle in his hands that was not safe for this exercise. He was surprised when I made him use an extra I had. I just thought of it as a teachable moment  

        You can hand me a chamber flag any day!  I agree 100%.   I pick them up from new guns for everything I have.   It's odd how people have gotten away from lodging that little plastic flag where it should be.  It tells me that 'the rifling looks fine from here'.   Akin to opening a single shot and looking straight at the rifling, you know it's safe.

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TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 29 January 2013

Pete - I SALUTE YOU! SAFETY first. Bust 'em for trying to sneak in a loaded weapon! Tim K.

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Dirtybore posted this 24 January 2015

OK, I'll bite. Since I'm not familier with AR's, what's a chamber flag? It's certainly not an item I've ever had to use with my bolt actions and muzzleloaders. I'm probably “old school” and have grown up with “actions open” and barrel pointed in as safe direction.

I know what the AR's are, I've just never handled them. The few I've watched being shot on our range, I've been able to out shoot with my bolt actions and muzzleloaders.

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Mike H posted this 24 January 2015

Chamber flag,ECI,empty chamber indicator,a simple device about four to six inches long that you insert in the breech end of the barrel,having an enlarged flag shape end which is visible to all around you.When fitted it is obvious that the bolt is open.A practice that is/was strongly enforced at Raton last year at the US Championships and the World F/Class Championships.What you do with a muzzle loader I have no idea.

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Dirtybore posted this 24 January 2015

I guess we buckskin clad trappers, mountain men, and reprobates haven't heard of them new fangled things yet.

I compete at rendezvous and not at those all too serious super class shoots. In any case, since it was AR's they were discussing, I thought the chamber flag was something new and particular for those firearms.

Thanks for the info.

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mike0841 posted this 24 January 2015

The chamber flag has been around for a long time and is mandatory at any NRA sanctioned match. Mike

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Pentz posted this 24 January 2015

Chamber flags are THE essential accessory that people are surprisingly too cheap to buy for their thousand-dollar firearms.  I make these from shot-up target backers and heavy trimmer line.  Always have a few on hand to pass out to cheapskates or others.  The notch is to fit my T6; it is high enough to be seen from a distance by the RO.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 26 January 2015

although usually the source of lots of funny stories ... ADRENALINE can lower i.q. by at least half in competition ... a very intelligent and experienced shooter friend of mine actually got up and walked downrange to check his target .. on an active 10 bench line .... he got about 10 feet before we came out of our shock and screamed at him ...


doing dangerous things in groups is somehow a greater risk ... even plinking with friends sends me into defcon 3 ... the only crashes in my shop in 30 years were when 2 or more operators were group ... uh .... ” thinking ” ..

nobody ever choked on a filet mignon eating by himself ... nobody to out-talk !!

and if you drop a hula popper on several bass one will always grab it to beat his buddies ...

ken

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Dirtybore posted this 04 February 2015

Pentz; obviously you attend different caliber competitions than I do. As I said, I'd never seen much less ever heard of a chamber flag. That's an interesting flag you pictured but is it large enough to be seen from a distance? Is there an official color the flags have to be? I would have though bright neon green or hunter orange but those pictures allows me to presume they can be any color.

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Pentz posted this 04 February 2015

Never saw or heard of a chamber flag? Really?

It provides visual proof that the action is open and chamber is clear. The cut allows it to hook onto the turret knob and be visible...enough so the RSO can tap it with his red-tipped cane passing by. Most flags are not scope-friendly; they flop over and are difficult to see unless one is on top of the firearm. Visibility is your friend and keeps the RSO from giving you the stinkeye.

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M. W. Curtess posted this 07 February 2015

"O.B.I.'s” (Open Breech Indicators) were mandatory at all BPCRS matches for about 30 years.  Took me a couple of years to train myself to say “OBI", tho.  Even tho I was thinking “OBI” -  for some reason “I.U.D.” most often came out.  Embarassing!     :dunce:    “Too cheap to buy"? I haven't shot in a match for 10 years or so, but there were usually a big container of them where you registered for the match and your firearm was inspected for compliance purposes - free, gratis.  Inexcuseable for anyone not to have one. ("One-by-one, people are Fun.  But in great masses, they're Horses' A_es")  (Confucius)

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Dirtybore posted this 09 February 2015

"Never saw or heard of a chamber flag? Really?"

Do I read that as your thinking, Increadible and or unbelievable?

Like I indicated in my previous post, they are not used in muzzleloading competitions and THAT is the only type of cometition I've participated in. As I stated, “obviously you attend different caliber competitions than I do.” So no, I've never seen a chamber flag. SO, I've learned something new from this thread.

Are the flags only manditory during competitive shoots or during all shooting on the range? The reason I'm asking is we shoot plenty of bolt actions on the range I attend and and the rule there is to place the firearm in the rack with it's action open when it's not being used. Then and when people go down range to get targets.

It would be embarassing to attend a range only to discover I'm not prepared. :(

As long as I'm shooting muzzleloaders, I don't believe I have to worry about it. Most of our rendezvous type shoots are trail walks where the competitors follow a trail and shoot offhand at interesting targets such as steel gongs shaped like critters or some other challenging shape. These targets are placed at verious distances and most likely, not 25, 50, or 100 yrs. All shooting and loading is done from a mountain man's pouch and powder horn while on the trail.

One of my favourite shots is cutting a playing card into two pieces. The card is placed such that you are looking at the side, the thin side to you, and it must be cut completely in two. No, this is not a 100 yd shot :)

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Dirtybore posted this 09 February 2015

M. W. Curtess; O.B.I. (Open Breech Indicator) and I.U.D. I had to use an O.B.A. (Oxygen Breathing Apperatis) while in the navy. My battle station was Repair 5 where it was our job to stop any flooding or fires in the boiler rooms and engine rooms of the ship, a tin can.

Like you, I can just see what mistake I would make, O.B.A. (Open Breech attenuator). :)

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Pentz posted this 09 February 2015

My mistake...you need an ONI...Open nipple (or open frizzen?) indicator. my apology for the impertinence!

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acfirearms posted this 30 December 2016

the gun shows put on by the “south carolina arms collectors association” require colored zip-ties on ALL guns for sale. this includes hand guns(zip-tie is through the bore and secured as a loop. rifles and shot guns are locked in the open position and can not be closed. this has worked very well for the dealer and customer.  I like chamber flags on the firing line.

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David Reiss posted this 30 December 2016

Many years ago while attending the Houston Gun Collectors Show in the Astro Hall (Houston's biggest) a dealer discharged a “empty” rifle handed to him by a show goer to examine. Luckily it was pointed in the up and away from any soft targets. It certainly got everyone's attention.

But this thread brings to mind something I was taught in my firearms instructor school when I was a very young police officer. We had it pounded into us to “never accept a firearm from anyone that didn't have it's action open & clear” and never pick-up a firearms to handle it without first “opening it's action and making sure it is clear". To this day when someone starts to hand me a firearm with the action closed, I keep my hands to myself and ask them to open & clear. If these rules are followed accidents like these that have been described can be avoided.  

David Reiss - NRA Life Member & PSC Range Member Retired Police Firearms Instructor/Armorer
-Services: Wars Fought, Uprisings Quelled, Bars Emptied, Revolutions Started, Tigers Tamed, Assassinations Plotted, Women Seduced, Governments Run, Gun Appraisals, Lost Treasure Found.
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