Loading That First Round.....

[CR10X]

As you all make all the justifications of why and what and how, please remember the lowly Range Officer or Match director that will be sitting there. Please remember we are trying to ensure that NOTHING unsafe will happen at our match.

I've seen people with pistols not in the best safe direction when loading. (I've even see a round hit a frame at an angle, shatter and have a piece big enough to get back across the line and hit a car behind the line.) I've seen people that just have to point that loaded gun over the target and over the berm because they "have to come down from some point at the sky position" to get on the target. I've seen many "accidential" discharges during matches on loading. And EVERY one was a person with the "finger on the trigger" method.

Yes, you can dryfire all you want (the gun is not loaded therefore the "dry" part, duh). We're talking about loading the gun here. And as hard as we try to change things, someone is going to keep on saying "So and so" said it was ok to do that.

But please just think about this. As you get confused one time and maybe have that one time accident, or get distracted and do the drop - pull rather than pull - drop; just picture that projectile just clearing the top of the berm and leaving the range.

Now imagine what could happen to some 5 year old girl, playing with her kitten in the back yard, down range from your firing line.

With that in mind, would YOU like to be explaining how holding the trigger back was the safest thing to do, or would you like to be able to say I did not have my finger on the trigger?

You all decide and have a nice day.

Cecil

[Isabel1130]

As you all make all the justifications of why and what and how, please remember the lowly Range Officer or Match director that will be sitting there. Please remember we are trying to ensure that NOTHING unsafe will happen at our match.

I've seen people wiht pistols not in the best safe direction. I've seen people that just have to point that loaded gun over the target and over the berm becasue they "have to come down from some point at the sky position" to get on the target. I've seen many "accidential" discharges during matches on loading. And EVERY one was a person with the "finger on the trigger" method.

Yes, you can dryfire all you want (the gun is not loaded therefore the "dry" part, duh). We're talking about loading the gun here. And as hard as we try to change things, someone is going to keep on saying "So and so" said it was ok to do that.

But please just think about this. As you get confused one time and maybe have that one time accident, or get distracted and do the drop / pull rather than pull - drop; just picture that projectile just clearing the top of the berm and leaving the range. Now imagine what could happen to some 5 year old girl, playing with her kitten in the back yard, down range from your firing line. With that in mind, would YOU like to be explaining how holding the trigger back was the safest thing to do, or would you like to be able to say I did not have my finger on the trigger? You all decide and have a nice day.

Cecil

While I totally agree in principle, and I dont hold the trigger back, I dont like ranges with housing behind them.

There is a world of difference between holding the trigger back, on a loaded gun, and dry firing.

On the other hand:

Any range where a high low, or left right mistake yields a shot over the berm, or outside of the range property is an unsafe range. It should have baffeling, or should not be shot on with any caliber will cause a shot fired down range to travel off the property. .
If a 45 doubles, the second shot will almost be always over the berm, regardless of how safe your gun handling practices are.

Just my opinion of course.

[BenEnglishTX]

We're talking about loading the gun here.

Are we? Yiogo needs to clarify; I thought s/he was talking about the universal, absolutely no exceptions application of rule 3. I contend that it's not universally applicable. Anyone who wins at just about any of the precision pistol shooting sports has their finger on the trigger before the sights are on the target.

As for fingers on triggers while loading the pistol, I wholeheartedly agree with you.

[Yiogo]

When I raise the pistol...any pistol...anytime, finger begins to find its way to the trigger. When I lower it finger comes off the trigger. It is habit. I think it is a good, safe one.
While loading finger is straight out. No where near the trigger.
Will I ever become a champion shooter? I doubt it. I am 65 and have been shooting bullseye since I was 65. LOL.
Thankfully, all the guys on the team are very safe but we work at it and police each other.
But I've had enough guns pointed at me inadvertently (Army) to really aim (no pun intended) to always not to do the same to anyone else.
I'm just a guy having fun.
Everyone will do what they want but that's what I do and that is how I trained my daughters to shoot.
Yiogo