Safety and Old Timers

[AKDoug]

Handle it with a pinch of tolerance.

It wasn't until the advent of the Internet that the Four Rules became universal dogma. I was taught the One Rule: don't point a loaded gun at people. I'm not saying that it's right; I'm just saying that it was.

Before I did *anything* I'd ask myself if whatever he's doing is dangerous or merely careless.

I began shooting long before even home computers and the four rules of gun safety were beat into me by my father. Careless and dangerous are usually the same thing.

Buy him a carbine and send him to a carbine class. Any instructor worth their salt will straighten him right out.

[Frailer]

I began shooting long before even home computers and the four rules of gun safety were beat into me by my father. Careless and dangerous are usually the same thing.

Somebody lost their thesaurus.

"Wasn't universal dogma" doesn't mean "nobody knew about them"

"Careless" and "dangerous" aren't synonyms.

[JSantoro]

I read what you posted in the same way he did.

1) Since you can't politely cop to the fact that you made an overly broad statement, and to the fact that it's unsupportable because it's overly broad, then you can stop posting in this thread, immediately.

2) Pouring milk into a glass, careless isn't dangerous, it's just messy. Careless + firearms = dangerous. If you're claiming otherwise, that hints that the world you live in includes flying boys that never age, fairies, and a crocodile named Tick-Tock.

Believe what you wish, just please take the crazy elsewhere.

[theblackknight]

If you're claiming otherwise, that hints that the world you live in includes flying boys that never age, fairies, and a crocodile named Tick-Tock.

.

. . .who also had muzzle problems

[Kokopelli]

I can't speak for the Roy Rogers generation (no wait I actually can) but it is a problem. For longtime shooters (not necessarily active shooters), it can often be complacence compounded by a change of the times. I can tell that going to "shoot" in the 50's was a lot different than today.. Good or bad, it was still vastly different.

For addressing the issue with the FIL (assuming the old guy issue), I recommend a serious considerate and private discussion regarding your concerns. Possibly with your arm around his shoulders.. That's the way I would want to be told.. Do not let this sour the relationship.. Ron

[C4IGrant]

First of all this thread is not meant to pick on the older folks in the shooting community but I think it is a fact that most of these guys model their gun safety habits from watching John Wayne westerns.

The situation is concerning my father in law. I have recently become very uncomfortable being in his presence when handling firearms. The whole concept of FOT and Muzzle awareness seems to be foreign to him. Whether it be at a gun store or hunting this is a perpetual thing. He is no spring chicken when it comes to guns; Lifelong hunter, Vietnam vet, confirmed kills, blah blah blah. He's also a retired major in the army, former attorney and federal judge. I've Tactfully pointed this out numerous times in the past when watching movies and making comments about abhorrent Hollywood gun handling. Just today we were watching a hunting show with so called professionals that were constantly FOT in which I commented on them breaking rule #4. His response was something like "I always had my finger on the trigger in Vietnam because you had to be ready to shoot" or something to that effect. kind of with a tone like what the hell would I know.

Any advice on how to Handle this kind of negligence when dealing with the Roy Rogers generation of shooters without confrontation?

We are planning on shooting this weekend at the range and I'd like to bring this topic up with him before we go.

If this post is not appropriate for the training forum them mods please move.

As someone that sees a lot of 60+ aged shooters, they are some of the worst violators of firearms safety. Finger in the trigger guard, no muzzle awareness, etc.

Your situation is a difficult one, but your safety and the safety of others over rules this.

If you go shooting together, do so at a private place with no one else around. Always stand behind him when he is handling a firearm.

Think about bringing in a third party to the range to play "bad guy" and scold him about his gun handling skills. This way, your next family gathering won't be so uncomfortable.




C4

[TAZ]

Tolerance of stupid behavior is unacceptable when it comes to firearms. Sorry, but the rate at which things can go from someone being careless to someone being dead is just too fast for us to be tolerant. In my world people get one warning. If they persist on being stupid they no longer have my company when firearms are involved. I'm not going to risk my or my families lives for some persons bravado. In this I'm an equal opportunity asshole who cares not one iota what your relationship to me may be. I'm fortunate that my wife is a bigger safety Nazi than me so we are in the exact same page when it comes to this topic.

I'm tolerant of individual rule mistakes and will help those needing it. So I wouldn't classify mistakes as stupid behavior. I draw the line at knowing rule violations and attitude when it comes to correcting the error or multiple violations after being told what was up. At that point the offender get the stupid classification either cause they don't care enough about me and my safety or are really too stupid to control their actions. Either way it's bye bye time.

[QuietShootr]

As someone that sees a lot of 60+ aged shooters, they are some of the worst violators of firearms safety. Finger in the trigger guard, no muzzle awareness, etc.

Your situation is a difficult one, but your safety and the safety of others over rules this.

If you go shooting together, do so at a private place with no one else around. Always stand behind him when he is handling a firearm.

Think about bringing in a third party to the range to play "bad guy" and scold him about his gun handling skills. This way, your next family gathering won't be so uncomfortable.

C4

That's for certain. Plus the "Don't TELL ME HOW TO HANDLE A GUN, BOY, I WAS SHOOTIN GOOKS AT KHE SANH SINCE BEFORE YOU WAS BORNED!!" attitude doesn't help. I don't take anyone shooting for the first time unless they agree to do what I tell them to do when I tell them to do it, immediately and without question, while on the range. That means some older folks have not gone shooting with me several times.

[antlad]

All great advice fellas, thanks.

[SSGGlock]

Tell him straight up that you are scared. Put the blame on you so to speak and he may come around.