A can of worms!

[teepee1234]

People who are introduced to the sport, should have the safety drummed into them.

People who are not new, should know better...most of it is common sense after all.

ANYBODY, who does something that could be deemed unsafe, should BE TOLD.

Nobody should feel that they cannot say something, even if you request a fellow shooter to come with you while you explain your grievance.

There are nice ways to say things, for minor infractions and there are firm ways to say things, for major infractions...without starting a row.

If the offender gets arsey, a word with the ground or shoot owner should help, as they will not want an accident and I feel sure would be very happy to convey their feelings to the offender and escort them from the ground if need be.

Finally, some common sense.

 

[Mike]

There are two shooting grounds quite near to me where I feel uncomfortable with the complete lack of safe gun handling. I have upset quite a few people at one shoot as they think it's normal to wave a closed gun around even when not in the cage.

They are not just begginers the worst one's are those who have shot for years but nobody has pulled them up about their total lack of safety.

I complained to the groundowner and he said that he didn't really have a problem with it as they were his mates!!!!

The other one I just stopped going to as I feel that I am fighting a losing battle.

A few years ago I was at Blackpool keeping my eye on a bloke with an auto, nothing against auto's mind as I have shot them for years. He was struggling to load it and I asked if he was ok, his answer was I've never shot before and I don't know what to do!!!

I showed him how to load and more importantly how to unload his gun and he went away with a smile on his face. I think that ground owners should ask people what there level of competence is if they are new faces because if anything does go wrong, I assume it's the groundowner that will be in court.

I used to be a qualified RCO when I shot pistols and the safety aspect will not go away.

 

[Les53]

Oh sorry to go off topic a bit but les do you remember them darts you could shoot through the gat. Oh and as a matter of interest did you ever actually hit the barn door ?

God they were accurate ... Not.

Yes Ian I do rememember the darts! Used them on dads dart board but he didn't appreciate it! The Gat was truly a masterpiece of a gun ! I could hit the dart board with those darts, providing it was only about 12 feet away! :.:

 

[IanS]

Mike,

don't ever think you're fighting a losing battle, I'm still quite new to the sport and have already pulled up two individuals on safety issues. We say that somebody is going to get hurt because of these individuals, but think of the people you might have saved because of your intervention.

 

[Skeet UK]

There are two shooting grounds quite near to me where I feel uncomfortable with the complete lack of safe gun handling. I have upset quite a few people at one shoot as they think it's normal to wave a closed gun around even when not in the cage.

They are not just begginers the worst one's are those who have shot for years but nobody has pulled them up about their total lack of safety.

I complained to the groundowner and he said that he didn't really have a problem with it as they were his mates!!!!

The other one I just stopped going to as I feel that I am fighting a losing battle.

A few years ago I was at Blackpool keeping my eye on a bloke with an auto, nothing against auto's mind as I have shot them for years. He was struggling to load it and I asked if he was ok, his answer was I've never shot before and I don't know what to do!!!

I showed him how to load and more importantly how to unload his gun and he went away with a smile on his face. I think that ground owners should ask people what there level of competence is if they are new faces because if anything does go wrong, I assume it's the groundowner that will be in court.

I used to be a qualified RCO when I shot pistols and the safety aspect will not go away.

Disappointing to hear you had no joy from the shoot owner. Three things to bare in mind:

1) FLO

2) Section 11

3) Public Liability / HS Executive.

 

[Shaun Hopkins]

So tell me how an hour's tuition on the safe handling of guns which, to use your example, would have happened years ago at the beginning of ownership, would solve this problem??

And as I've already said, we should all police safety when we're out with guns, and I would also make it known to any idiot waving barrels in my direction. The point is, a mandatory teaching session is NOT going to account for these numpties.

I totally understand where your coming from Tony, having been involed with shooting for many years as no doubt you have too we both understand the etiquette that goes hand in hand with whichever disipline we choose be it clays or game. Attend any pheasant shoot and you will get a five minute talk on etiquette required of you, without this knowledge you may find yourself in for a bollocking in the least let alone being omitted from further shoots since my first ever game shoot i have never forgotten these basic rules and as with clays i know whats right from wrong because i was taught from the begining. i often see newcomers turning up making all manner of unsafe moves and feel its just lack of knowledge from the start so just maybe a little lesson could do no more harm then good...

 

[RobertBeard]

Seems to me that the majority on here actually would like to be safe so if we all use bit of tact we can help those that need a gentle reminder and if they get stroppy we can always decide to take it further with a formal written complaint to the Ground owner or even CPSA. Then if anything ever happens with them or at that ground there will be a record of what has been raised of concern in the past. With an unsafe and stroppy attitude one has to question their privilege to hold a shotgun certificate. That's how serious it is IMHO!

Its like any sport you play by the rules or you get sent off, sin binned, disqualified, have penalty points imposed or get banned if you are a drugs cheat etc.

 

[Mike]

Robert,

Clayshooting as a whole is far more relaxed and easy going compared to rifle shooting either outdoor or indoor. CPSA have to be really upset before they take action with an individual and just about every competitition ground is reasonably safe.

It's the smaller grounds where the safety aspect is a bit worrying.

 

[Will Hewland]

CPSA registered shoots rarely have any dangerous behaviour that I see. On the rare occasions that I visit little shoots, it usually involves some worrying sights.

 

[IanS]

Ours is a small club and the attitude towards safety is pretty good, I've not seen anything that you could call silly behaviour. The two incidents I referred to earlier were really minor but needed to be pointed out. Both individuals took my comments on board and agreed I was right (thank goodness).

 

[Will Hewland]

Yes, in fairness, I do one local shoot sometimes and that is always ok. Another I do about once a year is always worrying..

In about 400 registered shoots, at around 18 different venues, I probably recall seeing just a few minor worry incidents only

 

[IanS]

I'm going to recount something that my dad told me some years ago, so don't have a go at me. It relates to safety and just shows what can happen if you don't keep safety uppermost in your mind.

He was a sgt. sniper in the last war and during the battle of the bulge, he was sent back from the front suffering from flu. During this time, his squad of snipers were co-opted to help carry land mines to the front along with other guys. The armourer didn't seem to want to arm the mines at the front, so armed them before they were carried there. The guys carried one mine each. As they approached the front, a German mortar bomb went off close to the guy at the head of the column. The shock of the explosion set off the mine carried by the lead guy, which in turn set off the mine carried by the guy behind him and so it went on all the way down the line, there were 48 guys in that column, there were no survivors.

 

[Will Hewland]

I was going to hit the 'like' button for that post, but it's not quite the right word..

 

[Les53]

I will NEVER understand why anyone would ever be against giving any instruction to a newbie. Many of us have come close to something dangerous, OK there will always be idiots out there who do not think about safety, but that does not mean that we should not have training, it may one day save a life, but we would never know of course. Yes I've heard all about how safe the sport is and generally it is, BUT.........even the skipper of the Titanic thought it was un sinkable, if you know what I mean!

 

[Les53]

How the rich lived!

Had to make do with a catapult, i was not aloud to take a 410 out around the village :.:

Mick my boy, my heart bleeds for you! :.: :.:

 

[Les53]

I was going to hit the 'like' button for that post, but it's not quite the right word..

+1 Will.

 

[Les53]

Thanks ips.

I really enjoyed it, being new to the sport I had lots of questions which were all answered during the briefing, then we went out and put it all into practice on the Skeet layout.

As far as im aware its standard practice NDGC for people new to the sport. As has been pointed out in a previous post, simple things like removal from a slip or placing and removal from a gun rack, I would have had no idea otherwise.

It is standard at quite a few clubs as far as I know, it certainly was like that for me too.

 

[Harley]

No name no pack drill

Was shooting today and a guy turned up, who had not been before, he was asked for his licence, he didn't have it, so he was asked bring it next time please.?

He then asked to by shells, the club wasn't licensed so no shells...

He was offered a few boxes from another shooter who wasn't aware of the lack of licence, and assumed he was shooting there so the everything was ok.

He starts shooting, and every time he missed he was cussing and cursing, very hypo as he progressed round, and near the last stand, he was about to take a shot, and looked up at a overhead pigeon, he took the shoot, reloaded and finished his shot at the clay.

Now apart from the fact he had been shooting for donkeys years, I was pulled by another onlooker who said look at how he removes the spent shells, I personally couldn't see an issue, until it was pointed out, he swung the barrels passed all of us while twisting the gun upside down, to discharge the shell direct from gun to bin.

I'm not here to judge anyone, but it goes to show what complete idiots are out there.

 

[Les53]

No name no pack drill

Was shooting today and a guy turned up, who had not been before, he was asked for his licence, he didn't have it, so he was asked bring it next time please.?

He then asked to by shells, the club wasn't licensed so no shells...

He was offered a few boxes from another shooter who wasn't aware of the lack of licence, and assumed he was shooting there so the everything was ok.

He starts shooting, and every time he missed he was cussing and cursing, very hypo as he progressed round, and near the last stand, he was about to take a shot, and looked up at a overhead pigeon, he took the shoot, reloaded and finished his shot at the clay.

Now apart from the fact he had been shooting for donkeys years, I was pulled by another onlooker who said look at how he removes the spent shells, I personally couldn't see an issue, until it was pointed out, he swung the barrels passed all of us while twisting the gun upside down, to discharge the shell direct from gun to bin.

I'm not here to judge anyone, but it goes to show what complete idiots are out there.

Yes my friend I reckon we have all seen that sort of thing over the years! Unfortunately!!!!

 

[Harley]

I was rather surprised to be honest and thought of this thread....