Safety
- Thread starter Salopian
- Start date
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I'm new to clay shooting but have good safety which I was taught as a kid rough shooting and later in Forces. A few observations that I have noted on a smallish clay shoot.
- Some appear not to return the safety back to 'safe' after shooting a stand, why is this, can't be right, right?
- I'd prefer my B725 to have the ability like game guns to automatically reset the safety to 'S'. I believe this can be modified and the part is in the box, wonder how much a gunsmith would charge for this. If somebody fails to on a round to set the safety to 'Unsafe' on 'Pull', surely thats their problem but IMHO not having a gun automatically return to 'S' is a shortcut to far (only my opinion)
- I must admit I didn't know the information on the Top Lever and not closing the gun without the top lever locked over, I'd assumed that in order to break the barrels the top lever would be fully engaged and locked. So thanks 40UP for that one, one to watch out for.
- Never ever go into 'auto' mode on a round of clays, not with gun safety.
- Someone with an auto coming off a stand and waving the barrels all over the place, that was my first trip out
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P1Fanatic
Well-known member
Safety on means nothing other than to the person carrying it. Unless its broken its not safe imho.
Not sure what you mean by 'auto' mode?
Not sure what you mean by 'auto' mode?
Bebo
Well-known member
I can understand automatic safety on a game gun, but for clays it is pointless. If your aren't in the stand then your gun should be unloaded at all times and open (if it isn't in a slip). Safety buttons aren't infallible and shouldn't be relied on. They get knocked or malfunction. Unloaded and open is the only truly safe approach.
Absolutely i'm well aware that shotgun safety buttons are not infallible and at all times the gun is broken and unloaded\empty chambers but why no 'auto' safety at clay grounds, surely it DOES add further to the being safe, do people load their guns with the safety button off? I'm asking not criticising as such
'Auto mode' as in 'auto pilot' - not thinking through
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P1Fanatic
Well-known member
You only load your gun when in the stand or pointing down range. At least in sporting as I know trap shooters like to load cartridges before their turn which I always found strange.
I personally never use the safety but then I break my gun as soon as the action clears my slip as I was taught at an early age.
I personally never use the safety but then I break my gun as soon as the action clears my slip as I was taught at an early age.
Bebo
Well-known member
You only load your gun on a clay ground when you are standing in the shooting position and your gun is pointing down range.
Oops, posted at the same time a P1.
Oops, posted at the same time a P1.
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Ok, I understand that, however what if the gun for whatever reason fired on closing the gun, surely having it set to 'S' could possibly prevent a discharge (an ND perhaps) and of course the barrels would be down range anyway. Again, it's just a question.
Yes I know that
Guys, I'm well aware of the safety aspects, what I was trying to get over is the non auto return of the safety and whether it's common practice to leave your guns safety button off? Leaving it off wont prevent an ND before firing, I've seen it this past month, guy loaded, ready to say 'Pull' and for whatever reason it was discharged down range before issuing 'pull', had it been on 'S' that would not have happened, user error
Anyway, I've probably gone off topic, sorry
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Bebo
Well-known member
I've only been shooting a few years but I don't know any clay shooter that intentionally puts their safety button on when in a stand. I've seen a few that have knocked it on when taking it out of the slip and lost the first target as a result.
As someone who only ever shoots clays (I don't game or rough shoot) I hate auto-safety buttons on guns. I've got one on a 410 that I've used to shoot clays with a few times and I always forget that the safety goes on every time you open the gun.
As someone who only ever shoots clays (I don't game or rough shoot) I hate auto-safety buttons on guns. I've got one on a 410 that I've used to shoot clays with a few times and I always forget that the safety goes on every time you open the gun.
Bebo
Well-known member
Be interesting to hear if other shooters use the safety when shooting clays.
I don't. I make sure I am ultra careful - all the usual things like pointing down range, load when ready, finger off trigger until ready to shout pull etc etc. I think safety catches give us a false sense of security and as others have said a gun should never be loaded anywhere other than the shooting position on a clay ground.
Of course but it can prevent NDs occuring AFTER everything you have pointed out. Personally i do take the safety off once I've called 'pull' and I know that will disadvantage me but i've raised this point as 'food for thought' and the highly unlikely event of an ND from occuring before the shooter calls 'pull'. It's not a criticism and like I said I'm new to clay shooting, so interested to know. To be fair it shouldn't be a problem if one is in position and is ready to take the shot.
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I understand what you are saying but its too easy to rely on a safety catch and the gun can discharge even with it on - it only stops the trigger from being pulled. I just think if you follow all the rules religiously then if you have a discharge because you pulled the trigger by accident then at least the shot is going out towards the safe zone - no harm done. Taking it off after calling pull with respect I don't think that actually helps in any way because by that time you should be pointing towards the safe zone. I am also thinking that could lead to rushed behaviour on more difficult shoots.
P1Fanatic
Well-known member
Agree with Sian. Whilst I advocate safety it has to be practical and worthwhile. If you follow the basics of safe gun handling then there is no need to use the safety and I would say your putting yourself at a disadvantage switching yours off after you have called for the clay.
Pugs,
Can I suggest that you leave the safety OFF at all times on your clay shooting gun and perhaps concentrate more on actually shooting the target, in particular if you ever intend to get into Competitions in ANY Discipline. If you can find a Gunsmith to show and explain the workings of the safety catch on a shotgun, you will see that it ONLY locks the trigger and does not prevent the hammers from hitting the firing pins. The reason for the non auto safe on 'Competition' or clay shooting guns, is to prevent it inadvertently being left ON when shooting. If the safe is permanently OFF, it avoids this, which, in Competition is called as a 'LOSS' and that could be the difference between winning or losing the Competition. My clayshooting guns are in my cupboard now, with the safety buttons OFF. On some earlier model clayshooting guns the safety button could actually be 'locked' in the OFF position and some of the live pigeon guns that I have seen, did not even have a safety catch. So, the shooting routine should be, remove gun from slip BROKEN, enter firing point, load gun, call for and shoot target, open gun, repeat as required until finished. With open and cleared gun, leave stand, replace gun in slip BROKEN, close gun and fasten slip, then move to wherever. You will see that I did not even involve the safety catch. This method has served me well in over 55 years of both game and clay competition shooting without any ND's whatsoever. I have had 2 accidental discharges when shooting, but that had nothing to do with the safety catch. In my shooting career I have seen many accidents and 'near misses', none involving a safety catch and in my one incident of actually being shot, I was unable to reach the shooter in time to apply the safety catch on his gun before he fired !
Can I suggest that you leave the safety OFF at all times on your clay shooting gun and perhaps concentrate more on actually shooting the target, in particular if you ever intend to get into Competitions in ANY Discipline. If you can find a Gunsmith to show and explain the workings of the safety catch on a shotgun, you will see that it ONLY locks the trigger and does not prevent the hammers from hitting the firing pins. The reason for the non auto safe on 'Competition' or clay shooting guns, is to prevent it inadvertently being left ON when shooting. If the safe is permanently OFF, it avoids this, which, in Competition is called as a 'LOSS' and that could be the difference between winning or losing the Competition. My clayshooting guns are in my cupboard now, with the safety buttons OFF. On some earlier model clayshooting guns the safety button could actually be 'locked' in the OFF position and some of the live pigeon guns that I have seen, did not even have a safety catch. So, the shooting routine should be, remove gun from slip BROKEN, enter firing point, load gun, call for and shoot target, open gun, repeat as required until finished. With open and cleared gun, leave stand, replace gun in slip BROKEN, close gun and fasten slip, then move to wherever. You will see that I did not even involve the safety catch. This method has served me well in over 55 years of both game and clay competition shooting without any ND's whatsoever. I have had 2 accidental discharges when shooting, but that had nothing to do with the safety catch. In my shooting career I have seen many accidents and 'near misses', none involving a safety catch and in my one incident of actually being shot, I was unable to reach the shooter in time to apply the safety catch on his gun before he fired !
