Comments on: Not Really Accidents

By: Doctor Pat

Doctor Pat — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 10:46:22 +0000

By: Isegoria

Isegoria — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 01:26:28 +0000

That got a chuckle out of me, Doctor Pat, but, no, the subject came up in conversation, and his earnest reply was, “Really?” He’d never heard of keeping your finger on the frame until you had the sights lined up on your target and you had made the decision to shoot.

By: Doctor Pat

Doctor Pat — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:19:34 +0000

I would look at you blankly if you said that to me. I would also look at you blankly if you casually mentioned you should not hold a knife by the blade and try to cut things with the handle. Maybe you misinterpreted their blank looks?

By: Isegoria

Isegoria — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:26:44 +0000

I’ve had competent human beings who are casual gun-owners look at me blankly when I mentioned that your finger should not be on the trigger until you’re ready to shoot.

By: Goober

Goober — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 17:37:44 +0000

I’ve been handling guns my entire life. I’ve worn the barrels out on two rifles, which takes typically about eight to nine thousand rounds. I’ve been firing guns, using them in rough terrain hunting, and carrying them around fully loaded in day-to-day use for about 30 years now. I’ve fallen down hills with loaded rifles. I’ve dropped guns countless times due to rough terrain.

And despite all of this, I have never — never — had a gun go off without the trigger being pulled. End of story, modern guns will not fire unless you pull the trigger. Granted, you may not have intended to pull the trigger, but the fact is, if the gun went off, it is because you told it to.

There is no such thing as an accidental discharge. There is only negligent discharge, and I am of the belief that any peace officer that has their gun “go off” (in their words) should be suspended without pay until they can take a retraining course on proper gun handling. The course should be rigorous, and failure shuld be instantaneous upon any instructor seeing an officer place a finger on a trigger prior to being prepared to fire. No strikes. One time, you’re out, and you are no longer allowed to be a law enforcement officer because you are a dangerous menace.