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I learnt about shooting from that.

Sparks

Okay, so for those of you who ever read Pilot, the title of this thread should be familiar. For the rest, the idea of this thread is to post the mistakes you've made so everyone else can learn from them. These could be mistakes in competition, or mistakes in safety procedures, or mistakes in logistics or mistakes in general shooting; all are fine. But hopefully, the more honest we are here (where we're happily anonymous, by the way), the more mistakes we may prevent from occurring in the future.
So just one additional rule for this thread - no ridiculing people for making the mistake! There's no such thing, after all, as a human who never makes a mistake. (If you can think of a better preventative measure, that's valid though).

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John_Dillinger

I once had to explain to my cousin why you should never shoot birds from trees with a rifle...especially when theres nothing behind to stop that bullet!

mac80

I consider myself a very to be very safe when handling firearms, while out shooting with a mate of mine 5 or 6 years ago, I had a nice baikel DB Shotgun and he had his fathers SB shotgun, which was very old and as I found out has no trigger guard !!!

While walking back up the fields I had by gun broken for safety and was possibly one step behind him and to his left when ......BANG, the trigger got caught on his coat pocket and blew a hole in the ground where I was about to step.
It scared the ****e out of me!!

Needless to say i prefer to shoot on my own now.

Mac

pullandbang

I probably posted this in another thread somwhere, but it's well suited here.

Many moons ago on Sept 1st, a bunch of us were lined up about 70/80 yards apart on a small lake. Once the initial flight was over and it had gotten bright, we were sitting around with the odd shot being taken at the odd duck who happened to pass by. At about 6.30am I was standing up in a bush scanning the horizon. I glanced up to my left (I was last in the line of guns) and saw one of the lads pointing at me (or so I thought).
Next thing I feel and hear the clatter of pellets in my left shoulder and the bush behind me. Then I hear the bang!
I shouted up at him "you f##king gobsh1te, you've just shot me". With that, out of the corner of my eye, I caught the spurt of blood from my cheek. I promptly fainted!:o
Luckily, only one pellet had hit flesh, the rest hit my waxed jacket and the bush behind me.
Now if that stray pellet was two inches higher, it was in my eye!
It turns that the gobsh1te had supposedly seen a snipe between us and fired at it. He hadn't realised exactly where I was situated as we had taken up our spots in the dark.

Moral of the story.....know where your shot is going.

Dusty87

Somethin similiar happened me. Whilst out one day wit couple of boys, we were gettin set up. We were lookin at flight lines and lookin for a good spot. One guy decided to stay wit the cartridge bag whilst we walked around ditch. Always in full view of the other lad. Then bang, and i felt stinging on my arms, didn draw blood just left few small red dots. He was there wit his gun in his hand. When we got back he said there was bird flyin and he pulled. Same guy on the way home thought it was funny to shoot a sign. Obviously i havn shot with him again. The Eegit.

Cass

I'm a mix of P&B and D87. Was out shooting about 5-6 years ago. Had the same bunch of lads every time. This one occassion one of the lads brought his girlfriends brother. He used a semi auto (not that that is important). We had a decent days shooting. No incidents or problems. Standing at the cars afterwards talking about the day, and all of us had put our guns and gear put away. All except the girls brother. We are talking in a semi circle when suddenly we see a barrel come up between us and BANG :eek:. The f***ing lunatic pulled on a pigeon flying towards us. Three of the lads said nothing. Were white as sheets as was i. They got into their car and left. I had a word with the lad that brought him and made it clear what i/we thought of him. He was not invited again.

Moral of the story, Know who you're shooting with, that they are aware of basic safety and common sense rules.

Oh and just incase a clean pair of kacks.:D

pullandbang

Happy 1,000th post to me

so I'll put it in here - another safety cock up - this time at a well known clay shooting grounds.

I don't shoot sporting but I was invited along by a pal to a fairly popular sporting grounds. Anyway we were doing a 100 bird shoot over a variety of traps. It wasn't a registered shoot, just a pay and shoot effort.

One of the stands was set up like a compact sporting shoot. There were five cages in a line and we had to shoot a variety of targets from crossers, to incoming, to straight away birds. For some reason the shoot owner allowed seven people onto the stand that only took five.:eek: I thought this was odd, but no one else complained so being the rookie, I said nothing. One of the targets was an incoming bird over on the left side of cage one. It was a fairly straight bird coming in from about 50 yards out and about 20/30 yards up in the sky. Now you had to shoot it fairly quick because if it got too close the cage would prevent you from swinging to it.
We all shot along the line and I was sharing cage five with another guy. I was sixth and he was seventh. I missed my target as I didn't get to it quick enough and the bar on the cage made sure I couldn't bring the gun back any further. He calls for his target, and like me doesn't get in front of it in time with his first shot - so what does he do? Drops the barrells under the safety cage and continues his swing after the bird. I saw this and ducked as did everyone else who saw it and the muppet fires at the target across the heads of the whole line! Now when I say across the heads, I mean straight over everyone's head - and not exactly high over either. I actually ducked out of the way of the barrells because if it didn't I'd have gotten a belt of them in the face.

So accidents, or near misses don't just happen out in the fields. They can happen at even the best clay grounds - all it takes is one tulip with no sense.

Needless to say, I haven't been back to that grounds again!

pajero2005

Congrats on the 1000th post P&B

Some great stories here lads. Thankfully i'm not at it long enough to have had any similar experiences, but reading thru' these posts will be very helpful in the future. I'll thing twice about safety position/climbing ditches or rushing a shot rather that let the little fecker away!!!:D Thanks a million

pullandbang

Ok, so I've posted two stories where I was the victim.
Now it's confession time....:o

Many moons ago again, myself and my mate were out after pheasants as we usually do on a Sunday. We were doing a ditch with one of us on either side as usual. We could both smell a fox and the dogs were getting excited as we progerssed along this fairly normal hedgerow. It was just grass fields on either side with a high hedge but not too thick.

Anyway, the dogs eventually pushed the fox out and he ran along the bottom of the drain on my side. He jumped back up into the hedge about 50 yards ahead of me and I started running towards him.
Now myself and my mate have been shooting together for years and we kinda have simple signals that we use. Usually just one word or something like "OK D?" It tells us where exactly the other person is if you can't see them.
I shouted to him that the fox was running but I heard nothing back from him. After about 30 yards the dogs stopped and there was charlie crouching on top of the bank under the hedgerow.

The dogs were well clear so I put a shot into the fox and killed him. Next thing I hear is "OUCH!" from my mate. Well, I needn't tell you, I nearly got sick. I'd given him a pellet just above the knee.

I didn't think he'd heard me telling him the fox was running as he didn't answer like usual so I didn't realise he was on the other side of the hedge.
When we looked he wasn't level with me but a bit back behind the direction of shot. It must have been one stray pellet or a ricochet that struck him.

Anyway, he went to the hospital the next day and they said they wouldn't bother taking it out as it was buried in soft flesh and wouldn't do any harm....phew! It's still there to this day and hasn't given him any trouble.

Needless to say, nothing like that has happened since and I ALWAYS make sure I know where my shot is going.

mac80

Have a read of this http://www.shootinguk.co.uk/qa/125619/Are_22s_dangerous_at_a_mile039s_range.html

Dusty87

25 years ago that happened. Is stil the longest fatality or has there been anything since? 81feet per second after 1500 wards :O

cavan shooter

Did A child not get hurt in the north a couple of years ago?? seem to remember something about it

Makes one shudder when you think about it??

foxshooter243

cavan shooter wrote: »

Did A child not get hurt in the north a couple of years ago?? seem to remember something about it

Makes one shudder when you think about it??

Yeah, that child was struck inthe head after a the bullet ricocheted on the school playground. The old fella that eventually came forward claimed to have fired at a magpie and the bullet travelled something like .5 mile if memeory serves me right..the child survived thankfully and the old lad was dealt with by the courts.

Grizzly 45

Well true that they can carry that distance, that historic example that he uses to illustrate,must be one of the most freakiest firearms accidents ever.

Sparks

Merged with the safety thread sticky because this sort of thing is perfect for it.

renjosh2

Slightly off topic but relevant I feel. I'm a classical musician and having to fly with instruments always proves to be a nightmare. A friend told me of an experience he had at heathrow where he had a blazing argument with the check-in clerk about getting his instrument into the cabin. He eventually lost and was told either put the instrument in the hold or don't fly. At this point he gave up and asked for some fragile stickers. The check-in agent, who was still clearly very annoyed, let slip; 'What? You mean kick-me stickers?'. Enlightening to say the least, especially considering this was the UK's principle airline (in an effort to avoid names) he was dealing with.

rrpc

Whatever about instruments being delicate, I know a guy whose rifle stock was broken by baggage handlers. Now when you consider that a target rifle weighs around six or seven kilos, is transported in a heavily padded ABS case and the stock is made of walnut, then you get some idea of what kind of punishment it got.

I remember sitting on a plane looking out the window watching as the baggage mis-handlers were throwing our rifle cases onto the roof of the baggage truck. They travelled about 10 yards through the air and crashed down on the roof rack of the truck.

Never flew after that,.

Sparks

And whatever you do, don't yell at them to stop. Only gets them to work faster.
Which might have some uses in union negotiations, but doesn't have many uses at all when some idiot's merrily chucking several grand's worth of hardware about like it was someone else's money...

packas

pullandbang wrote: »

I probably posted this in another thread somwhere, but it's well suited here.

Many moons ago on Sept 1st, a bunch of us were lined up about 70/80 yards apart on a small lake. Once the initial flight was over and it had gotten bright, we were sitting around with the odd shot being taken at the odd duck who happened to pass by. At about 6.30am I was standing up in a bush scanning the horizon. I glanced up to my left (I was last in the line of guns) and saw one of the lads pointing at me (or so I thought).
Next thing I feel and hear the clatter of pellets in my left shoulder and the bush behind me. Then I hear the bang!
I shouted up at him "you f##king gobsh1te, you've just shot me". With that, out of the corner of my eye, I caught the spurt of blood from my cheek. I promptly fainted!:o
Luckily, only one pellet had hit flesh, the rest hit my waxed jacket and the bush behind me.
Now if that stray pellet was two inches higher, it was in my eye!
It turns that the gobsh1te had supposedly seen a snipe between us and fired at it. He hadn't realised exactly where I was situated as we had taken up our spots in the dark.

Moral of the story.....know where your shot is going.

Just wondering does anyone wear shooting glasses while out shooting? I've been hunting for years (mostly pheasants, deer with some vermin control thrown in) & only since I took up regular target shooting did it occur to me that it was probably a good idea to wear shooting glasses out hunting.

4gun

pullandbang wrote: »

Ok, so I've posted two stories where I was the victim.
Now it's confession time....:o

Many moons ago again, myself and my mate were out after pheasants as we usually do on a Sunday. We were doing a ditch with one of us on either side as usual. We could both smell a fox and the dogs were getting excited as we progerssed along this fairly normal hedgerow. It was just grass fields on either side with a high hedge but not too thick.

Anyway, the dogs eventually pushed the fox out and he ran along the bottom of the drain on my side. He jumped back up into the hedge about 50 yards ahead of me and I started running towards him.
Now myself and my mate have been shooting together for years and we kinda have simple signals that we use. Usually just one word or something like "OK D?" It tells us where exactly the other person is if you can't see them.
I shouted to him that the fox was running but I heard nothing back from him. After about 30 yards the dogs stopped and there was charlie crouching on top of the bank under the hedgerow.

The dogs were well clear so I put a shot into the fox and killed him. Next thing I hear is "OUCH!" from my mate. Well, I needn't tell you, I nearly got sick. I'd given him a pellet just above the knee.

I didn't think he'd heard me telling him the fox was running as he didn't answer like usual so I didn't realise he was on the other side of the hedge.
When we looked he wasn't level with me but a bit back behind the direction of shot. It must have been one stray pellet or a ricochet that struck him.

Anyway, he went to the hospital the next day and they said they wouldn't bother taking it out as it was buried in soft flesh and wouldn't do any harm....phew! It's still there to this day and hasn't given him any trouble

.

Needless to say, nothing like that has happened since and I ALWAYS make sure I know where my shot is going.

wouldent the lead be toxic and eventually cauce poisoning or something. I think i'd want it out

daveob007

With so many people asking questions about which gun to buy and what calibre is best I thought I would start this thread to teach newcomers the basics of safety.
So whether you are thinking of an air rifle or .308 the rules are the same.
Safety and security should be the first things you should learn before you even pick up a gun.
Feel free to share your tips here.

pajero2005

I think you are on the same path as the "I learnet about shooting from that" thread. People putting up tales of near hits/near misses:eek:

Good idea though.

daveob007

pajero2005 wrote: »

I think you are on the same path as the "I learnet about shooting from that" thread. Prople putting up tales of near hits/near misses:eek:

Good idea though.

OH yeah I never spotted that but sure no harm.
This is really for safety tips though and not peoples stories and expieriences.
Will leave it open anyway and see what happens..

pajero2005

daveob007 wrote: »

OH yeah I never spotted that but sure no harm.
This is really for safety tips though and not peoples stories and expieriences.
Will leave it open anyway and see what happens..

No worries.

Treat every gun as if it were loaded and never point a gun at anything you do not wish to shoot.

Trojan911

pajero2005 wrote: »

No worries.

Treat every gun as if it were loaded and never point a gun at anything you do not wish to shoot.

That about sums it up.....

[Deleted User]

Something like - don't take a shot unless you know for sure where the round will go is also apt for rifle shooting.

And no, woods / forests / hedges are not backstops.

daveob007

Always check to see if a gun is loaded if you are handing it to anyone or they hand it to you,that includes looking at a gun in a shop...also when storing it and removing it from its safe.

Never walk around with a loaded gun,only load it when you are ready and have decided to fire.

Never leave a loaded gun unattened where it could be picked up by a child or adult.

Always store guns and ammunition in seperate locations.

[Deleted User]

daveob007 wrote: »

Never leave a loaded gun unattened, full stop

fyp

J.R.

Safety in the home

When not in use, always keep your shotgun safe and secure, preferably locked away in your gun cabinet. It is preferable to store your cartridges, locked and secure, in a separate cabinet or compartment.

Never put a loaded shotgun away in your cabinet.

Always prove that a shotgun is unloaded as soon as you handle it.

Always prove that a shotgun is empty, before handing it to someone else, by offering it to them with the breech open.

Never load your shotgun indoors.

Never allow unauthorised persons access to your shotgun.

Never allow unsupervised or unsuitable persons, especially children, access to your shotgun.

Never leave a shotgun, even unloaded, unattended.

Never stand a shotgun in such a position that it can fall or be knocked over.

Transportation safety

Always keep your shotgun in its case or cover whilst transporting it.

Never transport a loaded shotgun.

If staying away from home overnight, your shotgun should be stored, preferably with a Registered Firearms Dealer or in a secure cabinet of another suitable certificate holder.

If it is absolutely necessary to leave your shotgun in a vehicle, it must be stored out of sight, preferably in the locked boot. Consider taking a small part of the weapon, such as the fore-end, with you and always ensure that you lock the vehicle securely.

If this is to be a regular habit, consider having a lockable metal storage case welded inside the vehicle's boot.

Remember, leaving your shotgun in the care of a hotel or guest house patron, even in their safe, may expose them to being in unlawful possession of a shotgun, unless they are also certificate holders.

Safety in the field

It is a sad fact that most incidents involving shotguns occur "in the field". They are all

preventable and following this guidance could prevent a tragedy or save a life.

Always
Carry your shotgun in such a manner that it never points at anybody.

Have the safety catch on until you are ready to fire at your target.

Unload your shotgun before passing it to someone else.

Pass your unloaded shotgun stock first.

Unload your shotgun before traversing difficult terrain or obstacles.

Carry your shotgun "broken" and empty when travelling in close company.

Point the barrels in a safe direction when reloading.

Carry a hammer gun uncocked until ready to fire.

Point the barrels straight up while cocking the hammers.

Open a hammer gun, pointing the barrels toward the ground, and remove the

cartridges before uncocking it.

11. Lift the stock to the barrels when closing your shotgun.

Never
Lift the barrels to the stock when closing your shotgun.

Uncock hammers onto loaded chambers.

Load a shotgun until you are ready to fire it.

Fire your shotgun until you have positively identified your quarry.

Fire your shotgun until you are absolutely positive it is safe to do so.

Put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire.

Put a loaded shotgun down or leave it unattended.

Lean a shotgun against or on anything, including any vehicle.

Attempt to fire unless you are in a comfortable and well balanced position.

Fire a shotgun whilst having a dog on lead under your control.

Attempt to climb over an obstacle or traverse a stream with a loaded shotgun.

Use a shotgun that is in an unsafe condition, poor repair or out of proof.

Use the wrong type/calibre of cartridge in respect to your shotgun and quarry.

Use a shotgun whilst under the influence of alcohol.

Safety cannot be stressed enough

No matter how competent or expert a shot you may be, it is a fact of life that

accidents, although nearly always preventable, can happen.

Never shoot without third party liability insurance.

As mentioned above, accidents are nearly always preventable. Be vigilant and

aware of possible dangers. Always act responsibly and never use a shotgun whilst

under the influence of alcohol. Guns and drink are a recipe for disaster!

Always follow the Country Code and the following guidance could save your life:

Do not shoot at or near power lines or insulators.

Familiarise yourself with the location of power lines and other electrical equipment on the land where you are going to shoot.

Do not use power line poles or towers to support any of your shooting equipment.

Be aware that some power lines may not be obvious and obscured by trees.

Take notice of all warning signs and keep well clear of electrical apparatus.

Avoid the use of lofting poles in the vicinity of overhead power lines.

Remember electricity can "jump" a considerable distance if shorted out.

If an accident does occur involving electricity, keep well clear. Call the emergency services via 999 and inform the local Electricity Company.

Remember it is illegal to

Possess a shotgun without a shotgun certificate or permit.

Have a loaded shotgun in a public place.

Buy or sell a shotgun unless both parties hold a shotgun certificate, or are Registered Firearms Dealers, or the seller holds a permit.

Sell a shotgun which is out of proof.

Sell cartridges to someone not in possession of a shotgun certificate.

Shoot game without a game licence.

Shoot game on Sundays, Christmas day or at night.

Shoot game out of season.

Shoot protected species including racing pigeons.

Shoot wildfowl or game with a shotgun having a magazine capacity greater than two cartridges

UK METROPOLITAN POLICE ADVICE

J.R.

A Father's Advice

If a sportsman true you'd be
Listen carefully to me...

Never, never let your gun
Pointed be at anyone.
That it may unloaded be
Matters not the least to me.

When a hedge or fence you cross
Though of time it cause a loss
From your gun the cartridge take
For the greater safety's sake.

If twixt you and neighbouring gun
Bird shall fly or beast may run
Let this maxim ere be thine
"Follow not across the line."

Stops and beaters oft unseen
Lurk behind some leafy screen.
Calm and steady always be
"Never shoot where you can't see."

You may kill or you may miss
But at all times think of this:
"All the pheasants ever bred
Won't repay for one man dead."

Written by Mark Beaufoy of Coombe House, Shaftsbury, Dorset, England, in 1902, on presenting his eldest son, Henry Mark, with his first gun.

Cass

Originally posted by J.R.

Remember it is ilegal to

.......Shoot wildfowl or game with a shotgun having a magazine capacity greater than two cartridges

UK METROPOLITAN POLICE ADVICE

Is this for Ireland or England, because alot of lads myself included (until recently anyway) shot with a semi auto (min 3 shot capacity). Is this what you mean by " a magazine capacity greater than two cartridges".