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Child Item

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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Half-cocked

I always used to pull back the bolt and have a good look into the breech to check my rifle was empty. Then a mate told me to stick my little finger into the breech to feel if it was empty as well. Years ago he had done a visual check in bad light and failed to notice that the extractor hadn't removed a shell from the breech:eek: Luckily there wasn't an accident, but shows you can't be too careful.

Sparks

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.

And what you do you think a safety tip is exactly?

I'm merging the two threads, with the note that the best way to learn firearms safety isn't by reading a thread on the internet - this is an addition to proper training, not a substitute for it

daveob007

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??

a child of 18 months old was killed last year in the uk
the father was plinking in the back garden with an air pistol and left it loaded while he was checking targets,his 5 year old picked it up and it discharged a pellet into the babys head.

he has to live with that one forever.

J.R.

ezridax wrote: »

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".

The quote is from a UK police website.......The way I read it is:

2 cartridges in the magazine & one loaded in the breech - 3 cartridges

Bananaman

daveob007 wrote: »

the father was plinking in the back garden with an air pistol

As far as I am aware that is not allowed here - you may only fire (i.e. load) a firearm on an approved range, regardless of calibre.

B'Man

daveob007

Bananaman wrote: »

As far as I am aware that is not allowed here - you may only fire (i.e. load) a firearm on an approved range, regardless of calibre.

B'Man

Thats right,,you are not even allowed to use airsoft in you back garden as far as i am aware
You certainly won't when the cjb comes into force due to the section relating to airsoft.
This is common practice in the uk even the use of air rifles is allowed on your own property as long as its done safely and a pellet cannot enter someone elses property.
Most people who do this never have any kind of accident but then a tragic accident like the one above brings the whole thing into question.

rrpc

Bananaman wrote: »

As far as I am aware that is not allowed here - you may only fire (i.e. load) a firearm on an approved range, regardless of calibre.

B'Man

Except when hunting, or clay pigeon shooting.

daveob007

Just read in the paper a few days ago about the kid who was shot in the head by his uncle.
It happened in ireland when the uncle decided to clear the last pellet from his air rifle by firing into the air,he failed to notice that his nephew had climbed a tree and was struck in the head by the pellet.
The child recieved a nasty head injury and also injuries from the fall.
This took place in the uncles back garden in a residential area.

Would not like to have that on my mind.
hopefully the child will make a full recovery.
Garda technical team at the scene.
That guy might get done for that,is it illegal to use an airgun on your own property?????

Sparks

daveob007 wrote: »

That guy might get done for that,is it illegal to use an airgun on your own property?????

Not as simple an answer as you'd imagine. If for target shooting, yes (with the last of the Firearms Acts stuff signed in, you can technically go to jail now for target shooting on an unauthorised range). If for hunting, well, no, but it's not quite so clear-cut as "I'm a hunter, you can't do anything about it". For a start, regardless of range permissions, you can be done for shooting recklessly.

From the sound of it though, this guy's been his own punishment. I don't think they'd be looking for more than his licence taken off him. And if you'd just shot your own nephew in the head through carelessness, I doubt you'd have much argument against that.

daveob007

Sparks wrote: »

Not as simple an answer as you'd imagine. If for target shooting, yes (with the last of the Firearms Acts stuff signed in, you can technically go to jail now for target shooting on an unauthorised range). If for hunting, well, no, but it's not quite so clear-cut as "I'm a hunter, you can't do anything about it". For a start, regardless of range permissions, you can be done for shooting recklessly.

From the sound of it though, this guy's been his own punishment. I don't think they'd be looking for more than his licence taken off him. And if you'd just shot your own nephew in the head through carelessness, I doubt you'd have much argument against that.

Agree its that kind of wreckless act that puts the spotlight on all of us.
I thought the use of ranges for target applied to pistol shooters only??
i might be wrong.
Surely if you use an airgun on your own property in a safe manner you should be ok....

It wasn't me!

daveob007 wrote: »

Agree its that kind of wreckless act that puts the spotlight on all of us.
I thought the use of ranges for target applied to pistol shooters only??
i might be wrong.
Surely if you use an airgun on your own property in a safe manner you should be ok....

Nope, it's for all target shooting.

Sparks

It wasn't me! wrote: »

Nope, it's for all target shooting.

Well, except for clays.

Which I'm growing less impressed with, but I guess I'm just grumbling.

It wasn't me!

Sparks wrote: »

Well, except for clays.

Which I'm growing less impressed with, but I guess I'm just grumbling.

Aye, forgot that part alright.

I dunno, half considering re-orienting a college club.

How about a clay layout on the cricket pitch?

Sparks

I can see the traffic on Nassau St. liking that idea allright IWM

dimebag249

Is it still legal to zero a rifle on private property provided it's done safely? What are the legal definitions for 'hunting' and 'target shooting'?

Funny how it something that was perfectly safe and legal for me to do a few weeks ago is now perfectly safe and illegal.

Sparks

It's a decent question, asked and answered elsewhere, and this isn't really the right place for it...

(but basicly, the minister says it's okay, the law doesn't, and there's no definition of what it is anyway).

Rovi

dimebag249 wrote: »

Is it still legal to zero a rifle on private property provided it's done safely? What are the legal definitions for 'hunting' and 'target shooting'?

Funny how it something that was perfectly safe and legal for me to do a few weeks ago is now perfectly safe and illegal.

At the time the legislation was created, there were various reassurances issued by the Minister and DoJ officials that basically amounted to: "Yerra, that'll be grand", but to date, no-one has put their neck on the line by trying to nail down where 'zeroing' turns into 'informally shooting at paper targets' turns into 'target shooting', and where along that continuum a person might drift into the area of range inspections and range authorisations.
More vague aspirational stuff from our betters, I'm afraid.

rrpc

The draft clubs SI had a definition of 'target shooting' and 'shooting range'. These seem to have disappeared in the SI, but they were also in the draft ranges SI and probably will remain there as being more appropriate:

"shooting range" means a place at which the discharge of firearms takes place for the purpose of target practice or target shooting, but excludes a location where clay pigeon shooting or paintball games take place.

“target shooting” means the discharge of ammunition from a fixed firing point to strike an inanimate target on a shooting range.

Those definitions would have to be stretched considerably to include zeroing. Unless of course someone is taking the p*ss and 'pretending' to zero.

maglite

To be fair, It would be wrong if you were not the be proficient in the use of the gun. How many rabbits/foxs would you actually shoot.

Every year or 6 months I will fire close on 100 rounds just to make sure the scope is right at different ranges, no skew, that I can still maintain a group etc.

2 groups of 10 at 25, 50, 75, 100, and then maybe out to 200.

To not do so would IMHO be unfair to the intended quarry. Do I really need to going to a range for that?

rrpc

maglite wrote: »

To not do so would IMHO be unfair to the intended quarry. Do I really need to going to a range for that?

The answer to that would appear to be no.

In fact, it would be very awkward if not impossible to do what you're doing on a range.

dCorbus

If this thread is still about safety and "dumb-ass" mistakes:

Don't try loading 6.5 rounds into a .308!

Had a .308 at a shoot recently - had two sets of ammo - was handed the 6.5 box and loaded one in.

Oddly enough - and thankfully - the bolt would not close!

At least, it wasn't the other way round!

A totally stupid, and potentially highly dangerous, newbie mistake on my part - always check your ammo YOURSELF, and then double check again!

Sandy22

dCorbus wrote: »

A totally stupid, and potentially highly dangerous, newbie mistake on my part - always check your ammo YOURSELF, and then double check again!

Don't be too hard on yourself. If this is the case I think it is, you had a very experienced shooter spotting for you and it took him longer than it should have done to work out what was wrong.

dCorbus

Thanks Sandy
Learnt a valuable lesson about personal responsibility with that incident!
Needless to say, I will, from now on, check everything myself - gear, rifle, scope, ammo, the lot.

In fairness to my 'spotter', got great advice from him and he couldn't be expected to nurse-maid me!:D

Every day's an education. Learnt that your gear needs to be treated with responsibility and respect.

Pat McGroin

Hey Lads .
Im just wondering with all the shooting/hunting experience on here , could we get a thread on shooting safety and etiquette , the do's and dont's while out hunting kinda thing .
Maybe even the odd close shave story to get lads thinking bout the safety side of things a bit more.

johngalway

Always check any gun handed to you is unloaded.
Don't point a gun at anything you don't intend to kill - (probably the reason I despise guns being pointed at me).
Don't climb over obstacles, fences, gates etc. with a loaded gun.
Always make sure that behind your target is a safe and suitable backstop.
If you're not sure of a shot, don't take it.

SeaFields

Always check the barrels for blockages before reloading after coming through a ditch, overgrowth etc.

Always check the breech of a rifle, never assume you have used all your rounds (important in the case of 22's).

Do not leave a loaded gun down for any reason (I've seen very experienced shots doing this).

Keep the barrels of the gun facing out of a hide, over the netting

Pat McGroin

Good stuff John.
Thats the kind of info that could jog someone's mind in a situation and prevent an accident
Few months back I was out for a few pints with a couple of mates , headed back to one of their houses later that night and inside the door of the house was a .22 mag , I picked it up and opened the bolt straight away , i was horrified to see a round in the gun . I took out the mag and round and asked the lad what the Fcuk was he thinking , To which he replied 'sure its fine , the safety is on '
Needless to say I won't be accompanying him on any shooting trips in the near future.

johngalway

Oh yes, another one I have seen in action is related to the physical safety of your guns...

Might seem obvious but...

Don't leave the keys in the safe door!

doyle61

when im out im constantly checking the safety on the rifle/ shot gun. im really paraniod about it, but then again ive seen plenty of ND's happen.
in fairness though, 99% of safety is all about a bit of common sence and not being complacent. the .22 rifle is responsible for a huge % of hunting related deaths/ injuries and in my opinion most of that is down to complacency

Double Barrel

A Fathers Advise may be old but it is on the mark. I had to know this by rote before my father would let me take my first shot.

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 sake.

If twixt you and neighboring 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".

Keep your place and silent be;
Game can hear, and game can see;
Don’t be greedy, better spared
Is a pheasant, than one shared.

Written by Mark Beaufoy in 1902, on presenting his eldest son with his first gun.