The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Tactics and Training

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old May 9, 2008, 09:55 AM   #1
Conceal Carry
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 11, 2008
Location: Canada
Posts: 164
What would you do?

About five years back at my current job an office colleague (not a friend) brought his revolver in the office and while showing it off to other colleagues jokingly poined it at me (it was loaded but not cocked).

I never take guns pointed at me as a joke and never do such stupid things myself. As I was relatively new in that job and didn't want to make a scene out of that, I simply dismissed it and walked away from there, and never launced a formal complaint.( Now I think I should have done that).

I wonder if I did the right thing by walking away. What message did I convey? Did I appear weak? Should I have told him firmly that it was not a joke and he should put it away?

Any opinions..
Conceal Carry is offline  
Old May 9, 2008, 10:09 AM   #2
David the Gnome
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 5, 2007
Location: Lexington, KY
Posts: 3,092
I would have yelled at him and made a complaint, but it's too late now.
__________________
Si vis pacem, para bellum.
David the Gnome is offline  
Old May 9, 2008, 10:17 AM   #3
seeker073180
Member
 
Join Date: February 18, 2008
Posts: 99
yeah...5 years is kinda outside the statute of limitations. (unless you're female - they remember EVERYTHING)

copy this to a nice document/font and leave a couple laying around the office. i'd bold the 1st three rules.


The 12 Golden rules for Safe Gun Handling

1. Always treat the gun as loaded.
2. Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
3. Always keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
4. Always keep the gun unloaded until you are ready to use it.
5. Never point the gun at anything you don't intend to destroy.
6. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
7. Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the gun you are using.
8. Always use proper Ammunition.
9. Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before loading and shooting.
10. If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, hold your shooting position for several seconds; then with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, carefully unload the gun.
11. Don't rely on the gun's safety to keep it from firing.
12. Be aware of your surroundings when handling guns so you don't trip or lose your balance and accidentally point and/or fire the gun at anyone or anything.
__________________
-seeker-
IAaGO
seeker073180 is offline  
Old May 9, 2008, 10:24 AM   #4
fishmagnet
Member
 
Join Date: February 14, 2008
Location: North Texas
Posts: 75
huh?

"five years ago..." Let it go..........................
fishmagnet is offline  
Old May 9, 2008, 11:19 AM   #5
Van55
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 5, 2008
Posts: 392
I don't think the question is what he should do about it now, 5 years later.

The question is, if it happened today, how should he react.

I'd have told the guy IMMEDIATELY that what he did was unsafe and totally inappropriate in the workplace or anywhere else.

Here's an interesting anecdote that is marginally relevant. I went to my local range a few weeks ago and there was a guy there who was obviously employed as a private security guard. Apparently he had just taken some kind of re-qualification test. He had his range bag in front of him but was complaining that he couldn't find his handgun. I guess he had left his range bag unattended for a moment, and somebody employed by the range decided to confiscate his gun to teach him an object lesson. Idiot mistakes need to be corrected immediately.
Van55 is offline  
Old May 9, 2008, 11:37 AM   #6
NavyLT
Junior member
 
Join Date: January 25, 2006
Location: Oak Harbor, WA
Posts: 1,719
Quote:
4. Always keep the gun unloaded until you are ready to use it.
Sorry, I just can't agree to this one in all circumstances. Now, yes, if you are handling the gun, as in showing it to someone, then unload first. Otherwise, for me, it stays loaded 24/7 until it is time to not use the gun, as in cleaning or displaying to others.
NavyLT is offline  
Old May 9, 2008, 11:46 AM   #7
Silvanus
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 23, 2005
Location: Luxembourg
Posts: 1,324
Quote:
Quote:
4. Always keep the gun unloaded until you are ready to use it.

Sorry, I just can't agree to this one.
It depends on what "ready to use" means. If it "using" includes carrying and putting the gun in the nightstand and stuff like that, I agree. If "using" means shooting, I too disagree.
Silvanus is offline  
Old May 9, 2008, 06:48 PM   #8
PunchPaper
Member
 
Join Date: February 21, 2008
Posts: 67
Totally uncool and immature!

Even as a teen, I knew that you need to assume all guns are loaded
and not to point a gun at anything you don't want to kill.

For an adult to do this at a job is flat out wrong.

Also gives responsible gun owners a bad name!

Even at the range, please give me the courtesy of keeping your gun
pointed down range!

You don't want to be "talking with your hands" with a gun in it.

-1 for poor gun safety!
PunchPaper is offline  
Old May 9, 2008, 06:53 PM   #9
rogertc1
Junior member
 
Join Date: December 17, 2004
Location: Maquoketa
Posts: 1,335
5. Never point the gun at anything you don't intend to KILL.
rogertc1 is offline  
Old May 9, 2008, 06:58 PM   #10
Troy26
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 1, 2006
Posts: 314
About a year ago, during my first trip to a gun range, I had made the mistake of setting my gun down in such a way that it was NOT pointing down range like it should have been. Someone walked by, turned it the other way, and politely explained that it was essential that I do so in the future.
1. I didn't feel the need to "save face."
2. I didn't feel he was intruding or "getting in my business"
3. I recognized that what I was doing was incorrect and unsafe
4. I thanked him for taking the time to point it out to me
Troy26 is offline  
Old May 9, 2008, 09:12 PM   #11
Boris Bush
Junior member
 
Join Date: September 7, 2007
Posts: 921
When I was a civilian I had a co-worker point a 1911 at my chest, it was unloaded and caught on video. I took the pistol from him and hit him in the forehead with it (leaving a nice mark). He said he was going to make a complaint, Not before I did though. He was banned from entering the gun department at the store we worked at. He was the fishing dept manager. He is lucky all I did was smack him with it. I was so mad words can not express what I felt...........
Boris Bush is offline  
Old May 9, 2008, 09:19 PM   #12
ElectricHellfire
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 22, 2008
Location: The Woodlands, Texas
Posts: 2,271
I would have asked to see the gun then kicked his balls up into his neck when he tried to hand it to me. Thats just me though.
__________________
Texas, the only State to Have Ever Kicked Another Country's Butt
ElectricHellfire is offline  
Old May 9, 2008, 09:32 PM   #13
somerled
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 11, 2005
Location: eastern Kansas
Posts: 603
Someone points a gun at me, and assuming I didn't kill the guy or he killed me, I would skip the human resources department and call 911 straight away. No reasonable person deliberately points a firearm, loaded or not, at someone else unless he or she wants to terrorize, injure or kill another. It wasn't a joke. If the investigators figure he isn't reasonable, there are nice mental health care facilities for those who prove to be a danger to themselves or others. Such people, reasonable or not, shouldn't be roaming around society.
somerled is offline  
Old May 9, 2008, 09:45 PM   #14
Keltyke
Junior member
 
Join Date: April 6, 2008
Location: Spartanburg, SC
Posts: 2,933
What he did is called "brandishing" and "assault". Some states consider simply pointing a firearm as "use of deadly force". I'd have had him charged jailed.

That crap isn't even remotely funny. I reamed a smart a$$ at a local pawn shop the other day for jokingly suggesting I was going to shoot him with my CW. Wouldn't have been AT ALL funny if a plain clothes LEO had overheard him.
Keltyke is offline  
Old May 9, 2008, 10:05 PM   #15
Hk_Allday
Member
 
Join Date: May 8, 2008
Location: Florida
Posts: 81
I suppose for me it would really depend on the specific situation.

If it were an "education opportunity" for someone who was uninitiated and unfamiliar with firearm safety or firearms in general, well bashing them in the head for a "novice no-no" might be a little overkill when a constructive course correction could suffice and leave all concerned better off than they started the day.

On the other hand, if it were "wanna-be rambo, ex-leader of seel team 47", trying to impress or acting like an idiot, well bashing him in his forhead with his own balls seems a little more appropriate.

just my nickel's worth.
Hk_Allday is offline  
Old May 9, 2008, 10:25 PM   #16
ElectricHellfire
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 22, 2008
Location: The Woodlands, Texas
Posts: 2,271
Quote:
bashing him in his forhead with his own balls seems a little more appropriate.
Hell yeah. Thats what I'm talking about.
__________________
Texas, the only State to Have Ever Kicked Another Country's Butt
ElectricHellfire is offline  
Old May 10, 2008, 02:15 AM   #17
Wait, I'm Reloadin'
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 15, 2008
Posts: 130
seen/heard this happen too many times, three yrs ago, once a co-worker dry fired an empty 92 Berreta three times into another co-workers belly, no complaints filed, just heated arguments. Few weeks back, a friends best friend lost a 15 year old son because a 21 year old did this and forgot it was loaded. Piss Poor Training Leads to Piss Poor Excuses!
Wait, I'm Reloadin' is offline  
Old May 10, 2008, 02:28 AM   #18
JohnKSa
Staff
 
Join Date: February 12, 2001
Location: DFW Area
Posts: 24,928
If your laws are similar to TX law, this is called "Deadly Conduct" and is a Class A misdemeanor.
Texas Penal Code ยง 22.05. DEADLY CONDUCT. (a) A person commits an offense if he recklessly engages in conduct that places another in imminent danger of serious bodily injury.
...
(c) Recklessness and danger are presumed if the actor knowingly pointed a firearm at or in the direction of another whether or not the actor believed the firearm to be loaded.
__________________
Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?
JohnKSa is offline  
Old May 10, 2008, 04:00 AM   #19
Th0r
Member
 
Join Date: January 15, 2008
Location: The Not So United Kingdom
Posts: 55
Tell him a story about the countless amount of people to die from the mis-use of firearms. All the kids who ended up being shot or shooting themselves because they were pissing about... All the women who died because there husbands left their guns reloaded...

The best way is to educate...
Th0r is offline  
Old May 10, 2008, 05:04 AM   #20
wogpotter
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 27, 2004
Posts: 4,811
Quote:
The 12 Golden rules for Safe Gun Handling

1. Always treat the gun as loaded.
2. Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
3. Always keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
4. Always keep the gun unloaded until you are ready to use it.
5. Never point the gun at anything you don't intend to destroy.
6. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
7. Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the gun you are using.
8. Always use proper Ammunition.
9. Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before loading and shooting.
10. If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, hold your shooting position for several seconds; then with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, carefully unload the gun.
11. Don't rely on the gun's safety to keep it from firing.
12. Be aware of your surroundings when handling guns so you don't trip or lose your balance and accidentally point and/or fire the gun at anyone or anything.
These just keep expanding!
Remember when there were 2 rules for safe gun handling, then the "10 commandments", now 12.

I'm not disputing that these are good safety rules, just that we're beginning to follow SOP instead of THINKING while having a forearm in our posession.

For example some of these rules apply mainly at a target ranges, but don't apply overall, as in unloaded firearms when carried for self-defence is a bad idea.

If rules are going to be made they should be clear, and apply in all situations, but should NOT be blindly applied..

The most dangerous part of a gun is the nut behind the trigger.

In answer to the original post.
after 5 years it's way past time to do anything.
However my usual response to something like this is to take the person off to one side & explain firmly, but politely, the error, and why it is important to not do things like this.
wogpotter is offline  
Old May 10, 2008, 05:38 PM   #21
Ruthless4christ
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 24, 2007
Location: CNY
Posts: 790
down here in guatemala everyone carries guns openly and there are gun fights all the time. a few months ago a buddy of mine (big shot cattle owner) gets a kick out of pointing his gun at people. his favorite stunt is to drive up alongside of you while youa re at a stop light, slamming on his brakes and ponting the gun at you. i have seen him doing it to several people and he started doing it to me. he did it once, and I told him to knock it off. the second time he did it i went up to him and told him that i was not used to people pointing firarms at me unless they were gonna use them. I told him the next time he pointed the gun at me he had better have a bullet flying out of it becuase i sure would.

well he laughed even harder until a few days later one evening he was driveing by my house and i saw the barrel of his glock point out the window in front of his stupid giggle. I did not for a minute hesitate to pull out my Colt 1911 army A1 and send the crimson trace laser(which i always keep on) right onto the tip of his nose. Tires squeeled, he took off, and he never did it again.

I knew all aong he would never want to do me harm, but in a country where firearm safety is not even thought about, it was the only way I could think of to teach hima lesson.
Ruthless4christ is offline  
Old May 10, 2008, 05:53 PM   #22
M14fan
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 26, 2006
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 777
I remember when it was two.

1)All guns are treated as loaded all the time.
2)Never point your gun at anything you are not prepared to destroy.
__________________
"Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."
--George Washington
M14fan is offline  
Old May 11, 2008, 04:01 PM   #23
Dismantler
Member
 
Join Date: April 28, 2008
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 75
To answer the OP's question...walking away does not show weakness in a situation like this. You held yourself above the bad behavior, and did not give the stupid co-worker a chance to escalate the nonsense and possibly cause an accident.

Sometimes it is just not practical to take a loaded gun away from somebody and wonk him on the noggin with it. You did fine.
__________________
If you can't solve the problem with six shots, you probably can't solve the problem. - Jeff Cooper
Dismantler is offline  
Old May 11, 2008, 04:17 PM   #24
TexasSeaRay
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 19, 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 810
Quote:
and while showing it off to other colleagues jokingly poined it at me (it was loaded but not cocked).
The showing off and joking is what would've done it for me.

I would have shoved it up his ass on the spot.

Jeff
__________________
If every single gun owner belonged to the NRA as well as their respective state rifle/gun association, we wouldn't be in the mess we're in today.

So to those of you who are members of neither, thanks for nothing.
TexasSeaRay is offline  
Old May 11, 2008, 05:09 PM   #25
Don Lu
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 12, 2006
Location: Georgia
Posts: 271
I can't say that not saying anything at that time showed weakness, many times in situations, we just don't know how to react. however, not speaking up left that person in a position to possible harm you or someone else. when you walked away there were others still possibly in harms way. how do YOU fel about not speaking up..what would you do in the same situation today ?
__________________
GLOCK 23,Smith & Wesson New 520,Tuarus 651,Taurus 608,Taurus PT92,
Astra A-75,CZ-52,East German Makarov,Mossberg 835 Ulti Mag, Remington 870 Express Magnum
Don Lu is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:07 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.11731 seconds with 8 queries