[Erno86]

Of course...it's not advisable to do press/chamber checks during tactical mag changes for a sustained rate of fire or looking to see if the round entered the chamber. I'm not trying to say that you should adopt to my style of shooting --- everybody has there own style --- Yet I believe it's better insurance to do a press check before a round of shooting occurs, instead of finding that you have a failure to fire and having to do a tap rack bang maneuver; especially while in a hostile situation.

On ND's at my range {AGC at Marriottsville}...I've been responsible for a few --- yet at those times --- all of my muzzle's have been pointed at the backstop berm while the line was still hot. My latest...was a slamfire on my semi auto French Mas 49/56 --- when I slammed the bolt {with a free floating firing pin} on a commercial soft primer 308 round. I corrected the problem buy buying a titanium firing pin for my Mas. The other time --- I was talking to my friends --- when I stroked the charging handle on my AK, and thinking that the gun was empty --- I supposedly dry fired it --- the gun fired and the bullet went off into the backstop berm. Once while closing the bolt on my Kimber 22 --- while wearing gloves, I brushed the trigger with my gloved hand...triggering a ND.

Yet I've been witness or heard about other events of ND's at our range. The first one was about 15 years ago --- on a very windy day --- when a shooter about 10 feet away from me was pointing his hi-power rifle down about 15 feet in front of the firing line, at the same time shouting "safety doesn't work," SAFETY DOESEN'T WORK"...POW --- the gun fired, and the high wind blew mud, dirt and grass --- from the bullet impact --- all over my face and safety glasses. That shooter left the range in a hurry --- and the RSO ask me if I gotten his range badge number and I said no.

About 10 years ago --- about 10 feet from me --- one shooter just missed hitting one of his feet, when he had a ND on his 1911; with the bullet hitting the concrete firing pad.


Seven years ago --- about 5 feet away from me --- a member had his guest have an ND, when he closed the bolt on his hi power bolt gun --- with the muzzle pointed upwards --- the gun fired --- thusly putting a bullet hole in the metal overhead canopy of our firing pad. I did report him to the RSO.

There's more...but the latest one was from an unknown shooter at our range, who shot and blew out the whole outdoor speaker system, buy blasting a bullet hole in a metal speaker and the overhead canopy at our Barnes range.

I just cringe when I see shooter's close a bolt on a gun, who's muzzle is not pointed at the backstop berm --- but instead over the backstop berm and especially over the hill beyond the backstop berm --- though there is no written rule against doing it at our range --- except that all muzzles shall be pointed downrange or upwards. I don't mind if the muzzle is pointed 6 inches downwards past the concrete firing line --- but downrange --- and preferably not pointed over the hill beyond the backstop berm, or downwards into the concrete firing pad; while charging the gun by putting a live round in the chamber and closing the bolt or action.