Proper way to show someone your firearm

[yakkingallover]

In my home the initial responsibility lies with me to display a weapon(first time I have used that term in this thread) in a safe manner and beyond that the recipient should verify but in my home when it is handed to you you check for self assurance and etiquette I take pride in displaying with confidence to the recipient that the weapon has been made safe.

 

[FFMedic]

Maybe it's because I trust my close friends with my life and health on a very normal basis, but I see no NEED to hand guns to each other in slidelock. Check if its empty, hand it to em' with the muzzle in a safe direction.

Come to think of it I haven't seen many gunshops that hand guns to the customers open. They check the chamber and hand it to you, simple enough. Sounds to me like someone being arbitrary.

FFMedic

 

[loop]

I'd have chewed you out myself.

First, if you are handing someone a firearm at the dinner table that is completely out of line. How may I inspect a firearm at the dinner table without sweeping someone?

You put the onus of proper behavior on him, but he had to trust you to have put him in proper position.

Second, you did not either clear the weapon or state it is loaded in front of him. Proof that it is clear is simple - lay it on the table with the slide locked back and the empty chamber facing him.

Third, you should not have interrupted, only ceremonial weapons are acceptable at table.

Fourth, you view him as a superior. If you did not you would have interrupted. If he is a superior you should have stood and waited until you received his attention.

From your viewpoint you did everything you could to be right. From his viewpoint you put him in a very uncomfortable position. If he touches the weapon he will sweep someone. He knows nothing about the weapon - it may go off from simply touching it because it has an eight-ounce trigger pull.

Further, he does not know if it has been in your possession or others have had access to it in the interim.

You were not just wrong, you were very wrong.

Sorry to be so critical, but if you want honest answers...

 

[tntwatt]

Everyone keeps eating the OP alive for "handing" off a weapon the wrong way. He did not hand the weapon to anyone. He sat a holstered weapon with no mag on the table. If it would have been slide forward and unholstered I would have a problem with it. But this weapon was holstered.

The FIL was just flexing muscle. There is such a thing as courtesy in another mans home and the FIL doesn't respect the OP enough to give it. He should have simply asked is it cleared and then unholstered it and recleared it himself. If he doesn't like it this way he should have the common courtesy to express his wishes without treating the OP as a child in his own home.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

It shocks me, but I think 99% will disagree with me... I DO NOT hand MY gun over to someone with the slide locked back! I drop the mag and lock the slide back so the recipient can view the empty chamber (at the same time I am checking it), but I then rack the slide and carefully let it forward. I would consider it to be abusive to the firearm for someone to handle my gun and drop the slide lock, letting the slide SLAM into the frame without the cushion of a round chambering. When I hand a gun back to the owner, I will lock the slide back. It is then their responsibility to avoid dropping the slide lock.

Also... I do not hand a gun to someone butt-first (or, pointed at me). It makes me uncomfortable, and it should make them uncomfortable to grab a gun while pointed at someone. I hand the gun over while pointed in a safe direction - either pointed to the side or pointed straight down, but never at a person. Is the reason for handing someone a gun butt-first, or pointed at the bearer, a method/tradition of displaying that they fully trust the gun to be in a safe condition?

Some folks look at me funny when I insist that they say "I've got it" before I'll let go, but none of my firearms have been dropped so I stick with what works and strange looks be damned.

I fully understand and respect this. However, do you ever fear that the recipient might drop the slide lock on an empty chamber, whether as a result of habit or accident?

 

[USMC 1975]

Most people like to see it checked in front of them. I would just check it myself.No big deal but thats me.

I am one of these.

It's not that I don't trust you, its just that I do not trust you...... ...lol

I have experienced one gun accident that involved an unloaded, properly cleared gun that took the life of my brother. ( I still have urges to kill the bastard that shot him ). It turns out the gun wasn't unloaded and had a round lodged in it. Just handling the gun dislodged it and put it in the chamber.

I am extremely anal retentive when it comes to handing me a gun. I would love to see your gun, but properly clear it in front of me and hand me the butt end first. I then will double check it once more to be sure its unloaded.

Most people do not realize that these type accidents are a one time deal. It only takes one bullet and a quick oversight to destroy many lives forever.

Sorry folks, but I am a real stickler on gun safety and etiquette.

Chris

 

[USMC 1975]

Everyone keeps eating the OP alive for "handing" off a weapon the wrong way. He did not hand the weapon to anyone. He sat a holstered weapon with no mag on the table. If it would have been slide forward and unholstered I would have a problem with it. But this weapon was holstered.
The FIL was just flexing muscle.

I have to agree with this as well. My previous post is about handing someone a gun. The OP never handed anyone a gun. He simply laid it down on a table inside a holster after clearing the weapon.

Chris

 

[JRG]

I don't think the dining room table, that is occupied by more than the two gun parties, is the proper place to show anyone a firearm!
I would have said something like "after we leave the table lets go check out my new firearm" ....at least that is IMHO

 

[Hokkmike]

I would have dumped the magazine, opened the action, showed him that it was clear, and handed it to him muzzle down. Even if I had set it on the table I would have done the same.

I had a friend who kept some long guns in the corner of a room behind the door. I asked for permission to pick one up. After I did, and before I could clear it, he said, "Careful, I keep all my weapons loaded and ready to fire". He should have said that BEFORE I handled the weapon.

Unsafe only needs to happen once.

 

[woof]

I agree with ltlabner. I would not have said go check it out yourself at a gun shop. But I would have said - you know this isn't the right time or place for this, picked up the gun and put it back in the safe. As far as I'm concerned this goes beyond gun safety and was just plain rude of him to talk to you like that in your own home in front of other people. I doubt if I would have offered to show him another gun of mine for a long long time.

 

[Andy W]

I empty the gun, double check to see that it is empty, let the other person see for themselves that it is empty, then hand it to them.

 

[1911 guy]

I'm not going to get into a grudge match between your father in law and you, I'll just tell you what I do, as well as everyone I've handed guns around with. If I am handing off an empty weapon, the action will be open. Magazine is a variable, if it's a loaded mag it will be seperated from the weapon. Empty, not a problem as it is visually checked because the action is open. If I hand someone a weapon with the action closed, it's because they need a serviceable gun right now and it's loaded.

Just this past weekend I was at the public range. A fellow was there with a nice assorment of handguns and rimfires at the 25yd line and showing them off a little. All fine and dandy. He handed me his 9mm, a Gov't Model in the holster. I unholstered, racked the slide to the rear and thumbed the slide stop up to lock it to the rear. Staring me in the face was a column of 9mm rounds. I'm a firm believer in opening actions. Someone a little less attentive could have caused a serious problem. In all honesty, I don't think he remembered the loaded mag was locked in place, he seemed a little surprised when I handed it to him.

 

[Zach S]

Not exactly carved in stone that the action should be open when you hand it over, it just makes things easier between experianced shooters. I prefer not to had someone I know a gun with the action open, because so many people have slammed the slide shut or done the hollywood flip. You see it a lot on the other side of the counter.

It keeps me from being an ******* to the slide slammers and hollywood flippers.

Second, I agree, you're FIL was rude. At his house, you grit you're teeth and bear it. At your house, it should be a totally different story.

LOL. Find me a father that doesn't think his daughter could have done better

All of them do, its an unwritten law. However, my FIL treats me with respect at my house, and his.

The fact that his daughter could have done better doesnt give him the right to be an ******* when he's a guest in his SIL's house.

 

[Sato Ord]

Proper "gun etiquette" tends to vary with every individual. It is pretty much "common" practice to ensure that you don't sweep the room, or any individuals, other than that everything else is pretty much a matter of opinion.

I usually hand someone an autoloader with the slide locked open, however, I also have a pretty good idea of who I'm dealing with if I'm letting that person handle one of my prize possessions. If that person is an experienced shooter I might expect to be able to hand him the weapon, still in the holster, and he will clear it himself before he starts looking it over.

I don't see that you really did anything wrong. If he is as experienced as you say, he should have cleared the weapon and left the lecture out of it. You did the polite thing by putting it within reach and not interrupting him with a lot of noise and the display of clearing the weapon at the table while he was having another conversation. You could have simply held the weapon until he was ready to look at it, but you didn't, oh well.

The only other thing I would have done is when he was ready to look at the weapon I would have said "The mag is out and I made sure the chamber is empty." That, of course, does not relieve him of the responsibility of checking the weapon himself!

As for the comment that he "Is your father", not hardly! He's your father-in-law and you are an adult; two grown men having a conversation and looking over a firearm. He is in your house, not the other way around.

As far as not showing the gun at the dining table because there is no way to look at it without sweeping the room, I have to disagree with that one, too. If dinner is over and you are sitting having coffee and talking then showing off a favorite pistol is fine. As far as checking it without sweeping the room, that isn't hard, point it at the ceiling or floor, or simply turn in your chair. It doesn't hurt to say step over here and I'll show you that pistol, but it isn't completely necessary providing you have first cleared the weapon away from everyone else (which you did), so you know that you haven't brought a loaded gun to the table.

One last thing I do before drawing a weapon from a holster when there is anyone else around is to say, in a clear voice, CLEAR. That lets people know what I'm about to do. Also, if it is my SD weapon I announce that it is loaded, and I will clear it first, then I proceed to do so.

Not this situation, but on the range if I am handing someone, like a new shooter I am teaching, a loaded weapon I also make darn sure they know it is loaded before they put their hand on it, and I make sure it stays pointed in a safe direction, and their finger doesn't touch that trigger until they are aiming at the target.

I know that there are plenty of people who might disagree with some of what I've said, but I've been shooting and handling firearms for over forty years and have never had an accidental discharge of a weapon, and never been told that my actions while handling firearms have made anyone feel unsafe.

 

[MinnMooney]

There's more than one way to skin a cat.

My father-in-law, who is into guns from way back.

You did nothing wrong. There are several ways to hand a gun to someone or, in your situation, make the gun available to him if and when he wanted to pick it up and look at it.
The gun stores are taught to always open the action and lay it on the counter but store clerks know little about the experiance and gun-handling-ability of the customer. You knew. He was experienced. You done good.

 

[Justin]

If someone hands me a gun that doesn't have the bolt/slide/whatehave open, I immediately check it myself to ensure that the weapon is clear.

If you hand me a weapon without first locking it open so that I can examine the chamber, I view it as an indication of your general level of safety awareness (or lack thereof.)

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

If you hand me a weapon without first locking it open so that I can examine the chamber, I view it as an indication of your general level of safety awareness (or lack thereof.)

Ok. Did you read what I read? Any comments regarding that? (below)

I DO NOT hand MY gun over to someone with the slide locked back! I drop the mag and lock the slide back so the recipient can view the empty chamber (at the same time I am checking it), but I then rack the slide and carefully let it forward. I would consider it to be abusive to the firearm for someone to handle my gun and drop the slide lock, letting the slide SLAM into the frame without the cushion of a round chambering.

and

However, do you ever fear that the recipient might drop the slide lock on an empty chamber, whether as a result of habit or accident?

I do feat that.

P.S. I have posted this comment in a couple threads like this in the past. I cannot get anyone to respond, but I don't think this small detail warrants an entire new thread.

 

[bruss01]

When I want to display a handgun to a friend, I always go in the other room, drop the magazine, clear chamber, lock the slide open... holding the gun pointing at the floor, gripping it by the slide, I enter the room with the open mag well facing the person, then tilt to display the open & empty chamber, and hand it towards them while verbally instructing them "magazine's out, chamber's empty - wanna see?"

Yes, I go to great lengths to avoid alarming people about seeing firearms in my home. That's 100 times better than someone looking up suddenly and getting an adrenaline rush wondering about the (loaded?!) gun I'd be waving around. I believe it's overkill, but it's considerate.

eta: I don't worry too much about them closing the slide on an empty chamber. Sure, probably not something you want to do 100 times in a row... but if your firearm can't handle it once or twice without breaking, that firearm is too fragile for normal use IMHO.

 

[rich0372]

First, if you are handing someone a firearm at the dinner table that is completely out of line. How may I inspect a firearm at the dinner table without sweeping someone?

First of all if you read my post I didn't hand him anything I placed it on the table. and he had plenty of space to look without sweeping ..it was only 4 of us sitting down at the table.

From your viewpoint you did everything you could to be right. From his viewpoint you put him in a very uncomfortable position. If he touches the weapon he will sweep someone. He knows nothing about the weapon - it may go off from simply touching it because it has an eight-ounce trigger pull.

Funny thing is I don't think he was worried about sweeping anyone since he pointed the gun at me after I got up and cleared the gun for him...he was trying to prove a point saying if it was loaded and he didn't check it and pointed it at me and pulled the trigger. This is what gets me the most if he was so worried about proper way to hand a gun over to someone WHY THE HELL WAS HE POINTING THE GUN AT ME!!!!!!!!! That's one of the four basic safety rules. I asked him not to point the gun at me and that was the end of it.

Just this past weekend I was at the public range. A fellow was there with a nice assorment of handguns and rimfires at the 25yd line and showing them off a little. All fine and dandy. He handed me his 9mm, a Gov't Model in the holster. I unholstered, racked the slide to the rear and thumbed the slide stop up to lock it to the rear. Staring me in the face was a column of 9mm rounds. I'm a firm believer in opening actions. Someone a little less attentive could have caused a serious problem. In all honesty, I don't think he remembered the loaded mag was locked in place, he seemed a little surprised when I handed it to

At the range I would NEVER hand someone a gun in a holster or not with the action closed I usually keep them in cases untill I'm ready to fire them. If I show someone I take it out open action and hand it to them or put it on the bench pointed down range This pisses me off because I take a lot of pride in gun safety.
I only did it the way I did it because it was my FIL and we have a pretty good relationship...I thought it wasn't a big deal and it's wasn't like I haned it to him I put it on the table in a holster.

 

[rich0372]

I've come to the conclusion I will no longer show my FIL any of my guns...if were going to the range that's one thing but, for him to make a big deal about this the more I think about this it just keeps pissing me off. And for him to point the gun at me tells me he was just on a power trip because that's defiently not safe practice (unloaded or not). I'd rather not get into an arguement over something so stupid that's why I didn't argue with him yesterday.

 

[Sato Ord]

I've come to the conclusion I will no longer show my FIL any of my guns...if were going to the range that's one thing but, for him to make a big deal about this the more I think about this it just keeps pissing me off. And for him to point the gun at me tells me he was just on a power trip because that's defiently not safe practice (unloaded or not). I'd rather not get into an arguement over something so stupid that's why I didn't argue with him yesterday.

Dude, I think you're on to something. It sounds like there might be more going on here than just a firearms safety issue. I wouldn't dwell on it and let it eat a hole in your stomach. Your FIL sounds like he has an issue he may not be man enough to bring up. Maybe he thinks you are spending too much time and money on guns and not enough on his little girl or something. Maybe he just wants to be the top baboon and sit on the best patch of grass. Either way, it's probably better for your mental health if you just let it go.

Try taking him to the range and couple of times and get a little more communication going. Then maybe he'll open up and tell you what is really going on. You two just might find some common ground and put any other stuff behind you.

 

[rich0372]

Try taking him to the range and couple of times and get a little more communication going. Then maybe he'll open up and tell you what is really going on. You two just might find some common ground and put any other stuff behind you.

Funny thing is we have no problem never have My in-laws treat me like a son so if there was an issue I would know. I just think he was testing me and since he's older and been around guns much longer than me he was tring to instruct me. Only thing is I didn't ask for any instuction.

 

[Sato Ord]

Funny thing is we have no problem never have My in-laws treat me like a son so if there was an issue I would know. I just think he was testing me and since he's older and been around guns much longer than me he was tring to instruct me. Only thing is I didn't ask for any instuction

Yep, it happens. Now the ball is in your court: you can let it roll off your back, or let it eat on you. Probably not worth getting too worked up over; he might have just been having a bad day at work or some such. It's easy to take that stuff out on family members if you aren't careful because it's a safe place to do so. I'd just let it go.

 

[GRB]

But I didn't hand him the gun it was on the table If I handed it to him I for surely would have opened the action before

Regardless of handing it to him, you presented it to him for him to handle. In my mind, unless you just loaded a firearms for someone else to shoot, like a novice shooter, such presentation required that you had it over unloaded and action open. You are playing word/mind games by saying you did not hand it to him, when indeed you did present it for his inspection.

Not only that, you placed it on the table while your dad was busy talking to someone else. In other words you put it in front of him for him to look at while he was otherwise distracted. That was a very poor move, especially since you had it in the holster and he could not readily see if the action was open and it was unloaded from the look of what you wrote. I find that even worse than leaving it there in the holster. When you show a weapon to someone, they should have all their attention focussed on the weapon. Had he absent mindedly picked it up while talking, just out of simple reaction to your having placed it on the table, and then drawn it while talking - well yes he would have been at fault, but so too would you have been for allowing something like that to happen in the first place. Why fault, because whether loaded or not, the parties involved were not fully concentrated on what was being done.

Here is another what if - what if the other person in the conversation had picked it up? What if you all got so involved in the conversation because of interest, or emotion, that someone else like a child came by and picked it up, or your wife, or whomever. I am not saying this would happen but could happen becaus eof distraction of that ongoing conversation. You should have had patience and gun-sense enough to wait before showing it, or placing it in a position to be handled by someone other than you.

As for the whole dinner table thing, I almost cannot beleive you bring that up as some sort of defense for why you did what you did. It would have been best to first place a towel across the table. Then say woud you like to see the pistol now or wait until you finish your conversation. Chances are, you placing a towel across the table would have drawn sufficient attention to you for you to have made an announcement that you wanted to show the pistol then.

All just my opinion, based upon my own experience with brain farts and guns in the past.

All the best,
Glenn B

 

[Green Lantern]

Well, just this weekend I was showing off my Garand to my cousin's husband. I first opened the action (where he could see me doing it) to show the rifle was clear, then carefully closed the action. I didn't want him accidentally getting "Garand Thumb," nor battering my action any more than I already did while getting used to the gun.

I always either have the gun locked open, or open the action in front of whoever I'm showing it to.

In the situation of the OP....of course he did right by making sure the gun was clear. On one hand, maybe he should have kept ahold of it till his FIL was finished talking to the other person. On the OTHER hand, maybe the FIL should have given the OP a chance to clear the weapon in front of him? Be kinda rude to interrupt him to do it, after all...