A Loaded Gun? III  (09/08/99)
	This post was written by Argentium, moonlight's owner and operator. [ More considerable snippage :-) ] [ Now talking about setting a heavy-pull trigger for safety ] Dennis wrote: The justification is that in high tension situations, it's easy to neglect the pressure on your trig **BAM** ger finger. I'd tentatively extend the same reasoning to highly emotionally charged scenarios. Point conceeded. For some live firing non-practice situations, this situation may definitely help. I'm unfamiliar with the body of research you stated, but I'm quite willing to take your word about this. Dennis wrote: The situation is somewhat mitigated by maintaining an ironclad drill of keeping your finger outside the trigger guard until you are ready to fire. Yup. Interesting data point: In the Canadian Province of Ontario in 1995, the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) were using 40mm semi-automatic sidearms with *no* safety mechanism. The safety was entirely the iron-clad mental training that you speak of (keeping the index finger extended down the barrel of the weapon, and away from the trigger guard/trigger until intent to fire was definite). The situation may or may not have changed, I simply have no current data to compare with. This information from 1995 comes from a first hand conversation with an OPP constable about what side-arms they currently used, and the constable was kind enough to show me the clearly unloaded weapon (unloaded before my eyes), and demonstrate the mental-discipline finger-position safety method they were trained to use. Needless to say, at first I was a little taken aback by "No mechanical safety", but as I thought about it, I was impressed by the training and how the issue of "Must fire now,.... DAMN the safety is on (bang I'm dead)" was solved. Dennis wrote: The reason I suggested a revolver is that, in double action mode, it is singularly resistant to mechanical failures resulting in an AD. Yup, sure is. :-) I'll have to try revolvers someday. Currently I'm partial to semi-automatic gas operated side-arms, but I would like to try a revolver to get the feel of same, and become proficient with it. Dennis wrote: BTW and OT, for non law enforcement tactical scenarios, I prefer a stock to light trigger pull. I'd like to think I have some hope of doing some accurate shooting. *grin* I'm with you there. [ points a-f of my first list of safety preparations snipped for brevity ] Dennis wrote: All of these are very reasonable. Since the weapon has been converted into a non-firing "replica" the danger is more or less limited to, in some way, getting mixed up with a functional weapon Which isn't possible in my situation, as I only own one of these weapons, and it is *not* easily confused with anything else. Dennis wrote: or some bizarre freak. Exactly, and given my extensive list of precautions and preparations, I'm at a loss to come up with what said 'bizarre freak' would be. Dennis wrote: These precautions are very similar to those I invoke when using a blank firing weapon for dog training, and the precautions used in the use of firearms in tactical training. Needless to say (so I'll say it anyway ) the prospect of mixing up a live round with the dummies or blanks is considerably scary. You betcha. Dennis wrote: I specifically inspect for it. You and me both. In fact, I'm downright paranoid about checking. My own rules call for checking twice, but I often check *more* than that. There is such a thing as good paranoia, kept in check. :-) Dennis wrote: For the record, and I know YOU don't need to hear this, the use of blank ammunition in play is about as dangerous as using live ammunition. There are many many examples of people being injured or killed by the firing of blank cartridges at close range. Yup, and likewise, though you don't need to know this, I'm going to explain for anyone else reading *why* this is the case: Blanks contain a primer (a small explosive charge used to ignite the larger charge), a larger explosive charge in the form of 'n' grains of powder, and some form of projectile inserted into the open end of the casing. In a live round, this is usually a metallic projectile that does *not* disintegrate during its trip through the air to the target. In a blank, the projectile is usually made up of some substance that *will* disintegrate a few feet after leaving the tip of the barrel (usually compressed paper). Also, the number of grains used in the powder charge is normally set to a lesser amount than when attempting to propell a much heavier metallic projectile (bullet) down-range, but still enough to ensure that the paper-wad clears the end of the barrel at sufficient velocity to disintegrate in-air a few feet down-range. The distance before the blank's projectile disintegrates has *LETHAL* potential. The projectile is still intact, and is traveling at a feet-per-second speed that combined with the mass of the projectile is capable of exerting a pounds- per-square-inch force on a target to do substantial damage, ie: puncture the human body and mess it up. Introduce a convenient idiot with a gun loaded with blanks who decides to demonstrate to his buddies that blanks are perfectly harmless. The demonstration consists of the idiot raising the firearm to point at their head from the side, and pulling the trigger. The phrase "Darwin was right" is demonstrated very clearly, and the idiot will most likely perish then and there. Ok, enough of that, back to your message. [ It is better to not have 3rd parties present or able to observe - point (g) ] Dennis wrote: Yep. The wild card possibilities here are chilling. My ex-wife once took a psych class, where someone did a "project" of staging mock stickups to observe bystanders reactions. She reamed the asshole out. "My husband carries a gun, and he would probably shoot you." Good for her. Recent laws enacted demonstrate how it's not nice to involve third parties in mock demonstrations without their pre-informed consent. "Toy" firearms get mistaken as real ones and people get *shot*. In some areas it is now illegal to "light up" an officer of the law with a lecture laser-pointer-pen. Why? They can't tell if they're being lit up by a laser- pointer pen, or a laser-sight on a firearm, and it is and should be interpreted as a "clear and present threat" to their life. Again, Darwin in play. Act stupid, pay the price. [ (h)-(j) - psych assessments and informed consent ] Dennis wrote: All of this makes sense. You want to know who you're playing with, and to be confident that everyone will react in appropriate ways. Or at least have a very reasonable estimation of how people will react. Admittedly, there may be surprises... In fact, if I didn't mention it before, I'll mention it now: There must not be *ANY* live firearms or like weapons present at the scene. For-defense weapons should be properly secured. Risk reduction is a *good* thing. Should someone 'wig out' in-scene, you want: a) Enough time to help them to calm down. b) Failing (a), time enough to get clear of your own life being put into clear and present danger of ending at said person's hands. You can't help if you're losing all your vital bodily fluids being lost through several newly introduced holes or gashes. [ areas of risk (2nd list) (a)-(c) snipped ] Dennis wrote: b and c are not significantly different from dangers associated with playing with floggers, or, say Bibles. *laughing* Uh huh. But I figured it beared at least a mention. :-) Dennis wrote: Keep a straight finger. You bet. Thanks for the conversation so far, it's been enjoyable!