The problem with this new video/article is that the people who need it either won't watch it, or don't realize that they do it so they'll watch it, nod, and won't change a thing.
But I wrote it anyway, in the hope that it might help. Or at least make some people think a bit.
Fundamental Gun Handling Videos: Part III, Safe Gun HandlingAs the article says, when I first started recording video, I ended up with about 30 minutes worth of stuff, which I chopped and chopped and edited and chopped---and it was still almost 20 minutes long. There were just SO MANY THINGS that we see all the time at the range, at matches, in gun stores, in discussions with people (when they talk about their gun handling choices and decisions)---so many cases where people completely break not only one, but
several of the rules of safe gun handling---without noticing.
Probably the most obvious are people who wander around (and perform actions on their gun) with their finger on the trigger. But equally as obvious are the people who don't seem to understand that where ever the muzzle is pointing is a potential issue if it isn't a safe direction.
"But it's EMPTY!"
I don't care. Don't point it at me. (And that "It's empty!" refrain, by the way, is something often heard right before someone shoots something or someone they didn't mean to shoot.) Amazing how many people come up with excuses for unsafe gun handling, as if there is anything that excuses it?
In my video, I didn't even mention things like "it is stupid to not wear eye and ear protection" or "don't point the gun at yourself while holstering" and many other things---because then the video would have been an hour long.
Like everyone knows, I'm a fan of competition shooting---and in this case, the reason is that if you aren't safe with handguns, you get feedback Right Now Immediately Stop That Don't Ever Do It Again.
Which apparently, many people need.