Some time ago, I was at participating in training on the combative use of firearms. This is a new area of study for me, and I was among a number of others, all of whom professionals, working with a borrowed weapon. During the practice, something rather disturbing occurred. It was resolved and the training continued. After that training block was finished, I was unloading my weapon to return it, still somewhat preoccupied by the previous event, rather than 100% focused on the firearm in my hand. I’d unloaded the magazine, and was jacking back the slide to check if there was a bullet in the chamber. The action was very stiff and I gripped the weapon firmly with my right hand to properly brace the action. To my horror, I realized I had unconsciously let my index finger wrap around the trigger. I froze, stopping my action. There was, in fact, a bullet in the chamber, and I would have fired off a round in God-knows-what-direct, if I hadn’t caught myself at the last moment.
This essay is one of many that has been revised to make the writing itself more graceful, but more importantly, to incorporate my own developing perspective on this subject. It is now part of my new book, Roots Still Cracking Rock: Refections On My First Fifty Years Within Classical Japanese Martial Traditions, which in addition to revised essays from this site, contains new work as well. Below you will find a picture of the cover as well as a QR code to order a Special Edition of the book. In this group order of ten books or more, Ran Network will make a special print-run with a dedication on the title page to your dojo or other institution.
The general release of the book on Amazon (equal in quality of the binding) will be on approximately April 20th. I will place that link here as well when it is ready.
Ellis Amdur
Many years ago, I visited a public trap and skeet range. It was a beautiful and well-organized facility. The range held classes, offered shotguns for rent, and encouraged people to bring their friends for an enjoyable afternoon shooting clay targets that flew through the air or rolled and bounced over the ground.
Shooters went out in groups of four to six. A range-master accompanied each group. The range-master would explain the challenges of each shooting station, and direct the release of the clays. The range-master also explained and enforced the safety rules of the range. The most important of these rules was that all guns were to point down-range at all times, whether loaded or not.
There was a group just ahead of mine, and its range-master was a stocky, reserved fellow. His group included a boisterous individual who appeared, from his clothes and haircut, to be in his late 30’s. But his bluster and sloppily casual bearing were more appropriate to a college “bro” at the beginning of a Saturday night frat party. The range-master looked straight at him while delivering the safety rules.
The bro took his turn shooting. He missed with both barrels, and turned away from the range, swinging his shotgun toward his group. “Point that gun downrange!”, yelled the master. The bro complied, but groused and grumbled, “What’s the problem, I fired it two times, there’s no shells left..” The range-master replied, calmly and firmly, “Don’t do it again,” and led the next shooter forward.
At the next station, the bro missed his first shot, but clipped a clay with his second. He turned, exultant, toward his group. “I got one!” he cried, again oblivious to the fact that he was pointing his weapon at his friends. The range-master strode up to the bro, and without a word, hit him with a powerful right cross. He was out before he hit the ground.
The master picked up the bro’s shotgun, broke it open, and ejected both shells. He turned to the group and said, “One at a time, please unload your guns. Please return them and any unused ammunition to the office. We will refund today’s fees in full. Please tell your friend that he is not welcome at this facility again. Thank you.”
-posted on behalf of JIM SORRENTINO
Federico Calboli
I am somewhat surprised by this story — it has a lot of feel good factor, but the range master shows remarkable lack of strategic foresight.
The US being the country it is, that is, a country run by the rule of law, the best case scenario I see is a criminal prosecution for assault together with a civil suit for damages — prison plus bankrupcy. The bro was an idiot, that is for a fact, but swinging a firearm that has no live ammo anymore is a breach of the rules, not an invitation for a knock out punch in the head (being kicked off the range? sure. Instant physical punishment? I doubt the legal system might agree).
Worse obviously is the possibility that the bro might have taken matter in his own hands in the form of a different firearm to be used at a different time, with a different target. I know some people might mention the need for a warrior to be alert at all times and whatnot, but personally I’d rather not have to worry that there might be someone out there with a gun planning to kill me or a member of my family.
So I am conflicted. The story is poignant about why proper etiquette matters, and what might happen if we are not mindful to it. Yet I suspect the story might be even more poignant for for other, much worse, reasons.
Walter Martindale
Many years ago (1975) I was in a Canadian forces reserve summer training position, and we were in a live-fire exercise using a 9 mm submachine gun (600/minute rate of fire, full 32 round magazine). On walking up to the firing point, the sergeant in charge advised me that if, when I was on the firing point, he observed me with the muzzle pointing anywhere other than down range, he would quickly attempt to break another full magazine of ammunition across the back of my neck. In the U.S., it is a much more litigious society, but I suspect “bro” was discouraged from taking any action as he was in the wrong on the range. Every firearm should be treated as if it is loaded at all times whether or not it is known to be discharged. That way no accidents happen.
Chris Leblanc
Sorry to revive an old post:
Yes I agree – the range officer punching the guy was just as bad as the bro. That is an amazing account, to be sure.
Ranges – “shooting dojo” – are generally very strict in firearms safety rules. The reason for this is that often there is a range of people who attend public ranges, with varied levels of ability and awareness with firearms. It is similar on ranges with police officers, though officers in training can usually do more than on a private range (depending….) For instance, some ranges do not allow drawing and firing from the holster, or are arranged so that moving and shooting is not allowed. Sometimes it is a skill level thing – a SWAT team may do far more complex training and engage in activities that are disallowed for non-swat officers, and disallowed on public ranges. One example: on most ranges shooters are not allowed to face “up range” or to step off the firing line with a weapon in hand. This is not just avoiding “muzzling” or “lasering” people behind the firing line, no weapon can be in hand off the firing line. This is to ensure safety, and on a basic level it makes sense. Range officers often passionately and rigorously enforce this, even when a weapon is handled completely safely, and stepping off the line with a weapon in hand can mean getting kicked off a range, or disciplined. This is the most basic level of reishiki, and weapons etiquette.
The problem is we will do that all the time when out in the world. In real world, in real time, you will be handling a weapon while moving amongst no-shoots, whether they are innocents or non-combatants, one’s partners, or even a suspect that has ceased to be a lethal threat. A problem with such square range rules is that they do not allow someone to practice weapons handling when in and amongst other people. This would be the next level of reishiki and weapons etiquette. Once a foundation in range-handling is laid, then there is handling in open environments. This is because there must be an observation that someone is “safe” with their own weapon before they can be trusted to operate amongst others, and to not present a danger to their peers.
I have taken people off ranges three times. All were good people. One was a very experienced martial artist with extensive koryu background. He just ended up NOT treating his firearm the way he would a sword. As one person put it “he is not inculcated in firearms culture.” As we were training in a course of fire that involved manipulating a pistol close to the body, firing in contact with the body, and involved holstering and re-holstering, this lack of awareness was unacceptable and placed everyone else and himself at risk.
Another time I did-invited someone from a class in which we were using blue guns- these are inert plastic firearms that don’t fire anything at all. The point was, they had to still be treated as “real.” The student showed a lack of basic handling knowledge and awareness, to include constantly placing his finger in the trigger guard. Without the basics, and despite the fact that we were using inert weapons, he had no business learning more complicated stuff until he could get the basics down. I did not want him to have the impression that he was “safe” to carry a weapon in public, perhaps draw it, perhaps use it to defend himself, in and amongst other people when he was clearly not so.
Like with traditional reishiki, there is firearms etiquette for handling weapons, handing weapons to others, etc. that usually involve clearing the weapon, inspecting the chamber and mag well, and then offering the locked open chamber to the person you are handing it to for their inspection and verification as empty before passing the weapon over. Similarly, when engaging in force on force drills, safety checks clearing everyone of live weapons, magazines, and ammunition are conducted. Unfortunately, when these have been lacking, people have died in training when live weapons and live rounds made it into practice sessions.
An inability to follow these basic guidelines is a prime indicator of lack of ability with weapons. It is a warning sign to those around that one is not ready for real world.