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AJT, you may not be giving the shooter with light primer strikes good advice. Per ATA rule, the action must be opened promptly. The rule, IV.J.9 reads “A gun, which for any reason fails to fire as intended, must be promptly opened...” . It is on page 16 of the current rule book.
JB
I've had enough hang fires one year with gun clubs there's no way I'd break a gun open to quickly. I'm aware of the rule but I'll be damned if I want a Remington headstamp in my forehead! Most safety classes I've attended recommended 30 seconds before popping a dud shell out.
 
Helping run a public range for years, we were especially sensitive for newbies and walk in traffic not known well. Gatekeeping started at registration.

Working the counter, you got to know your regulars. Newbies are questioned nicely...

Don't recall seeing you before... have you shot American Trap, are you fully familiar with the firearm you are possessing?! If we didn't get a resounding Yes! We went further to find the lowest common denominator... have you shot a shotgun, any firearm experience?! New shotgun... take the gun to a remote area and learn how to operate it before we put you into traffic.

If folks gave us the business and experienced difficulty on the line, they were nicely asked to leave the line. Some took exception, most did not. We always treated folks with respect.

I can recall one time a father and son were shooting in a squad I happen to be scoring. The son kept keeping his finger on the trigger.

During the first move I approached the Dad and son and made a discreet comment about the son... the Dad took offense, essentially saying it was none of my business... their recreation ended at that.moment.

With respect, you cannot expect rank and file shooters to correct bad behavior, even to protect themselves... most do not like confrontation. There will be a segment of shooters who believe they know it all.

A good day is when everyone come off the range with all the fingers and toes they came with...
I use the same philosophy as what I use at work, it's a conversation.....not a confrontation. Look at it from the receivers point of view.
 
The most dreaded question that a hunting guide hears from his hunters in the bottom of a commercial goose pit first thing in the morning is “How the H*** do you load this thing?” You’re watching that guy the rest of the day.
I had so many muzzles pointed at me during my pheasant guiding days on a game farm hunting operation and hunting waterfowl in larger groups that I no longer hunt with more than two people at a time and if either points a muzzle my way it's their last hunt with me. I never guided waterfowl hunters and never will, especially in layout blinds. The majority of my hunting nowadays is solo or with my wife.
 
With how dangerous pumps are being shown to be, a pump with a release trigger is pretty close to a WMD. ATA probably needs to solve that before it gets out of hand.
How about guns without safeties and guns with safeties that do not set on safe everytime the guns is opened and closed?
 
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How about guns without safeties and guns with safeties that do not set on safe everytime the guns is opened and closed?
Those aren’t nearly as dangerous as random cans of soup and all those hand size rocks everywhere.
 
How about guns without safeties and guns with safeties that do not set on safe everytime the guns is opened and closed?
I think the OP said that the safety was on, that was the issue. So you're probably right that guns with safeties are an issue. Or can we just get the buttons/switches relabeled from safe/fire to Not Safe/Less Safe?
 
I think the OP said that the safety was on, that was the issue. So you're probably right that guns with safeties are an issue. Or can we just get the buttons/switches relabeled from safe/fire to Not Safe/Less Safe?
It's a nice idea, but should we REALLY have such a binary division? Shouldn't we ask the "safety" what it wants to be called? Or what colour it would like to be?

I personally like the idea of "graded intermittent anti-firing mechanisms", where we have 12 positions, from "Go get a permit in writing from Nancy Pelosi before you even load this thing" to "Will go off if trigger is pulled".

Safeties are entitled to more than just 2 alternatives.


















(end Australian sarcasm font)
 
With how dangerous pumps are being shown to be, a pump with a release trigger is pretty close to a WMD. ATA probably needs to solve that before it gets out of hand.
The same nonsense is like the guy in the past that wanted to BAN semi autos saying they were too dangerous ! A pump gun is no more dangerous that any other gun with a release trigger . I've seen several accidental releases and they were ALL with break open guns. Want to SOLVE the problem of blowing holes in the ground ? Train people not to be IDIOTS ! In many ways a pump gun is SAFER than a break open gun because you can see the action is open and no shell is in the chamber ! I remember years ago some clown writing in a gun magazine how semi auto pistols were just too dangerous . Of course the guy was a hard core revolver man ! Thankfully the ATA powers that be , who make up the rules are made up of sane people who reject such nonsense !
 
The same nonsense is like the guy in the past that wanted to BAN semi autos saying they were too dangerous ! A pump gun is no more dangerous that any other gun with a release trigger . I've seen several accidental releases and they were ALL with break open guns. Want to SOLVE the problem of blowing holes in the ground ? Train people not to be IDIOTS ! In many ways a pump gun is SAFER than a break open gun because you can see the action is open and no shell is in the chamber ! I remember years ago some clown writing in a gun magazine how semi auto pistols were just too dangerous . Of course the guy was a hard core revolver man ! Thankfully the ATA powers that be , who make up the rules are made up of sane people who reject such nonsense !
I assume that's sarcasm.
 
Great question! New shooters and shooters who just bought a new gun fall into this catagory but don't forget corporate shooters if you rent out your range. We use safety officers to qualify participants at corporate shoots.
 
I have been shooting trap on and off for the last 10 years. I have seen this happen as well. I have been fortunate to shoot with some people who have really helped me in the sport.
I’ve also seen some really unsettling things from shooters who you would think know better.
Everyone be safe.
 
I volunteer as a range safety officer at a military facility. I attempt to get those young folks to ask questions. I ask several each time I have new shooters, can usually tell if they can be trusted or if they require close supervision. Safety has to be taught.
 
A few weeks ago, Nora was teaching a 10 person clinic at our club. She was focused ,watching and filming shooters as a gentleman,not a class member, was shooting alone at the next trap. The solo shooter fired a squib load. Nora heard it and immediately watched what the shooter did next. She watched him remove the hull and she saw that he did not check the barrel. When he put a new shell in, she took off running, and she stopped him from firing. Then she respectfully explained to the shooter what may have happened. They checked the barrel and it was obstructed. I learned a lot from that lesson. We all need to be super aware and respectful of shooters who may be unfamiliar with possible mishaps. Someone taught us and we need to pass those instructions along.
On the line we all keep our ears tuned for the sound of a miss fire and tell whoever that there may be a problem. After the person checks we proceed
 
I've had similar experiences on the trap line and I agree that it is incumbent upon experienced shooters to help new shooters with the operation of there gun, safety being the priority. It's just has important that the newbies familiarize themselves with the operation of the firearm in order to operate it safely by reading the manual or getting personal instruction or both.
 
Please take the time to learn how to operate your gun before you step up to the Trap line.

The other day a shooter was having trouble. It's a common issue, but shouldn't be something difficult to figure out; the safety was on. Needless to say, they called for a bird, tried to shoot and nothing happened. It was a pump gun so, thinking the round didn't fire, they tried to open the action, but because the trigger hadn't been pulled, the action was locked. If they knew how to operate the gun this wouldn't have been an issue either. Alas, this shooter didn't have a clue.

So, with finger on the trigger, the shooter kept pulling on the slide harder and harder. Finally the shooter next to them pointed out the safety, they switched it off and fired the gun into the ground about 10' in front of the line. Remember, their finger was on the trigger the whole time. Rattled, this shooter proceeded to break only one target the entire round.

This is our fault. Those of us with experience should never let something like this happen. Help these people learn their guns. If this one had known how to open the slide with the slide release, nothing would have happened. If they had known about the safety, nothing would have happened. If they had been taught rule #3, "Always keep your finger off the trigger until pointed at the intended target" nothing would have happened.
The one target was probably nothing to do with being rattled. Someone that clueless about gun operation was probably in the same boat when it came to shooting it.


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