Monday, February 6, 2012

Touching it in public

I'm not a fan.  This poor fellow shoots himself in the leg in the parking lot of a gun show.

                        "Police say he was reloading the pistol in the parking lot because loaded
                         guns weren't allowed inside the gun show."

I hate (hate) having to mess with my gun in public.  It's one of the reasons I avoid "gun free zones".  If I have to remove my firearm to enter a forbidden area that just cannot be avoided, I remove the entire holster without removing the firearm.  The last thing I would ever want to do in public is mess with my gun.  I'm not saying that I question my ability to handle one, quite the contrary.  What I'm saying is that messing with it increases the likelihood of something screwy happening.  "In public" is the last place I want that to happen.  Now, for this particular incident I'm guessing that the majority of the basic rules were violated.  I'm surely hoping that he is ok.

16 comments:

  1. Also where is a gun MORE likely to get stolen, tucked in the pants of an armed man, or inside a mobile glass box.

    I occasionally do secure my gun in my locked vehicle, but I ONLY do it as a last resort as no matter WHAT you do to secure you gun, all they need to do is hot wire your car and drive off where they can take all day and use all manner of tools to get your gun before they chop your car.

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    1. Weerd, agreed. Locked cars are like the little gun vaults. A deterrent to honest people.

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  2. This is why I avoid gun shows or gun shops that don't allow carry inside. I am not worried about handling my gun, I'm worried about idiots like this.

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    1. I'm with you on that, David. I've been at a gun show that had a discharge and it is unnerving. Also, more stats for antis.

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  3. Of all the things I hate about gun laws, this is the one I hate the most. Gun free zones make me nuts. I am a busy, busy mom and I am often in and out of my kids school which is not near our house, so I have 2 choices...go all day unarmed or sometimes leave it in my car. I can't stand leaving a loaded gun in my car, unattended. I also hate taking it on and off. I carry a Glock. I am very confident in my abilities and in my attention to detail, but this is a serious gun and I just want to put it on, leave it there unless I need to defend my life. Makes me crazy!!!

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    1. I know what you mean. Schools are the worst gun free zones. In some places you can't come within a certain distance of the school which means you can't even take it and leave it in the car (leaving you unarmed all day). Texas just passed a law that says employers cannot keep you from having one in your car. At least there is that, though I hate the private property right entanglement.

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  4. I have to agree with the whole removing the gun and holster as one unit. Also part of my own "silly" fondness for thumb-safeties I know you shouldn't put all your trust in them, but I like having one extra barrier between me and an embarrassing scar or worse.

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    1. Odysseus, I know what you mean. I carried a 1911 for years and when Glock hit the scene it took me a while to get used to the concept of not needing a safety.

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  5. I too avoid criminal empowerment zones like the plague for this very same reason. Well there are other good reasons but this one's near the top.

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    1. TJ, you're right, there are many. This is one of the lower on the list, but still a compelling reason.

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  6. One of those awful red faced moments...btw, you've been given a blog award. Details should post on my blog at three p.m. today.

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    1. Thanks, Stephen. I'm finally getting a chance to head over.

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  7. You have been awarded!
    http://rockinaseaofchaos.blogspot.com/2012/02/its-major-award.html

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    1. Wow. I'm popular all of a sudden. Is it a bowling alley? ;0

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  8. Ugh! My phone is killing me. I swear I will respond to your comments this evening.

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  9. Yeah, I just threw the same thing your way!

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