The Rules Work!!

[10Shooter]

My son turns 13 tomorrow, so we decied he could invite some friends and have a simple single thrower skeet shoot. (Total of 7 boys) So I made a shotgun stand for the shooter to shoot through.
I had a 10 -15 minute safety talk, loading talk, proper stance, aiming,swing through, trigger safety etc. everything good.

Had the boys not shooting stand behind a line on the ground about 10 ft back. Had one Dad hand proper ammo to boys, another Dad running the thrower. and I was overall safety, giving instructions to the boy shooting.
Some had never shot before. They were shooting 12 gauge semi, 20 gauge pump, and 12 gauge pump.
They were shooting 4 rounds, then getting back in line. It's going well, all the boys have been throgh now at least 3 times, they are getting comfortable, hitting some clays, having fun.
One of the boys walks up to the stand, shotgun is handed to him, he gets his ammo, he is shooting 12 semi, loading one a time. Pointing muzzle in the safe direction down range, is adjusting to put the butt on his shoulder and (BAM). I was right there 2 feet from him, I look at him, his eyes are as big as saucers. He stammering , I...did not mean for that too happen, etc.
So I take this opportunity to again explain why we have the rules, and since we were following rule #1, no one got hurt and to always, always, always follows rule #1.. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
and follow the other rules 2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. 3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

So we started shooting again,
The boys shot at almost 300 pigeons.
Then cooked hot dogs over open fire, etc.

Overall Great day.......But could have been oh so BAD.

So follow the Rules!!

[baldeagle]

Overall Great day.......But could have been oh so BAD.

But it wasn't. And that's entirely due to your safety instruction, which is now impressed even more in those young men's minds. And to their following those instructions.

Great job!

[USA1]

Overall Great day.......But could have been oh so BAD.

But it wasn't. And that's entirely due to your safety instruction, which is now impressed even more in those young men's minds. And to their following those instructions.

Great job!

A valuable lesson learned by all.

[olafpfj]

Excellent. My boy is 6 and starting in cub scouts. I imagine I will be doing some instructing in the near future and I am always a safety nazi.

I'm also that way at work and on the road. I used to run a college theatre and I would always have to tell the kids not to stand in dangerous places. I would always tell them that the best way to avoid being crushed by some 2 ton set piece is not get in its way in the first place (similar to rule #1). Don't drive between a big ol tractor trailer and a concrete barrier. Either pass him or hang back but don't loiter in the "death zone". Etc.. etc...

Good job and nothing teaches that lesson better than what happened with those kids.

[mctowalot]

Sir, I commend your awesome Dad skills!

I realize this was not your son but one of his friends...


Some dads I know would have been yelling at the top of their lungs and snatched the gun away from the kid, possibly scaring him for life - definitely embarrassing him in front of his friends.

[cougartex]

Great job, congratulations.

[Embalmo]

I believe in my heart of heart that we'll all experience an unexpected discharge and the gun better be in a safe direction when it happens. Mine was a round put in my bedroom floor from a thumb slip when decocking my .22 revolver.

[bigred90gt]

Growing up, our family owned about 200 acres just outside of Columbus. We had 2 small lakes there, and used to spend a lot of family time fishing and hunting out there. I started hunting when I was big enough to hold a gun, and had my own shotgun (single shot .410 that I still have somewhere) before I was 10. One weekend when I was about 13 or so we were up there, and the family was fishing. I had been around the lake with my dads 12ga doing some squirrel hunting. I had come back, and was just standing around with the shotgun, looking in the trees for squirrels and just kind of goofing off. I was standing near the water, with the butt of the shotgun on my hip and the muzzle pointed into the air toward the woods. I guess I had unknowingly hit the trigger, and it did what it is supposed to. Scared the daylights out of me, I dropped the shotgun, my dad ran over and reamed me up one side and down the other about keeping my finger off the trigger. No one was hurt, he unloaded the shotgun and put it in the back of the truck, handed me a fishing pole, and I sat with everyone else and did some fishing. To this day, even at the range with my AR, every time I pull the trigger, my finger immediately comes off the trigger and out of the trigger guard completely. A very valuable lesson learned, and a mistake never repeated since. I'm sure this kid will forever remember how quickly things can go wrong in a hurry. Good job on your reaction as well.