The Subtleties of Safe Firearms Handling - By Massad Ayoob

I'm sure this has been posted here before, but it's good reading and shooters new and experienced should read this. I've always enjoyed Ayoob's down to Earth and easy to read style. I just got a copy of In The Gravest Extreme in the mail from Amazon for $3 and can't wait to tear into it.

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ayoob103.html

An except from The Subtleties of Safe Firearms Handling:

...


I recall a fellow who shot himself on the foot at a public shooting range in Miami. He was shooting a Taurus PT92, which was a variation of the Beretta 92 semiautomatic 9mm pistol produced by Taurus of Brazil. His was an early model, which had a frame-mounted lever that served only as a dedicated manual safety. To put the gun into double action mode, the shooter had to lower the hammer by hand.



Next to him on the public firing line was a fellow with a genuine, late model Beretta 92, which to the non-gun-savvy eye looks just like its Taurus clone, and can even fool experts at a distance. However, all but the very first models of the Italian Beretta 92 have a manual safety lever that is mounted on the slide instead of the frame, which also serves as a de-cocking lever that lowers the hammer to double action mode automatically. (On G-series Berettas, that lever functions only as a de-cocker.)



The shooter with the older Taurus decided that the shooter next to him with the new Beretta had the same gun he did, and he asked him how he lowered the hammer so quickly and efficiently. The shooter obliged, thumbing the de-cock lever in a quick flicker of movement. It appeared to the new shooter that one simply thumbed the lever down and pulled the trigger to lower the hammer, which would now somehow magically be safe.



He thumbed HIS lever down, which on HIS pistol put the manual safety in the “fire” position, and pulled the trigger. Unfortunately, he also brought the gun’s muzzle down perpendicular to the ground as he did so.





“BANG!”



With the safety off and the trigger pulled, the pistol naturally did what it was designed to do and discharged, sending a 9mm bullet through his foot and into the pavement beneath. There was much shouting and one-legged hopping and blood spatter. Fortunately, the injury was not as serious as it could have been.


...

Click to expand...

I hope everyone comes away from reading this article feeling a little more aware of what they know and what they DON'T know about various styles, actions, and models. And I hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I did! -hole punch

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ayoob103.html

bumped, for just-becauses

I'm a big Ayoob fan. Attended one of his seminars a while ago, and it was worth every penny. I've heard the same about his classes and books.

I think his perspective really compliments those of other current instructors such as Clint Smith and Brian Enos, who also have excellent books and courses. While some of their instruction might be slightly different, everybody's mind and body works slightly different as well, and any of their techniques or philosophies properly trained and employed are highly effective. There's no "right" way, just the right way for you. The trick is to find it, hold it, and steadily improve upon it.