Thread: Idoits that get firearm licences

Originally Posted by Preacher

Flame me if you wish, but I don't think I have ever actually used the safety lever/switch on any of my hunting rifles. Ever.

It's either "safe" due to having nothing chambered or I am holding the half cocked bolt in the crook of my thumb to not allow it to close until needed.

Cross a stream? Eject round and push next one down, close bolt on empty chamber. Same for scrambling up a steep shitty section. Takes less than 10 seconds to render "safe" and cross obstacles etc but still allows for rapid (identified) shots.

Don't most Tikkas have detach mags now anyway? Even with floor plate rifles surely you would void the magazine first and then simply action the bolt open and inspect chamber?

As per OP, yeah the guy fucked up and it may have been serious. I don't disagree. But he also may not even have been aware he was about to fuck up.

Basic handling skills should be part of the license process. Demonstrate safe loading/unloading etc. But.... forcing new applicants into X amount of range days etc is a bridge to far myself. Not everyone can get to ranges easily and may already have someone who can help.

When Mrs Finnwolf went that the course as part of the process to getting her FAL she was shown how to safely operate, load/unload various firearms, most of which she was unfamiliar with. ( probably why she managed to jam the pump action!)

Originally Posted by Preacher

Basic handling skills should be part of the license process. Demonstrate safe loading/unloading etc. But.... forcing new applicants into X amount of range days etc is a bridge to far myself. Not everyone can get to ranges easily and may already have someone who can help.

I had a conversation with a guy a while ago who explained to me that he had never even touched a firearm until he was licensed and was able to go to the local sports shop and buy one. He did the mountain safety course, purchased the gun safe, flew through the vetting, got his card in the mail and off he went. Had to get the sales rep to show him how to load it, owned the gun 6 months before he learned how to remove the bolt.

Went Wallaby shooting many years ago with older person with a Mannlicher 6.5x54 with set triggers.While having a break he opened the bolt and started setting and firing set trigger while telling us how good it was.On standing up he closed the bolt and discharged a round into the ground between us.It turned out he had set the trigger before slamming the bolt.A near miss from a very experienced but careless shooter.

Originally Posted by Preacher

Flame me if you wish, but I don't think I have ever actually used the safety lever/switch on any of my hunting rifles. Ever.

It's either "safe" due to having nothing chambered or I am holding the half cocked bolt in the crook of my thumb to not allow it to close until needed.

Cross a stream? Eject round and push next one down, close bolt on empty chamber. Same for scrambling up a steep shitty section. Takes less than 10 seconds to render "safe" and cross obstacles etc but still allows for rapid (identified) shots.

Don't most Tikkas have detach mags now anyway? Even with floor plate rifles surely you would void the magazine first and then simply action the bolt open and inspect chamber?

As per OP, yeah the guy fucked up and it may have been serious. I don't disagree. But he also may not even have been aware he was about to fuck up.

Basic handling skills should be part of the license process. Demonstrate safe loading/unloading etc. But.... forcing new applicants into X amount of range days etc is a bridge to far myself. Not everyone can get to ranges easily and may already have someone who can help.

I agree with ya mate, not often i ever use the safety , rather I just keep my rifle "Brass Ready" , where I can see a round on the bolt face but not yet in the chamber - Hence the name "Brass Ready"

I keep my finger on the brass and then when ready to shoot , gently close the bolt forward and down.

WHen hunting in the thick stuff it's generally a .45-70 so I carry on a non cocked hammer.

Yeah I recon experienced something like that one time trigger pulled to uncock the action only for there to be a round in chamber the round went into the ground/wall of the hut - I was outside the hut in line with with where he had the rifle pointing when he pulled the trigger. He extremely upset but it came down to him not understanding the action thinking he had to pull trigger as it the only way to uncock. Lots of experience with shot guns but nothing with rifles.

Originally Posted by deer243

Just reading in the local courts today about some total dickhead that is certainly not a fit and proper person to have a firearms licence.

It appears this 23 year old from brightwater was planning to go hunting with a mate, the time was 3pm.
For some unbelieveable reason he loaded his mag in his 308 just before loading it into his car and while he shut the bolt he chambered a round by accident.

While leaning on the car with the rifle he again by accident pulled the trigger of his 308 and fired a shot thru the cars door.
Round went thur the door, thur his fence and hit the neighbours property,. His excuse was the rifle was new and he didnt know he chambered a round.....WTF

One,why the hell would you load the rifle in the first place before you even left the property?
Second, while shutting the bolt hes got no idea hes chambered a round then he mangages to fire it without shooting himself or someone else.

How the hell this total clown got a firearm licence in the first place is beyord me.
Hes awaiting sentence but if he hasnt lost his firearms licence its a disgrace and he shouldnt ever be allowed to touch another one again!

In my country there is a popular saying:
"Guns are loaded by the devil and fired by a fool"
Every year in Argentina deaths are caused by idiots who have no idea of ​​a weapon and more of them hunting.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

well I got lynched when suggested a graduated licence for firearms...eg 6 months under supervision....then 6 mths where you can use solo BUT your firearms still stored at someone elses place......reason I believe that has merit is young fella cant get them to go off on poach with drinken mates if the fella holding his rifles says bugger off and sober up first...and turn up pissed again,you can find another sponser.
makes it hard for someone who knows no one......but there are work arounds for anything in life.
I believe many years back at MSC firearms lecture when police .38 revolver was passed around,it was found to have cylinder loaded!!!!

The thing is plenty of Muppet sponsors exist, where do you think a bunch of guys learn to poach from, drink and shoot, spotlight, etc? The worst people i know of for getting shit faced and shooting ducks (and each other from shot coming of the pond aren't the young fellas...

Supervised licenses or even compulsory range time makes some sense but is a larger barrier for entry that some might imagine as without having a support network of hunters its quite difficult for many. It would effectively remove most without a close family member or friend from starting up. Which is turn risks the population of firearms owners dropping so much the little defense we can put up drops to nothing. People in remote areas without official firearms ranges would struggle with it. Id say compulsory range time also potentially leads to something similar to the pistol license where we all end up having to attend so much time a year which is a big ask.

Not really a solution just saying solutions aren't all simple and free from consequences. Firearms involvement in schools ideally is the best to instill a respect (not a fear) for firearms and teach some basics.

As for idiots I almost got kicked off a hunt as a wrangler in Canada as the hunter in front of me chambered a round constantly and had the barrel to the guides back even after id asked him not to and the guide who was in front told him off. I kept stopping him and having him unloaded it and it ended in a pretty big blowup after he got pissed at me. The guide didn't realize id been unloading his gun all day everytime i handled it and making him show me an empty chamber everytime we started walking so thought id been rude and me sent back to basecamp. The outfitter heard my story and headed back to camp with me to tell the client to pull his bloody head in and that he either had an empty chamber until we approved him to chamber a round or he could fuck off and if he got caught with one up the spout without our permission again he was going home. Needless to say the guide apologized and thanked me as he had no idea the guy kept flagging him and it wasn't just the twice off.

Client for some reason didn't tip me

Ps: This was in Canada not NZ

If I were the cops I would be asking some very hard questions to the referee[s] of the idiot.

I bought an enfield from a guy who lost his licence after shooting himself in the leg while taking his .22 out of the car. His son had a licence and held his guns for him.

Originally Posted by Stocky

The worst people i know of for getting shit faced and shooting ducks aren't the young fellas...

On a river I used to shoot with a mate years back, the drunken guys shooting on the other side were the people supposed to be enforcing the rules!

I know muppets who drink champagne on opening-morning (ducks). They consider themselves 'upper-crust' and you would think they'd know better. The more fools that get FAL's, the harder the Establishment will come down on responsible firearms owners.

Originally Posted by rewa

I know muppets who drink champagne on opening-morning (ducks). They consider themselves 'upper-crust' and you would think they'd know better. The more fools that get FAL's, the harder the Establishment will come down on responsible firearms owners.

Meanwhile the middle class are knocking back skis from hip flasks whilst for the lower class it has to be beer.
My experience of living for many years in a South Taranaki town where most of the duck shooters are once-a-yearers.
Saw astonishing amounts of empty beer crates in back country deserted houses used mostly only for opening and closing weekends.
Apologies to those that observe the no alcohol with firearms rules.

Get a job in a gun shop, you meet people who should not have guns everyday, here’s a few questions
Will my gun kill a horse ?
I don,t know sir what gun do you have
I will let you know

Will these bullets fit my gun ?

One from last week
These pellets are cheaper, can I put them in my .22 rimfire
Are you serious
I know about guns but not The finer points
This was witnessed by two customers

What’s the difference between 177 and .22 ?
1mm sir,

Customer with a sako 270 in bits, we were short of ammo and my mate told me I could use some of his, (ammo unknown obviously a bit tight ) can you help with my insurance claim ?

My ruger will not cycle? But look if I do it by hand it works ok

Originally Posted by Taff

Get a job in a gun shop, you meet people who should not have guns everyday, here’s a few questions
Will my gun kill a horse ?
I don,t know sir what gun do you have
I will let you know

Will these bullets fit my gun ?

One from last week
These pellets are cheaper, can I put them in my .22 rimfire
Are you serious
I know about guns but not The finer points
This was witnessed by two customers

What’s the difference between 177 and .22 ?
1mm sir,

Customer with a sako 270 in bits, we were short of ammo and my mate told me I could use some of his, (ammo unknown obviously a bit tight ) can you help with my insurance claim ?

My ruger will not cycle? But look if I do it by hand it works ok

yes but by the same token I have had a sales man try and sell me 20Ga ammo when I asked for 28ga..........................well it says 28g on the box so I can assure you its the right stuff......wtf not even close.