Safe Direction?

[PeteF 1,044]

Rule 1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.

 

When loading your HD gun, what is your safe direction? I think other than intentionally pulling the trigger, the most likely time to have something go wrong when manipulating the gun to load or unload it. In my house the only safe direction i have is aimed at the floor of my basement, and even a richochet off concrete is not really a safe thing.

 

I was thinking of making up a "Safe direction" out off a 5 gallon bucket filled with sand.

 

Any thoughts?

[bbk 188]

I was thinking of making up a "Safe direction" out off a 5 gallon bucket filled with sand.

That's what I've done since I got into firearms. Its what the MIL uses in the field for the most part, and I figured I might as well apply it in the home as well. Just make sure there are no large rocks in it.

[tommy3rd 132]

I was thinking of making up a "Safe direction" out off a 5 gallon bucket filled with sand.

Any thoughts?

how about water? mythbusters had an episode where they shot various ammo in the water and the bullets just slows down drastically as soon as it hits the water.

[MedicYeti 96]

Toilot! Seriously. Aiming at the drain. In case of an ND the water and porcelin will absorb the hit and neutralize the bullet. This will also destroy the toilot but no one will be injured. I have a crawl space under the house and a small hill at the back end of my property so I either aim down or into the back yard. It's good to practice safety but also remember an approprately functioning gun won't "go off" if there isn't a finger in the trigger.

[ChrisJM981 924]

I use my mattress. It has 3" of memory foam on top so it should stop a bullet.

[Old School 611]

A real consideration is what type of handgun it is... I'm guessing we are talking about handguns.

 

If a weapon has a decocker I would say find a safe direction but then modern pistols with decocker's block the hammer while decocking. My HD gun is a GLOCK so for peace of mind I point it at the floor(the garage is underneath) but no way in hell it's going off unless you pull the trigger.

 

The Big thing is be intimately familiar with you firearm and keep that damned finger out of the trigger guard. And a modern weapon is ultimately only as safe as the operator.

[djg0770 481]

I use my mattress. It has 3" of memory foam on top so it should stop a bullet.

 

No sarcasm smiley? I hope you're kidding.

[Malsua 1,422]

I use my mattress. It has 3" of memory foam on top so it should stop a bullet.

 

No sarcasm smiley? I hope you're kidding.

 

I suspect a standard 22 long rifle could pierce 30 feet of memory foam. lol.

[Tactical Monkey 51]

I suspect a standard 22 long rifle could pierce 30 feet of memory foam. lol.

 

Field Test!! Who's up for it? :twisted:

[Springfield1911 22]

A buddy of mine years ago shot a 9mm pistol in a five gallon bucket full of water that was inside of a slop sink. LOL.. Needless to say he had to replace the slop sink.

[Ray Ray 3,566]

A buddy of mine years ago shot a 9mm pistol in a five gallon bucket full of water that was inside of a slop sink. LOL.. Needless to say he had to replace the slop sink.

 

A buddy of yours, or you! :twisted: :evil:

[GRIZ 3,369]

If you want to have a 5 gallon bucket of sand in your house that's your call.

 

Safe Direction is relative to where you are. At the range it is usually downrange unless someone is down there changing targets or something.

 

You should pick a safe direction based on:

 

1. No chance of injury to anyone

2. Minimal damage if the gun discharges.

 

Toilets are out as they will stop most handgun bullets but they are also hard and bullets can ricochet.

 

And a modern weapon is ultimately only as safe as the operator.

 

This is true. The only true AD I ever had was from a 22 auto that slamfired. Headspace was too tight. A mechanical malfunction. I was in a first floor apartment built on a concrete slab. The bullet went into the subfloor and that's where it stayed. A little glue fixed the hole.

 

I have a half basement with a crawl space under the other half. Pointed at the floor there is nothing but dirt once the bullet goes through the floor.

 

It has 3" of memory foam on top so it should stop a bullet.

 

I seriously doubt it. More than one person has put a bullet hole thru many a mattress.

[bbk 188]

Good points-- but wasn't the OP specifying in his home (as he was talking about HD guns)? I figure a "safe direction" would be quite static for the most part (if one is performing admin reloads).

 

As for common sense, of course. But if we're talking about the sake of redundancy, the argument transcends simply 'logic' and then becomes an applied theory concept-- hence the examples of things... such as a 5 gal. bucket w/ sand. Just saying.

[ChrisJM981 924]

I use my mattress. It has 3" of memory foam on top so it should stop a bullet.

 

No sarcasm smiley? I hope you're kidding.

 

No Dan I'm serious. I hate my mattress so if it went off I'd have a reason to get a new one. I'm in a basement apartment so the floor is concrete. My Smith & Wesson .22 stays unloaded and my HD gun is a Glock. Enough said

[Rugerfan100 1]

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to this question...

[PeteF 1,044]

The safest direction is ALWAYS downrange...I load every one of my guns pointed that way....

 

Question was about a home defense gun. Which (unless you live at the range)

cannot be loaded at the range and transported home. As I live in an expanded Cape Cod the only "Safe" place I have is in my basement pointing at the floor. "Safe" is in quotes because a ricohchet off concrete is not a safe thing.

[karcirate 1]

Spend $3 at a lawn store, buy three or four 40lb bags of dirt (the ones that are packed tightly), and stand them up against each other against your concrete floor or wall. I think we can say with some confidence that no handgun round is going to pass through all that and still have enough force left to ricochet off the concrete.

[Rugerfan100 1]

Sorry, realized that after I hit return....

[ChrisJM981 924]

As I live in an expanded Cape Cod the only "Safe" place I have is in my basement pointing at the floor. "Safe" is in quotes because a ricohchet off concrete is not a safe thing.

Good point. Now I aim it in the direction of my neighbor who I don't like.

 

Seriously though I have Extreme Shock Air Freedom rounds in the mag. They're designed not to penetrate the fuselage of an airplane so I'm relatively convinced it won't go through the walls. I'd buy DRT ammo if I could find it. It's supposed to turn to powder if it hits a non-organic target.

[ianargent 7]

The advice I got when I asked this question of several people was "homer bucket of sand" (I was looking for a safe direction for a second-floor garden apt); or even a 55-gallon drum of same if you can manage it - as noted, that's what they use for "clearing barrels" most places

 

I don't like futzing with a loaded gun anyplace but the range, myself; consequently my HD guns are stored with the magazine next to them. I'll take the extra couple of seconds to slap and rack over chancing an ND. If we could carry, my answer would be different, but I would then follow the advice I've heard from people in other states and just treat the holster+gun as a unit anyplace I don't have a clearing barrel.

 

Leaving the mag out also guarantees I won't f up and leave a loaded magazine in when I'm transporting to the range.

[djg0770 481]

The advice I got when I asked this question of several people was "homer bucket of sand" (I was looking for a safe direction for a second-floor garden apt); or even a 55-gallon drum of same if you can manage it - as noted, that's what they use for "clearing barrels" most places

 

I don't like futzing with a loaded gun anyplace but the range, myself; consequently my HD guns are stored with the magazine next to them. I'll take the extra couple of seconds to slap and rack over chancing an ND. If we could carry, my answer would be different, but I would then follow the advice I've heard from people in other states and just treat the holster+gun as a unit anyplace I don't have a clearing barrel.

 

Leaving the mag out also guarantees I won't f up and leave a loaded magazine in when I'm transporting to the range.

 

 

With the latest round of home invasions, I carry at home.

[ianargent 7]

I've considered it; but a G17L is really rather incovenient to carry and I don't own any kind of holster right now. I lock and bolt the doors and look through the peep before opening doors. Plus, the town I'm in is rather quiet, the most excitement the cops get is having a warrant pop up on Sumdood when he drives down US-22 over the limit.

 

If I ever invited Elsie Pea (say) to take up residence, things might be different. Or if the police blotter gets more exciting, too. But right now I own firearms because golf takes up too much time.

[Bob B 103]

Thank you for posting this thread. I have been wondering the same thing. Specifically, I have been questioning whether or not a 1911 has more risk to load and unload because of the preferred method of carry -- "cocked and locked."

 

After doing some searching, I came across this unit:

http://www.letargets.com/estylez_item.a ... LE-STK+KIT

 

There are many others out there, but this is the cheapest that I have found so far. I have seen them as much as $1,000.

 

If you google "weapons unloading station" or "weapons unloading trap" you'll get quite a few sites.

[mipafox 438]

At home, I point at the floor, keeping in consideration where the HVAC system and oil tank are in the basement.

 

For dry fire practice, I have brick walls. For handguns, I make sure I don't sweep windows and stay away from important stuff.

 

At courts and the Statehouse, there usually isn't clearing (thank goodness) and there are no clearing barrels. When they have asked me to clear I've pointed at the floor near a wall.

 

At gunshows, they usually don't have the clearing station near the wall. I aim at the floor in the safest direction I can think of and be very careful and deliberate about what I do.