Handgun World
Active Member
"Unload and show clear." A mandatory action that all IDPA, IPSC and other competition shooters have to do, after shooting each stage. Why? Because competition shooting attracts all types of shooters. I'm a big proponent of it. But I'm not a proponent of some of the things they make you do and I think this is a bad habit to learn. I won't say "unload and show clear" will get you killed, but there are some real problems with it. Competition clubs say they do it, because they operate a "cold range" and say it's because of safety. Look, I've trained a LOT of new shooters. Very new shooters. A competent instructor can create a training class full of new shooters that will be very safe with loaded weapons in their holster. Even when they are not shooting. The simple rules of gun safety and someone policing the shooters behind the firing line, will create a very safe environment. In fact, irresponsible people, not well taught, can probably be just as dangerous with an "unloaded" gun, as they would be with loaded gun inside the holster and kept there. How tempting is it for them to pull out their "unloaded gun" and show it to a friend, even though they were told not to do that? We all know of plenty of shootings that have occurred with "unloaded guns" haven't we?
Also, if gun owners get into the habit of unloading their gun whenever they are not carrying it, they can create problems with magazines and ammo.
Consider this from an excellent article, Why you should almost NEVER un-load your self-defense handgun | Prepared Gun Owners
Many notable firearms trainers, such as Tom Givens, have pointed out that (once you get past a beginner’s FIRST class where they don’t know a single thing) a “hot range” where all guns are kept loaded (but in the holster) the entire time are often safer than “cold ranges” where the students are told to “unload and show clear” their guns often throughout the day.
This is because almost all people treat their guns with more respect when they know they are loaded and because of this extra care and safety minded attitude, negligent discharges happen less frequently on these “hot ranges”.
Read the rest of the article and take note of how you can ruin your self defense ammo by constantly loading and reloading it.
This has given me the thought of doing a podcast episode about "bad habits" including this one and many others. Not just from competition shooting, but other bad habits taught to gun carriers. However I do like this post on Caleb Lee's Prepared Gun Owners Blog.
Thoughts?
Bob Mayne
HandgunWorld Podcast
Also, if gun owners get into the habit of unloading their gun whenever they are not carrying it, they can create problems with magazines and ammo.
Consider this from an excellent article, Why you should almost NEVER un-load your self-defense handgun | Prepared Gun Owners
Many notable firearms trainers, such as Tom Givens, have pointed out that (once you get past a beginner’s FIRST class where they don’t know a single thing) a “hot range” where all guns are kept loaded (but in the holster) the entire time are often safer than “cold ranges” where the students are told to “unload and show clear” their guns often throughout the day.
This is because almost all people treat their guns with more respect when they know they are loaded and because of this extra care and safety minded attitude, negligent discharges happen less frequently on these “hot ranges”.
Read the rest of the article and take note of how you can ruin your self defense ammo by constantly loading and reloading it.
This has given me the thought of doing a podcast episode about "bad habits" including this one and many others. Not just from competition shooting, but other bad habits taught to gun carriers. However I do like this post on Caleb Lee's Prepared Gun Owners Blog.
Thoughts?
Bob Mayne
HandgunWorld Podcast