https://americanhandgunner.com/discover/training-tips/goobers-or-gods/
yeeoch!
What kind of gun owner are you? I’ll bet, just by dint of the fact you read American Handgunner content, you’re — as Garrison Keillor says — “above average.” Scary thing is though, the number of gun owners who aren’t. I divide we civilian gun owners into roughly four categories.
Goobers With Guns
These people, if what shows up at most ranges is any indication, might even qualify as the majority, and I’ll bet they aren’t reading this right now. You don’t need to drool tobacco juice from missing teeth to qualify here. These people often have little to no idea about safety. You’ll see guns handled with the muzzles wandering to and fro with no regard for what they cross. They will even point a gun at themselves when handling, loading, unloading and manipulating it. When they pick up a gun, the chamber and general state of the gun is never checked. “Why would I do that?”
Goobers will shoot at anything. Once I saw one pull a bowling ball from the bed of his pick up, lay it out on the range and blast away at it. These morons will even drink beer (or stronger stuff) when shooting. They have zero training, and can’t imagine why they would need any. I have no idea why there aren’t more Darwin Award winners in this crowd. And let’s not even think about the ones who don’t even go to the range.
Safe, But Unskilled
These gun owners are, thankfully, conscious of gun safety. Most intuitively (if not explicitly) understand the Safety Rules, and try their their best to do what their long-ago firearms safety instructor told them. They are conscientious with regard to safety, but have no other real gun handling skills. They can’t mount or draw a gun properly, they can’t shoot at any speed other than slow plinking, can’t reload effectively, can’t move with a gun safely and their marksmanship is, well — undeveloped. Their main virtue is they are safe, but their main fault is they don’t see the need to develop their “skills” any further.
Safe and with skills
This is the category I assume the bulk of you likely are. Reflexively safe with firearms, and with handling, marksmanship and having tactical skills ranging from rudimentary to high level. This is the population competitive shooting draws from, and where shooting schools get their students. These are the people you and I think of when we think of fellow shooters. These are the shooters who drive much of the market in firearms and gear. These people are usually quite self-aware of their skill level and are generally trying to improve it.
The Others?
There are subcategories here, of course, with some at the higher end and some of them embarrassing. The mall-ninja Strange Rangers probably most acutely. But for the most part these are good people. It’s not so much gun-handling or safety separating people in these subcategories as it is their sub-interests and personality types.
The pantheon here is the home of the Julie Golobs and Max Michels of the world. These gals and guys can do things with guns which are downright against the natural order. They are hard-driven, fanatically focused, genetically gifted specimens on the far right of the talent bell curve. In five lifetimes of unlimited time and ammo, I couldn’t approach half of Mrs. G’s skill — but she and those like her are an inspiration. Also included here are the men in, and formally of, our top-tier SpecWar units — including the ones that don’t actually exist. We’re happy you’re on our side. YUP!
So, which category are you in? The thing is, except for the last one, you get to choose! Now be honest …
(Me: After ‘experiencing’ an almost life changing event last week @ my indoor Range (I promised myself to NEVER darken their doorway ever again after THE LAST ‘GOOBER WITH A GUN’ showdown but it was raining Cats N Dogs out and I REALLY wanted to get in some TRIGGER TIME, when I get like this I can barely think of anything else till I hear the sounds of Freedom! ). I have PTS/Anxiety and shooting CALMS me (Instantly). Should be the other way around I guess but I’m not complaining. (Author’s note: While the sound of Gunfire calms me the sounds of some fireworks —like Mortars) make me want to hide under my Cats beds!) . Getting back to last weeks incident. I was shooting in my lane (all calm and peaceful like) waiting till others shot, a pause then I’d fire, chill let others go like that. Then I heard a ‘Thump’ in my partician on my right. I put my .44 down and looked around to see a guy just like the Goob in the first picture and he was still wrestling with his slide! As I pinned him to the shelf in front and disarmed him THEN the RO took notice of a problem. Long story short he was found to be UNSAFE, the hole he created was right about where my kidneys are. That would have sucked I’m here to tell you. One doesn’t go to these Range’s and expect to be perforated! That Range is UNSAFE and now luckily I didn’t learn that lesson from a Hospital bed. (the last comment on Mr. Goob is he was given the CHOICE take the standard Gun Safety Course they had for NEWBIE’S or go elsewhere and he had the nerve to say he was ABOVE that class----I don’t care who you are you can NEVER BE TOO SAFE! He walked and I pity the community with him Carrying in it. I didn’t go through what I went through to get killed in my own Neighborhood shooting range THAT would be just too ironic.
TRAIN UP (PLEASE)
Get a Mentor (or friend) Learning and enjoying this 'Hobby with like minded folk’s ’ is a kick
Don’t just stick it an a drawer and call yourself a Gunner. (you aren’t—yet)
NO EASY DAYS
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