Handing a handgun over?

C

cosmicdingo

New member
When my brother and I shoot, I always get a moment of brainfart when handing him a still loaded pistola.With an automatic, I can always put the safety on, but with a Ruger .357 wheelgun,it takes about 15 seconds.Is there a recognized technique for handing off a revolver?Thanks.
 
15 secs?? Are you speed shooting? Remember safety is always paramount. When I'm letting other people shoot my guns I always give it to them unloaded and usually laying on the shooting bench. Only way I've ever done it.
 
Yes, laying it on the table or counter is best but when it's not practical I swing out the cylinder and hand it over. On Ruger single actions I open the loading gate.

LK
 
Never hand it over loaded. There's no rush unless you are engaged in mortal combat. Open the cylinder, drop the ammo out into your hand, hand the revolver over with the cylinder out and your fingers through the frame so the cylinder can't close.

On a singel action, unload the gun, open the loading gate, spin the cylinder to make sure it's empty, then show him it's empty by spinning the cylinder so he can see that it's empty.

Semi autos: drop the magazine out, open the action. make sure there is nothing in the chamber. Lock the slide back. Hand it over so he can see it's empty.

Never accept a gun from someone any other way.
 
Handing the gun over

Great answer Jim, I would add one thing, leave the slide open and put your finger in the chamber, then hand it over to who ever, or let them pick it up and return the slide. Just how I do it, not perfect. But I know it is not loaded.
 
I load the gun when I'm first showing someone how to shoot. But before that I have let them handle the gun unloaded and gone over the 4 laws.

One of the rules I stress is that the gun always points down range at all times.

If there is no stand or table to put the gun on I hold the gun ahead of the trigger, pointing down range. That way the new shooter is pointing the gun down range from the moment they first touch a loaded gun. It also means I have control of where the gun points until I'm satisfied with the way the new shooter grips the gun.

In any other circumstance the gun is cleared with the magazine dropped or the cylinder open.
 
Laying the empty, open gun on a bench is best, but if there is nowhere available other than on the dirt/grass(which is common where I shoot).

Unload gun, leave action open (cylinder dropped), with muzzle pointed downrange, hook frame top through index finger of strong hand, keeping barrel pointed downrange, step to side allowing person to grasp empty proven safe revolver by grip.
 
This applies more to showing a firearm in a non-shooting situation.

Besides the obvious safety procedures relating to the firearm being unloaded, there are two other operations I perform when handing over a firearm to anyone, familiar with firearms or not.

When handing over a revolver I always place the cylinder back into the frame by the approved method explaining why I'm doing it that way. I hate it when people close the cylinder of a revolver by flicking their wrists and snapping the cylinder in place like some stupid detective movie.

When it comes to an auto-loader I always remove the magazine and clear the weapon visually inspecting it for an empty chamber. Pointing the muzzle in a safe direction I squeeze the trigger. I don't like handing over a semi-auto with the slide locked back. Ever notice how many people will disengage the slidestop which allows the slide to slam forward on an empty chamber?

In answer to peoples comments regarding the above I broke an extractor on a Colt Mustang by having the slide slam closed on an unloaded chamber years ago. I wish not to repeat that. Also, if my expensive gun is going to broken, I want me to do it, not somebody else:mad:
 
Last edited:
Yeah...why wouldn't you disengage the slide stop and let it slide home on an empty chamber? You're SUPPOSED to. It was part of the function check on a 1911 pistol. The only reason you may not want to is if you have a custom trigger or some such jollies. But on a stock pistol, its kinda designed for it.
 
Regarding disengaging the slide stop and letting the slide slam forward is considered by some equivalent to cocking and snapping a revolver.
Besides that, it causes people like me to "turtle neck" (that's when you suck your head down between your shoulder blades)causing us pain and disorientation. You can slam that slide shut all you want AFTER you write the check.
 
Yeah...why wouldn't you disengage the slide stop and let it slide home on an empty chamber? You're SUPPOSED to. It was part of the function check on a 1911 pistol.
Click to expand...
In my experience, enough people believe that you're not supposed to do it that IMHO it's just good manners to avoid doing it with guns that don't belong to me.

At the risk of starting a thread hijack, the same goes for dry firing.
 
What Jim said, it's a good policy to unload ANY firearm before you hand it to someone. I've been damn near shot by a friend who was riding his index pretty hard on the trigger (apparently, not privy to the four rules). I'll never make that mistake again. Remember, if they're unloaded, there's NOTHING that can happen. Pretty good insurance policy, don't ya think?
 
I will preface this statement by first pleading revolver ignorance--Why can't you just open the cylinder even loaded with your fingers obstructing the area precluding the closing of the cylinder and then the recipient can close the revolver's cylinder when he or she is ready to fire downrange? Wouldn't there be nothing for the firing pin to strike?

Before I get reamed, if I were to ever purchase a revolver (I am just a semi, carbine, shotgun kind of guy for now but would like to get a revolver someday) I would complete the proper training for my safety as well as those at the range.

-Cheers
 
Why can't you just open the cylinder even loaded with your fingers obstructing the area precluding the closing of the cylinder and then the recipient can close the revolver's cylinder when he or she is ready to fire downrange?
Click to expand...
If it's centerfire, the cartridges could fall out. :(

Rimfire revolvers tend to have tighter chambers, so there's less risk of this happening, but I still wouldn't do it. Reason? After teaching several new shooters how to use a handgun, I have resolved NEVER to let a someone shoot one of my guns unless they can load it, unload it, AND deal with basic malfunctions without detailed intervention. Swing-out cylinder revolvers are SO easy to load and unload that IMHO there is no reason why I should have to do it for someone else. :rolleyes:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top