Keeping Safety First

There are basic safety rules when handling firearms. Like many of us after long experience, we have stories to tell of those that mishandled a firearm. The results can be embarrassing and sometimes something is damaged—hopefully only property. But truly tragic events have occurred from poor gun handling. Gunsmiths handle both firearms and power tools. The combination is one that must be approached with a healthy respect.

We must know a bit about electricity, about proper hook-ups and avoiding overloads, and observe safety rules when using things like lathes and drill presses. Hand tools are also demanding of careful handling. I think that one of the worst accidents occurred with one of the finest craftsmen I have known and a hand made knife. He was moving gently and perhaps not holding the knife quite as rigidly as he could have. The knife was grabbed by the sander—perhaps the sander hit a rough spot—and thrust upward.

It bounced off a guard. The knife was taken from his grasp, flew into the air, and came down on his back, running in point first. He trudged to his house (like many of us, his work shop was behind his home) and had his wife pull the sticker out and render first aid. With sufficient gauze taped to the wound, they rushed to the hospital. I cannot recall how many stitches were needed but it was minimal.

And his wife was asked a number of embarrassing questions, the poor These are office type tools such as a price stamper; while seldom used they are nicely tucked away. woman. Still, this could have been much worse. While an extreme example, injuries to the eyes and extremities are more common. Another example is a conscientious gunsmith who was working on a SIG P226 handgun. Somehow, it escaped from his grasp.

While he was certain the handgun wasn’t loaded, he did not wish an expensive handgun to land on the concrete floor of the shop area. He caught the handgun on his foot and getting badly bruised through his tennis shoe. Perhaps we should all wear steel toed shoes for this reason. I know another ‘smith that slipped and let a rifle butt hit his big toe. He ended up losing the nail and it was pretty painful. If something is falling, let it. Don’t try to grab it, particularly anything with sharp edges.

Otherwise injury is almost guaranteed. Once the basics are handled we have to consider children as well. Many of us work at home. Small children have no business in the shop. My children grew up with firearms in the house and they learned common sense safety very early. Guns should be locked at all times. While I have been guilty of having disassembled guns laying about the work table, I try to do one project at a time. If I am waiting for parts, I lock the gun in the

safe. This is especially important if children are in the home and you work there. Ammunition should never be in the work area of the shop! I have a detached workshop and there isn’t a single round in the shop where work is done on guns— save the Government Model .45 I usually have on my belt or the .38 Special in my pocket. If I walk out of the shop or go to lunch, the shop is locked and the guns are not left unsecured. The loaded sidearms travel with me.

When they were young, I taught my children—now 37, 34, and 23— to never to touch a gun or gun part. As an aside I once had a particularly rough Hi-Power clone I was working with. I could not convince the trigger to jump back into the gun. I left it on the living room coffee table and went for a walk. My son returned home from high school, a junior at the time. He spotted the pistol in pieces and put the gun back together for me. While this was pretty cool, it was poor safety on my part.

I should have locked the gun away. Of course, this was a young man familiar with firearms, not a child. The changeable point is first class and well tempered. Teaching children not to touch gun parts has a practical aspect besides safety. We do not need to lose parts; we can misplace enough of them without anyone’s help! Children just are not mature enough to exercise good judgment. We may not realize that children pick up on our safety and what we do.

As an example, when my daughter was very young she would not have known there were guns in the house, or so I thought, because I was very safety conscious. One day I was developing film—back in the days of 35mm—and I found a perfectly framed and back lighted shot of her water pistol. My four year old copied my work. I did not even know she had borrowed my very expensive camera. While not as potentially dangerous as a firearm, it was the most expensive camera I had owned to that point.

Her brother had broken a 35mm at a similar age, so, watch all your expensive tools! Children are very observant and don’t be sure you have hidden anything. When working with a gun, no matter what we have done the previous day it is time to check the firearm again the next time it is handled. All guns are always loaded is the Far Don’t set up a vise where it will be ran into. primary rule. Another rule is never to cover anything with the muzzle you do not wish to see destroyed.

Always clear the firearm and check for ammunition in the magazine, cylinder, and chamber. I think we are all aware of the stuck cartridge in lever action tube magazines and rimfire feed devices. A matter of great concern is checking a gun into the shop. Never assume the customer has cleared their firearms. My friends working security at gun shows tell me they have never worked a show without at least one loaded gun coming into the booth to be checked and tagged; at most shows, it is several.

Your customers come from the same gene pool. The same is true at pawn shops. People bring in loaded guns to pawn, often unaware of that fact. Know how to clear every type of firearm as it is essential for safety. One shop I visited as a youth had a special clearing station at the far end of the shop just for this purpose. My grandfather pointed out a bullet hole (pockmark) in the concrete wall of his country store where someone discharged while unloading one of those "damn automatics".

This made an even bigger impression on me as a child. A fairly common problem is a loaded gun that must be brought into the shop. This may be a revolver with a squib load that has stuck a bullet in the forcing cone. The cylinder will not rotate and cannot be opened. Then there are

rifles that have suffered a swollen case and the bolt will not open. Never assume the cartridge in the chamber isn’t alive round! These handguns and long guns should be handled carefully. As an example, one customer described a single action automatic pistol that had failed to chamber fully. The cartridge case (an off-spec handload) was stuck in the chamber, the slide wouldn’t close, and the hammer was cocked.

I told him he was traveling at this own risk with that firearm and that needed to contain it in a hard case in the trunk to suspend movement. When he arrived at the shop I met him at the door and removed the firearm myself, carefully taking it to the work area. I have a fixture that handles such things. While a dowel must often be placed in the barrel to exert pressure to the rear, I do so at an angle so that a launched bullet would go toward a backstop.

Also, I spray penetrating oil and WD-40 liberally in the chamber to kill the primer and powder. I haven’t had a I assure you at least the band aids will be used. discharge with this method but it could happen. Shop Gear As for tools there are any number of rules. We have all had bruises, punctures, and scratches but far more serious injuries are possible. A number one rule for safety and good gunsmithing is to use the right tool. It is common for a screwdriver to slip; worsened when ill fitting.

You may mar a finish or gouge yourself. Use heavy work gloves when possible and nitrile industrial-rated gloves to protect from harsh chemicals. I have quite a few screwdrivers of different sizes, some hand cut and others purchased, but they are discarded when at the end of their useful life. Long-handled tools are best for jobs needing more leverage and short handles allow close work when finesse is more important.

Because using a hand tool repeatedly potentially can harm your joints and cause carpal tunnel and even lead to muscle and nerve strain, the Far While some see less use, all are handy from time to time. Even the super size rat trap has seen use. tool’s handling and ergonomics are important. This applied to mallets, screwdrivers, chisels, and files. Look out for pinching when in use and be certain the surface is non slip. Hold your wrist straight when using a tool and the elbows slightly bent for better leverage.

Use a vise to secure your firearm or part. Don’t get into an awkward angle that will cause back strain. If the tools have cracks in the handle or the working head has mushroomed and expanded, chances are the tool will be prone to slipping and cause an accident. Keep tools clean and lubricated as needed. Discard any that are no longer viable. The single most important thing to always wear are good quality safety glasses.

The rules of geometry tend to support the theory that anything that flies from the firearm will strike your eyes. Fluid, solvent, and oil is spilled out in many operations and we tend to rack the slide or bolt at eye level—at least I do. Some glasses have a bifocal element and that is an advantage. Never fail to don safety glasses. A good quality shop apron will prevent ruined clothing as well as pinches, burns, and cuts. I also find I can catch dropped parts in the apron as well.

Good lighting enhances safety, prevents eyestrain and possibly accidents from things you may overlook in a shadow. Use the right tool for the job, wear appropriate safety gear, and keep a first aid kit handy for minor scraps. Always let safety come first. AG