…research about unintentional discharges.
Now 171 additional instances have been analyzed, offering a broadening picture of the causes, circumstances, and consequences of “an unplanned activation of the trigger that is outside a handgun’s or long gun’s prescribed use;” i.e., an unintentional discharge.
THREAT LEVEL. More than half of the UDs happened on-duty, overwhelmingly while …performing “highly routine activities,” such as cleaning, clearing, checking, moving, or storing their guns. “A large number of UDs occurred because…falsely assumed the firearm was not loaded.”
CONSEQUENCES. About half the time, UDs cause property damage. But one in five produce injury….
the study provides evidence to suggest that UDs can be caused by a “startle response”… surprised by a sudden sight, sound, or physical contact, causing him to pull the trigger if his finger is inside his trigger guard.
TRAINING TIPS.
1. “…exposure to high-stress training scenarios that incorporate unexpected and intense auditory, visual, and [physical] stimuli….”
2. When handling firearms for routine tasks, such as dry-firing or disassembly, “a critical step is making certain that ammunition is not in the chamber.”
3. Maintaining finger indexing away from the trigger until intentional shooting is imminent is also critical. Unfortunately, “routine range practice may facilitate a strong-but-wrong response by conditioning… to automatically position the finger on the trigger immediately after the firearm is drawn….”
from an illustrious LE scientific research group.
so how, this civilian would have presumed #s 2 & 3 would be second nature since the rest of firearm owning citizens can recite and practice the 3 (or 4) safety rules...
Now 171 additional instances have been analyzed, offering a broadening picture of the causes, circumstances, and consequences of “an unplanned activation of the trigger that is outside a handgun’s or long gun’s prescribed use;” i.e., an unintentional discharge.
THREAT LEVEL. More than half of the UDs happened on-duty, overwhelmingly while …performing “highly routine activities,” such as cleaning, clearing, checking, moving, or storing their guns. “A large number of UDs occurred because…falsely assumed the firearm was not loaded.”
CONSEQUENCES. About half the time, UDs cause property damage. But one in five produce injury….
the study provides evidence to suggest that UDs can be caused by a “startle response”… surprised by a sudden sight, sound, or physical contact, causing him to pull the trigger if his finger is inside his trigger guard.
TRAINING TIPS.
1. “…exposure to high-stress training scenarios that incorporate unexpected and intense auditory, visual, and [physical] stimuli….”
2. When handling firearms for routine tasks, such as dry-firing or disassembly, “a critical step is making certain that ammunition is not in the chamber.”
3. Maintaining finger indexing away from the trigger until intentional shooting is imminent is also critical. Unfortunately, “routine range practice may facilitate a strong-but-wrong response by conditioning… to automatically position the finger on the trigger immediately after the firearm is drawn….”
from an illustrious LE scientific research group.
so how, this civilian would have presumed #s 2 & 3 would be second nature since the rest of firearm owning citizens can recite and practice the 3 (or 4) safety rules...
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