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165 Posts
FYI: I'm now a certified RO thru our club & I assist on Monday nights at the indoor range. There's always 3 of us on duty, 1 being the senior RO.
CLEAVAGE.:twak::blink:
yes..... NOW that I've got your attention............CLEAVAGE.... can be a SERIOUS disadvantage on the firing line.
That was the case last night....a potentialy DANGEROUS disadvantage.
It simply amazes me the number of "newbie" women shooters - mostly girlfriends that have NEVER shot, or wifes that show-up wearing low-cut shirts. Don't get me wrong,,,, I'm all for fashionable attire..
......and "dressing to impress".....but its REALLY starting to become a problem from a safety standpoint, not just for the shooter herself, but for the rest of us too.
In case your still wondering.................spent HOT casings have a tendancy to drop down in open clothing & plunging necklines - resulting in the instinctive reaction to literally "dance around" w/a loaded weapon trying to get the casing out.
We've even included the "cleavage" warning into our general safety briefing at the beginning of each night and provide "example" tales of ladies that have been burned in the past, what to do with the firearm if she experiences such an event, and recommend to those women women we see that may have potential "problems"....... to cover-up.
OIt didn't take long but one such lady got by us.....ok.. ME... last night....and I when the "dancing" began....I quickly found myself staring down the barrel of a loaded Walther P22.....with her finger still on the trigger.:ahhhhh:
I didn't have a chance to say much, but I instinctively and quickly stepped into her, gently grabbing her wrist with one hand and firmly "death gripping" the top the P22 with the other, and in unison pushed her arm slightly downward & back downrange.
Once the firearm was safely "diverted" I ordered and immediate STOP FIRE command - and I got a big voice - and only then did she...my fellow RO's and the rest of the fireing line get an idea as to what happened.
She turned a shade of white, and excused herself from the line as I proceeded to clear her weapon and set it on the table.
Her husband - 2 lanes over - rushed over wondering what transpired, and I directed him towards his wife who was now standing in the lobby.....STILL trying to get casings out of her shirt and visibly upset at what she'd done.
The senior RO stepped in, and after a quick inspection and a nod from me, ordered the line to clear their weapons and proceed to check targets.
We then BOTH went and had a chat with our casing "victim" and her husband. The senior RO let me make the call - and I felt she should sit out the next few rounds to calm down, relax.......& REFLECT. And if she felt she could, COME BACK to the firing line after she put on her husband's pull over shirt (he offered up) and under close supervision by either myself or another RO continue.
After numerous apologies and promises from both herself and her husband, she eventually did.
Satisfied.....I went outside and had a few smokes.:22a:
The rest of the night was uneventful, but when we "closed up shop"....my fellow RO's and I are NOW going to provide various sized club sweatshirts w/high collars for the ladies that we feel need to "cover up" that we're going to buy ourselves and wash & clean.
Ya know.......it took a while to sink in. Call it adrenalin or what ever......but that was the 1st time I can recall that I'd ever had a loaded weapon pointed at me w/a very agitated person holding it............gotta luv forum therapy...
CLEAVAGE.:twak::blink:
yes..... NOW that I've got your attention............CLEAVAGE.... can be a SERIOUS disadvantage on the firing line.
That was the case last night....a potentialy DANGEROUS disadvantage.
It simply amazes me the number of "newbie" women shooters - mostly girlfriends that have NEVER shot, or wifes that show-up wearing low-cut shirts. Don't get me wrong,,,, I'm all for fashionable attire..
In case your still wondering.................spent HOT casings have a tendancy to drop down in open clothing & plunging necklines - resulting in the instinctive reaction to literally "dance around" w/a loaded weapon trying to get the casing out.
We've even included the "cleavage" warning into our general safety briefing at the beginning of each night and provide "example" tales of ladies that have been burned in the past, what to do with the firearm if she experiences such an event, and recommend to those women women we see that may have potential "problems"....... to cover-up.
OIt didn't take long but one such lady got by us.....ok.. ME... last night....and I when the "dancing" began....I quickly found myself staring down the barrel of a loaded Walther P22.....with her finger still on the trigger.:ahhhhh:
I didn't have a chance to say much, but I instinctively and quickly stepped into her, gently grabbing her wrist with one hand and firmly "death gripping" the top the P22 with the other, and in unison pushed her arm slightly downward & back downrange.
Once the firearm was safely "diverted" I ordered and immediate STOP FIRE command - and I got a big voice - and only then did she...my fellow RO's and the rest of the fireing line get an idea as to what happened.
She turned a shade of white, and excused herself from the line as I proceeded to clear her weapon and set it on the table.
Her husband - 2 lanes over - rushed over wondering what transpired, and I directed him towards his wife who was now standing in the lobby.....STILL trying to get casings out of her shirt and visibly upset at what she'd done.
The senior RO stepped in, and after a quick inspection and a nod from me, ordered the line to clear their weapons and proceed to check targets.
We then BOTH went and had a chat with our casing "victim" and her husband. The senior RO let me make the call - and I felt she should sit out the next few rounds to calm down, relax.......& REFLECT. And if she felt she could, COME BACK to the firing line after she put on her husband's pull over shirt (he offered up) and under close supervision by either myself or another RO continue.
After numerous apologies and promises from both herself and her husband, she eventually did.
Satisfied.....I went outside and had a few smokes.:22a:
The rest of the night was uneventful, but when we "closed up shop"....my fellow RO's and I are NOW going to provide various sized club sweatshirts w/high collars for the ladies that we feel need to "cover up" that we're going to buy ourselves and wash & clean.
Ya know.......it took a while to sink in. Call it adrenalin or what ever......but that was the 1st time I can recall that I'd ever had a loaded weapon pointed at me w/a very agitated person holding it............gotta luv forum therapy...