Gun Handling Etiquette

[Reinz]

Watching the LWS380 video and the guy handling the pistol with rings on both hands made me think if I was alone in this practice -

My Dad raised me starting at a very young age with guns.  He told to always take off my rings when handling guns, especially Other People's guns. He said the rings may scratch the bluing (this was before SS) and the wood.

I have found, other people were surprised and respected me when I removed my ring before handling their gun(s).  This has especially put me up a notch when visiting various pawn shops and gun stores.  The owners are blown away and really appreciate it.  That is not why I do, it.  I do it out of respect for the firearm and the owner.

And of course when it comes to shooting, there is just no way I could every wear a ring while doing so.  Not only the risk of marring the gun, but the risk of me getting pinched -  ouch!

Am I alone here, or does anyone else practice this old school courtesy?

[ccoorreeyy]

I've never removed my ring.  It's just a small wedding band and I don't wear other ones.  I've never even thought about it to tell you the truth.

[yankee2500]

I no longer wear a wedding band. The ring got caught once while working and cut deep into my finger which then required it to be cut off. (the ring not the finger)
  A friend of ours had his wedding band get caught and it "degloved" his finger (pulled all the flesh off) that required removal of the finger. (it can not be repaired)

John

[Phsimone]

I always remove my wedding band, I am a leftie and like it was said before, I am not going to damage a firearm, especially if it belongs to someone else. I might do something stupid with one of mine, and have on rare occasion, but am super careful when handling another persons weapon.

[Richard S]

Reinz:

Good for you!

I also remove my wedding ring from my left hand and a signet ring from my right when handling someone else's gun and when firing my own guns at the range or in the field. With someone else's gun, including a weapon for sale in a gun shop, if the owner or attendant has not cleared it to show me that it is empty, I ask that such be done or request permission to clear it myself.

My sainted mother, who gave me my then-deceased father's Winchester Model 1906 .22 rifle when I was nine along with a membership in the NRA, hammered into my hard head a deep reverence for all firearms and an absolute commitment to the rules of gun safety and handling.

[kjtrains]

Reinz.  I don't remove my wedding ring which is worn on the left hand, however, think it's a great thing to do.  Never really thought about it either.  With that said, I'll start doing it.  Thanks.

[JR956678]

Incredibly ironic to read this post - and incredibly good advice.

I've been "touched" by the issue (or rather my pup has been) and only this week realized the cause. For much of the first week of ownership I handled the pup very little - it lived either in a lock box or holstered in my back pocket and only came out for the one range session with my son. Last weekend I became aware of a ding in the frame with some of the black coating removed and wondered just how that happened. At least I wondered until I held the pup in my weak hand and realized that my wedding ring was right where the ding is.

Then it dawned on me - I'm right handed and wear no rings on my right hand; my son (who fired the R9 at the range with me) is LEFT handed and he wears a tungsten carbide wedding ring on his left hand and it was HIS ring that created the ding.

I'll live with the ding - I didn't buy the Rohrbaugh as a safe queen and it will no doubt get many more over the years - but for sure I'll take my ring off when I handle firearms and request anyone else who shoots any of my weapons do the same.

[theirishguard]

Reinz, Great practice to remove all rings as it shows respect for others. The other side of that coin is a gun show.  Tom

[Reinz]

Good to know others do it as well.  And Tom yes, for sure gun shows, I just leave the wedding band at home.

I told my wife when I first got married that I will always wear my wedding band except:  when working with tools
                                    When working, handling, shooting guns
                                    When water skiing.

I used to water ski competitively in a former life and Yankee, talk about "degloving" the meat off of your bone.  That will do it for sure.

[Aglifter]

Hmm...  I never thought my ring could scratch a gun (14K Aggie Ring)  I would see how a tungestn one could though.

[RetiredBadge]

My wedding ring is large and I also have a large ring that I used to wear on my right hand.  I stopped wearing the ring on my right hand some time ago.