Question about PROVEing a rifle

what is the acts and proves thing :D you talk about :p

All those things are really just common sense firearms handling. now I'm sure someone is going to try to educate me in firearms safety :rolleyes: but I did training on the FN when I joined the military, and have been handling firearms long before that without needing to be taught what acts and proves stands for. I've never had an incident, and I've a pile of different range qualifications to my name.

You know I wonder how much tax money went to some consultant to come up with that.

as for looking down the barrel, that only happens when I'm cleaning it or inspecting it, or have reason to beleive that there may be an obstruction, and know its safe to do so.


:popCorn: :D
 
woodchopper said:
as for looking down the barrel, that only happens when I'm cleaning it or inspecting it, or have reason to beleive that there may be an obstruction, and know its safe to do so.
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I totally agree.

To prove the firearm safe I remove mag or unload cylinder etc. Then cycle action a few times and check chamber visually and with a finger if it is a shotgun for example. Look down the chamber carefully as there have been cases of folks putting the wrong ammo (smaller size) in a gun intended for larger ammo.

Now if you think there is a barrel obstruction. And I once saw a #### put a 20gauge shotshell in a 12 gauge until someone noticed and yelled at him. He had a bunch of loose ammo in a friggin bread wrapper bag.:rolleyes: In this case the shotshell was down past the chamber and not easily seen from the breach end. In cases of this kind there is not much choice but to look down the muzzle if it is not a break action gun. BUT FIRST PROVE THAT GUNS SAFE!!! at leaset three times before looking down the muzzle.

I recall shooting a 22 semi and the darn thing sounded funny on one shot (I had no rod with me), so I unloaded and checked that sucker safe, and then tore off a piece of paper from a target and stuck that in the action to reflect sunlight down the barrel and took a peak down the bore from the muzzle end. Problem was it was dark with a bullet lodged in the bore. So I cursed and went back home to get a rod and drive out the bullet.

Be careful looking down the bore end of any firearm. I have seen and much like the proving a gun safe three times method by cycling action and looking each time after removing mag.

Happy and safe shooting...:D

CD
 
gord1986 said:
When i took the course they actually told us to look down the bore to.

I'd do what they tell you on the test.

but after you have the license, I wouldn't look down the bore.

just cycling the action a few times, checking the mag and looking at the chamber thru the open action is enough.

but remember when your dealing with guns, perfect is good enough. no mistakes can afford be made.

I usually, after the gun is cleared, point it in a safe direction and pull the trigger. both to depress the firing pin and to make sure its unloaded
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You and I are of identical minds on this issue, I'd say.

If I was asked to do it on the test, I'd do it - grudgingly, but a pass is a pass... but it's not something I do regularly unless I'm clearing an obstruction.

-M
 
I have no problem looking down the bore of my rifles after I've proven them to be unloaded. In fact I do it a lot when I'm cleaning them.
I don't see a problem if you're the one who checked it. NEVER do it if someone else has checked it and says it's "OK".

It's not going to spontaneously grow ammunition and be loaded after you've properly checked it. Just check it properly and be sure it's safe/unloaded.
 
I was taught to look down the business end to examine the bore.. However I was also taught to put my thumb over the firing pin there so when you look down the bore all you can see is your thumb nail providing the bore is clear of obstruction. Plus if you position it correctly your thumb nail will reflect light so you can see clearly.
 
During my CFSC the instructor told me to look down the bore, so I did, and I passed. I hate to admit it, but I do inspect the bore from the muzzle if the breach is not easily accessible like on some semi-auto's, but this is AFTER I double check the chamber and feed path, and only when I am cleaning.
 
gord1986 said:
When i took the course they actually told us to look down the bore to.

I'd do what they tell you on the test.

but after you have the license, I wouldn't look down the bore.

just cycling the action a few times, checking the mag and looking at the chamber thru the open action is enough.

but remember when your dealing with guns, perfect is good enough. no mistakes can afford be made.

I usually, after the gun is cleared, point it in a safe direction and pull the trigger. both to depress the firing pin and to make sure its unloaded
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How can you tell someone to not look down the bore, then int he same post say you pull the trigger to see if its unloaded? How is that any safer?
 
It sounds to me like alot of you guys really do not trust yourselves with your own rifles.. When i clear my rifles i know without a doubt that when i look down that barrel NOTHING is coming out that end..It all comes down to that misconception about firearms! THEY CAN"T KILL BY ThEMSELVES. It takes Human and human error!!
As for the military not looking down the barrel; how you check the barrel depends on the firearm. With AR type rifles, pull a little pin it seperates, take out bolt and look. With my SL8, i can't see anything without looking down the business end of the barrel. And i sure as hell ain't gunna be DRY FIRING any of my rifles and accepting that as SAFE!
 
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You can always stick your cleaning rod in to determine if the gun is clear. After finding this out, you can then visualy check your bore for things such as rust or wear.
 
AtliDOD said:
It sounds to me like alot of you guys really do not trust yourselves with your own rifles.. When i clear my rifles i know without a doubt that when i look down that barrel NOTHING is coming out that end..It all comes down to that misconception about firearms! THEY CAN"T KILL BY ThEMSELVES.
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I agree with this statement wholeheartedly.

On a few of my rifles, the bolt is removable and I check from the back but on all my other guns, I look down the business end. I always check, check, and triple check that it's safe and NEVER let someone else check it for me.

I don't feel uncomfortable at all because I know it's safe. Bullets can't magically jump into the chamber.

If you handle your firearms in a safe and lawful manner and give them the proper respect they deserve, you should never have any reason to fear your own gun. :)
 
I never even heard of ACTS and PROVE until I read it on CGN, but if I wan tto check the bore for some reason, I open the action and make sure there is no ammunition in it, then leave the action open and look down the bore.

No big deal and I don't get queasy looking down a steel pipe, either.:p
 
To answer the op's question;

It's prudent to check the bore for obstructions in some cases. I've had to look down the muzzle end of my gun once or twice. Both were because of squib rounds.

Just clear the gun first, then either remove the bolt or lock the action back. If your gun's been in storage for a while it's probably a good idea to disassemble and inspect it fully to ensure that say a wasp didn't make it's nest in the bore or something. Just make sure you're wearing a pair of glasses or something, carbon debris in the eye is no fun. :(
 
Depends on the gun. When the barrel or bolt can be easily taken out I do that and check from the chamber end. Some guns I have no choice but to look down the pipe. Realistically I only do that post-cleaning, or if I haven't used to gun in awhile to make sure there isn't a spider's web or something in there.
 
E stands for examine the bore. This is done to ensure that there are no obstructions in the bore. If you'd rather examine the bore for obstructions using a rod, that's acceptable in the course as well.
The reason the visual inspection is taught as preferable is because a visual will reveal partial obstructions that a rod might miss that could still cause dangerous overpressure. Sure it's a slim risk but why take it?
Many of us who grew up with firearms pre-cfsc were taught never to look down the muzzle of a firearm. But, gut reactions aside, if you are following the steps, what's wrong with looking down the bore of a firearm you just methodically showed is empty with the action locked open?:nest:
 
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To all those who only check the bores if they suspect a blockage, how are you going to know about the ones you don't suspect until you bulge the barrel or worse.

Guns in storage get flys crawling into barrels, guns in cases can collect lint in the muzzle, guns in trucks or being carried can get snow or mud in the muzzle, guns being cleaned can have a patch left behind. I have seen many .22lr's with rings in the barrels because they were fired with an obstruction, that I'm sure people like you never knew about, but permanently damaged the barrel non the less. Do that with a bigger gun and things can get a lot worse then slight barrel damage.

I don't disagree with checking from the breach if available, but not all firearms are designed for that to be a simple task.

Checking the bore every time you handle a firearm may be overboard, but a good habit to form, and you certainly should be examining the bore before fireing. I've seen many damaged guns from not checking the bore, giving anyone the advice to not examine the bore is dangerous and reckless advice.
 
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