[Sooty25]

The NRA will probably push for prosecutions based on negligence. By supporting negligence of an individual, they can defend gun ownership for their members.

On the face of it, it wasn't pre-meditated, it was negligent but on an almost unbelievable scale. Lots of people could and should have prevented this. They should all be held to account.

But whatever happens now, it won't bring the young lady back to her family, and cash will be no substitute.

[Spooky]

On the set of Rust, as I understand it, the 1st AD grabbed a gun from a table just off set, called 'Cold Gun' and handed it to Mr. Baldwin. We know what happened next. I've never worked in the US but that's something that wouldn't happen here. Calling cold gun without proving it just isn't a thing.
.

I see similar with ‘clear prop’. Just ends up part of routine rather than a check

[Cessna571]

On the set of Rust, as I understand it, the 1st AD grabbed a gun from a table just off set, called 'Cold Gun' and handed it to Mr. Baldwin. We know what happened next. I've never worked in the US but that's something that wouldn't happen here. Calling cold gun without proving it just isn't a thing.
.

I feel like it’s so obvious, someone has picked the gun up, checked the magazine, seen it’s empty and said “cold gun”.

I know nothing of hand guns, only rifles, but I presume it’s possible to leave a round chambered?

It’s definitely something that was drilled into me when I learned to shoot.
Empty magazine does not mean a safe gun.

I took my nephews shooting at the local club the other day. (I don’t shoot there), they even had red plastic flag things they put in the chambers to show the chambers were clear when they put a gun down.

[A4 Pacific]

The actor/shooter is said to have been practicing a so called ‘cross body draw’. The firearm involved was a Pietta long Colt 45 revolver. (Quite a historic pistol, and no great surprise to hear some fancied firing it in their down time?….. If they could get access to it!!! ) This vintage of weapon generally requires to be hand cocked for every round. So I presume the actor was attempting to draw and cock simultaneously? I doubt the weapon was ever ‘pointed’ at the victims other than in passing, and was probably never intended to have been discharged?

All that said. It’s really not at all difficult to check a revolver is clear. It has no ‘chamber’ as such, other than the cylinder containing the rounds. It takes barely more than a second to check.

[Cessna571]

The actor/shooter is said to have been practicing a so called ‘cross body draw’. The firearm involved was a Pietta long barrelled Colt 45 revolver. (Quite a historic pistol, and no great surprise to hear some fancied firing it in their down time?….. If they could get access to it!!! ) This vintage of weapon generally requires to be hand cocked for every round. So I presume the actor was attempting to draw and cock simultaneously? I don’t think the weapon was ever ‘pointed’ at the victims other than in passing, and was probably never intended to have been discharged?

All that said. It’s really not at all difficult to check a revolver is clear. It has no ‘chamber’ as such, other than the cylinder containing the rounds. It takes barely more than a second to check.

Oh wow!

I hadn’t realised it was a revolver.
I presume whoever called cold on it didn’t actually check in any way then.

[Sooty25]

some of the members of the gun club I frequent have revolvers, yes, certain types are still legal in the UK.

In all circumstances when they are unbagged and not being fired, they are either "broken" or the cylinder out. Obviously with no rounds in them. At all times unbagged, they point down the range.




It really is not difficult to be safe.

[eltonioni]

Very true. I know sod all about guns really but even I could devise a protocol of;
locked box > armourer's possession > actor's possession > armourer's possession > locked box.

Instead it seems to have been more like;
Armorer's dad's private collection > pick up truck > everyone passes it round to have a look > randoms shoot bottles in lunch break > table top on set > actor's possession > BANG > Sherriff's possession > Coroners possession.

[Rob P]

I doubt the weapon was ever ‘pointed’ at the victims other than in passing

I understood that the action being practiced was to result in the pistol being pointed directly at the camera - and hence the cinematographer behind the camera.

I hadn’t realised it was a revolver.

It was a western they were filming. Revolvers would typically be used.

Rob P

[Rjk983]

It is a simple and time-proven bit of advice with which you cannot possibly go wrong.

Worth repeating now. Actually a couple of days too late.

Rob P

A slight spin on that initial bit of advice, it was drilled into us at basic training to “never point a firearm at somebody, unless you intend to kill them” but then that was the point of our training.

We were told to treat blank as live. We used Blank Firing Adapters fitted to block the barrel, we also had adapted magazines that couldn’t take a live round so there were many procedures and physical barriers in place to stop the holes in the cheese lining up.

Even then when you got within 10 metres of your intended victim you stopped aiming at them and aimed 30 degrees away just in case.

The first demo given to troops in basic is the effect of a blank round fired a few metres from a target just to show that they can kill if not treated with respect.

[Rob L]

.....
I feel like it’s so obvious,.

Oh no...Flyer Forumites are using the word "like" in an inappropriate Californian way .
Next thing we'll all be starting sentences with "So"

[100poundburger]

Please...no...

[OCB]

I see similar with ‘clear prop’. Just ends up part of routine rather than a check

I know what you're saying - but there is a clear difference in action and intent.

The action is - you shout "clear prop", with the intent that other people who may be close to the prop(s) will hear what you're saying and briskly foxtrot oscar from making funny faces in your shiny spinner. Your actions are clear - you are going to fire up the props immediately.

Shouting "cold gun" or whatever means utterly jack schit unless it's been verified by someone else. The action is literally just picking up a weapon, with no immediate intent.

If they were to shout "preparing to fire!"* - then both action and intent were known. Of course - that's never going to happen on a film set - which is why failsafe protocols are...well, we see the tragic consequences when they're not in place

As an aside, and about "Merkan" attitude to firearms - my current client has a lot of activity in the US, and their business model means they are heavily involved in acquisitions. I've not been (yet) on a trip to the US for one such acquisition, but a European colleague told me today that during one meeting, a manager from the bought over company tried to make a point during a meeting by leaning his elbow over the back of the chair to show he was "packing". My US colleague copied his movement - showing his sidearm and saying "you ain't the only one to be packin here".
I should mention, the company is a dull as dishwater base commodities reseller and distributor.

*It took me a good hour or so to remember where I learned such weapons etiquette - twas certainly before my firearms days. Indeed, twas field archery - and with good reason. We more than once had to really insist that the nuggets who were dancing in front of the target and pretending to steal our 'arras would actually move before we let loose. One such incident came within inches of an inquest....

[Boxkite]

I see similar with ‘clear prop’. Just ends up part of routine rather than a check

I know what you're saying - but there is a clear difference in action and intent.

The action is - you shout "clear prop", with the intent that other people who may be close to the prop(s) will hear what you're saying and briskly foxtrot oscar from making funny faces in your shiny spinner. Your actions are clear - you are going to fire up the props immediately.

Not really, Spooky is correct, it could be similar. 'Clear Prop' is often 'shouted' by rote, without consideration for why they are doing it. It's common that it's shouted too quietly, or from inside a closed cockpit, or with no looking around, or with the engine started the split second the shout has finished, or sometimes all four.

[kanga]

..

The first demo given to troops in basic is the effect of a blank round fired a few metres from a target just to show that they can kill if not treated with respect.

I recall such a demonstration on my first day as a Cadet

[Cessna571]

.....
I feel like it’s so obvious,.

Oh no...Flyer Forumites are using the word "like" in an inappropriate Californian way .
Next thing we'll all be starting sentences with "So"

I don’t tend to use the word “like” in that way, so I had a good think about why I typed that.

I think it’s because the word “feel” is in the sentence.

I’ve been playing around with sentence structures in my head.

I feel like I am hot
I feel I am hot

I think the first one sounds better. I’m not sure it’s proper English.

I feel like I am a dinosaur.

Anyway, interesting that I went “oh yeah, that’s odd”