Gun Safety

Safety is something that happens between your ears, not something you hold in your hands.

Jeff Cooper, U.S. Marine and the creator of a “modern technique” of handgun shooting.

Number One Priority is Gun Safety

Gun safety is our number one priority. Gun safety is everyone’s responsibility. All of our performers are well trained in gun safety and understand it’s importance. We have very strict policies and protocols when it comes to gun safety.

Gun Safety is our Number One Priority

Gun Safety Protocols

Before the Show

We have several gun safety protocols in place to include but not limited to:

• Upon arrival to set, our Senior Safety checks their firearms.
• We have one ammo box. The Senior Safety Officer along with another Gunfighter will verify that all blanks in the box are indeed blanks.
• Everyone signs in on the sign-in sheet.
• Firearms are signed off as being cleared visually and also by running a rod down the barrel of each firearm.
• When it is time to load up, the Senior Safety Officer distributes blanks and verifies that each firearm is safe. If a Gunfighter should miss the loading process, he/she will perform without blanks.

During the Shows

Maintaining gun safety during shows is as equally important as before the shows if not more so, because during the shows, all Gunfighters not only need to maintain each other’s safety but that of the audience members. The following gun safety protocols during shows are:

• The staging area is roped off, giving the Gunfighters enough space to safely fire weapons and to keep the audience from entering the staging area.
• Every Gunfighter is trained to keep a careful eye on the audience. Should someone, such as a young child who may not understand the rules, slips away from their parent or legal guardian and crosses the rope into the staging area, the first Gunfighter to spot the issue calls out to STOP the show in progress so to rectify the situation. In addition, if the parent or another audience member calls out regarding a situation, the show will stop.

After the Shows

At the conclusion of every show, the actor with the last line, calls “Gunfighters Up!” That tells both the audience and the fellow Gunfighters, the show has concluded. After every show, our gun safety measures include:

• As soon as “Gunfighters Up!” is called, all of the actors stand up.
• We announce to the audience that we will be available for photographs after we unload our guns.
• Each performer who fired a gun, opens up the barrel, empties the blanks into the spittoon, and then shows that their gun is empty to the nearest fellow Gunfighter. The words, “Gunfighter Clear!” is called.
• Once every Gunfighter has been cleared, we will then take down the rope and allow audience members to come up and get their photo taken with our group.

Education of Gun Safety: Teaching Our Youth

The only thing that is more expensive than education is ignorance.

Benjamin Franklin

Teaching young children about gun safety has never been more critical than today. Children, especially boys, are fascinated with guns. By teaching them to respect guns and use precaution when in the presence of a gun, will go a long way toward safety.

• Before every show, we address the children of the audience by asking them important gun safety questions. We ask them if they see a gun, what should they do. The correct answer, of course, is to DO NOT TOUCH IT, leave the area and go tell a trusted adult such as a parent or legal guardian.
• The young cowpoke who correctly answers the question is given a plastic sheriff badge that we attach to their shirt. They are then “deputized” as being a safe respecting law dog.
• This process teaches two lessons — gun safety and to always respect the law.