"Impossible Shots" safety issue

[twyacht]

KNOWLEDGEABLE shooters were making their own ear plugs. The Marine Corps mandated  hearing protection at least as far back as my enlistment in the 70's

Grandpa, used crumpled Lucky Strike butts in his ears in the service.

"Amateurs train until they get it right, professionals train until they cannot get it wrong. If you've seen police qualifications, you know this is false. Amateurs train until they get it right, professionals train no more than they are paid to."
E. Charles

As a paid shooter, I wonder how the insurance requirements are handled, if he has a Kaboom that results in eye damage

I like Zumbo'd.

[texcaliber]

I don't know......... is that the message I should give. "Some people are just dumb arses  and can and most likely will void themself form the job opportunities of your future." Or "what we have here is a failure to communicate....... some people like to play make-believe and not follow the 10commandments of safety........because they are professional/special." What this really shows is that  we are to follow the "RULES" at all times unless you are better in some way(money,power,statues,ability,not a REAL world (fill in blank) etc.,etc.) even in the shooting world.  Not the message that I want to promote to my little one.

[MikeBjerum]

I think the message can be compared to children that obey and those that don't.  Right is right and wrong is wrong, no matter who you are.  I don't care what he is doing or how he is doing it, this is how WE are going to do it.

I deal with this at our own range.  I love working with the kids, but I hate helping on FFA and 4-H nights.  The two adults that work with this don't mandate ears.  "They're only .22's" is the comment I hear from them and the kids will repeat it (actually a kid hit me with that, and while I was all over him the adult said it, and I knew where the kid got it).  My response - If I'm here, and if I'm going to ge a part of it, and if I'm going to tally the scores and donate the awards everyone will wear eyes and ears!  Don't like it ... TOUGH - THAT IS NOT WHAT YOU LEARNED WHEN I TAUGHT YOU FIREARM SAFETY!!!

[texcaliber]

Maybe so but they aren't doing it on shows that promote those activities as fun and safe for the Family.
No one cares what he does on his own time, but for the few minutes he is on screen he is representing the entire shooting community and has a duty to conduct himself in a responsible manner or be Zumbo'd.

PS I got an answer to my rebuttal ;

That’s a first, Tom.  Nobody has ever called me a Fudd in 16 years of Gun TV, nor equated our work to Columbine.
Can’t say it’s been a pleasure chatting with you.

Time to send a e mail to their sponsors.   

The abrasive nature in the response and how dare you attitude is what is chaffing my cheeks. 

[Hazcat]

Tex,

I know what you are going through.  HazJr can also 'spot the wrong' at 1000 yards!   Kids are like that, they take Papas' word as law and examine everyone else for following 'the law' (as should be).  HazJr got to see me as an RO telling long time club members (and even some club officers!) to follow the rules or pack it up.

Best you can do is tell her that if YOU were there he WOULD follow the rules.  That no matter what, the rules are there for a reason.  

That is why I was never big on 'thrill shows' like motorcycle jumps and such.  The old 'I'm an expert' BS never cut it with me cause you weren't an 'expert' when you started.

[Sponsor]

[tt11758]

Maybe so but they aren't doing it on shows that promote those activities as fun and safe for the Family.
No one cares what he does on his own time, but for the few minutes he is on screen he is representing the entire shooting community and has a duty to conduct himself in a responsible manner or be Zumbo'd.

PS I got an answer to my rebuttal ;

That’s a first, Tom.  Nobody has ever called me a Fudd in 16 years of Gun TV, nor equated our work to Columbine.
Can’t say it’s been a pleasure chatting with you.

Time to send a e mail to their sponsors.   

It could be a distinct pleasure chatting with you, Tom, if he wasn't such a Fudd on this particular issue.  Hell, I've always enjoyed our chats.

I can only assume that the terse nature of his reply is due to the old addage, "The Truth Hurts".

[tombogan03884]

I sent the e mail exchange to the sponsors of Shooting USA with the following note :

Neither I or my Family and friends will be watching Shooting USA  from now on due to their lackadaisical attitude toward safe shooting practices, specifically the segments where George Sutton shoots black powder rifles with out eye or ear protection.
Such irresponsible behavior brings discredit to the entire shooting community .
Below please find the exchange I had with the shows producer ;

It could be a distinct pleasure chatting with you, Tom, if he wasn't such a Fudd on this particular issue.  Hell, I've always enjoyed our chats.

I can only assume that the terse nature of his reply is due to the old addage, "The Truth Hurts".

I'm REALLY proud that I refrained from pointing out that his "lack of enjoyment" stems from being a pompous a$$hole 

[Pathfinder]

Maybe so but they aren't doing it on shows that promote those activities as fun and safe for the Family.
No one cares what he does on his own time, but for the few minutes he is on screen he is representing the entire shooting community and has a duty to conduct himself in a responsible manner or be Zumbo'd.

PS I got an answer to my rebuttal ;

That’s a first, Tom.  Nobody has ever called me a Fudd in 16 years of Gun TV, nor equated our work to Columbine.
Can’t say it’s been a pleasure chatting with you.

Time to send a e mail to their sponsors.    

Take the high road with Scoutten (it tends to annoy the living hell out of people who have gotten emotional). Remind him that you didn't call him a Fudd and it is not about whether he is or is not a Fudd. Nor is it about Columbine. Ask him to stay focused on the core issue - the improper and dangerous example his show is setting for all viewers of all ages. Maybe he can't tell the Army Team (and why not - they wear lenses/goggles and earplugs in combat) but he sure as hell can tell people he is paying for their service to present a reasonable and safe exhibition - and they should or they don't appear.

Then tell him that you are contacting his sponsors over his reckless videos and in spite of everything else, you do not hope to see anyone getting hurt on YouTube. Perhaps remind him as well of the firestorm over James Yaeger's allowing - and probably even posting - a video with a photographer kneeling by the targets as people were flinging live rounds at the paper.

[garand4life]

All I can think as I teach teenagers basic firearms safe handling on the weekends is that situations like this make it harder for me to get parents to consent to allowing there kids to participate. I make it clear that these showman are experienced, capable shooters who understand the risks and choose to pursue these acts. These are not the acts that should be attempted by anyone with a hint of common sense.

[straywt]

I see the show as an entertainment show, not a "how to" show. I would not expect to see them wearing safety gear any more than I would expect an actor firing a weapon in a movie to wear safety gear.  They are putting on a show to entertain us, and if they feel they enhance their performance by not wearing safety gear then so be it. It is like a high wire act not using a net, it might be dumb, but it adds to the excitement.

With adult supervision, I would not expect a kid to mimic their lack of safety gear any more than they would mimic the type of "impossible shot" being performed. If a kid thinks he doesn't have to wear safety gear because somebody on TV doesn't, then maybe that kid also thinks it is okay to try to do trick shots and quick draws, and other potentially un-safe activities that he might have seen on TV or in a movie. In that case I would say don't let the kid watch the show.

I am okay with the show as is, and I don't need disclaimers to tell me the acts are dangerous and unwise. Of course, I don't have any kids, so I probably don't know what I'm talking about.

BTW, I am not implying that the shots are in any way fake, just that they are meant to entertain us, not educate us.