Pistol Box Do's and Don'ts

So I feel like I've asked this before here and I can not find the thread. So I'll ask again. Sorry. 

I've seen pictures of pistol boxes online with guns facing either direction inside the box. And I feel that the box idea was intended to have guns facing either way. Especialy since some of the target grips are too big to put next to one another. How ever I see a lot of boxes with guns all facing one way. Is there a "un-written rule" on how guns should be inside the box? Because I would REALLY like to move some guns around in my box to fit better.

Some ranges will give you a hard time if all guns are not pointed downrange, including in the box.

at Perry, I was told to place the closed gunbox with all firearms pointed in the direction of the targets...

It's an empty gun with an ECI in place that proves and shows it! Trying to organize my gun box with target grips is annoying!

One of my pet peeves is someone taking a gun out of a case and pointing it at everyone on the line. As far as I'm concerned, you can have your guns facing either direction in the case, but you could turn the case before you take one out to avoid pointing it at people.

When you shoot Perry you only need to bring one a day

rreid wrote:One of my pet peeves is someone taking a gun out of a case and pointing it at everyone on the line. As far as I'm concerned, you can have your guns facing either direction in the case, but you could turn the case before you take one out to avoid pointing it at people.

+1
Worse yet I've seen guns come out of the case pointed the wrong way with slide forward and the hammer cocked. 

- Dave

Christopher Miceli wrote:When you shoot Perry you only need to bring one a day

Chris,did you forget Tuesday? EIC. .22 EIC, Reeves, DR.

Preliminary day at Perry?
I always count on someone being "special" and stupid.
Not everyone feels that the range rules or Cooper's rules of gun handling apply to them.
You may have full confidence in your self, but do you really want to trust bubba 3 positions to your right?

First time at Perry two of us carried our guns, sans box, to the 25. 2nd day we made sure they were cased... Oh, boy!

james r chapman wrote:First time at Perry two of us carried our guns, sans box, to the 25. 2nd day we made sure they were cased... Oh, boy!

I decided to try something different for prelim day this year instead of moving the box. I brought a soft case with me to put the gun in for moving between the lines. Not sure if I would do it again but it worked ok.

I used a soft case for revolver day & felt naked the whole time.

If I were to remove the mounting system or hands that you tighten down to hold your gun in the box, and just stuck all the pistols in their own individual soft case, would it matter how the gun - being in a case also in the box - was positioned?

Tim:H11 wrote:If I were to remove the mounting system or hands that you tighten down to hold your gun in the box, and just stuck all the pistols in their own individual soft case, would it matter how the gun - being in a case also in the box - was positioned?

I don't think that it would matter until you unzip the case (just feel where the muzzle is first).
Even if you were 100% certain that your gun is clear, I would still feel that it's at very least rude to point a fire arm in my direction.

I went through this a few years ago at Perry.

I pointed out to the official that all the boxes,(and the guns inside them),were pointing in different directions when being transported to the firing line.

They are also pointing every which way at the ready line.

And how about the boxes' directions when being loaded and unloaded from the cars in the parking lot?

It's much ado about nothing.

james r chapman wrote:

Christopher Miceli wrote:When you shoot Perry you only need to bring one a day

Chris,did you forget Tuesday? EIC. .22 EIC, Reeves, DR.

I did forgot about that day  and prelim day .

Outthere wrote:I went through this a few years ago at Perry.

I pointed out to the official that all the boxes,(and the guns inside them),were pointing in different directions when being transported to the firing line.

They are also pointing every which way at the ready line.

And how about the boxes' directions when being loaded and unloaded from the cars in the parking lot?

It's much ado about nothing.

I don't think the issue is the position in the box so much as it is the position of the gun going into and out of the box. When the gun faces to the rear, you have to sweep the folks on either side of you to bring the gun forward.

weber1b wrote:

Outthere wrote:I went through this a few years ago at Perry.

I pointed out to the official that all the boxes,(and the guns inside them),were pointing in different directions when being transported to the firing line.

They are also pointing every which way at the ready line.

And how about the boxes' directions when being loaded and unloaded from the cars in the parking lot?

It's much ado about nothing.

I don't think the issue is the position in the box so much as it is the position of the gun going into and out of the box. When the gun faces to the rear, you have to sweep the folks on either side of you to bring the gun forward.

Exactly.

This is what I used this year. Has a tray for the gun.

Tim:H11 wrote:If I were to remove the mounting system or hands that you tighten down to hold your gun in the box, and just stuck all the pistols in their own individual soft case, would it matter how the gun - being in a case also in the box - was positioned?

It doesn't matter which way guns are pointed in the box, Same as in a gun bag, it matters not! There is no rule that states otherwise. The only rule is if the gun is on the bench and not in use it should have slide back, or chamber open and a ECI in place. so if you or others are worried Just have a EC marker in each one while stored. If such a rule existed we would all have to point our guns in the opposite direction when we all went downrange to score.  There is no safe direction to point a gun when groups of people are around the only thing you can do is follow the rule to make absolutely sure the gun itself is safe.

Good thread. 

When possible I point all downrange in the box. 

I do not normally carry 3 in a box but when I do, I have to alternate. 

I leave the actions open but from now on I will put an EIC in place to ensure safety. 

RT

Day glo cable ties are cheap, easy to see, and don't care if you drop the slide on them. 

IMHO the only relatively safe direction is down toward the ground.  

at Perry the simple solution would be to inspect each box before the shooter went forward of the assembly line to insure all pistols were open with ECI in place before that were taken to the benches... take all of 10-20 seconds. probably make everyone feel better

I bought a new Aluminum three gun Strong box this year in the smallest size that is available to keep the size and weight down.   I usually carry all the guns to a match in a pelican case that I put under the shooting bench on the line.  I was concerned that on Prelim day that I would not be able to get 2 Pardini's and a 45 in the box at the same time.  I did not want to take the pelican case and gun box to the line at Perry.  To my pleasant surprise I found that if I moved the gun clamp in the center to the right one set of holes that all three could be put in side by side all facing in the same direction!! This even with the orthopedic grips on the Pardini's which I thought would interfere, but they fit with a little room to spare.   Neat!!

I have done it both ways. Sometimes I can get all the pistols in facing the same way by alternating long and short pistols so the grips don't line up. When that doesn't work I will sometimes  remove the offending set of grips to be installed during the prep period. And when nothing else seems to work I will place one or two in backwards with ECI installed. Thinking about this I realize that I rarely (if ever) leave an ECI in a pistol I have in the box pointed down range. I may have to re-think that but have never had anyone complain or care.


Len