RWS 54, I should'a seen it coming

[lloyd-ss]

There is new guy working at the dive shop I go to to fill my tanks.  We had been talking for several visits and he was really interested in trying out the airguns.  So he came out one evening and we went thru a bunch of them and finally got to the my beloved 54.  By this time he was pretty familiar with cocking springers and was having fun.  I wasn't paying too much attention and was doing something else as he took a few shots with it.
We are talking and I turn around to look at him, and I see this bright red semi-circle right above his nose.  Yup, he didn't even feel it happen! He had his eye snugged up to the scope and when the action slid back it cut a nice neat semicircle.  I keep triple antibiotic and bandaids in the garage, and he was a really good sport about it, but wow, did I feel like I should have predicted that and not let it happen. 
Next time I will do a better job of explaining the safety aspects of the airgun before I let someone take a shot.
Anybody else ever been on the receiving end of a 54 scope, or been party to it? I'm just glad he was so good natured about it.
Lloyd-ss

[jimmie lee]

Wow Lloyd, that's unfortunate...I realized before buying that the action moves to the rear and set my eye relief to make sure I didn't blacken my eye. That said, common sense would be helpful in knowing you don't put your eye ON a scope, ever. He learned something valuable today from the school of hard knocks. Thanks for sharing that; I'll be sure to explain that particular aspect to whoever I allow to shoot my 54. Besides the misfortune it's an awesome rifle with pcp accuracy.

[lloyd-ss]

Maybe I can find a soft ring that will fit onto the end of the eye piece just to be on the safe side for next time.

[Bullit]

OSHA requires sufficient guarding and signs to warn personnel of moving parts and possible injury.   Make sure you paint your soft ring Safety Orange (moving part), with sufficient warning label, and you'll be good to go!!!
    Mike

[lloyd-ss]

OSHA requires sufficient guarding and signs to warn personnel of moving parts and possible injury.   Make sure you paint your soft ring Safety Orange (moving part), with sufficient warning label, and you'll be good to go!!!
    Mike

Man, pretty serious.  And that's above and beyond the standard PPE of full face shield and ear muffs?
edit : and maybe a dust mask rated for lead?

[Bullit]

LOL!!!!!!!    Heck...just go ahead and paint the whole sled assy...    Glad everything worked out OK.   
You know I jest.... Mike

[Remo]

I say leave the gun alone and make sure that every shooter other than yourself gives you a signed, notarized liability waiver or indemnity.   (Did I really say that? )

Eric

[Gary]

Yep. That 48 -54 power plant will dot your eye. It happened to a friend of mine after I warned not once,but three times not to get that close to the scope cause it will bite. He knows now.

Gary

[robert w]

only clip i got from mine was when shootin into the sun and pulled my cap down to block the sun .when it recoiled it hit my cap brim hard nuff to smart for a minute . but i can see that happening though

[AirScopes]

No one touches my 54 ;-) there are plenty of other things I can let them shoot.

Richard

[amb5500c]

I've seen a few folks get the ole "scope eye" from high powered rifles but never from an air rifle. I can absolutely understand and appreciate how it can happen, but I'd sure have to lie about it. There's now way I'd tell my friends that I got scope eye from an air rifle.
Richard

[QVTom]

Lloyd, Timely post.  I just sent one of my good customers home with my Gamo SS igt.  He shot about 20 rounds before he left and seemed to have good gun handling skills.  I went over holding the barrel while loading and no dry firing but forgot to mention about balk trigger pulls. I was a bit nervous until this afternoon when he called and said that he spent all morning shooting and was late to work   He is now ready to buy a gun of his own  

I hope the magnum eyebrow didn't discourage your friend and we now have two new recruits to the AG world!

Tom