Safety in the maimai!

While I love many of the attributes of my semi-auto shotgun, I have never got used to the uncomfortable feeling of being unable to 'break' it when it is not in use. The length and slim design of semi-autos makes them prone to slipping off whatever it is you have leaned them against, and this becomes downright dangerous when they are loaded in the maimai ready for incoming birds.

Therefore you can understand my appreciation at having 'discovered' an ingenius device in the New Products section of USA's annual SHOT (Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Technology) Show. Called the 'Gun Grabber' it could be described as a heavy duty perforated rubber grommet attached to a bracket that can be fastened to the surface the gun is going to be rested against. The unique aspect to the Gun Grabber design is that it suspends the gun by the barrel, meaning the butt is clear of the floor - away from mud and water etc.

With the barrel pointing vertically skywards and the gun unable to be knocked over, it is hard to imagine even the most freakish way it could be discharged accidentally and even if it could, it would be unlikely that a person would be in the firing line - immediately above it. Now there must be many ways kiwi ingenuity could invent a safe and secure way of storing semi-auto shotguns in the maimai, but most of them no doubt would involve a complicated and time consuming method of abstracting the gun in the heat of the moment when the ducks arrive into gunshot range. Here is where Gun Grabber comes into its own! Simply and safely lift the shotgun upwards keeping the muzzle pointed up in a safe 'blue sky' direction and you are ready to (load?) mount and shoot! It's instant.

Often the best inventions are the most simple ones! Gun Grabber certainly comes into this category and is so versatile that we envisage hunters attaching them in gun cabinets and other places where safe and tidy stowage is an issue. As for the swamp hunter who wades and shoots amoungst the flood water, the Gun Grabber can be attached to a tree trunk or to a post driven into the ground. This will enable both hands to be kept free to set decoys, retrieve ducks, access gear etc, with the shotgun all the while in a safe but ready to go position.

At $39-99 ($74-99 for 2) the Gun Grabber at first glance may seem an expensive way to organize guns in a maimai. But what is the price of safety? I take the utmost care now, but there are always occasions when for what ever reason a gun slips from where it has been positioned or balanced. Frankly I'd be a lot happier if I knew my companions firearms could not be knocked over, and as for myself, if my own gun was ever involved in an accident, killing or injuring a friend or family member - or anyone else when I really think about it, well life would never be the same!

Check a Gun Grabber in-store at Hunting & Fishing New Zealand - ask for a demo.