Sometimes the best remedy comes in the simplest form.
Three years ago, firearms instructor John Carlin lay in bed wondering if a bright orange plastic stick no longer than a straw could stop accidental deaths during training exercises. The retired police officer from Minnesota tinkered around, formed a two-man company with his son and began selling his product under the Train Safe moniker.
“I never liked looking down the barrel of a gun,” Carlin said.
A Train Safe device fits into the gun barrel, blocking the chamber and preventing a live round from being fired. It extends from the front of the barrel a quarter of an inch so others can see the gun is disabled. It can ease nerves and save lives during training sessions, Carlin said.
His low-tech devices, costing just $5 each, were a hit at a recent police exposition. Different sizes are made for a variety of guns, including rifles and shotguns. He’s sold more than 1,200 so far this year.