I'm in the hospital because I made a near-fatal error

A full and speedy recovery.
Some of my safety practices.
1. The only firearm I keep loaded is my bedside handgun.
2. I use snap caps in in the rifles I use most frequently, When I leave the range I check that the rifle is clear, then install the snap cap.
3. The revolvers I practice with most frequently have snap caps in them.
4. When dry firing semiauto pistols I use snap caps and a magazine of a different color. A stainless/nickel pistol gets a blue magazine, a blued one gets a
nickel/stainless magazine.
 
One of the things I was taught in a military course and at Gunsite was to not just visually check a chamber -- but to stick your finger in there. Why? Sometimes we don't look in far enough, and sometimes -- it was told to me -- your brain can see what it thinks it should see (that there no shell in the chamber) when there really is one. The finger is a double check. As a bonus, this method of checking (with you finger) also works well in the dark. As an aside, I know some pistols have little tabs that stick up, and that might be good too, but I am not used to that yet.
 
red rick said:
I kind of know the shame that you feel , just not the pain . When I bought my first semi automatic pistol many years ago I was going to disassemble it late one night because I had trouble reassembling it the first time . It was a 1911 . Well it was so late that I changed my mind . I had racked it with a loaded magazine . When I decided not to disassemble it , I pulled the trigger to let the hammer down . That was also something that I was taught growing up not to do . I read not ride the hammer and dry firing was ok , so I pulled the trigger . Luckily it was pointed at the floor , but I felt the air go by my bare foot . I thought that I was dreaming at 3:00am in the morning . Then I thought the police were going to come any minute , our houses were so close to each other . So I opened the windows to get the smell and smoke out . I had dropped the pistol on the sofa when it fired . I went to get it and I saw the hammer cocked again and I was afraid to pick it up and unload it . I finally got my courage up , fearing the police were going to be here any minute and I dropped the magazine and racked the slide to unload it . I don’t remember now if I pulled the trigger afterwards or if I road the hammer down with my thumb to lower the hammer . I put the pistol up and the police never showed up . I was afraid to touch that pistol for a long time after that . I still feel the shame of my careless negligence discharge . I just hope that it made me more safety conscious and it will never happen again . I write this so that anyone else reading this might can learn from my mistake . The only thing that I did halfway right that night was have the pistol pointed in a direction that no one could get hurt when it fired . If I would have been pointing it down the hall , it possibly would have penetrated the neighbors house killing or injuring one of their kids or them . Thanks for posting your story here OP , someone less experienced and young could learn from reading this thread and be more careful ( WHERE ) the muzzle is pointed and DOUBLE and TRIPLE checking that the firearm IS NOT LOADED .
Click to expand...

Similar. The hook on the extractor broke off in a 1911, but the gun functioned normally through a day of wandering around shooting at rocks and stuff at unknown ranges.
Got back to truck, pulled mag, racked slide two or three times, pointed it at a fence post and pulled the trigger.

As I've said before, the two loudest things in gunnery is a bamg when you expect a click or a click when you expect a bang.

Found the extractor hook on my workbench a couple of days later.

Now I visually inspect to assure a gun is "unloaded." May I never forget that.

The fence post survived.

Terry, 230RN
 
Again I thank everyone for the conversation. Hopefully I will be able to post a picture of a 22 caliber slug tomorrow with some of my DNA on it. 7:30 surgery. Thanks again to the mods for allowing this thread and people for replying and talking about it. It's helped me out alot.
 
Bearcat1982 said:
Again I thank everyone for the conversation. Hopefully I will be able to post a picture of a 22 caliber slug tomorrow with some of my DNA on it. 7:30 surgery. Thanks again to the mods for allowing this thread and people for replying and talking about it. It's helped me out alot.
Click to expand...
Prayers out that the procedure should be successful and uneventful, and may it speed your recovery.
 
230RN said:
Similar. The hook on the extractor broke off in a 1911, but the gun functioned normally through a day of wandering around shooting at rocks and stuff at unknown ranges.
Got back to truck, pulled mag, racked slide two or three times, pointed it at a fence post and pulled the trigger.

As I've said before, the two loudest things in gunnery is a bamg when you expect a click or a click when you expect a bang.

Found the extractor hook on my workbench a couple of days later.

Now I visually inspect to assure a gun is "unloaded." May I never forget that.

The fence post survived.

Terry, 230RN
Click to expand...
Similar thing happened to my cousin with an old 22lr woodsman the extractor wasn't picking up the round and he shot his ceiling. 5-10 years ago. He told me about it yesterday. Removed the magazine and racked the slide 6-7 times. Checks the chamber now.
 
Glad the comments are helping you feel better. My self-inflicted learning experience was not as painful. Many years ago I was in my bedroom getting ready for a range outing with some friends. I removed my carry gun, a S&W 3913, dropped the magazine, and was interrupted by a phone call. Hung up a few minutes later, unloaded the mag, stuck it back in the gun, pointed it at my waterbed (the safest direction in the room) and pulled the trigger. That's when I realized I had never cleared the chamber. Had to get a new mattress, of course. I kept the bullet as a reminder.
 
Legionnaire said:
Glad the comments are helping you feel better. My self-inflicted learning experience was not as painful. Many years ago I was in my bedroom getting ready for a range outing with some friends. I removed my carry gun, a S&W 3913, dropped the magazine, and was interrupted by a phone call. Hung up a few minutes later, unloaded the mag, stuck it back in the gun, pointed it at my waterbed (the safest direction in the room) and pulled the trigger. That's when I realized I had never cleared the chamber. Had to get a new mattress, of course. I kept the bullet as a reminder.
Click to expand...

At least you got to test the expansion on your carry ammo...
 
I wish you a speedy recovery with no complications.

HighRoadRover said:
it was told to me -- your brain can see what it thinks it should see (that there no shell in the chamber) when there really is one.
Click to expand...

I can attest to the truth of that. When I was 15 I had an 1891 Argentine Mauser. I opened the bolt and checked the chamber and I knew it didn't have a round chambered. I pulled the trigger and shattered my dresser mirror. It had never failed to extract a round before and never did it again. Why it picked that one time to fail is beyond me but I can still see that empty chamber in my mind like it was yesterday.
 
Bearcat1982 - i'm exactly 30 days past colon resection surgery (not gun related). I had 7 inches removed. My surgeon told me i had to walk like my life depended on it, i did two loops on the floor after waking up from surgery. Those were very tough, painful, slow loops. I was not a fan of Crocs but owned a pair and they were very useful during my hospital stay. Prior to realizing i could wear them, i walked the hospital floor in my hospital socks (the floor was not the cleanest). The Crocs gave me an option to slip them on without the heel loop or with the heel loop. I'm a fan now. When i got home i ordered a pair of Skechers GoWalk 5s. These have no laces, slip ons, and are like walking on air. I walk 1 to 2 miles a day now. I believe the walking helps with the healing. My happiest day in the hospital was when i no longer had to drag a catheter bucket, drain tube container, pressure fittings, and iv stand around with me walking. Those first two days were rough. I lost 15 pounds on the clear liquid diet and low fiber diet. Every couple days i notice some kind of improvement. Oxycodone was the only thing that helped my pain. At this point i just take a Tylenol or two during the day and i'm good. I'm rooting for you - you got this.
 
In Army ROTC in 1975 I spend a few days at Fort Dix in a Basic Training company, at the rifle range the cadre would rod the recruits rifles at the end of a range session. I made up a 22 handgun rod, will make others. I recommend a solid brass or steel rod rather than a cleaning rod, I made a wooden handle for mine.
 
Another reason to "always treat the gun like it is loaded" is this: A lot of people install triggers, smooth out their sears, etc. -- and if things are over-done or not done quite right, the pistols may lose their "safety values" from the factory. That is, the triggers may be lighter, or the sears a little too smooth, etc., even though we often like those that on the range or in competition. So they can go off a little easier, maybe when not expected. (I've never understood appendix carry at all, having been around long enough to see equipment and people fail a fair amount at most everything).
 
HighRoadRover said:
Another reason to "always treat the gun like it is loaded" is this: A lot of people install triggers, smooth out their sears, etc. -- and if things are over-done or not done quite right, the pistols may lose their "safety values" from the factory. That is, the triggers may be lighter, or the sears a little too smooth, etc., even though we often like those that on the range or in competition. So they can go off a little easier, maybe when not expected. (I've never understood appendix carry at all, having been around long enough to see equipment and people fail a fair amount at most everything).
Click to expand...

That's a good point, and something that scares me a little. Appendix carry, pocket carry, hip carry, etc. can all have guns pointing somewhere that - in your hand- would be an unsafe direction. Downstairs, upstairs, across a room. It's one reason I don't like to modify a carry gun or holster.
 
wayneinFL said:
That's a good point, and something that scares me a little. Appendix carry, pocket carry, hip carry, etc. can all have guns pointing somewhere that - in your hand- would be an unsafe direction. Downstairs, upstairs, across a room. It's one reason I don't like to modify a carry gun or holster.
Click to expand...
Last self inflicted gun shot that came into this hospital I was told, was a person reholstering appendix position.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
  • Locked
SKS double-feed causes fatality
2
Replies
25
Views
3K
sarduy
sarduy
D
  • Locked
Gun range suicide
Replies
11
Views
1K
Erebus
E
H
  • Locked
WSJ - In a Tent Hospital (IRAQ)
Replies
2
Views
397
striker3
S
R
  • Locked
My two cents on the .25 Auto after being shot by one.
2 3 4
Replies
80
Views
11K
sgt127
sgt127
N
  • Locked
So There I was Once More...
2
Replies
32
Views
3K
Correia
C
Back
Top