Negligent Discharge at Gunshow...

[taliv]

we've had some threads on here discussing lever gun NDs before. i believe there was an ND at the knoxville gun show in January of last year that happened because a round stuck in the tube magazine and then came unstuck.

 

[69Rebel]

The vendor didn't check the chamber, and only tied the lever to the stock. It had been in his closet or safe for years cocked and with a live round in the chamber. It is also worth noting that a Savage 99 has a cocking indicator.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/savage_99.htm

 

[gym]

One big problem is that no one spot checks people who are walking around with guns. I take mine into the show, "always", but stop off at the Sherriff's table and get it tied off first. I would bet that there are many who don't, because they know that no one is going to check. Also there are a lot of crazy's out there who would stop at nothing to make a gun show look bad. Plus whoever this was, violated one of the primary rules, assume that all guns are loaded. I never pulled the trigger in 56 of my 66 years, without looking to see if there was a round chambered, that's the first thing you are taught, unless you come from a family from mars or are with someone who never had a gun, in which case you should have told them the rules before taking them.

 

[ying pow]

I was at the Eastmann show in Atlanta a few years ago. No zip ties and some dealers had loaded sidearms. One shot a 14 year old boy in the eye who died. Awful thing to watch him bleed out in front of you. And to hear the Mom's screams.

 

[SilentStalker]

Seems like this...

Seems like this kind of things is happening a lot these days, which I find hard to believe due to all of their restrictions and whatnot. I suppose one could slip by every now and then but there have been so many of these recently that I have read about on here that it makes me wonder if this is starting to be some kind of anti's tactic. Its also a miracle that none of these, to my knowledge, have hit anyone yet. Thank God for looking out. Just seems strange to me that we have a lot of these in such a short timespan.

 

[stonecutter2]

Mistakes happen. Life is precious. Glad no one got hurt.

I arrived shortly after the ND at the Bloomington IL show. Talked to two gents who saw the whole thing...they were kind of in shock. Understandably so. My friend was off duty but right by the ND and rendered aid immediately.

That day no guns were zip tied. The next day everything was zip tied. Including one guy's M14A he was carrying around...but the zip tie was just around the trigger guard. Pointless.

Bottom line, gun shows are packed with guns, and people you don't know...who may be totally ignorant of gun safety. Even people who are "safe" make mistakes.

 

[JRH6856]

Just seems strange to me that we have a lot of these in such a short timespan.

When I first started attending gunshows, there were fewer obvious safeguards, (door checks but no zip ties) but there was no internet or twitter either, so if NDs happened, unless someone was hurt or killed, there was likely to be no knowledge of unless you really went looking for it. Now, with smartphones and twitter, the news can go all over the country within minutes.

 

[P5 Guy]

When anyone hands me a firearm I clear it immediately as an automatic reaction.

I tried that at a show a few years back when a table holder handed me a Garand that was tied closed. The rifle got snatched out of my hand with a rather brusque "STOP, we do not want unnecessary wear and tear on guns for sale".
I said "Okay SeYa" and walked away.

 

[Old Fuff]

This whole experience has left me with a bad taste in my mouth when it comes to gun shows. I don't know if I'll ever go back to one. There are so many people handling so many different firearms, that at any given moment it seems one is always pointed right at me. Now I'm going to have to worry if it's going to go off at just the wrong moment. Am I being paranoid?

I think so, but I understand your feelings.

I've been attending gun shows of all sizes since the latter 1940's and no bullets have come my way. I think you have a greater chance getting into a car accident going to or from a show, then getting hit by a bullet at a show.

Unfortunately, simply living is dangerous, but we all do it.

 

[pharmer]

Guns have gone off twice in the 34 years I have been attending shows. Way back some cheap .380, don't remember the details. Last time was 4th of July maybe 2011 at the regular Orlando fairgrounds show. Some guy (tableholder) was dropping the hammer on a .45 about 100 ft away. Bullet hit the concrete floor and the skittering fragments clipped 2 folks down low. Puckered me right up. I was at the next show 6 weeks later. It's always going to be a risk with guns and mopes in the same room, in large numbers. Joe

 

[TrickyDick]

Whatever happened to opening the action before handing it off? I NEVER hand a firearm to someone unless ive just cleared it, Rifles, I rack it and check it, Handguns I leave the action open entirely. I just dont get the carelessness.

 

[larry_minn]

I knew a FFL who did the gun show circut. (he retired) The whole drive truck/trailer with carts to haul dozens of rifles, ammo,etc to a different show each weekend.

IIRC he told me he set up, checked EVERY gun before show starts, then next morning he checks every gun again, (plus before handed to anyone) and finally checked before show opens on Sunday.

Show over he puts long guns into "socks" on cart, trailer, home, locked in garage (with alarm)... A long time customer drops over mid week to buy that rifle he had looked at week before. So they unlock garage, unlock trailer, find correct rifle, pull it out, and he checks action (by HABIT as he always does)

Wonder of wonders it has a live rd in chamber. He said he had other dealers tell him "it happened to them" but he said this was HIS GUN.

I have zero doubt people put live ammo in guns at shows in hopes of someone getting hurt....

 

[javjacob]

I also would bet there are people who sneak live rounds in guns hoping someone gets hurt just to make guns and gun owners look bad. The anti gun people have been going to extremes.

 

[NY'er]

That should be a grand felony! Frankly I'm surprised the FBI, ATF, local PD or even DHS doesn't agresselt investigate and prosecute every single incident of that nature.

 

[Vodoun da Vinci]

I go to gun shows now and again...Can you imagine walking thru a show and watching people (I always like to watch how people react at knife and gun shows. I'm a people watcher.) and seeing some guy slide a round into a gun and hand it back or set it on the table and walk away?

Getting seen doing that might not be a good thing....

Just sayin'. That goes way beyond a prank. I think it's basically murder. I have often wondered if some folks ought not to be handling guns in public. Heck I have seen guys at the range doing thing that scared the dickens out of me enough to tell the range management to review their camera footage.

Scary stuff. Let's not give anti gunners any more ammunition than they need. Protect your neighbors, friends.

VooDoo

 

[PistolPete45]

Only one in ll the years I have gone to Gun shows .. Yup quiet and then everyone turns towards the sound and looks ..

 

[PistolPete45]

As for intentionally loading a round in a gun on a table .. Terrorist . just below a vest bomb . Speedy trial and execute the Terrorist .. Add in the hate crime thing as well ...