That horrible sound

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herohog

herohog

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I arrived 5 minutes late Memorial day for my shift at the VCDL table at the Harrisonburg Gun Show at Rockingham fairgrounds. I apologized to Mike and rolled around back of the table and settled in. Mike and I said our "Hello's" and "How are ya's" and began our shift. It had been slow as gun shows go but I could see that several items and a membership or two had been sold. Some of the dealers had left but a good number were left all the same. We were positioned right next to the right side entrance to the rear section of the building near Trader Jerry's and had a fairly good view of the back area which is always good for "people watching." We hadn't been there much more than an hour when it happened... Off to our left, there was a loud "POP!" and all froze in place and looked toward that awful noise. I said "Aw ****" and a few seconds after, someone across the build hollered "anyone hurt?" No one hollered out and a few "I'm OK's" were heard. I voiced that I thought I heard "something" in the overhead and the fellow selling the leather belts and holsters at the far wall said he had "felt" something fall on him when it happened. By this time, the police there had gathered around the source of the noise as had the shows promoter and Jerry from "Trader Jerry's" was there as well. From where I was sitting, I could see Jerry examining the cloth cover of a dealer's table and pointing at something. It turned out that two Licensed dealers had had a transaction for a 9mm SIG between themselves and, though they dropped the magazine, BOTH of them failed to PROPERLY check the chamber. One of them let the slide slam home, pointed the weapon at the floor and pulled the trigger. It was then that I heard "It," that horrifying sound of a Negligent Discharge at a gun show.

I am 51 and have been to MANY gun shows in my life and hadn't ever been around a negligent discharge in such a dangerous place as in a building full of people with a concrete floor. The odds were against me and I shouldn't be surprised that it caught up with me and happened in my presence. God willing, this will never happen to ANYONE again. The fact that no one was injured is a miracle. The floor carries a scar that the people who were there, the promoter and owners of the property will always cringe at whenever they see it. Both dealers were immediately shown the door. I don't know their names, if they will be allowed back or if any charges were filed. They are darned lucky that they, and everyone else, walked out of there unscathed today.
 
So how many of the basic rules did these guys break?

I used to think that dealers had more sense than that. Then I was looking at a handgun at a gun store one day, and asked the clerk if I could see it. He handed it to me without checking the chamber. Luckily I did, because somehow it did have a loaded round in it.

Sorry to hear that this happened at the show you were at, but thanks for the post. If anything, this reminds everyone to assume that a gun is loaded until you personally prove otherwise. I'm going to a gun show this Friday, and will be sure to check every gun I touch.
 
One of them let the slide slam home, pointed the weapon at the floor and pulled the trigger.
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but you also said
though they dropped the magazine, BOTH of them failed to PROPERLY check the chamber.
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So I can only conclude that a round was chambered and did not ectract.

I so hate the word negligence but if no one checked the chamber then I guess the "N" word is relivent.

Makes me wonder how mant times I droped a mag and just functioned a gun a few times and dry fired with out checking the chamber. I dont know that I have but I do rack several times just to be sure then look or feel. I know Trader Jerry's I am glad no one was hurt. At most gun shows I fear an accidental shock from idiots playing with stun guns more than I do an AD.
 
Thanks. I am still... well, I can't think of the proper words for what I feel. I doubt sleep will come quickly or peacefully tonight.
 
It's happened twice at shows in Austin the past couple of years. The first time (I heard it myself) was a CHL holder that let one go while fiddling with his carry weapon (and shot another guy in the leg). That incident got 30.06 signs posted at the shows since. The last time was a dealer (he killed a box of video tapes)...he had his stuff taken down by the show promoter in record time & shown the door.

Morons.
 
Bruenor said:
So how many of the basic rules did these guys break?
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Using Jeff Cooper's rules, arguably all of them.

I assume this was a SIG P-series. All that had to be done was decock it using the lever. There was no reason to pull the trigger.
 
There was no reason to pull the trigger.
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In all honesty do you buy a new/used gun with out trying the trigger? I have passed up on some guns because of an unusual heavy trigger. But you can only tell that if you try it. None the less they should have made sure it was unloaded.
 
The owner of a gunshop near me told me that some guys came in and we're checking out an ar-15 and there was a live round jamed in the chamber, well one of the guys slamed the bolt closed after racking it several times and pulled the trigger and fired a round a few feet away from the clerks head and into the wall, just shows you how important muzzle controll is.
 
1) Thanks for supporting the VCDL and manning a table!
2) That's scary. I'm glad that no one was hurt and hope the guy that pulled that stunt aren't welcome again to any shows. Ultimately it was his responsibility to check, although I can see why both were shown the door. You can never be too careful.
 
I know the state of every gun I own ...

... loaded? Chambered?

But I'll be danged if I don't double-check when I pick it up. I have a rule - the more familiar I get with guns, the more careful I need to be. It's in the moment when you relax your standards, possibly through familiarity, that you do something stupid like this guy did.

As to 'nobody hurt' - I imagine anyone who was standing close by got an earful, and possibly some hearing damage as well.
 
Ridiculous, I also know the status of my pistol and even if I was just handing it and place it down. I do a breach check to make sure a little elf didn't pop one in the tube.
 
Both guys failed to PROPERLY check the chamber. The one who handed over a gun with a chambered round is as at fault as the one who ASSUMED the chamber was empty and pulled the trigger. :banghead:

I'd like to know if any charges are to be pressed for the reckless endangerment today. Mike joked about "hazardous duty pay" and "body armor" to work the shows. It's just not funny today for some reason... :(
 
Ridiculous, I also know the status of my pistol and even if I was just handing it and place it down. I do a breach check to make sure a little elf didn't pop one in the tube.
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I hate those elves. I have never seen one or the results of one, but I know they lead a malicious existance. They have a strong desire to hurt me. I check for their handiwork everytime.
 
It's happened twice at shows in Austin the past couple of years. The first time (I heard it myself) was a CHL holder that let one go while fiddling with his carry weapon (and shot another guy in the leg). That incident got 30.06 signs posted at the shows since.
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The Saxet show travels all around the state, too, so now we can't carry here in San Antonio, or I presume at Corpus, Houston, etc.:banghead:
 
No to make light of thier ND, due to failure to perform a simple chamber check, because that is what they did that caused it all, and was certainly negligent, but at least they did have the sense to have it pointed in the safest direction possible (although a concrete floor is still not at all safe, but of all the places they could have pointed, I'd say it was the safest) when they pulled the trigger. so, at least they follow one of the rules, which is likely what kept anyone from getting hurt (again, ricochet from a concret floor is certainly possible, and potentially deadly, just saying that given the choices of where to point the gun, that was likely the safest option).

Just goes to show, that now matter who you are, or how much experiance you have, you need to be extra-super-double dog sure a gun is unloaded, and, if you follow the rules, an ND can be made MUCH lees likely to result in injury if you follow the VERY important one of pointing in a safe direction away from people, even if you screw up all the other rules.I'd argue the "safe direction" rule may ultimately be the most important, as it is the "safety net" that keeps you from shooting someone if you screw something else up.

Good lesson to remember, IMHO, and glad no one was hurt.
 
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