Odd injury.

R

Ramey

New member
Has anybody pulled a muscle working the action on a semi auto? I got a M&P Shield. Only shot about a hundred rounds thru it. Last week I'm making a video reviewing it. Well in the videos I pull the slide back a lot to show function. I use the slingshot grip. Anyway, next day my hand can't grip and there's a big ol' black and blue bruise. Does this ever happen to you?
 
Here's a picture of me pulling the slide back. I'm not sure why it did that to my hand. I'm not on blood thinners.
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Sounds more like an overworked muscle than a pulled one. If you pull a muscle you know it right away, quick like. A big, old, bruise is damage to the muscle, not a pull. And no it doesn't happen to me. snicker.
If you want to play like that take out the return spring.
Please reduce the size of your pictures.
 
T O'Heir said:
Sounds more like an overworked muscle than a pulled one. If you pull a muscle you know it right away, quick like. A big, old, bruise is damage to the muscle, not a pull. And no it doesn't happen to me. snicker.
Click to expand...
Why would you derive joy out of another shooter's injury? I guess I don't understand modern society.
 
To bring this back on topic;
I have never had this happen to me but I have gotten a case of bursitis from performing an unusual activity repeatedly. I don't use the "slingshot" hold and prefer to grip the slide with my entire hand then push with my grip hand and pull with the slide. This is a bit strange because I learned to shoot with a Ruger and you have to use the "slingshot" hold with them. Somewhere along the way I changed the way I do it and it seems easier, not only to me but also to those I teach - especially the women at our Women on Target classes.

Oh, and a "pulled" muscle can cause what looks like a bruise if the muscle is torn. The tear causes bleeding under the skin and that's what causes the bruise.
 
That pinch method in the picture is surely doing it the hard way.
Next time try what ShootistPRS describes as it's much easier.
 
I'm not a doctor, so I'm not going to tell you what your injury is.

However, I will say that I've had weird "fluke" injuries before. Like when I tore a tendon in my wrist while sanding a block of wood. I wasn't being overly aggressive, it just kinda popped randomly. I'm young (in my late 20s), physically fit, and do that kind of woodwork all the time... but weird stuff happens.

I wouldn't blame your technique or the gun. Just chalk it up as a fluke, let yourself heal, and move on.
 
It is most likely a fluke, but if you have any other unexplained bruising, nose bleeds, or blood in the toilet bowl, you need to see a doctor quickly. Some disorders of the blood clotting mechanisms can be serious and fast developing.
 
Thanks for the replies. I think it was a fluke. But you guys got me a little concerned. I use the sling shot grip because there's not much room on the slide and I need to show the "audience" the chamber is empty.


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I would change the way your grasping the slide. Try to grasp it with you whole hand instead, and this way you can use your whole hand strength instead of just a couple of fingers.
 
jason hammac said:
I would change the way your grasping the slide. Try to grasp it with you whole hand instead, and this way you can use your whole hand strength instead of just a couple of fingers.
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See posts # 7 and 11
 
I have always used the "whole hand" grip as the gents describe here.

That way, if there is a round in the chamber, I catch it with my grip hand and it doesn't go in the dirt.

Remember: treat all firearms as if they are loaded until the action is locked open and you can see the chamber. I have witnessed accidental discharge from different folks. Be wary of them, even relatives and friends. The only person I trust around firearms is me.

I even saw a lady cop come within inches of shooting a guy in the head that was cuffed and on his belly. Accidental discharge.
 
Also keep in mind the Shield is a smaller pistol so it's going to be harder to rack. Heavier Springs and all that. I'd go to overhand racking.

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I had a similar thing happen once, at the range. I don't know if I was racking the slide or not, but I don't use the sling-shot method. I had a huge swelling pop up in the palm of my off hand. A friend, a pathologist, who was shooting with me. said it was a hematoma -- which is, in effect, the equivalent of a big bruise gone mega. (Internal swelling from a damaged vein or artery or capillaries.) Nothing to worry about, he said. It took several days to go away, and it was somewhat painful for a while.

Stuff happens. You'll probably not have the same experience again.
 
I have a 9mm Shield so I know how stiff the recoil spring is and the energy used to rack the slide. I am also on baby aspirin as a blood thinner so I can easily bruise at times. That said, I've never had what you are describing happen due to racking any of the semis I've owned.

My guess is perhaps you over did it as far as the racking goes? Or it may just be "you" and the repetitive movement? Perhaps a broken capillary?

Whatever the cause, I'd give the hand a rest for a while and let the bruising clear up. if it happens again, you might want to consult your physician about it.
 
It took about a week but the bruise went away. I'm chalking it up to a freak thing. Maybe next time I'll do some stretching first. If it happens again I'll take your advice and see the doc.


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