I'd like to say it happened to a friend, but about five years ago, having been out to a friend's farm. I brought in a couple of rifles and three single actions that I had taken out there. I've never kept a loaded gun that wasn't on my person and while I cleaned the rifles I took breaks going through the gun bag and putting away ammo etc. I pulled out my Blackhawk flattop and spun the revolved before putting it into its holster on the hook it hangs on in my office. I got distracted by something and was idly spinning and cocking/uncocking the revolver when *BANG* A hollow-point .44 Mag round took out a half panel of flooring at my feet. My ears were still ringing when my five year old walked into my office to ask what had made the noise. A buddy who had asked to try the gun out had reloaded it then put it in the car - and as a creature of habit - I never thought twice about it being 'safe'. I can truthfully say that I had a rough time saying anything when my daughter asked me that question.
Stupid moves with a Gun
- Thread starter k9cougar
- Start date
When I first saw that cop let loose I wondered if he was on the ground floor. I was in the basement, and even then I saw my self selling a room full of guns for a minute before snapping out of it. If it had discharged on the upswing, if my wife had been home...a .44 Magnum in a wood framed house; well I'd likely be writing on a different forum right now. Kinda hard to fight that battle with kids in the house.
When I was in San Fransisco I went to a shooting range and was enjoying firing of a Glock when some nutcase started using a huge Rambo-like machine gun and beinga big hero about it. It was extremely loud and scared the hell out of everyone in the range - I think if people do that they have to give some sort of warning- could cause accidents- just irresponsible skylarking behaviour giving gun people a bad name
Well, I was travelling 15 miles NW of Lovelock, Nevada on a dirt road when I spotted a covey of Chukar xing the rd. I pulled over, stopped, got out of my Blazer and took my 870from the back, put on my bird vest, let my Shorthair (Moose) out and made him heel. This was in 1974.
By then the birds had moved off into the sage and I approached slowly, with Moose still at heel. I proceeded to stuff shells into the mag. without looking, watching the brush as I walked along. Wanted to get loaded up before I let the dog loose.
It eventually hit me that something just didn't seem right since I was having a problem getting the gun loaded. When I looked closer, I saw why. At home, I'd obbiously grabbed the kid's 20 ga. (plus it was a left hand model!) instead of my twelve. The gun cases were identical.
Stuffing 12 ga. shells into a 20 magazine doesn't work at all well.
Fortunately, I always carried a spare .20 ga. Baretta O/U religiously and, while I didn't persue that first covey in the road, I had great hunting for the next couple days with a 14 bird two day limit.
What a disaster that trip would have been without my spare 20 ga. O/U and plenty of ammo.
By then the birds had moved off into the sage and I approached slowly, with Moose still at heel. I proceeded to stuff shells into the mag. without looking, watching the brush as I walked along. Wanted to get loaded up before I let the dog loose.
It eventually hit me that something just didn't seem right since I was having a problem getting the gun loaded. When I looked closer, I saw why. At home, I'd obbiously grabbed the kid's 20 ga. (plus it was a left hand model!) instead of my twelve. The gun cases were identical.
Stuffing 12 ga. shells into a 20 magazine doesn't work at all well.
Fortunately, I always carried a spare .20 ga. Baretta O/U religiously and, while I didn't persue that first covey in the road, I had great hunting for the next couple days with a 14 bird two day limit.
What a disaster that trip would have been without my spare 20 ga. O/U and plenty of ammo.
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I'll post mine, then:
In my early days of gun ownership, I had a habit of dryfiring a gun in my lap as I sat at my computer desk, watching the Internet. In those days, I had a Taurus 905 snubbie revolver in 9mm. I had broken the firing pin by dryfiring it (when they say "dryfire is not safe for this gun" in the manual, they mean it) and I had taken the pieces of the firing pin out of the frame, and continued dryfiring. Then I loaded the cylinder for whatever reason (probably to get used to the weight of the gun) and then resumed watching the internet as I cocked the hammer. It was only after I squeezed the trigger in my lap and heard the metal-on-metal sound of the hammer slamming into the transfer-bar/frame did I realize what I had just done: I had just dryfired a loaded gun, forgetting that there were live rounds in the cylinder.
I stopped dryfiring in my lap after that, and I always check the chambers first--"out of sight, out of mind".
In my early days of gun ownership, I had a habit of dryfiring a gun in my lap as I sat at my computer desk, watching the Internet. In those days, I had a Taurus 905 snubbie revolver in 9mm. I had broken the firing pin by dryfiring it (when they say "dryfire is not safe for this gun" in the manual, they mean it) and I had taken the pieces of the firing pin out of the frame, and continued dryfiring. Then I loaded the cylinder for whatever reason (probably to get used to the weight of the gun) and then resumed watching the internet as I cocked the hammer. It was only after I squeezed the trigger in my lap and heard the metal-on-metal sound of the hammer slamming into the transfer-bar/frame did I realize what I had just done: I had just dryfired a loaded gun, forgetting that there were live rounds in the cylinder.
I stopped dryfiring in my lap after that, and I always check the chambers first--"out of sight, out of mind".
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Lost Sheep
New member
Empty guns dangerous?
I was checking function on a Beretta '51 clone (Helwan Brigadier) I had just bought (used) and trying to figure out what was wrong with the slide lock and its engagement with the magazine follower. With the mag in the gun and the slide locked back, I depressed the follower and the mag release with it.
There I am, home alone, the tip of my right thumb half-chambered and now, I have only one free hand and my teeth to extricate myself. It does not help that the unexpected pain has temporarily paralyzed my brain.
I could just see myself trying to drive (one-handed with a stick shift) over to a friend's house to get my thumb freeed, all while fumbling around trying to get my left hand in position to hold the grip (which is pointed in JUST the wrong direction) or grip the slide and frame at the same time. No WAY could I push the slide back with just my (trapped) thumb.
It seemed like minutes, but it was actually only seconds before my mind revived and I grasped the grip between my knees and moved the slide back with my left hand. After a week, my mangled thumb was completely healed, but I seldom ever wonder why so many people recommend revolvers (over semi-autos) to novice gun owners.
Number 3 dumb thing. I was out in the Arizona desert. Miles from anywhere, down in a basin with good earthen backstops all around. I parked my car and set up some targets and was having a good time.
Since this is not an established range, I would set up targets, shoot, set up more targets from my shooting position, and move over to pick up the old targets. Then shoot at the new targets I had left at the old shooting position. Less walking back and forth that way. I could just make a big circle.
I worked my way around, spot to spot (does this sound familiar to anyone yet? Or, even if not familiar, you should be able to see what's coming.)
I had worked my way around and was about to start shooting right towards my car, parked on top of a berm, with my targets right there almost perfectly in line with it.
It would have been a long, hot and embarrassing walk back to base it I had put a round through my radiator.
Be sure of your target. Be sure of your backstop. Know what is beyond everything that is in or near your line of fire.
Double check before putting your finger in the trigger guard (or anywhere else, for that matter.)
Thanks for reading. Lost Sheep
I shot myself in the forehead with a 1911 .45 once while reassembling it. I accidentally let loose the recoil spring plug. The center of my forehead bore a little red mark for a couple of days. Good thing it hit something soft. I would have had a hard time finding it if it had gone very far.eddiejoe333 said:
I was checking function on a Beretta '51 clone (Helwan Brigadier) I had just bought (used) and trying to figure out what was wrong with the slide lock and its engagement with the magazine follower. With the mag in the gun and the slide locked back, I depressed the follower and the mag release with it.
There I am, home alone, the tip of my right thumb half-chambered and now, I have only one free hand and my teeth to extricate myself. It does not help that the unexpected pain has temporarily paralyzed my brain.
I could just see myself trying to drive (one-handed with a stick shift) over to a friend's house to get my thumb freeed, all while fumbling around trying to get my left hand in position to hold the grip (which is pointed in JUST the wrong direction) or grip the slide and frame at the same time. No WAY could I push the slide back with just my (trapped) thumb.
It seemed like minutes, but it was actually only seconds before my mind revived and I grasped the grip between my knees and moved the slide back with my left hand. After a week, my mangled thumb was completely healed, but I seldom ever wonder why so many people recommend revolvers (over semi-autos) to novice gun owners.
Number 3 dumb thing. I was out in the Arizona desert. Miles from anywhere, down in a basin with good earthen backstops all around. I parked my car and set up some targets and was having a good time.
Since this is not an established range, I would set up targets, shoot, set up more targets from my shooting position, and move over to pick up the old targets. Then shoot at the new targets I had left at the old shooting position. Less walking back and forth that way. I could just make a big circle.
I worked my way around, spot to spot (does this sound familiar to anyone yet? Or, even if not familiar, you should be able to see what's coming.)
I had worked my way around and was about to start shooting right towards my car, parked on top of a berm, with my targets right there almost perfectly in line with it.
It would have been a long, hot and embarrassing walk back to base it I had put a round through my radiator.
Be sure of your target. Be sure of your backstop. Know what is beyond everything that is in or near your line of fire.
Double check before putting your finger in the trigger guard (or anywhere else, for that matter.)
Thanks for reading. Lost Sheep
Lost Sheep
New member
Hair, apperance, public speaking. See posts 26, 27 and 28
Hair, apperance, public speaking. See posts 26, 27 and 28
Back in the '70s (and probably still true today) if a Marine appearing in uniform for a speaking engagement (recruiting, testifying, public service announcement, ANYTHING where he is representing the Corps) he would have a haircut not more than two days old. Period.
As a police officer you don't need a haircut THAT fresh, usually, but you do owe it to your audience and to your department to present the best possible face.
In my opinion, this officer did not respect his audience. (I may be wrong. I know that you adapt to and for your audience, you may APPEAR entirely unsuitable for a different audience - and I have no idea who his audience was. He might have been entirely appropriate in grooming, clothes and body language. The video gives few clues in that respect.)
What I do take exception to is what he SAID to his audience. Mentioned in the first sentence of post 26 (Thanks, richiep). "I'm the only one in this room professional enough..." This has nothing to do with the accidental/negligent discharge. This has to do with his attitude toward his audience. NEVER talk down to your audience. There are exceptions. If your intention is to browbeat, yeah, talk down. If your intention is to confront, maybe. But in most speaking engagements, it is unprofessional, and a bar to effective communication.
I do give him credit, though. After the discharge, his first words were, "I'm all right. If everybody all right?" It showed great presence of mind, situational awareness, and ordering of priorities.
Ignorance can be cured. Stupid is forever. This guy is not stupid, or uncaring. My opinion; he is one of the good ones, based on my limited observations.
But he does need more seasoning as a public speaker. For sure, he lost control of the stage when he attempted to bring out the second gun.
Lost Sheep
Hair, apperance, public speaking. See posts 26, 27 and 28
Back in the '70s (and probably still true today) if a Marine appearing in uniform for a speaking engagement (recruiting, testifying, public service announcement, ANYTHING where he is representing the Corps) he would have a haircut not more than two days old. Period.
As a police officer you don't need a haircut THAT fresh, usually, but you do owe it to your audience and to your department to present the best possible face.
In my opinion, this officer did not respect his audience. (I may be wrong. I know that you adapt to and for your audience, you may APPEAR entirely unsuitable for a different audience - and I have no idea who his audience was. He might have been entirely appropriate in grooming, clothes and body language. The video gives few clues in that respect.)
What I do take exception to is what he SAID to his audience. Mentioned in the first sentence of post 26 (Thanks, richiep). "I'm the only one in this room professional enough..." This has nothing to do with the accidental/negligent discharge. This has to do with his attitude toward his audience. NEVER talk down to your audience. There are exceptions. If your intention is to browbeat, yeah, talk down. If your intention is to confront, maybe. But in most speaking engagements, it is unprofessional, and a bar to effective communication.
I do give him credit, though. After the discharge, his first words were, "I'm all right. If everybody all right?" It showed great presence of mind, situational awareness, and ordering of priorities.
Ignorance can be cured. Stupid is forever. This guy is not stupid, or uncaring. My opinion; he is one of the good ones, based on my limited observations.
But he does need more seasoning as a public speaker. For sure, he lost control of the stage when he attempted to bring out the second gun.
Lost Sheep
The agent in the video, Lee Paige, later sued the government over the release of the video. Don't know what the outcome was.
What I find strange in the video, after the shot nobody moved...
Those kids are sitting perfectly still, until he brings out an AK. There's a long version of the incident where he keeps on going with the presentation and brings out an AK(if I remember correctly)...then the kids get nervous.
What I find strange in the video, after the shot nobody moved...
Those kids are sitting perfectly still, until he brings out an AK. There's a long version of the incident where he keeps on going with the presentation and brings out an AK(if I remember correctly)...then the kids get nervous.
Citizen Carrier
New member
Stupidest move I ever saw was at Target World north of Cincinnati when I was on leave from Iraq in 2005. Kid was there with his girlfriend shooting his Ruger P-series whatever gun. Contrary to the rules, he was loading and handling his gun off the firing line, back at the workbench they had against the observation window at that time.
So he loads it. Then he trips the slide the slide release to chamber it.
Except he has his finger fully depressed on the trigger when he trips the slide.
And the gun is pointed sideways, in my direction.
Well, the bits of cinder block that flew off the wall two feet behind me sure did sting and get my attention.
I walked over to the young man, a black guy, and I could see he was mortified by what happened. I could also see that I could either be cool about it, or further embarrass the young man in front of his girlfriend.
I ended up merely pointing out that he could've killed me, should not be handling his guns behind the firing line, should not keep his finger on the trigger like that...and that even I have made mistakes handling guns before.
The Powder Room, where I shoot now in Columbus, wisely removed the workbench/table they had at the back of the range so as to remove even the temptation of loading or handing your guns off the firing line. Solved a lot of concerns.
So he loads it. Then he trips the slide the slide release to chamber it.
Except he has his finger fully depressed on the trigger when he trips the slide.
And the gun is pointed sideways, in my direction.
Well, the bits of cinder block that flew off the wall two feet behind me sure did sting and get my attention.
I walked over to the young man, a black guy, and I could see he was mortified by what happened. I could also see that I could either be cool about it, or further embarrass the young man in front of his girlfriend.
I ended up merely pointing out that he could've killed me, should not be handling his guns behind the firing line, should not keep his finger on the trigger like that...and that even I have made mistakes handling guns before.
The Powder Room, where I shoot now in Columbus, wisely removed the workbench/table they had at the back of the range so as to remove even the temptation of loading or handing your guns off the firing line. Solved a lot of concerns.
Charles Ellis
New member
Many years ago when I carried a 1911 type pistol,I got the idea that it would be safer to carry it with the hammer down on a loaded chamber.I was leaving the house one evening for a late church service and I wanted to put the gun in the glovebox.As I slid the gun in the hammer snagged on the edge of the box and retracted a little short of the half cock notch and the released.It may have been the most sensitive prime ever manufactured for all I know,but ,I can attest to the loudness of a 45acp fired in a closed pickup truck cab.The most scary part was that my son was right outside,almost in line when it went off.Fortunately it did not exit the side of the truck,and my hearing mostly returned to normal in a couple of hours.I only carried it cocked and locked after that.
And yet another . . .
This happened at the gun shop I often go to:
http://www.kentucky.com/2010/03/10/1176432_most-embarassing-thing-to-do-at.html
Cleve R. Wootson Jr. - Charlotte Observer
A man accidentally shot himself in the leg at a popular west Charlotte gun shop.
The incident happened around 3:50 p.m. Wednesday at Hyatt gun shop, on Wilkinson Boulevard.
Police said the 25-year-old man had the gun in his back pocket when it went off, injuring himself in the lower leg.
He was taken to Carolinas Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries.
The case is under investigation, said Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Spokesman Officer Robert Fey. It's still unclear whether the man will face criminal charges.
This happened at the gun shop I often go to:
http://www.kentucky.com/2010/03/10/1176432_most-embarassing-thing-to-do-at.html
Cleve R. Wootson Jr. - Charlotte Observer
A man accidentally shot himself in the leg at a popular west Charlotte gun shop.
The incident happened around 3:50 p.m. Wednesday at Hyatt gun shop, on Wilkinson Boulevard.
Police said the 25-year-old man had the gun in his back pocket when it went off, injuring himself in the lower leg.
He was taken to Carolinas Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries.
The case is under investigation, said Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Spokesman Officer Robert Fey. It's still unclear whether the man will face criminal charges.
Gunplummer
New member
Stupid moves with a gun
I was alone at a range test-firing a couple repair jobs. I had various boxes of ammo on the table right next to me. Two of the rifles were identical 6.5 JAP long rifles, one of which I had to re-cut 6.5 Swedish. On the third shot, the recoil was kind of mild, and the case rolling on table looked like it had a short neck. I had reached over and grabbed a 6.5 JAP bullet out of the box with out looking and loaded it in the re-cut rifle. The brass was about .250 longer on the OAL than it should have been, and thin as shim brass. The unbelievable thing was, out of 3 rounds, the wrong one was right in there. After that I only keep one box of ammo on the bench or one can of powder on the bench when reloading.
I was alone at a range test-firing a couple repair jobs. I had various boxes of ammo on the table right next to me. Two of the rifles were identical 6.5 JAP long rifles, one of which I had to re-cut 6.5 Swedish. On the third shot, the recoil was kind of mild, and the case rolling on table looked like it had a short neck. I had reached over and grabbed a 6.5 JAP bullet out of the box with out looking and loaded it in the re-cut rifle. The brass was about .250 longer on the OAL than it should have been, and thin as shim brass. The unbelievable thing was, out of 3 rounds, the wrong one was right in there. After that I only keep one box of ammo on the bench or one can of powder on the bench when reloading.
BlackFeather
New member
Lost Sheep said:
I can hide my hair under a hat and because it is shaven around the sides you almost wouldn't know. I am very good at looking respectable despite my everyday look. In fact, most of the people here would see me as a threat or some hoodlum.
aarondhgraham
New member
A buddy of mine,,,
Had an old beater .22 revolver when we were kids in the 50's,,,
He wore it in a holster made for some cap pistol.
He squatted down in front of his brothers shetland pony,,,
He was going to adjust the bridle or something,,,
The gun fell out of the holster and Bang,,,
.22 short in the right butt cheek.
I went with him and his mom to the doctor's office,,,
I was out in the waiting room and could hear everything.
The doc was probing around for the bullet and Silas was hollering,,,
"It hurts real bad Doc!" he was saying over and over.
"Shaddup Silas! Anyone fool enough to shoot himself in his own @$$,,,
Deserves a little hurting."
Silas' Mom was grateful the doc didn't use an anesthetic,,,
Saved her more than $5.00 off the bill.
Aahhh,,, Childhood in rural Oklahoma,,,
Nothing else was quite like it.
After that incident my Dad told me about the empty chamber rule for six-shooters.
Had an old beater .22 revolver when we were kids in the 50's,,,
He wore it in a holster made for some cap pistol.
He squatted down in front of his brothers shetland pony,,,
He was going to adjust the bridle or something,,,
The gun fell out of the holster and Bang,,,
.22 short in the right butt cheek.
I went with him and his mom to the doctor's office,,,
I was out in the waiting room and could hear everything.
The doc was probing around for the bullet and Silas was hollering,,,
"It hurts real bad Doc!" he was saying over and over.
"Shaddup Silas! Anyone fool enough to shoot himself in his own @$$,,,
Deserves a little hurting."
Silas' Mom was grateful the doc didn't use an anesthetic,,,
Saved her more than $5.00 off the bill.
Aahhh,,, Childhood in rural Oklahoma,,,
Nothing else was quite like it.
After that incident my Dad told me about the empty chamber rule for six-shooters.
Ive owned guns for only a short 10 years, and thankfully I've never had a ND/AD. *knock on wood* and ive never had a gun go off by me accidentally. turns out, in my circles of friends, I'm the gun nut, so I'm the guy with the guns. but I ritualistically check my guns before handing them away and accepting them, cause i operate under the premise that bullets can magically appear inside the chamber/magazine/barrel. I think it was from Watching HEAT and watching Al Pachino check his gun to see it was loaded by inching the slide back an inch to see if a round was in the chamber. I do that ALL THE TIME.
HOWEVER, recently I got a cherry stainless Springfield 1911 Loaded. It has a nice curved scratch in it. by me. I wish i didnt put the idiot scratch on my first 1911
HOWEVER, recently I got a cherry stainless Springfield 1911 Loaded. It has a nice curved scratch in it. by me. I wish i didnt put the idiot scratch on my first 1911
A friend from work was at the local range and witnessed a REALLY stupid move with a gun.
Said moron held a Glock up to within an inch or two of his eye, sighting it like a rifle
. My buddy, who is a retired USMC MP, said when he saw this he was so stunned by what he was witnessing that he couldn't say anything. Actually, he said he was thinking "What the deuce? What is he thinking? Oh, well, no one could possibly be that stupid, he's probably just ..." BANG!
Long story short, the idiot was lucky he didn't loose his eye. When the pistol recoiled, it hit his orbital bone above his right eye, making a pretty messy gash. A couple of weeks later when my friend went to the same range he found out from the owner that the genius needed around 8 to 12 stitches to keep the air in his head from escaping
.
Said moron held a Glock up to within an inch or two of his eye, sighting it like a rifle
. My buddy, who is a retired USMC MP, said when he saw this he was so stunned by what he was witnessing that he couldn't say anything. Actually, he said he was thinking "What the deuce? What is he thinking? Oh, well, no one could possibly be that stupid, he's probably just ..." BANG!Long story short, the idiot was lucky he didn't loose his eye. When the pistol recoiled, it hit his orbital bone above his right eye, making a pretty messy gash. A couple of weeks later when my friend went to the same range he found out from the owner that the genius needed around 8 to 12 stitches to keep the air in his head from escaping
.erikrichard
New member
"That is one of my favorite videos. That video is in my mind a lesson on affirmative action more than a lesson on gun safety."
So what exactly are you saying?
So what exactly are you saying?
Actually my wife did something very similar with a Ruger 22/45, although she didn't hold it close enough to her face to get hurt. I didn't realize until after she fired, though unlike the Glock, the back of the 22/45 bolt is flat. But I still wouldn't want to take it in the face.
This thread is probably a good reminder that I should watch her for a repeat when we go out first time in the spring.
imthegrumpyone
New member
Old, old news, "Darwin lives"