Bad gun mistake, Real Bad

[Michigunner]

Have any of you ever made a gun mistake?

I've wanted to tell this story, but only to the good friends on this kind message board.

A long, long time ago, I had a brand new Colt Government Model .45 Auto, as pretty as could be, shiny with wood grips.

It had never been fired that night when I went to the indoor pistol range.

I stepped to the firing line as proud as could be.  Every person was watching the debut of a brand new member.

I took careful aim and slowly squeezed the trigger.

The bullet blew out the large floodlamp sitting on the floor illuminating the target.

The dominant person rushed forward and announced they would be installing a cow bell, so they would always know my whereabouts.

  

[RJ HEDLEY]

   I know about what you felt like....  

[Richard S]

True confessions?  Most embarassing moments?  OK.  

Once upon a time long ago and far away as a callow youth trying to impress my uncles, I stepped up to the firing line to demonstrate my marksmanship with a revolver chambered for .32 S&W Long.  The only problem was that I had carelessly loaded it with .32 Long Colts.  The results were "interesting."  The uncles were impressed alright . . . but not in the way I had hoped.  

It took me a couple of years to regain any degree of credibility in their eyes.  

[tracker]

As long as it's show and tell time I blew the grip off of a
Browning High Power because I used some hot reloads
on a CCW qualification shoot. The instructor was quite
upset and thought I should be embarassed but I wasn't;
just a little shaken up. After he calmed down I asked him
if I could finish the course with a Gold Cup and factory
ammo I had in my trunk. Reluctantly, and fortunately for
me he agreed to my request.

[EdMan]

I have a few minor embarrassing moments while handling or shooting guns that I can share. Nothing really bad, but still embarrassing. About 20 years ago while I was looking at a Berretta Tomcat I had an embarrassing moment. I had asked the young lady working behind the gun counter at a local Swallens Department Store to look at a Berretta Tomcat pistol. She was quite attractive and I wanted to impress her with my gun expertise. She handed me the gun which had a bright red plastic piece in the chamber to show it was not loaded. When I had the gun I pushed the lever on the left side above the trigger. The tip up barrel flew open flinging the red plastic piece across the counter and under the display case behind the counter. Needless to say the sales lady gave me a very disgusted look as she had to crawl on the floor to retrieve the piece from under the case. I sheepishly said thank you and “slunk” away.    

Ed

[tracker]

Edman,
Count your blessings if that is your worst gun incident.

[Richard S]

Speaking of embarassing moments and Berettas . . . many years ago -- and between marriages -- I was at the range with a young lady (whose name I no longer recall).  I used the occasion to test a new Beretta Model-950B Jetfire .25ACP which I had purchased (also for reasons I no longer recall).  I do recall, however, feeling smug from seeing the bullet hit center mass of the target on the first shot.  And then I also recall the unexpected sensation of having the hot brass casing, having been thrown up from the tip-up barrel, fall down the front of my shirt which (for reasons I no longer recall) I had left conspiculously unbuttoned.  

(I do recall that it is difficult to keep your dignity and impress a lady with a hot brass casing bouncing around inside the front of your shirt.)    

More than that, I do not recall.

 

[EdMan]

Tracker & Richard,
Yes I am fortunate that after about 40 years of handling guns that I have not had any bad or dangerous incidents. I can partially attribute this to a more serious, potentially tragic, incident that happened to my father. I was about 10 years old and my family lived in a housing project (the Charles Projects) on the east side of Detroit. My father who was a gun lover was practicing his quick draw with his loaded S&W 4” barreled .357 magnum. I was standing off to the side of the mirror that my father was in front of. Suddenly there was a tremendously load BOOM! A hole appeared in the wall next to the mirror throwing bits of plaster on me. I was only about 3 feet away from were the bullet hit and I just about wet my pants. I’m glad my father was using .38spl 158gr RNJ ammo and that the Housing project walls are made so well. The bullet ended up in the closet behind the mirror. He was very fortunate that the bullet did not go through the wall into the unit next door and kill someone. After this Bad gun mistake my father got very serious about gun safety, and he started teaching me gun safety. If he ever saw me do someting unsafe with a gun (which wasn't too often) he would correct me. Sometimes with a good smack (that was before 241-KIDS).

They say you learn best under stress. I think that’s true. I learned and have always followed some very good lessons I learned by that incident 47 years ago.
1)      Never handle a firearm while drunk. My father (god rest his soul) was an alcoholic.
2)      Never point a gun at anything that you don’t want to be shot (or as they say now destroy).
3)      When dry fire practicing always check the chamber just before you pull the trigger.
4)      When drawing a weapon always keep your trigger finger straight and away from the trigger until you are on target.
5)      Always stay BEHIND anyone firing a gun.

Most importantly I learned to respect all types of firearms, even BB and pellet guns.

Ed

[Richard S]

Ed:

God bless your father -- and my uncles . . . and Amen!

[EdMan]

By the way I started training my son and daughter in safe gun handling from the time they where about 5 years old. They never had a Bad Gun Incident, and hopefully my daughter never will. My son is no longer with us. He went to the big gun store in the sky after a motor cycle accident. He loved firearms as much as I do. I gave him a Glock 23 for his 21st birthday.  

Ed

[EdMan]

Hi Richard,
Funny story. I guess the hot shell casing down the front of your shirt is better than have it go down the front of the young ladies blouse.  I needed some humor after typing my last post. Thanks for sharing

[R9SCarry]

I have always tried to maintain absolute gun safety - more and more so if anything in later years.

Two episodes which should not have happened (I'll ignore a discharge into ground while at low ready in a compo - that was of course premature finger on trigger but - zero danger there - just egg on face.).

Back in army cadet days late teens - had a range .22 rifle to be cleaned.... old ''Morris tube'' conversion deal.  Decided to load a round and close bolt on it, with trigger released!! - with gun pointing up.  Round discharged - passing thru ceiling and making somewhere (never found it) a hole in roof <cough>!  Stupid thing to do, of course!

Second was four years ago - put two 20G shells in Mossy 500C to go deal with a snake.  Outed said snake with one shot.  carried shottie back into house and down basement stairs - racked it and released trigger - oops - boom!  Lack of visual confirmation of empty chamber had allowed forgotten other round in mag to be chambered.  Shot sprayed the stairs and floor.

Both incidents however - tho in a sense inexcusable were rendered other than dangerous because of what I regard as the ultimate saviour of safety rules - ''do NOT point a firearm at anything you do not wish to destroy''.  Anytime even that I use a decocker I ''expect'' a bang and make dead sure any discharge could only make a safe hole.

That rule #2 is I think the one that could always save lives - sure I regard any and every gun as loaded regardless - and finger off trigger until ready to shoot - also important but - if a gun does discharge and is pointed safe then no harm no foul - at least no injuries or lives lost.  It is the major ''catch-all'' IMO.

Rule #4 tho is good to almost include with rule #2 - because to know what is beyond - even a ''target'' we regard as safe - which may be a part of a floor - we need to know what is beyond if that floor is above people etc.

I have decided that it is worth having a ''safe corner'' in any gun room - comprising a small pile of sandbags - into which one points a gun when releasing trigger - in case!  This can be used for dry fire drills too.

[EdMan]

Thanks for sharing Chris. You're right. One of the most important rules is to never point the gun at any thing you don't want destroyed. I have I stack of phone books against a concrete wall I point at when working with a weapon, like chambering rounds, dry firing, etc.

Ed

[sslater]

I did a N.D. inside my car!  Wanted to unload my gun & I was in a hurry. (Mistake 1) Racked the slide of my Glock 22, ejected a round, dropped the mag, and pulled the trigger. (Mistake 2! Should have dropped the mag then racked the slide - like I've done 10,000 times without incident.)
Two interesting things resulted.
1.The bullet, a Black Talon, shattered the radio.  It kept on playing, like the car in that Stephen King movie, "Christine".
2. To this day, I don't remember hearing the report.  But I'm sure it was loud.  

[sslater]

R9SCarry:
That sandbag idea is a good one.  At the suggestion of another forum, I dumped 50 lbs. of sand ($1.49 @ Home Depot) into one of those 5 gallon plastic pails.  ($3.00 @ Home Depot or 50 cents at the restaurant - and you get to smell pickles for the next two years.)
The pail sits near my workbench.  I go down there every time I want to clear a weapon.