Accidental Discharge?!?!?

[Teknys]

It's the close calls in life that keep us alive!

Case #1
I've been handling guns for 35+ years and a couple of years ago emptied a Rem 700 into my hand, in the dark.... heres the mistake = rolled "4 cartridges" in my hand and did not look in the gun. Cycled the action twice and pointed at the ground to pull the trigger and relieve the firing spring and "BANG" gravel all over the side of my truck.

I only had three in my hand - NOT FOUR and did not do a visual of my "empty" gun before pulling the trigger. ALWAYS do a visual before ....

Case #2
A buddy of mine loaned a 38 revolver to a friend of ours daughter who was staying alone in their camper up in the mtns where we run cattle. My buddy rolled the cylinder out, pushed the rod to dump the cases into his hand.
NO VISUAL!! - closed the cylinder and was showing her about the gun. Had her pull the trigger in single action and then as a double action and BANG right though the hutch. One case did not catch the star on the rod and come out of the cynlinder.

2 POINTS -
#1 - Why no one was hurt - Muzzle always in a safe direction!
#2 - Always do a visual before you "think" any firearm is unloaded!

We each had only these one time of an accidental discharge. Yes it's embarassing but we made no qualms talking about them at work to remind everyone how fast and accident can happen.

 

[JD338]

It's the close calls in life that keep us alive!


2 POINTS -
#1 - Why no one was hurt - Muzzle always in a safe direction!
#2 - Always do a visual before you "think" any firearm is unloaded!

We each had only these one time of an accidental discharge. Yes it's embarassing but we made no qualms talking about them at work to remind everyone how fast and accident can happen.

It just goes to show you how making a mistake or assumption can change your life for ever.
I am a state certified Hunter Safety Instructor and we drill this into our students heads.

I took my buddy and his 11 yr old son out turkey hunting. The son pointed his shotgun barrel towards me and I came unglued on him, he was near tears. I never had to remind him again!

ALWAYS check to make sure a gun is unloaded and keep it pointed in a safe direction.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

There was a time when children would have been trained in safety with firearms. We would be a better people if we returned to those days when youth were taught safe handling techniques. For sure, I've witnessed, as I'm sure many on the forum have, "experienced" shooters who grow sloppy with muzzle control. I had a police officer on one occasion nearly shoot me in the leg as we were sneaking up on a bear. He had borrowed a lever action gun and was behind me. As we moved in on the bear, he was carrying with his finger on the trigger. The bullet impacted a couple of inches from my leg. I assure you that is not a pleasant situation.

Teknys,

The same thing happened to me some years ago as I emptied a Winchester in the dark. I mentally counted the cartridges in my hand, relieved the spring and got a shock. I assure you that I not only check my rifles visually since then, but check them again before placing them in the safe.

 

[JD338]

One thing that I do is when hunting, I load 3 shells in my M700.
When I unload, I drop the magazine for 2 shells and then open up the bolt for #3. I do a visual check of the chamber and close the bolt while holding the trigger. This closes the bolt on an empty chamber. It also gives me a quick visual that the firing pin is released.
I still watch the nuzzle at all times.

JD338

 

[jtoews80]

I would have to say that I was trained to not touch guns as soon as I could walk and then later to check if they were loaded when i was about 7 or 8.

JT.

 

[jtoews80]

There is an old tale in bonnyville about 2 officers with webly scott 38's at the pistol range. As it would happen, one was having difficulty with the ancient issue sidearm and turned from the firing line and tried to unjam it. AS he struggled with it, it became unjammed and went off. The round went thro the next stall at the range and put a 3/4" notch in his fellow officers butt. It didn't penetrate, but cut a wound channel across his seat.

It happened in the 80's, the old boys still chuckle about it, but it isn't something that they really mention alot. Most likely not a good thing to bring up regularly.

JT.

 

[bullet]

It is a must to check, double check and then check one more time, especially if you have some one else present. Never assume and when you have checked and just not comfortable for some reason or any doubt at all cause even a moment of doubt, stop and check it again.

 

[DrMike]

There is more than one story locally of fellows shooting a transmission or putting a hole through the firewall with an "unloaded" firearm.

 

[Greg Nolan]

Ditto
I taught my kids just as I learned. "Every gun is always loaded all the time. No matter how many times you checked it"

 

[Guest]

That's the way I learned it, too, Greg. All guns are loaded. If you ask my son, that's what he'll tell you, too. And if you say, "But I checked it and it's not," he'll say, "It's still loaded." Muzzle control is yet to come, as he is only 8 and only handles guns at the range. That will likely change next year (was going to be this year but things are not looking good for hunting season at all this year, so he'll have to start next season).

My college roommate shot out a window with an unloaded 1911. The stories never end of unloaded guns wreaking havoc.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

One of the police officers here but a round out of his unload .40 S&W through his 52" plasma TV. He was right, his pistol was unloaded, but he picked up his wife's....

 

[Powerstroke]

+1 on they are always loaded... I was brought up that way & yes, my 6yr old Son will say the same. I'm lucky as I have "my room" that also has a lock. Not that he's not trusted, but all the friends through-out the days. All guns are in the safe.
All I own are bolt rifles... I have never closed the action on one without sticking my finger into the chamber to feel + the visual before closing the bolt.

I've helped guide hunters upon several occasions and have help at the local sportsmans club during sight in days when I was growing up. It still amazes me at how many carless / clue-less people there are out there in the woods.

Be safe !!

 

[Teknys]

As this discussion has turned towards teaching kids. I've used the analogy with my son that "imagine your barrel as a Light Sabre from Star Wars that is a mile long". Any thing with in that mile could be shot if your gun goes off. So it better by pointed safely at ALL TIMES. We shoot skeet for the last 3 years weekly and he had to be remined that first year a couple of times (sometimes harshly), but since the last two years he has been very aware of his muzzle and no unsafe behaviours. At gun clubs with lots of people you can not be too careful.
Another piece to re-enforce that is "You are trusting the mechanical safety of the gun in your hands", if it's mechanical it can FAIL.

 

[russ808]

My hunting buddies and I will always visually check and then have someone else also check to make sure the firearm is unloaded. Everone has to have someone else double check, if not that person "don't hunt with us no more".
Russ

 

[Guest]

Roger that on all guns live in the safe unless I am present. And I don't show guns to other folks kids, unless mommy or daddy is present, too.

I had an interesting thing happen a while back, though. Kind of funny, but a good reminder. My son had a friend over, and my wife found them standing at the doorway, looking into my handloading room (really, a big closet). She was mortified, because there was a rifle on the bench, too. So the story gets back to the other boy's dad, and he comes to me about it. Assured him there was no danger - all powder and such is locked in a cabinet, and the rifle on the bench was one I had been working on, and the bolt/firing pin assembly was apart, and the striker was with me. That's the only reason I left it out - there was just no way it would fire without a striker. But it was a good reminder of what's important and not to underestimate my own careful son's curiosity. We had a long talk about that incident, and he doesn't go near the handloading room without asking anymore.

 

[DrMike]

Roger that on all guns live in the safe unless I am present. And I don't show guns to other folks kids, unless mommy or daddy is present, too.

+1 and +1 again! Well said, dubyam.