Author Topic: Be careful (Read 971 times)

spraynpray · « **on:** October 09, 2005, 04:25:52 PM »

Just a reminder to be careful whan handleing firearms, this guy shot his own hand while attempting to clean it.
http://www.cetmerifles.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4877&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Brett · « **Reply #1 on:** October 11, 2005, 06:05:36 AM »

I think when you have been around guns long enough you can become a little too familiar with them and loose some of that initial 'fear factor' that kept most of us out of trouble when we first got involved with guns. I can recall when I first became involved with the shooting sports I had a healthy 'fear' of them and handled them as if they were rattle snakes. Always very aware of what direction the 'biting' end was pointing in and always sure to double check magazines, clips, cylinders and of course chambers to verify whether the weapon was loaded or not each and every time I picked it up, set it down or handed it to someone else. I always double checked to make sure a gun was really unloaded before attempting to do any service or cleaning. Now after many years of handling guns I sometimes catch myself starting to place a gun back in it's travel case or the safe, or removing it from the safe without immediately confirming whether it is loaded or unloaded. I have never had an AD and pray that I never will. I won't say that it could never happen to me. (If you tell yourself this you are well on your way to having one yourself.) I dare say however that it will probably be a looong time if ever that the individual in the link will have another AD. His mangled left hand will serve as a constant reminder to stay focussed when handling a firearm.

rockbilly · « **Reply #2 on:** October 11, 2005, 12:11:19 PM »

:cry: Ouch!!!!! :oops:

Land_Owner · « **Reply #3 on:** October 12, 2005, 04:20:28 AM »

It will NEVER be enough to caution through example, however, every example should be documented, told, and retold as often as someone will listen. It is human nature and people are going to do the same stupid things over and over. That is why we call them "accidents". Someone posted to me, when I badly burned myself using gasoline as an accelerant: "It must be tough being a good example of a bad example." Yep. It is.

The writer is correct: the telling and retelling is therapeudic for the injured party, kind of like when you thump your knuckles taking a stuck spark plug out and then jump around for five minutes flicking the fingers in the air as if trying to throw off the hurt. Know what I mean? It does no real good, but somehow it just "feels" better after making the attempt. Who knows, perhaps that is a way to "kick-start" the healing process. Ever try to just stand there as if nothing happened. IMO, you can't do it.

BamBams · « **Reply #4 on:** October 12, 2005, 01:15:45 PM »

1) AlWAYS keep muzzle pointed in safe direction
2) ALWAYS keep finger off trigger until ready to shoot
3) ALWAYS keep firearm unloaded until ready to use

Three simple rules - never a problem, or accident.

williamlayton · « **Reply #5 on:** October 13, 2005, 02:45:00 AM »

ALL weapons are ALWAYS loaded!!!!!
Blessings

rockbilly · « **Reply #6 on:** October 13, 2005, 12:24:57 PM »

When I was much younger and living in Alexandria LA I was shoot on the England AFB pistol team. I had been to the range one afternoon, before leaving, I checked all the guns to ensure they were unloade when I got home, I was taking my personal gun out of the pistol box to put it away in my bedroom. I walked down the hall way, opened the closet door, and snapped the gun a couple of times. I pointed it out the door towards the bathroom and snapped again. BANG, I had left a .357 round in the one chamber. It hit the base of the commode and blew it into a million pieces. Needless to say, it was late Saturday afternoon, nothing open until monday to get a new one. My wife never let me live it down after a week-end with a five gallon bucket wit a plastic bag inserted.

After that incident, I have made it a habit to always check a gun three times before putting it away. I check in the field or on the range, check as I am taking them out of the truck when I get home, and check again before I put them in the safe. You can't be too cautious.

mjbgalt · « **Reply #7 on:** October 13, 2005, 12:34:10 PM »

mine is dumber than most here. i heard a noise outside and thinking it might be the raccoon i have been having troubles with, i loaded my ruger gp100 .357.

i had just bought it and my understanding was that with a new wheelgun you should dry fire it to break it in.

so i had been dryfiring a lot that week.

there was no raccoon and i set the gun down, intending to leave it loaded by my bed like i do at night. this was 1am and i was dead tired and not thinking clearly, apparently.

because an hour later i picked it up to move it to its spot on my bedside stand and dry fired it.

right into my wall. and through the wall. and through the cabinet on the other side of the wall, through my mother's luggage which is stored there.

it was so loud it actually hurt. the fire belched out of the 6" barrel and scared the crap out of me.

on shaking legs i walked around the corner to make sure I had not hit the water heater and made an even bigger ass of myself.

i woke up that morning at 5am completely deaf. i even lightly slapped my ears to see if i could hear THAT and i could not. i got my hearing back and i am fine but i do think i lost a little of my ability to hear certain high- pitched sounds.

i have told this story to many people since and they probably think i am a dumb idiot and they have all said it couldnt happen to them. the reason i pass it along is to show people that even someone like me who has lived with guns and used guns all my life, a momentary lack of thought and caution can cost you your life.

i began shaking the next day as i realized i had been cleaning it earlier that night and had the barrel pointed close to my head as i ran the brush down the barrel. what if i had looked again to see if i had gotten it clean and....wow.

so laugh at me or call me a moron. this kind of thing happens more often than it should and it really does happen to you and me. i read a book by Ted Nugent ( a guy who has logged more time than any of us in the woods) and he has had it happen twice. both times...caution would have prevented it.

be careful out there.

-Matt

Leverdude · « **Reply #8 on:** October 13, 2005, 01:05:21 PM »

When we were teenagers my buddys brother was home on leave from the Army I think it was. He was showing us his handgun, a 9mm Beretta & explaning the "safe" way to unload the gun. He cycled the slide, dropped the mag & said to us "never, ever do this" & proceeded to point it at the wall & squeezed the trigger, putting a 9mm slug thru a bookcase, the wall & into his sisters headboard in the next room over. :shock:
Well, so far I havent managed to do that but I always drop the mag & then clear the chamber, instead of the other way round. When taking a pistol course years later the instructor did it the other way round locking the slide open after clearing the chamber & then dropping the mag. I'm not good at keeping my mouth shut so I told him theres better ways to do it & after he got over my insubordination I told him that story & explained that IMO even if your gonna lock the slide open its safer with no mag in the gun cuz if it should slip you just put a new one in the tube. Grudgingly he admitted I was probably right. :roll:

NONYA · « **Reply #9 on:** October 13, 2005, 02:37:33 PM »

Thanx for sharing your story MJ,it can happen to ANYONE despite the attitude you will encounter when you share a story like that anyone that says "I would never do that!" is either a liar or very overconfident,those who know will say its not a matter of if,but a matter of when.

williamlayton · « **Reply #10 on:** October 13, 2005, 05:00:49 PM »

They are all loaded all the time is the onliest way to approach a weapon.
I know stuff happens to folks who are very careful and I am sorry this did.
Blessings