A Solemn Reminder - Caution Graphic Image Linked

[Captains1911]

I wanted to post this just as reminder. A friend of mine suffered an "accident" this past weekend. Without providing too many details, it involved improper handling of a loaded .45 handgun inside his home. The end result can be seen below. Obviously multiple safety rules were violated in order for this to occur. Luckily nothing other than his finger, sliding glass door, and ego were harmed. His two year old son was upstairs sleeping at the time.

People sometimes have the tendency to become almost too comfortable with firearms, and perhaps temporarily forget the potential they possess. I would not consider my friend an irresponsible gun owner in general, I have been out shooting with him many times, and never witnessed anything to suggest he has unsafe tendencies. However, it only takes one momentary lapse/slip up/etc. for very bad things to occur. Be safe everyone.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e106/Captains1911/temp/photo_zpsb2ca9a48.jpg

Edit by ugaarguy: Captains1911 has provided the following details on the injury:

"The details, as described to me, are as follows: He crammed a loaded FN FNX .45 Tactical into a cheap drop leg holster designed for air soft, with the safety on. He had to yank on the gun to remove it from the holster, and in doing so the safety somehow disengaged and the gun discharged. I assume the hand that was shot was holding onto the muzzle end of the holster while the other hand pulled the gun out and managed to pull the trigger."

 

[clg114]

Whenever I take the grandkids to the range, I pound the four rules into their heads. Sometimes I think their attitude about safety is lacking. I think I'll print a copy of that to show them what can happen if you don't follow the rules every time. Their mother won't like it, but she will get over it.

 

[blarby]

providing too many details, it involved improper handling of a loaded .45 handgun inside his home.

Without those details, this is pretty much a nasty pic thread waiting to happen.

Sorry for your friend, but the details might teach someone how not to repeat the mistake.

 

[Reloadron]

People sometimes have the tendency to become almost too comfortable with firearms, and perhaps forget the potential they possess.

He was lucky as complacency kills.

Ron

 

[Claude Clay]

spot on

as long as i have had guns, carried and taught -- i've felt that complacency, next to ignorance,
is the biggest cause of our own mishaps.
break any 1 of the 4 rules and ears may get a loudfull and objects may be damaged but
blood does not get spilled.


complacency too often leads to 2 rules being violated -- and that will yield bloodshed,
a life changing, potentially ending, event


in the sense that after an at-fault auto accident those who survive most always still drive
I'd be interested to know how what the wife and he feel about this event.

 

[ugaarguy]

Without specific details we can't have a productive discussion on how the injury occurred and how it could have been prevented. Captains1911 send me or another mod a PM if you want to provide those details and then we can reopen this.

This is back open now that we have the details of the injury.

The details once again illustrate that ANY holster should be test fit with the gun empty, and double and triple checked to be empty. It's also another illustration of why muzzle discipline must always be observed.

 

[Al Thompson]

I know two older guys here in town that got complacent and shot fingers off. I know one other guy that stuck his handgun in his waistband and promptly drove a 124 grain JHP through the top of his butt.

Complacency kills or at least maims.

 

[chicharrones]

Well, no more wedding rings for that guy.

 

[SunnySlopes]

My wife is an orthopedic surgical PA and frequently, frequently, stitches up people who accidentally shot themselves in various parts of their body.

Whenever it happens and, I'm very surprised how often it does, she tells me, "If you ever hurt yourself playing with your bullets, your shooting days are over."

 

[medalguy]

I hate new leather holsters until they are adequately stretched. I always fear something like that happening to me.

 

[pendennis]

Lessons Learned -

• It's a good reason why a lot of ranges do not allow drawing from holsters.
• It demonstrates why shooters need to exactly match the holster to the gun.

 

[03fatboy]

Thank you for starting this thread,and not having the picture to graphic so I can show my boys and talk to them about how and why he got hurt.

 

[Hometeached1]

Lessons learned.
(1) OBEY THE FOUR RULES.
(2) ALWAYS TRY NEW HOLSTERS WITH EMPTY PISTOL AND USE ONLY HOLSTERS MADE FOR THE SAME MODEL AS YOUR PISTOL.

Thanks for posting this, we all (at least I do) need reminders like this.

 

[gym]

Unless you are training, remove the holster with the gun still in it, "not a bad idea to do this at days end anyhow", especially if you aren't used to the feel. If it's a new holster and you aren't sure of weather you have the weapon fully inserted, put the gun in the holster unloaded several times so you know what it feels like when it locks in.
In the first few days I would place the loaded gun in the holster before sliding a belt through it with a OWB, the gun should be in the IWB holster, prior to attaching it to your belt anyway especially a new holster or gun and holster combo for the first few days at least. Never force a gun in or out of a holster.
Unfortunately this kind of thing will on occasion happen, usually because we feel that it could never happen to us.

 

[mike28w]

Yeah, that's not nearly graphic enough....it could have been so much more tragic !!

Everyone remember, Be careful....it could be you !

 

[Damon555]

It's pretty obvious that he had his finger on the trigger when he was pulling the gun from the holster....the safety "turning itself off" sure won't cause the gun to discharge...

 

[barnbwt]

"It's a good reason why a lot of ranges do not allow drawing from holsters."
Which is itself a good reason why holsters are implicated in so many NDs. How the heck are you supposed to get proficient at the most demanding aspect of gunnery? The critical piece with the most moving parts, that is the most likely to go wrong and get you shot when you go to defend yourself.

I agree that unsupervised live-fire draw shooting would be a bad idea for a facility hosting the 'general public' at large, but empty dry firing or primer-thrown rubber balls seems like as much an important part of practice as watching the front sight (if not more so)

TCB

 

[pendennis]

"It's a good reason why a lot of ranges do not allow drawing from holsters."
Which is itself a good reason why holsters are implicated in so many NDs. How the heck are you supposed to get proficient at the most demanding aspect of gunnery? The critical piece with the most moving parts, that is the most likely to go wrong and get you shot when you go to defend yourself...
TCB

This isn't meant to be narcissistic, but one can practice drawing from the holster with an empty gun, by using a large mirror. I've done it for years. It provides instant feedback, and you can do it without an audience.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

A good reminder. Over the course of many years of being around guns I have seen NDs and had them myself. It's very sobering! I'm very careful with firearms yet 20 years ago a buddy handed me one that he'd been looking at; like an idiot I didn't safety check it since it was empty when I'd handed to him. I pointed it at the TV and heard the world loudest bang when I expected a click.

Luckily for me and everyone involved, I at least minded one rule- I knew my backstop and what was beyond. Now when I dry fire I'm ultra-OCD about checking the gun, and then I do all my practice aiming at an AR500 steel armor plate.

 

[Davek1977]

I've fallen victim to complancy twice that I've realized in my 20-some years of owning guns. Both involved discovering guns were loaded when I had assumed they were not. In both cases, the "a gun is always loaded" rule saved by butt. The first time involved breaking out my 12 gauge 0/U for the first time all season, only to realize it had...unbeknownst to me....remained loaded all year from when I put it away after the last hunting trip of the year. Breaking open the action and seeing two live rounds made my heart sink, and provided an obviously needed reminder. The other time, I was at a friend's house, and we were comparing SKS rifles,. Again, I had loaded the rifle in anticipation of maybe seeing a coyote along the way (rural area, and legal in my locale). Before I handed the rifle to my buddy, I pulled the bolt back, and instead of locking back, it chambered a round, which I noticed immediately, and unloaded the weapon. In each instance, I couldn't help replaying what could have happened if the 4 rules weren't drilled into me as a child. Opening the action comes as second nature when I pick up or am handed a weapon, and these are two big examples of why!

 

[Ky Larry]

Least we forget;Guns are made to kill and maime. They are wonderful servants but without constant attention, they can turn on their masters.

 

[Ryanxia]

• It's a good reason why a lot of ranges do not allow drawing from holsters.
• It demonstrates why shooters need to exactly match the holster to the gun.

Banning drawing a gun from a holster at a shooting range because of something like this is exactly the knee jerk reaction that is getting our country further and further into the toilet. If someone is instantly afraid of every gun in a holster because of stories like this, stay home. Let the big boys go to the range and have fun.

OP, thanks for posting this. Knock on wood I've never had an AD, but it's always good to get that reminder to help us not get complacent.

 

[huntsman]

I'll never understand why guys feel the need to Play with their guns.

 

[Tirod]

There are assumptions made but not known as fact yet.

"airsoft" holster implies low quality manufacture, and yet nylon fabric and leather holster makers span the range of horrible to impeccable. We've seen some great ones from Uncle Mikes, and others made from the softest suede in a belt holster. It's whether it's sturdy enough to resist deforming that creates safety when inserting it. And that means the individual may NOT have had his finger on the trigger.

It was likely held chest to waist high and the left hand was grasping the muzzle end when it was being inserted, and much as getting pulled out.

To me, it leaves the description lacking the facts of the case and still doesn't explain what happened. Nonetheless, it's a reminder to always check fit with an unloaded gun to specifically discover whether exactly this sort of thing could happen.

 

[wally]

How the heck are you supposed to get proficient at the most demanding aspect of gunnery? The critical piece with the most moving parts, that is the most likely to go wrong and get you shot when you go to defend yourself.

AirSoft. Odds are they make a replica of your carry gun.

Before that we used empty cases with the flash holes drilled out and a plug of canning wax as the primer powered projectile for draw and shoot practice, and lots of dry fire before moving to the wax loads.

Edit:
In reality your situational awareness is what will save the day or not, if it comes down to "quick draw" odds are you are doomed.