I was out shooting this past Sunday with some friends. Rifle, pistol, shotgun, good friends, BBQ; it was definitely a good day.
One of the guys had just purchased a LAR Grizzly in 50 BMG. He hadn't even put a scope on it yet. Getting the gun was the big priority as we're in California. The first round was put downrange by the owner. Recoil didn't look bad, and muzzle blast was less than with the AR-50 variant. I was looking forward to trying it out.
I sat down and chambered a round, flipped the safety off, and squeezed off a round. MMM...the smell of 200 grains of burnt powder and the pleasant push of recoil. Decent little gun.
Now, my first mistake. I flipped the safety on, albeit with some effort. I remember thinking that the safety wasn't that difficult before. I popped the buttplate off, pulled the brass off the shellholder, inserted a new round and chambered it. At this point, I'm not quite in my shooting position. Muzzle is pointed downrange, and buttpad is nearly centered on my chest....My thought process was to flip the safety off and get in position. I barely touch the safety and BAM!, the gun goes off and I take a big recoil pad to the chest. The safety took a chunk of thumb with it and I was definitely shaken not stirred.
I turn around and look at the owner, his face white with shock, and looking down disbelieving at me. First words ouf of my mouth, "I didn't mean to fire it..I swear I didn't touch the trigger."
Now, I know those are our favorite words regarding AD's here at THR, but I swear I didn't touch it. Trigger finger was along the frame until I had my shooting position and gun in my shoulder.
After some further investigation, we realize that the manual of arms for this weapon requires a specific process when loading the gun.
1. Fire the gun.
2. Open bolt, remove buttpad.
3. PUT SAFETY ON.
4. Insert buttpad with live round in shellholder.
5. Close bolt.
6. Flip safety to fire
7. Press trigger.
I had reversed numbers 2 and 3. You must apply the safety AFTER removing the bolt. The light bulb goes on, that's why the safety was difficult to apply. When I made the gun safe with the bolt in, it pre-cocked the trigger, and when you disengage the safety it pulls the trigger back a little more before stabilizing. Once I chambered a new round, and touched the safety, it fired.
We recreated the accident with an unloaded gun and it behaved exactly how it had for me.
Lesson learned....
Ed
One of the guys had just purchased a LAR Grizzly in 50 BMG. He hadn't even put a scope on it yet. Getting the gun was the big priority as we're in California. The first round was put downrange by the owner. Recoil didn't look bad, and muzzle blast was less than with the AR-50 variant. I was looking forward to trying it out.
I sat down and chambered a round, flipped the safety off, and squeezed off a round. MMM...the smell of 200 grains of burnt powder and the pleasant push of recoil. Decent little gun.
Now, my first mistake. I flipped the safety on, albeit with some effort. I remember thinking that the safety wasn't that difficult before. I popped the buttplate off, pulled the brass off the shellholder, inserted a new round and chambered it. At this point, I'm not quite in my shooting position. Muzzle is pointed downrange, and buttpad is nearly centered on my chest....My thought process was to flip the safety off and get in position. I barely touch the safety and BAM!, the gun goes off and I take a big recoil pad to the chest. The safety took a chunk of thumb with it and I was definitely shaken not stirred.
I turn around and look at the owner, his face white with shock, and looking down disbelieving at me. First words ouf of my mouth, "I didn't mean to fire it..I swear I didn't touch the trigger."
Now, I know those are our favorite words regarding AD's here at THR, but I swear I didn't touch it. Trigger finger was along the frame until I had my shooting position and gun in my shoulder.
After some further investigation, we realize that the manual of arms for this weapon requires a specific process when loading the gun.
1. Fire the gun.
2. Open bolt, remove buttpad.
3. PUT SAFETY ON.
4. Insert buttpad with live round in shellholder.
5. Close bolt.
6. Flip safety to fire
7. Press trigger.
I had reversed numbers 2 and 3. You must apply the safety AFTER removing the bolt. The light bulb goes on, that's why the safety was difficult to apply. When I made the gun safe with the bolt in, it pre-cocked the trigger, and when you disengage the safety it pulls the trigger back a little more before stabilizing. Once I chambered a new round, and touched the safety, it fired.
We recreated the accident with an unloaded gun and it behaved exactly how it had for me.
Lesson learned....
Ed