Took a long while away from guns this year. Haven't visited this forum in almost a year. Since I've recently got my feet back under me with the whole shooting / reloading thing, I'd like to get this off my shoulders.
Some of you may remember (I surely will never forget) that last December 30th, 2010, I'd posted on here that my uncle Kevin had shot himself (negligent discharge). He passed away, leaving two boys and his wife behind.
I don't recall if I had posted up the circumstances, but with the holiday season coming up I thought I'd post the story a reminder.
My uncle died in his kitchen. He had been drinking (vodka and lemonade). At the time of the accident he was carrying a 45 ACP semiauto in his hand. It was loaded with homemade XTP hollowpoints - a round he affectionately referred to as "flying ashtrays".
He lost his balance, stumbled backwards, and reached back against a kitchen counter top to catch himself. The weapon hit the counter top, parallel to the floor, his finger was in the trigger guard, and he was half-fallen so when the round fired it went through his spine and severed his aorta.
The coroner reported that the wound was severe enough he died within seconds. First-responders were not able to resuscitate him.
Because the gunshot wound was in the back, and at contact distance, the investigators initially treated the accident as a homicide. My aunt and cousins went through a rough period of time until they were cleared by the coroners inquiry and police investigation, who ruled the death accidental. It took almost a half of a year before the declaration was made; in the meantime they were unable to collect on the small life insurance policy my uncle had left. Through this time they lived off of donations (at least the ones my stubborn Aunt would accept), and through the hard work of his older boy, who dropped out of school (he was in community college at the time). My cousin took on a full time job to pay the bills.
Things have never returned to "normal" in their household. They never will. They have a new normal, and it's not the one that they wanted.
I took a long hiatus from firearms. I went shooting twice this year with friends, but there was no joy in it. I didn't go in to my reloading room for months, unless a breaker tripped. Every time I did think about reloading and go down to the gun room in the basement to clean up, or whatever, I'd tear up after a while, and there's not much point in reloading when you're out of sorts (can't see any good coming from that).
I even had a rifle I'd started the rebarrel process with Krieger prior to my uncle's accident get finished this June, and I didn't even take the damn thing out to shoot for months afterwards. I should have realized there was something wrong with me then, but didn't - I'd been wanting to get my 300 Win Mag rifle done up with a Krieger barrel for over a decade! When I got it back from them, though, I had no desire to shoot it.
Last month, though, my oldest daughter (who is 12) asked me "Daddy when are you going to teach me to shoot?"
Seemed to have broke me out of the spell, so to speak. Since then I've taken the kids out back a number of times, and have a renewed interest in reloading, and shooting. Just got me some new bullet casting stuff for my 45 Colt, and have a SCAR 17S on layaway.
The lesson learned - alcohol and firearms DO NOT MIX. Treat both with respect.
The other lesson learned - sometimes life will throw you some REAL hard things to deal with, but your mind and spirit... both recover with time.
Anyway, I feel like the "old me" is finally back. Maybe a little thicker skinned, harder on the inside, and a LOT more stubborn about safety, but .. back again.
Some of you may remember (I surely will never forget) that last December 30th, 2010, I'd posted on here that my uncle Kevin had shot himself (negligent discharge). He passed away, leaving two boys and his wife behind.
I don't recall if I had posted up the circumstances, but with the holiday season coming up I thought I'd post the story a reminder.
My uncle died in his kitchen. He had been drinking (vodka and lemonade). At the time of the accident he was carrying a 45 ACP semiauto in his hand. It was loaded with homemade XTP hollowpoints - a round he affectionately referred to as "flying ashtrays".
He lost his balance, stumbled backwards, and reached back against a kitchen counter top to catch himself. The weapon hit the counter top, parallel to the floor, his finger was in the trigger guard, and he was half-fallen so when the round fired it went through his spine and severed his aorta.
The coroner reported that the wound was severe enough he died within seconds. First-responders were not able to resuscitate him.
Because the gunshot wound was in the back, and at contact distance, the investigators initially treated the accident as a homicide. My aunt and cousins went through a rough period of time until they were cleared by the coroners inquiry and police investigation, who ruled the death accidental. It took almost a half of a year before the declaration was made; in the meantime they were unable to collect on the small life insurance policy my uncle had left. Through this time they lived off of donations (at least the ones my stubborn Aunt would accept), and through the hard work of his older boy, who dropped out of school (he was in community college at the time). My cousin took on a full time job to pay the bills.
Things have never returned to "normal" in their household. They never will. They have a new normal, and it's not the one that they wanted.
I took a long hiatus from firearms. I went shooting twice this year with friends, but there was no joy in it. I didn't go in to my reloading room for months, unless a breaker tripped. Every time I did think about reloading and go down to the gun room in the basement to clean up, or whatever, I'd tear up after a while, and there's not much point in reloading when you're out of sorts (can't see any good coming from that).
I even had a rifle I'd started the rebarrel process with Krieger prior to my uncle's accident get finished this June, and I didn't even take the damn thing out to shoot for months afterwards. I should have realized there was something wrong with me then, but didn't - I'd been wanting to get my 300 Win Mag rifle done up with a Krieger barrel for over a decade! When I got it back from them, though, I had no desire to shoot it.
Last month, though, my oldest daughter (who is 12) asked me "Daddy when are you going to teach me to shoot?"
Seemed to have broke me out of the spell, so to speak. Since then I've taken the kids out back a number of times, and have a renewed interest in reloading, and shooting. Just got me some new bullet casting stuff for my 45 Colt, and have a SCAR 17S on layaway.
The lesson learned - alcohol and firearms DO NOT MIX. Treat both with respect.
The other lesson learned - sometimes life will throw you some REAL hard things to deal with, but your mind and spirit... both recover with time.
Anyway, I feel like the "old me" is finally back. Maybe a little thicker skinned, harder on the inside, and a LOT more stubborn about safety, but .. back again.
