Did I just break a gun handling rule?

[orangeninja]

Okay, so here's the scenario....I come in from work, I am still wearing an off duty piece, in this case a Sig 229 IWB holster behind the hip under a long shirt. I walk up to the bar in my living room, talking to my fiancee' and begin to unload my pockets as per my routine. I grab my keys, wallet, pager and knife up on the counter. I then, as always grab my gun to put it next to all the other stuff. The holster is a soft sued gun holster, much like a sock for your foot. Not molded like you see in the sexy ads in gun rags. I grab the gun by the holster instead of the butt, actually it was kind of a mix. I usually try to pull both out at the same time. Anyway, the gun slips free of the holster and hits the carpet, hammer first barrel pointed right at my........um.... you know.

So I freeze and my fiancee' chastises me for being an idiot. I know it has a hammer block but man I felt stupid.

I forgot to handle with care. I wear one at all times except home or bed and sometimes you forget it is a loaded gun. Sheesh....now go ahead and preach me the penance chant.

All guns are loaded
Never point a gun at somthing you don't intend to shoot
yada yada yada

 

[Delmar]

alduro


Ya got a freebie, and I bet you never do THAT again

 

[spacemanspiff]

if any of the rules were broken, it was the first one:
TREAT ALL GUNS AS IF THEY ARE LOADED.

when i get home and remove my pistol, i unbuckle the snaps on my iwb holster and pull the entire holster out. the only time my pistol leaves the holster is when i dry fire or shoot at the range.

 

[Old Fuff]

Well you are still with us and that's what is most important. Be very glad you had a modern, high quality pistol, which the SIG is. The designers intended to protect you from your own mistakes, and did.

Now do two things. Dump that holster and get a good one especially made for your gun.

Then in the future remove the gun from the holster and lay it on the bar (table or whatever). Be sure to keep your finger off of the trigger and know where the muzzle is pointed at all times. If you do this it's far less likely to get fumbled and dropped.

Next, remove the empty holster from your person and then reholster the pistol. Go on from there .....

 

[orangeninja]

The holster is made for the gun. It is very very comfy. Sits low in the waist band of my pants and trying to keep the gun IN the holster while removing the holster was my big mistake. I have since learned.

1. Draw gun and gently lay down.

2. Remove holster.

3. Thank God yet again that I still have nuts.

Edit: GOD BLESS SIG!!! Having a high quality firearm is worth its WEIGHT IN GOLD!!! Best $700.00 I've EVER spent.

 

[KMKeller]

Dodged a bullet there... well, almost.

 

[BryanP]

Now where did I put that kevlar codpiece ... ?

 

[MrChicken]

At least you didnt try to grab it. It wont fire unless you depress the trigger, and there is a small chance snatching it out the air might lead to that.

Count yourself lucky, pay more attention, and consider getting a holster that holds the gun tighter. What happens if you get knocked on your butt by a BG? Is your gun going skidding across the floor?

 

[orangeninja]

" What happens if you get knocked on your butt by a BG? Is your gun going skidding across the floor?"


Probably not, the tension my belt creates holds it pretty snug, thus the gun came out easier than the holster. I would not wear this holster unless under deep cover though. My usual piece is a Don Hume convertabe with loops IWB.

I had a friend of mine drop his Glock 36 and try to catch it, blew a nice chunk of his calf off. I learned from that and will NEVER catch a gun in mid air. I don't care how many times Keaneu Reeves has done it.

 

[Blackhawk 6]

I have a fifth rule: Always keep your weapon secure.

Glad you learned your lesson the easy way.

 

[ChefJeff1]

As a chef, we have a rule of thumb--- Never catch a dropped knife. This could probably be said for a dropped gun also.

 

[HardCOR]

ChefJeff1:

Well said. If you drop it, let it go.

 

[Josey]

If you want a cheap vasectomy, get two bricks! I cannot imagine the pain and embarassment that would have put you through. Hello? 911? Uh, I shot myself! (In a high falsetto voice)

 

[stans]

I forgot to handle with care.

Yes, you did. Now don't do it again!

 

[1911Tuner]

Commonplace

Not tryin' to butt in here, but it's a pretty common thing for guys who handle guns every day, or even on a regular basis to get complacent and
comfortable to the point of forgetting that they're dangerous ALL the time.
A guy that used to bring his pistols into the shop for detail strip/cleaning
carried a superposed derringer as a hideout in hot weather. One of the
early ones that didn't have any drop-safe features on it. He dropped it,
and being butt-heavy, it pointed straight up at him and fired. The bullet
grazed his hip bone, cut his belt and lodged under the skin against his
rib cage. If the angle had been 2 degrees different, it would have gotten under his ribs and maybe punched into the lung. Lucky Lucky Lucky.

At the risk of being redundant, I'll repeat my mantra whenever I hear
somebody talking about a pistol as their "New Toy" or my all-time favorite..."My New Best Friend".

That thing isn't a toy, and it's NOT your friend. It's as dangerous as a
Timber Rattler, and should be considered hostile at all times.

If you want a toy, get a radio controlled car.(The helicopters are COOL.)
If you want a friend, get a dog. ( Collies get my vote.)

Be of good cheer and mindful of your gun-handling rules...

Tuner

 

[PCRCCW]

Alduro,
I can help you with your problem............your girlfriend is the reason you were sidetracked.......just send her to me

Ok.....sorry, wrong reply Lets get you a good holster for than gun.............shall we?

Shoot well.

 

[Shake]

I think you answered your own question. . .

Shake

 

[clipse]

Never catch a dropped knife

I wish someone would have explained that to me 3 years ago when I got my first sword. That really hurt. No stitches mainly because I was too emarassed to go to hospital and say," Uhhhh, I dropped the sword and tried to catch it by the handle and and missed." I still have a nasty scar from that.

Alduro,

I am glad you still have your.....uhhh......ya know. You learned a valueble lesson. Now just remember it.


clipse

 

[El Tejon]

Isn't this how one of the guys from ZZ Top shot himself? Some sort of elf boot holster?

I like a firm purchase on the weapon because that is the snake that will bite you. I can always take the holster off later. However, I'm old-fashion.

alduro, glad you are O.K. Lesson learned without pain! It was a good day.

 

[Mr. Mysterious]

What would worry me more than accidently blowing my little boys off would be accidently shooting someone that I care about.

Just curious, did the hammer move any when it hit the ground?

The biggest gun fear that I have is that when I'm doing some live fire exercise (I'm in the military) someone will get up to move and leave their weapon on fire.

Also related to that one is the reports from Iraq that has people talking about AD from their M4's when the butt strikes the ground. This scares me since we are taught since basic to use the butt of the rifle to absorb the impact of us hitting the ground, and if it ever comes to it you butt stroke someone with the barrel pointed near your own face. Truth be told, I bet the ADs were on hot weapons...

 

[orangeninja]

"I bet the ADs were on hot weapons"

Sigs are always hot...no safety. But no, the hammer block won't move. The hammer is just as normal. Your best safety is your finger. Don't move it until ready to fire. I never trust mechanical safeties. In this instance though, it saved my butt. Way to go engineers.

 

[TheEgg]

If this had happened to me, I might feel better about things if I took the weapon to a good gunsmith and had it checked out. I don't really THINK that anything would be damaged by a drop that short, but it couldn't hurt to have it checked.

 

[P95Carry]

Salutary experience ...... and you have perhaps used up that ''spare''!! But then too it has been an ''educational'' experience.!

I always try and ensure when removing gun from rig ... that I have thumb and three fingers gaining a good hold on the grips .... the forefinger is extended and rigid, to the point of discomfort ..... to keep it totally away from trigger.

The only piece I have removed .. with holster .... is a P series in Fobus paddle .... and it is secure in that and plenty to keep hold of.

Prior to placement of removed piece, I follow muzzle sweep disciplines to the full ... even on my own ... knowing that in some directions if a shot penetrated a wall .. it could end up less than safe. However quickly any of us can draw, in a crisis .. the one time to be slow and deliberate is, reholstering and/or removal of piece.