Do you try and catch a dropped gun?

[Potatohead]

Seeing the blown up gun thread reminded me: This may be a really silly question and it may totally depend on the gun but my father and i were talking today about this (fyi we're newbs). He was getting out of his truck and had his hands full, trying to make only one trip from his truck into the house and when he tried to pick up his gun (S&W 5906), it slipped, and he tried to paw at it, kind of flipped it around and ended up just kind of knocking it to the floor of his truck. The answer may be obvious but we were kind of talking and wondering, do you just let em fall and take cover or take a stab at it? Like someone said on the other thread, its kind of natural to lunge for it. My sr9 supposedly wont fire if dropped.

 

[lpsharp88]

Let it drop, a few dings beats the heck out of a ND

 

[rcmodel]

No.

I try to stick my foot under it so it doesn't hit the concrete quite as hard.

But mostly, I don't drop guns just to save another trip to the truck to unload them.

rc

 

[Potatohead]

Thanks. Geez RC. Im sure he learned his lesson. But point taken.

 

[Tomcat47]

No....

We Had a 16 year old boy in a hunting accident years ago back in the mountains... He was in tree stand and dropped his 30-30 rifle and bent over the edge of stand to try and catch it... hit butt first and fired through tubing on stand and took his life... very sad!

We do what we can if that happens, but turning away would be my first reaction I believe?

I guess we never really know what reflexes may do in those situations?

 

[matrem]

Never!
Wildly moving fingers accidently fit inside trigger guards far better than just about anything else it could land on.

 

[Potatohead]

does anyone know offhand if the 5906 has the safety like the SR, that supposedly keeps it from firing if dropped?

 

[Sam1911]

This is a good question and it needs to be discussed from time to time to make sure people understand the best practices.

Everyone (well...'most everyone) knows not to try and catch a dropped knife. How many have the same reaction with firearms?

 

[exbrit49]

RCModel has it right

Good advice from RCModel, I have shoved my foot under one before and another time I stuck my knee out to deflect it and soften the landing. Good advice sir!
Grabbing one and accidently getting a finger inside that trigger guard is a definite NO WAY!!!!!!!
PS RCModel, I am guessing that you are an RC flyer. Me too! I have too many models but love flying them, in fact I was out this afternoon with a newbie on a Buddy Box! He's hooked. Nice to see that smile though, after we made that final landing and it was still in one piece.
Roger

 

[Sheepdog1968]

I let it fall. I actually like the fact CA requires guns to undergo a drop test.

 

[Scooter22]

I never grab falling guns, knives, and cats. I get out of the way and come back when they settle.

 

[Robert]

Nope let it fall.

 

[Shimitup]

What RC said. BTW the trick to not crushing your foot if you haven't figured it out already is to elevate your foot accordingly. I've saved a lot of fragile and even very heavy equipment and parts over the years that way. Never dropped a gun though. Potato Head, as I recall S&W 5906 has a firing pin block.

 

[fanchisimo]

I haven't ever o a firearm, but everything else in my life that starts to fall, I put my foot under it to soften the impact. On a firearm, I think that softening of impact would prevent ND.

 

[basicblur]

What's the old saying...
A falling knife has one handle.
A falling gun has a thousand triggers.

A couple of years ago, we had a reservist (don't remember the branch) that was on the firing range with a Beretta handgun.
The RO saw him drop it, and yelled NO at him as he tried to catch it.

The reservist is no longer with us - right through the chest.

 

[beatledog7]

Rule of thumb--if you wouldn't throw a thing to your buddy, expecting him to catch it, then don't try to catch that thing if it falls.

 

[MedWheeler]

^^ Actually, it's more like "a falling knife is all blade, and a falling gun is all trigger."

 

[ChCx2744]

This actually happened to me today when I was using the bathroom at work. I just let it drop. It now has a nice gash across the front edge of the slide next to the front sight and the side of the slide as well. Thank goodness it didn't land on any of the sights.

 

[tubeshooter]

rc nailed it in post #3.

It has only happened to me a time or two in 20 years (and none in the last 15 or so), but each time I had the presence of mind to just try to break the fall with my foot.


And Sam1911 is right in post #8 also. It should be brought up from time to time so the newer enthusiasts can be aware.

 

[mljdeckard]

DROP WITH IT!!

I don't remember the last time I dropped a gun.

 

[Impureclient]

Glad this post came up. I know from reading it in here several times to let it drop and try and soften the blow. I never thought to relay that info onto anybody I'm shooting with though, mainly my son.
Feel kind of crummy that I didn't think of schooling him sooner on what to do if the gun drops. I've never dropped a gun so I never thought to explain to others what to do if it did happen. That will be taken care of immediately.
Thanks Potatohead and THR.

 

[GJSchulze]

I was taught in shop class a loooooong time ago not to catch a falling tool. I never have and still have all my fingers. Hands and lives are not replaceable, tools and guns are.

 

[thelaststand]

1. Never try to catch a dropped gun.
2. Always have your gun secured in your holster before you try to pick up a lot of other stuff, otherwise take an extra trip just for the gun.

 

[Hurricane]

I may be missing something here, but since we are apparently talking about strictly loaded guns, I would have to opine that a loaded gun (live round in the chamber) should be at the forefront of all current cerebral activity and should always be secure in its location. At least, I always took it to be this way.

I could be wrong but in 24 years of experience I haven't dropped a loaded one yet.

 

[Chuck53]

Let it fall!!!! I know it's hard to think of letting your gun get dinged up, but I won't lie at all and say I don't try for the 'foot save' if I can! However, I NEVER EVER try to catch it. I know it's been said, but the best advice is not trying to grab your gun to save a trip, it's not worth it.