Okay folks, I've got to confess...

[BHPshooter]

I had a negligent discharge last night.

Having just recovered from a migraine, I was dry-firing while watching a movie when a couple things distracted me (Brother's dog came downstairs into my room to maul me, and my movie ended). I had found a spare live round that was laying about, and while I was distracted, I must have put it in my gelded "dry-fire" mag and worked the action.

After all distractions were gone, I thought to myself, "Oh yeah, I was dry-firing." squeezed the trigger...

Auditory exclusion is real, folks. Barely heard anything -- sounded kinda like a capgun -- but saw the ball of flame at the end of the barrel and the hole.

I live in a partially unfinished basement, so I had good backstop, at least. The round went through my (open) bedroom door, through my brother's hiking backpack, and into the closet behind it. The round hit a stud that is attached to the concrete, and as far as we can tell, that is where the bullet stayed.

I was shaking quite badly, as I'm sure you can imagine. Felt like I was going to puke.

My brother came down after hearing the report wondering what it was. My parent's weren't home at the time -- they got back just after that happened. I told them a couple hours later. My Dad took it well -- he was laughing about it and teasing me more than anything. My Mom didn't take it well. I don't think she understands completely -- she kept asking REALLY dumb questions like, "Was it a real bullet?"

Naturally, I feel like the biggest dumbass that has walked the earth. :banghead:

So, folks, here were my problems:

• I wasn't completely coherent, having just recovered from a migraine, and still having some lasting effects from the Imitrex.
• After being distracted, I didn't follow the rule: check everything and start from scratch.
• I failed to keep live ammunition completely separate from me and my firearms while dry-firing.

I can't tell you how retarded I feel.

Wes

 

[MaterDei]

You're right, you should "feel like the biggest dumbass that has walked the earth." It's fortunate that nobody was hurt. Since you can't take back the mistake I admire your willingness to not try and make excuses and to post the experience so that others can learn from it.

What gun/caliber was it?

Michael

 

[BHPshooter]

The gun was a FEG Hi Power clone, the caliber was 9mm. The round itself was a Winchester White Box 115-gr. JHP.

Yes, hopefully someone (other than me) can learn from my mistake.

Wes

 

[R.H. Lee]

I'm glad for you the consequences were benign. Thanks for the reminder, we all need one from time to time.

 

[shermacman]

Brother Thefumegator, you got stones. I salute you for posting. The details of the circumstance may change but the general situation is a reminder to all of us. You had the courage to stand up and admit it.

I will never, ever, reveal the negligent discharge that I, personally, was responisble for....The idea that a lever action .22 could be handled like Chuck Connors in the Rifleman is too embarassing to admit. Add to it the fact that several other people witnessed it, well, I am too humiliated to even bring it up. I am sure you understand.

 

[MaterDei]

The idea that a lever action .22 could be handled like Chuck Connors in the Rifleman is too embarassing to admit.

HAHAHAHAHAH LOL

 

[chevrofreak]

I had an ND a while back myself. Scared the crap out of me, and i was deaf for a few hours, but I bet its going to be the last one I ever have.

 

[Carlos Cabeza]

I have BTDT, and work very hard to never have a repeat performance. It's good you have identified the mistakes you made.
I violated you're number three
"keep live ammunition completely separate from me and my firearms while dry-firing."
and shot a hole through my front door. Thankfully I live in a heavily wooded rural area.

 

[pax]

I wasn't completely coherent, having just recovered from a migraine, and still having some lasting effects from the Imitrex.

Powerful drugs and guns (even unloaded ones) don't mix.

Glad you're okay.

pax

 

[El Tejon]

IMHO it seems that divided attention is a common denomiator in an overwhelming number of THR NDs, and maybe the population as a whole. People playing with guns (bad form, at least to me) while talking on the telephone, fiddling at the computer, talking to friends or the dog or shouting at bears and pumas, etc.

Not to sound like a Chan monk or anything, but one needs to focus during dry practice. Have an area where you can focus without distractions. Unplug the phone maybe. Dry practice into a safe backstop like sandbags or the like and only there. Have a coffee can where you put your live mags. Etc, etc, ad naseum.

I know I've posted this all before, but THR grows day by day and it cannot be said enough.

fume, glad everyone is O.K. Two kinds of people, those that have and those that have not yet.

 

[BryanP]

While Imitrex is not a narcotic, it does give some people a light-headed "disconnected" feeling, at least that's what my migraine-prone wife tells me. Bad combination. I'm glad to hear everything worked out ok, but I would treate Imitrex just like alcohol for purpose of firearms handling.

 

[BHPshooter]

I would treate Imitrex just like alcohol for purpose of firearms handling.

You're right... from now on, that's exactly how I'll treat it. Damn, I feel so stupid.

The headaches won't let up, either -- so I have removed myself of all guns for the time being.

Safety first.

Wes

 

[PATH]

The Zen of gun handling....concentrate only on the gun! When handling firearms only handle firearms. Concentrate only on the firearm. It has worked for me so far.

I am very glad no one was hurt especially you.

 

[No Trespassing]

There’s two threads right now on this very topic. I’ll post to both:

I had an ND once.

20years ago. I was 18yrs old and and dumb as a sack of hammers. I had never had any firearms training... it's a long story on why dad didn't do it.

Anyway, I been out shooting all day with the boys. We were back at my
apartment cleaning and putting away the guns. I decided that it would be fun to try to cowboy twirl my Franchi SPAS-12… I hadn't shot it that day but apparently someone else HAD.

The shot went out at a 45 degree angle, just over everyones head and lodged in the AC ducting in my ceiling. Nothing made it into the apartment above me.

3.5" mag 00 is really loud in an apt hallway. I literally pissed my pants.
Unbelievably, no one called the police.

I didn't shoot for almost two years after that. I DID think long and hard about what happened and what I had almost done. I finally went to a local indoor range and took a safety course, got educated and got over it.
Almost.

I STILL think about that little incident every time I pick up a gun.

 

[keyhole]

Hey mods, maybe a merge?

Two types of folks who shoot, those who will, and those who have.

I'm in the latter group, and no one was hurt.



Can't say the same for the door though

 

[Trebor]

Hey Wes,

Thanks for sharing. Hopefully someone else will learn from your experience. I'm sure you have.

What firearms training have you had? This might be a wake up call that you need some formal safety and marksmanship training.

Rob

 

[MikeJ]

I truly admire your courage and sense of duty to admit your mistake, that takes guts, and hopefully admissions like this will make all of us just a little more careful in our gun handling. One thing we all really need to think of, is that some of our mistakes don't result in serious consequences but mistakes with firearms can result in catastrophic tragedy. Admitting you made a mistake is important but accepting it as fact that someday its going to happen to everyone is really unacceptable. I have refused to go a second time shooting with some people just because of their careless gun handling techniques.

Something that was told to me by the person who introduced me to firearms when I was 34 (20 years ago) and has always stuck was that "as much fun as fireams can be to shoot, collect and admire, they were designed to do one thing and one thing only....KILL!" That statement made a tremendous impact on me and is always first and foremost in my mind when I pick one up. Mike

 

[The_Antibubba]

FEG Hi-Power Clone. The caliber was 9mm

WHEW! Good thing it wasn't a .45 Auto-that bullet might have killed someone in the next county, just by passing near their pinky!








And you thought you'd had a migraine BEFORE?

 

[Mostly Harmless]

My son had an ND his second time at the range. Turned to ask me something with the gun (.22 revolver) in his hand and his finger on the trigger. Bullet went in to the wall at 45 degrees to down range. No damage done.

I've never seen the kid look so scared. Eyes the size of dinner plates, hair on end. Kinda like this

Best thing that could have happened to both of us. His range discipline has been exemplary ever since and mine's been pretty good.

I'm still waiting on my turn. I'm sure it will happen one of these days, but I'm going to put it off as long as possible.

 

[WonderNine]

I'm glad you're alright fumegator. I think alot of people here will remember my ND incident in which I managed to actually shoot myself. Yea, it was a h00t at the time, until I woke up hung over the next day......"OMG what did I do..."

 

[walking arsenal]

It happens to the best of us. ive been in the defensive handgun biz for about 4 years and had a ND last fall. No one was hurt except for some porcelin plates that went boom ala death star. some lessons are learned the hard way. but as i was always told, its not a mistake unless you refuse to correct it or learn from it.

Hows the pack? is it recovering ok? im assuming it at least needed some stitches.

W.A.

 

[CrudeGT]

Wes, thanx for sharing. I'm glad you're okay. You're my new shooting buddy, you can;t injure yourself shooting. If you did, I wouldn't know anyone at the June gathering...

I'm in the need of a safety/accuracy course also. If you want to look into taking one, i'll go with ya.

 

[themic]

i have a "no ammunition allowed" zone in the apartment. it's roughly half of my home office. i can only dry fire there. just one more layer of protection against ND.

it's also where I clean my guns. if it's a home defense gun, it gets loaded in a different room, and doesn't enter that room again until unloaded.

constantly aware that there are other people on the other sides of my walls, being an apartment dweller.

 

[shep854]

This is what you could call "An Expensive Lesson Learned Cheap".

Seriously glad no one was hurt!

 

[Flashpoint]

Wes,

Do you have a drawing of this FEG Hi Power clone handy?

Glad to hear you and yours are ok.

I had a NG once, I was 15, last day of deer season, messing with the hammer on a Marlin 30/30. Blew a nice little hole in the tree a few yards away, scared the crap out of myself and was very careful with that hammer ever since.