So my wife had a ND....of the worst kind.
- Thread starter GlowinPontiac
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GlowinPontiac
Member
They took it as standard procedure. They wanted to make sure it wasnt a domestic violence crime. They knew i had more guns and did not care at all about them. They were very professional about it They asked me if i had any weapons on me and i told them no and they gave me a quick pat down and that was all. I was told that anytime there is a call about a gun being discharged and somebody is shot that the gun is taken until they are sure it was an accident. They already told me that they know it was an accident so i just have to get down to the station and pick up the gun.
On a side note my wife plans to make a necklace out of the bullet if she gets it back from the police. That way it will be a constant reminder that one mistake with a gun can have severe consequences.
I have some pics of the wounds that i will be posting as soon as i can get them uploaded to a hosting site.
Don't make sweeping generalizations based on one incident.
I know a guy who got shot in the leg with a hollow point, and it didn't do any more damage than that FMJ did to your wife's leg. He was able to walk to the ambulance when it arrived. He underwent routine surgery, and was back at his place of work in a relatively short period of time. No permanent damage whatsoever.
I'm glad your wife wasn't seriously hurt, and will make a full recovery.
However, since she violated three of the four main rules of gun safety, you might want to go over all of them with her a few times, just to make sure she still "knows all about" them.
plexreticle
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I'm pretty sure she learned her her lesson about gun safety.
Glowin if you like, I can put those pics in the thread, with all the necessary editing
Only AD I've ever had so far was while lowering the hammer on a chambered round on a 1911 before leaving the range. Got sand in my eyes from the discharge barrel. Thumb slipped. Accidents happen, that's why they are called accidents. Otherwise we'd call them deliberates.
John
John
moooose102
Member
i am glad your wife will be well soon, and it was not more serious. i am also glad that her mishap hasn't made her change her veiws on guns. it is not the guns fault, she made the mistake. but a lot of people refuse to believe that after an accident happens. she broke rule #1. keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. next time she is giving you greif about something, for a mistake you made, just remind her about rule # 1! and then, LAUGH! or it might not be so funny.
Claude Clay
Member
"accidents can be forgiven with small children and women. men are not allowed that luxury."
PLEASE don't flame me.....i am quoting our friend R.A. Heinlein.
i can see how negligence happens, carelessness happens, unsafe gun handling happens. just plain stupid happens. but i cannot wrap my mind around the words 'accident' and 'gun' at the same time. the word 'accident' as used of late has come to mean--"hey man, it's not my fault; it was an accident". it goes to avoiding or even acknowledging responsibility for your actions. even if it is a mechanical failure--like in a car when a tie rod breaks or the well known cz52 decocker that may act as a trigger, if the operator has trained proper--even these events can be safely concluded.
there are things, that except in the most dire of situations, you can do, but never would. like put a car in PARK while it is still moving. or lower the hammer on a live 1911.
good that she is Ok and thank you for sharing this, what got to be emotionally and physically , painful event.
PLEASE don't flame me.....i am quoting our friend R.A. Heinlein.
i can see how negligence happens, carelessness happens, unsafe gun handling happens. just plain stupid happens. but i cannot wrap my mind around the words 'accident' and 'gun' at the same time. the word 'accident' as used of late has come to mean--"hey man, it's not my fault; it was an accident". it goes to avoiding or even acknowledging responsibility for your actions. even if it is a mechanical failure--like in a car when a tie rod breaks or the well known cz52 decocker that may act as a trigger, if the operator has trained proper--even these events can be safely concluded.
there are things, that except in the most dire of situations, you can do, but never would. like put a car in PARK while it is still moving. or lower the hammer on a live 1911.
good that she is Ok and thank you for sharing this, what got to be emotionally and physically , painful event.
What does her being female have anything to do with this? Plenty of men have shot themselves and called it an "accident." The above quote only applies to people who are apt to treat women as children and not hold them responsible for themselves as adults. If you think that way, that's on you. I certainly don't.
And don't quote someone and then pretend you aren't responsible for it. You're the one who decided it was appropriate for the situation. It is ironic though, posting a quote about personal responsibility and then not taking responsibility for it.
Accidental discharges are just like any other accident. There will always be accidents as long as humans are involved. And the longer and more comfortable folks get with anything, the more likely that they will take their mind off of it or get distracted. That's all it takes. Pro's like military and law enforcement personel have them and they are a lot more aware and better trained than the casual handgun user. Glad the wife is OK, and it didn't taint her feeling for guns in general.
Stevie-Ray
Member
I'd have it rigged up with a 14K gold chain, and wear it for a necklace. That way, I'd NEVER forget. I'm happy she'll be back to normal of sorts, soon. Give her a "thank God" hug for us.
Claude Clay
Member
OK
i should have said " please don't flame the quote"
for that i stand corrected and also i stand behind picking the quote and what i said. pointers or sitters, if one try's to fluff off their actions under the umbrella of 'accident' than they may walk on two legs but they arn't fully human. the OP chose the term 'ND'. i don't see any hiding here.
i should have said " please don't flame the quote"
for that i stand corrected and also i stand behind picking the quote and what i said. pointers or sitters, if one try's to fluff off their actions under the umbrella of 'accident' than they may walk on two legs but they arn't fully human. the OP chose the term 'ND'. i don't see any hiding here.Loosedhorse
member
Despite their truth, I don't like these statements, gym and onebigelf (John), with all respect. They can be read as having a "s--t happens, what can you do?" attitude, not the best attitude to prevent ADs. And attitude is crucial.
Car accidents are probably close to what most people think of by "accident." Whether or not you have a car accident can be heavily determined by road conditions, weather conditions, and the actions of others--all of which are beyond our control. (Still, in MOST of these situations the driver might have significantly reduced his risk of accident by changing his behavior: driving slower, pulling over if visibility was poor, etc.)
ADs are generally NOT like these other accidents: except for that rare unanticipatable mechanical failure in a well maintained gun, ADs are preventable, and they are our fault. Most involve the shooter pulling the trigger when the gun was thought to be unloaded. Others may involve placing your finger on the trigger without intention to shoot, and then you get bumped, startled, whatever. And almost ALL injuries from ADs can be prevented by keeping the muzzle pointed safely.
We should, all of us, put as many reasonable behavioral obstacles between us and ADs as we can, so that more than one safety behavior has to break down to allow an AD. Even if that means rechecking the unloaded status of a firearm a seemingly unnecessary number of times (like I do), and going through ridiculous contortions to prevent muzzle-crossing any part of a person, even in gun stores.
Safe training and FREQUENT safe practice are keys. And an "I can prevent ADs" attitude beats the heck out of "Accidents happen" (even though they do).
Be safe.
"A seemingly obsessive concern for safety is the mark of a professional."--Massad Ayoob
NonConformist
member
Why did she rack it, then pull the trigger?
Even if it was supposed to be empty what purpose did racking it have, and then why pull the trigger to return it to the condition it was before she racked it?
That doesnt make ANY sense! Glad she is OK though!
Even if it was supposed to be empty what purpose did racking it have, and then why pull the trigger to return it to the condition it was before she racked it?
That doesnt make ANY sense! Glad she is OK though!
scrat
Member
Glow in Pontiac.
whats the update. Were you able to retrieve your gun and how is your wifes leg now
whats the update. Were you able to retrieve your gun and how is your wifes leg now
3rd Generation American
Member
Glad your wife is OK.
My wife says she should just of told you she didn't like the color of the Sigma and wanted to sell it instead of shooting herself with it, so you would sell it. Women!
My wife says she should just of told you she didn't like the color of the Sigma and wanted to sell it instead of shooting herself with it, so you would sell it. Women!
hemiram
Member
I've been shot with a BB gun in the face (Been in my upper lip 40 years now) and also shot myself through my hand with one, and it hurt like hell. The hand took a long time to heal up, it was right at the fold, and kept breaking open. I wouldn't even want to think about how bad a .40 round would hurt. Glad to hear she's ok though.
First, very happy to hear the injury was not nearly as serious as it could have been. You already know how lucky she is.
Now, *** was she thinking--or not thinking? She didn't notice the extra weight of a full magazine of ammo in plastic framed gun? She didn't follow the prime directive of assuming all guns are loaded until you verify its condition by careful inspection? She pointed the gun toward herself while pulling the trigger?
Even when I dry fire a gun I *know* is unloaded I would never point it towards me or anyone else when pulling the trigger.
These mistakes on her part are, really, unforgivable for a person who is entrusted with a loaded gun. Please make sure she understands and always follows all of the basic rules. Until then, she's more of a danger to herself and others than a bad guy would be for which she is arming herself.
Again, a hard way to learn from mistakes. I hope she has a speedy recovery and thanks her lucky stars.
K
Now, *** was she thinking--or not thinking? She didn't notice the extra weight of a full magazine of ammo in plastic framed gun? She didn't follow the prime directive of assuming all guns are loaded until you verify its condition by careful inspection? She pointed the gun toward herself while pulling the trigger?
Even when I dry fire a gun I *know* is unloaded I would never point it towards me or anyone else when pulling the trigger.
These mistakes on her part are, really, unforgivable for a person who is entrusted with a loaded gun. Please make sure she understands and always follows all of the basic rules. Until then, she's more of a danger to herself and others than a bad guy would be for which she is arming herself.
Again, a hard way to learn from mistakes. I hope she has a speedy recovery and thanks her lucky stars.
K
06
Member
ADs do happen because we are not perfect ourselves. A buddy was doing a decocking in his truck and touched the trigger instead. Put a hole in the floor and red on his face. I do not use a decocker and like plain old 1911 styles because of the multiple safeties.
Reviewing safety and practicing occasionally keeps one aware of how to safely handle firearms. When lowering the hammer of my 45 I use two fingers. One is below the hammer so if my thumb should slip it still cannot fire.
Glad your wife is OK-could have been much worse. A buddy had a wheel gun fall from his holster when "heeding the call of nature" and got a round through his buttocks. He uses a 1911 style now because of it's safety records, wc
Reviewing safety and practicing occasionally keeps one aware of how to safely handle firearms. When lowering the hammer of my 45 I use two fingers. One is below the hammer so if my thumb should slip it still cannot fire.
Glad your wife is OK-could have been much worse. A buddy had a wheel gun fall from his holster when "heeding the call of nature" and got a round through his buttocks. He uses a 1911 style now because of it's safety records, wc
So what do you suggest? Permanently banning her from ever using a handgun again?
It was undoubtedly a very serious mistake that shouldn't be taken lightly.
However, the test of her "mettle" is if she learns from her mistake, and never allows it to happen again.
How about a self-imposed ban until she can recite the Four Rules forwards and backwards? You NEVER assume a gun is unloaded. She racked the slide and didn't bother to glance through the ejection port? If she had she would have seen the loaded magazine. Then she pulls the trigger without pointing the gun away from herself.
Yes, we are human and make mistakes. I make them, too. I admitted on this forum a while back that I had a ND when I pulled the trigger on a gun I thought was unloaded. Even then, though, I instinctively pointed the gun toward the concrete basement wall of the crawl space. The only harm was a hell of a fright for both me and my wife who heard the shot from upstairs.
And, yes, I was a hard on myself as I am with this lucky lady. I didn't make any excuses for my complacency. I immediately changed my routine for how I handle guns during a cleaning session and when and where they are reloaded.
All of us in the "gun community" should be hard on ourselves and others to ensure we avoid accidents like this.
K
LongRider
Member
Glad she is OK. Thank you for the share we all can use the reminder to follow the four rules. I especially appreciate your and her honesty and integrity. It takes courage to acknowledge a foul up of that magnitude, so that other are reminded not to repeat the mistake
To all those who keep saying AD there is no such animal. In the OP the gentleman's lady took full responsibility for her NEGLIGENT DISCHARGE. She had the honor and integrity to acknowledge that she racked the slide and pulled the trigger. It is what was said it is what she did. Any of us can do it the instant we allow ourselves to get complacent and believe the myth of AD. With modern firearms there is not such thing as an Accidental Discharge
To all those who keep saying AD there is no such animal. In the OP the gentleman's lady took full responsibility for her NEGLIGENT DISCHARGE. She had the honor and integrity to acknowledge that she racked the slide and pulled the trigger. It is what was said it is what she did. Any of us can do it the instant we allow ourselves to get complacent and believe the myth of AD. With modern firearms there is not such thing as an Accidental Discharge
My point was mainly: these are questions we need to ask, ya know? Your property has been taken by force by your government. Not just any property, but your firearm which represents the exercise of a fundamental right. What if that was your only one? You'd be defenseless until the powers that be decide you can have your rights back. That's serious business. Standard procedure doesn't make it right or legal.
I can see the city discharge ordinance thing. But from your story there was no indication they intended to charge your wife with that.
If this is a plain enough case of accident that they tell you so directly, where is the cause to confiscate? If you said something incriminating to him, it'd be used against you (rightly) in court. Yet a law enforcement officer articulates the absence of cause to seize, goes ahead and does it anyway, and we think nothing of it?
It smells bad to me, but obviously we don't have enough information here to say for sure whether it was legal. But again, my point is, if the government has just confiscated property, especially a defensive tool, we ought to know chapter and verse that they had the right to do so.
It's not a sidenote to the story. Along with the safety discussion and knowing your wife is OK, it IS the story. Just sayin'...
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