Watched my new toy bounce off the tar

[Rockrivr1]

Last Friday I took the day off and spent part of it at my local range. Of course I had to bring my new S&W 500 along and shoulder holster that came with it. If you haven't seen this holster before, it goes over the shoulder and there is a snap closure to attach it to your belt. There's also a thong type piece of leather that attaches to some cords and goes over the hammer to keep it in the holster. I put it on once I got there to see how it felt.

They day was interesting and I posted some about that on another post. At the end of the session I started picking up my spent brass. As I'm doing it, I feel the S&W 500 shift on my side as I'm bent over and before I know it the damn thing is out of the holster. The gun is so heavy that the thong on the hammer acts like a bungy cord and as I'm trying to grab the revolver, the gun shoots upwards and out on the cord. Of course the thong comes off the hammer and I now have a free flying handgun spinning its way towards the tar. I make a valiant attempt to save it from that ending. But unfortunately it lands on the underlug of the barrel and then slams down on the tar.

I'm now staring at my poor revolver laying on the tar and I'm mortified. I slowly pick it up and wipe it off. Luckily there was only a very minor scratch on the underlug and another very small ding on the cylinder. In years of shooting that is the first time I've ever had one of my guns hit the ground. I hope to never see it again. I had to give the 500 some extra special attention when home cleaning it. Had to apologize to it some way!

 

[MLH]

Shame on you!

Send it to me and I will give it the proper care it deserves!

 

[Missouri Mule]

Sometimes....well those things just happen.

I beleive I would be looking around for a more secure holster...

I am happy to hear that the only thing that was really hurt is your pride.

I know...been there done that you'll both survive.....

 

[Justin]

Yikes! Never grab for a falling gun or knife.

 

[Third_Rail]

Geeze! DON'T CATCH FALLING GUNS!


Even if it were unloaded, that's a BAD idea... glad you're ok, and ditto for the gun.

 

[Rockrivr1]

You guys are definitely right about that. Shouldn't have grabbed at it. But it all happened in a second and it was just second nature to try and catch it. I'll chaulk it up to inexperience!

 

[middy]

I hate that. I dropped my old Single Six once, nothing but a few scratches being a Ruger, but it still makes me cringe when I think about it.

That's why I like my Glock. They're so ugly to begin with that they actually look better the more they're banged up.

 

[Standing Wolf]

In years of shooting that is the first time I've ever had one of my guns hit the ground.

I dropped my gun box last winter with my oldest, most reliable, most accurate High Standard in it.

That was bad enough, but just to go from bad to worse, I turned it over to my friendly local gunsmith, who butchered it.

 

[thebigc]

thats about as horrified as i was the time i was in the liveing room and was about to put my 1911 away after i finished cleaning it it fell out of my hand about 5 feet down and landed on a big metal tool box hammer first the hammer dropped to half cock but it didint get scratched much.

 

[MountainPeak]

I've never did anything foolish in my 40 something years of gun handling. I occasionally, have found myself lieing about my firearms experiences in recent years!

 

[Marshall]

Thank goodness steel is harder than tar.

Oh yea, I've done it too. But I ran faster than Richard Prior on fire. Must have covered 30 yards before it hit the ground.

 

[Azrael256]

Two things: First, it's a tough piece of machinery. Firearms are made of good metal (and polymer) because it's tough. You're not going to break it in everyday use without trying. So take a deep breath, and chill out. It's no biggie.

Second, as to the cosmetic issue of a scratch... it's not damage, it's "character." When you get yourself to believe that, call me. I want to know how you did it.

 

[pete f]

Do you know the old saying about motorcyclists? every bike rider has dropped a bike or is about to. same thing applies to guns. I was running with an old bianchi X 15 vertical shoulder holster thinking i was pretty cool when i hit some ice and did the ole slide slam hit the bare concrete and do a barrel role. Stood up and no gun in holster. Spent ten minnutes looking around for the gun It was burried in a snow bank several feet away. tossed that shoulder holster in the trash that night.

 

[deker]

If you want to learn how to NOT catch falling things....

...start blacksmithing. You learn REALLY fast that certain things when falling should be left to fall. I generally reach to catch things, but I've trained myself now to have "selective reflexes". It's a valuable thing to be able to do. Saved my fingers more than a few times...

Sorry to hear about your "character mark", but glad to hear that everything's OK in the end.

-d

 

[Don Gwinn]

Deker, you read my mind. Some of the stuff you drop at the forge is HOT.

 

[Beren]

If it can break from a three foot drop, I probably shouldn't have bought it in the first place. So I let the guns fall. Fruit, that I catch. Don't like bruised oranges.

 

[GunnySkox]

But I ran faster than Richard Prior on fire.

Also, do all the sucka EmCees call you Sire?

Does your backpack got jets?

~Slam_Fire
"I'm faster than Pryor on fire / and all the sucka MCs can call me sire! / My backpack's got jets / I'm boba, the Fett / I bounty hunt for jabba hutt / to finance my vette..." ~MC Chris, "Fett's Vette"

 

[Gordy Wesen]

That reminds me of the piece of crap iwb for revolvers from HOFFNERS.
The same thing happens... I sent it back for a refund and never heard from them again.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Send it back to S&W and ask them were is their QC letting a pistol get out of factory looking like this . Also tell them you found a finger in the cyl and a dead mouse under the grips and your lawer will be calling.

 

[BigSlick]

Dayyyuuuum !

Now I am glad I didn't buy that 500

I was going to buy that gun, logged on and seen you post about you had just bought it.

Don't worry about a little scratch, it won't make any difference at all in the way it functions.

I have looked at 500 S&W shoulder holsters and still haven't found one I think is sturdy/stable enough.

Did you have a scope on it or did it ding up your sights ?

Sometimes you can buff it out with a scotchbrite pad, if it isn't too big or deep.

Sorry to hearof your 500's injury

BigSlick

 

[Berg]

What's tar?

 

[RTFM]

Don't worry Rockrivr1, chicks dig body dammage....

 

[drf]

sorry to hear about you dropping your firearm but why do you refer to it as a toy?drf

 

[chris in va]

What's tar?

Pavement, tarmac...etc.

 

[Farnham]

...start blacksmithing. You learn REALLY fast that certain things when falling should be left to fall.

+1!!!!

Yes, I made my own tongs...yes, I dropped them while trying to upset a handle...and yes, I screamed like a little girl...

S/F

Farnham