Safety Safety Safety - Firearm discharged

[Dr. HK]

Not sure where to post, however thought I would post here. Ex- military, a gun safety nut. Long story short was inspecting my guns and did the whole safety checks (drop mag, rack slide, etc) and well pulled the trigger after in a safe direction. It discharged.....thank God in a safe direction and into some plastic tubs that had clothes in it. Scared the p!ss out of me. Just wanted to let everyone know please be safe!!! I am not sharing to brag, and in fact I am embarrassed about it, however my safety measures at least worked when it did discharge.

 

[lkothe]

Hmmmm not bashing but something must have been out of order or gun wasn't cleared fully when slide was racked.
Glad nobody got hurt.

 

[aarondhgraham]

So,,,
What do you think happened?

I would guess you missed seeing a chambered round,,,
I'm not ragging on you at all but that's why I feel the chamber with my finger.

I've come close to missing the darker steel cartridge cases in dim light.

Aarond

.

 

[Bluewing]

Life long safety measures are the only way to go. I had something simalar happen to me. At the gun range. Friend hands me his pistol to look at. I kept the barrel pointed down range. Turned the pistol on it side to look closer and had my finger in the trigger gaurd (my bad) his safety was off with a round in the chamber (his AND my bad). The gun goes off, the round goes safely down range. He didn't tell me he had his trigger set to about a 2 lb pull. Mine is heavy 3.5-4.5. All my life keeping a gun pointed in a safe direction was always my main safety rule. I just turned 60 and i truly do not remember any other unsafe incedent around firearms happening because of something i did untill now. It's been about two months and it still bothers me. And yes i was embarressed and mad at myself all at the same time. In the 10 seconds i was caught up in looking at something new at least i remmembered to keep it pointing in a safe direction. Stuff happens! P.S. my first gun was a Mossberg 12 side by side at age 14. Given to me by my mother for a bday present.

 

[Commander Keen]

I'm glad no one was hurt. How are your ears? Ringing much?


Also, what type of round was it? FMJ? Hollow point? Did you recover it?

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Life long safety measures are the only way to go. I had something simalar happen to me. At the gun range. Friend hands me his pistol to look at. I kept the barrel pointed down range. Turned the pistol on it side to look closer and had my finger in the trigger gaurd (my bad) his safety was off with a round in the chamber (his AND my bad). The gun goes off, the round goes safely down range. He didn't tell me he had his trigger set to about a 2 lb pull. Mine is heavy 3.5-4.5. All my life keeping a gun pointed in a safe direction was always my main safety rule. I just turned 60 and i truly do not remember any other unsafe incedent around firearms happening because of something i did untill now. It's been about two months and it still bothers me. And yes i was embarressed and mad at myself all at the same time. In the 10 seconds i was caught up in looking at something new at least i remmembered to keep it pointing in a safe direction. Stuff happens! P.S. my first gun was a Mossberg 12 side by side at age 14. Given to me by my mother for a bday present.

Good rule of thumb is to show a gun is clear before handing a gun to someone else. Hand over with bolt open, or slide locked back etc.

 

[tRidiot]

Sounds like possibly the slide wasn't racked far enough to eject the round, as well as not looking and/or feeling inside the chamber. That's what I always try to do. Good thing it was pointed safely, always RULE #1!

I put a round through the floor of my old trailer once in a similar way... dropped mag, pointed down the length of my leg at the floor and pulled trigger - DOH! Didn't realize one was chambered, and with a little more carelessness in pointing, coulda put one into my leg (lengthwise!) or my foot. Luckily it was a wooden floored trailer and not concrete or something where it would have bounced.

Learned a lesson.

 

[Istandalone]

Glad you are okay. what gun? visual and multiple racks are sometimes best.

 

[Shoot Summ]

Can't throw any stones, I live in a glass house myself...

We've gotten in the habit if racking the slide 4-5 times once the mag is dropped.

Then the slide is locked back, and a very deliberate inspection of the empty chamber is performed, and a finger is poked at the chamber to insure there isn't a round there.

Glad you didn't hurt anything more than your pride, a tub, and maybe a pair of jeans. My oops ruined a lot of glass, and woodwork.

 

[Hobbes]

Makes a person appreciate a good old fashioned revolver without recessed chambers.
Glad the rest of your safety precautions worked and no one was hurt.