Don't ever let your guard down!

Last Thursday I couldn't sleep (exhausting week after the death of a close friend, getting ready to move to a new house the following week, and assorted other hassles), and so I headed downstairs to try sleeping in my comfy recliner. I didn't want to leave me bedside gun in its holster with my wife and son upstairs, so I brought it downstairs with me. My intention was to place it in a holster I have fastened under the end table next to my recliner. But being so tired, I set the Glock 33 down on the arm of the recliner so I could gather up my blanket and pillow before tucking the pistol away. Unfortunately, I fell asleep instantly, and a couple hours later I must have plopped my hand on the arm where the pistol was, because I was awakened to a deafening "boom!" Right away, I knew what had happened, and a look at my sleep pants clearly showed that I had shot myself in the upper right leg. Neither my wife or son heard the shot, and after calling 911, I yelled at them and told them what happened, and that I was okay. I wasn't, actually. The 115gr Doubletap JPH (from a box that chronographed 1510 fps from a 3.5" barrel) fragmented on impact, with the copper jacket mushrooming extensively before leaving a 6 cm exit wound on the bottom of my thigh, while the lead core mushroomed and left a 3.5 cm exit wound before lodging in the footrest of my recliner. The jacket lodged in my left calf, and was plucked out by a doctor in the ER. After surgery to debried the wound, I spent the next two days in critical condition, then was listed in serious for two more days before I asked for my cane and showed my doctors I could walk the length or the hallway and back with no problem.
For those of you wondering what it's like to get shot, you don't want to experience it! Even though it was six hours after the shooting that I was given my first dose of morphine, it wasn't until after the surgery that the pain began to set in. Since the wounds were left open, I have to endure twice-a-day dressing changes on both legs (not at all fun), and my leg looks like a sliced-open slab of beef. Very ugly wound.
I've been around guns all my life, I've been a handgunner for nearly 30 years, and even run the local 4-H Shooting Sports Club, teaching kids how to handle guns safely as the rifle instructor. Please, please please make sure your handgun is always secured, and safe from sleeping hands.
BTW, .357 Sig works exactly as advertised. I'm convinced that a shot from that caliber anywhere on the body would put you down. I know I went into almost immediate shock, and required 13 bags of saline solution and four units of blood over the two days I was in the hospital.

All I can say is, Wow!! Glad it didn't turn out worse.

Wow, glad you survived. Hopefully no extensive damage. Lot to be said for altered states of mind and decision making. Thanks for the reminder.

Tough post about a very tough experience. I have four cats which climb everywhere, so my edcs never leave their holsters without getting cleared. They have to be physically removed from friction retention holsters before there is any possibility of discharge, accidental or otherwise.

Wow.

That is certainly..... the hardest way I've ever seen someone do a test on their ammunition. Both the ammo and the gun , performed as they should have. This is not the way I would want to enable myself to give first hand testimonials though. However, I'm glad you stepped in and gave it ..... it's something that may save one of us from a lot of pain and repeating this on our own. So, I applaud you for speaking up and letting us know your experiences.

And, I'm glad to hear it wasn't even worse, and it surely could have been.

I have learned .... due to past experiences.... I don't come out of a sleep due to noises or things out of the norm in a mild manner. I come out ready to fight. So, I also make sure my gun is not "too handy", before I'm fully awake and my mind is fully engaged.

First of all glad to hear you are ok. Second thanks for posting even though that had to be a hard personal experience. Best wishes on your recovery.

Sucky story. I understand you usually have the pistol tucked away, but I have very often wondered about this, many people placing their firearm on top their nightstands. I prefer mine to be in a drawer in my nightstand for this very, exact reason. Not only does it keep you from accidentally grabbing it or bumping it in your sleep, but it keeps it out of immediate sight.

Hope you heal up soon. Nobody is immune to this. This can happen to even the safest person. However, this shouldn't make anybody fear firearms. They only do what we tell them to.

[QUOTE=Eagleks;2409812]This is not the way I would want to enable myself to give first hand testimonials though.[/QUOTE

This sentence is almost nonsensical, but I get what you're saying, and it is ridiculous. So let me get this straight - you DO NOT want to shoot yourself? Um, really?

The OP described a freak accident that might help someone avoid a similar situation. In my opinion, it is different than someone mishandling a firearm. It's obviously his fault, but he wasn't being reckless. It was a mistake. There is no need to patronize him.

Some may disagree with that. I'm just saying there is a slight difference between the OP and the ATF agent who shot himself in a classroom full of people. Both are mistakes, but one is more understandable.

Thank you for sharing. Hopefully we all can learn from your mistake. Praying for a quick and complete recovery for you. Keep us posted.

Wow is all I can say but it is good you are healing.

I don't understand how plopping your hand on a weapon causes it to go off nor how that could be considered correct functioning of a weapon.

Everyone keeps telling me how safe Glocks are and how the safety mechanism on them is designed so that they absolutely can't go off unless you deliberately intend to shoot it. I also keep hearing about all these people who keep shooting themselves accidentally with their Glocks. So, what the heck?

I apologize for bringing this up, because I know it's a matter of religious opinion. I don't expect to convince anyone of any particular perspective but I am curious as to what real evidence anyone has that shows that Glocks are safer than other handgun models, because I just don't see it.

Any kind of positive switch safety that is not automatically deactivated by simply placing your hand on the weapon would have prevented an accident like this. I don't really understand why there seems to be so much hate for traditional safeties when it seems more likely that you will have an unintentional discharge without one.

All that said, I hope you get better soon.

I hope you heal soon and that this doesn't become the joke of the house forever.

-- I don't always post from my mobile but when I do, I prefer Tapatalk.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Eagleks

That is certainly..... the hardest way I've ever seen someone do a test on their ammunition. Both the ammo and the gun , performed as they should have. This is not the way I would want to enable myself to give first hand testimonials though. However, I'm glad you stepped in and gave it ..... it's something that may save one of us from a lot of pain and repeating this on our own. So, I applaud you for speaking up and letting us know your experiences.

And, I'm glad to hear it wasn't even worse, and it surely could have been.

I have learned .... due to past experiences.... I don't come out of a sleep due to noises or things out of the norm in a mild manner. I come out ready to fight. So, I also make sure my gun is not "too handy", before I'm fully awake and my mind is fully engaged.

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I have a similar fear to the above post, however more so a sleep walking concern. Not that I have a history of it at all and it has never happened to me, it is somethign i have thought about. I always lock up my weapons in my safe before going to sleep.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bardo

I don't understand how plopping your hand on a weapon causes it to go off nor how that could be considered correct functioning of a weapon.

Everyone keeps telling me how safe Glocks are and how the safety mechanism on them is designed so that they absolutely can't go off unless you deliberately intend to shoot it. I also keep hearing about all these people who keep shooting themselves accidentally with their Glocks. So, what the heck?

I apologize for bringing this up, because I know it's a matter of religious opinion. I don't expect to convince anyone of any particular perspective but I am curious as to what real evidence anyone has that shows that Glocks are safer than other handgun models, because I just don't see it.

Any kind of positive switch safety that is not automatically deactivated by simply placing your hand on the weapon would have prevented an accident like this. I don't really understand why there seems to be so much hate for traditional safeties when it seems more likely that you will have an unintentional discharge without one.

All that said, I hope you get better soon.

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Um, obivously he pushed or pulled the trigger when his hand plopped on the gun. The gun did function correctly - push/pull trigger and gun shoots, you don't understand that??? I don't think or try to tell anyone glocks (or any guns without safeties) are safer than others. But I do think and tell people the best safety is your brain and keeping your finger off the trigger, and that goes for all guns.

To the OP, wish you a full and speedy recovery. I know it wasn't easy but thanks for sharing.
This is another reason I put my gun in a safe on my headboard, even though I thought long and hard about it.