Negligent Discharge at Fredericksburg Gander Mountain

[Randy]

I heard that it happened during a handgun class not too long ago. Does anyone have information on this?

Who was the instructor? Who had the discharge (student or instructor)? How did it happen?

edited to add: This was in Fredericksburg, Va., just in case there are other Fredericksburgs which have Gander Mountain stores.

Thanks,
Randy

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[JonInNY]

Could not find any news articles on this. Do you have the original source?

[Randy]

I have been unable to find anything official on it. It was first mentioned to me by a friend who frequents that store. I spoke to an employee of the store who was able to confirm the incident but no more details were available.

Randy

[mcp1810]

Quite possibly it didn't make the news because no one was injured. If all they got was a hole in a table, or a round into a backstop when they didn't expect it the local media might have figured it just wasn't worth reporting.

[utf59]

More likely if that's all that happened, Gander Mountain was able to keep the local media from finding out about it.

[archer51]

If it happened someone screwed up big time. I have been to that Gander Mountain store, they do not have a shooting range. So why was the class being taught with live ammo present?

[JonInNY]

I've helped out at the classes at my local Gander. They have a "classroom" setup, but all first time CCW applicants are prohitbited from bringing firearms. Any firearms that are used in the class are always unloaded, and always handled by instructors.

That said, it is legal to bring a loaded firearm (in NY) IF you already have your CCW. There's not enough info here to see if it was someone legally carrying, or an instructor, or both.

[tinkerinWstuff]

I've helped out at the classes at my local Gander. They have a "classroom" setup, but all first time CCW applicants are prohitbited from bringing firearms. Any firearms that are used in the class are always unloaded, and always handled by instructors.

That said, it is legal to bring a loaded firearm (in NY) IF you already have your CCW. There's not enough info here to see if it was someone legally carrying, or an instructor, or both.

Depends on who's running the class and where. I took my class at a GM in CO and we all had to bring our guns (unloaded and cased) to show proficiancy. The instructor brought snap caps for us to use.

[goawayfarm]

More likely if that's all that happened, Gander Mountain was able to keep the local media from finding out about it.

They wouldn't have been able to keep it out of the local paper....It's a very ANTI-GUN paper that like to publish the names & adresses of concealed permit holders.......They would LOVE to publish anything that makes guns look bad!

[JeffLrrp]

As I live in the 'Burg, I took the CCW class at that Gander Mountain, mere months after the event occured. When I took the class, the gentleman who ran the course had just gotten the contract a few months ago, and was explaining why he had to zip-tie the guns (lock slide back, insert tie thru barrel, zip up). He brought up that the GM didn't use to have a strict policy on bringing the guns to class, as long as they were unloaded and checked at the front CS desk. Evidently, however during a break in class a student ended up loading a full magazine into his weapon, racking the slide, and then let another student handle it, and that student caused the ND. If you go into the lodge, I believe the hole from the ND is still there. The round passed through the wall, through a manager's office and into a beam in the opposite wall. Thats why the new class instructor got the job, because the students weren't being supervised well and the ND occurred.

The class wasn't very good, either. He kept making references to how everyone should only carry a gun with a caliber of .4 or above, and then even after I showed him the proof about open-carrying in ABC-licensed establishments in VA, still told the class you couldn't open carry in a restaurant. A lot of the students were very novice, and he wasn't helping them very much In fact, I remember ranting to my dad about how bad he was at teaching the course.

I believe the guy who runs it now is named Kevin Dameron, of Dameron's Tactical Solutions. I also believe he works at the GM part-time. No website though. I tried looking for it right now.

[GWRedDragon]

The class wasn't very good, either. He kept making references to how everyone should only carry a gun with a caliber of .4 or above, and then even after I showed him the proof about open-carrying in ABC-licensed establishments in VA, still told the class you couldn't open carry in a restaurant.

My instructor, when asked about open carry, said it was "practically illegal" and that if you did it you were "crazy". I think that some of this may be out of a desire to keep students from going out there and bumbling around ignorantly and getting harassed by the police.

I think this is a decent idea, honestly, especially up here where you could run into more significant problems. Even with a class in Fredericksburg it is likely that some of the students are from Fairfax, Alexandria, etc.

[Rob99VMI04]

My instructor, when asked about open carry, said it was "practically illegal" and that if you did it you were "crazy". I think that some of this may be out of a desire to keep students from going out there and bumbling around ignorantly and getting harassed by the police.

I think this is a decent idea, honestly, especially up here where you could run into more significant problems. Even with a class in Fredericksburg it is likely that some of the students are from Fairfax, Alexandria, etc.

Practically legal "HUH" never heard that term used. I guess thats more of an Opinion than actual fact.

Open Carry is definetly legal. "May not be the SMARTEST" thing in the world to some and some situations but still its definity legal.

[ProShooter]

An ND is a real shame in a classroom environment. As an instructor in Virginia, it makes us all look bad. Hopefully whoever that instructor was will take more precautions next time.

[Spike32]

That's the same store where I took my Utah class! I didn't hear anything about that incident, but the instructor would not let us bring in loaded weapons to the classroom.

[dukalmighty]

That's the same store where I took my Utah class! I didn't hear anything about that incident, but the instructor would not let us bring in loaded weapons to the classroom.

Let's clear your weapons and make sure they are unloaded...BANG,I unloaded it whys everybody looking at me