acparmed

I put this in the training forum because I think it's just that. Training and a reminder to all of us.

I just got this on one of my gun websites I get mail from.

Ugly story of someone who had an ND and makes no bones about his mistakes. Includes photos.

I wish him a speedy recovery.

http://xavierthoughts.blogspot.com/2...rom-email.html

__________________
Heroes are people who do what has to be done, when it has to be done, regardless of the consequences

"I like when the enemy shoots at me; then I know where the ******** are and can kill them."
~George Patton

DE OPPRESSO LIBER

jdsumner

Lemme also add a few photos of a "muzzle violation" to help reinforce those 4 Rules: http://www.southernexposuretraining.com/gallery/album08

Please be advised, these are not as pretty as the photos above, but gunshots rarely are. I showed these to my 8yr old daughter, just before one of our range trips. She wants to see the pix every time we go. Just "cause I dont want that to ever happen to us, Daddy".
And all the people said "amen".

Dan

Scott

Good read. It reiterates the point that all guns are loaded. It also reinforces a point I try to make in all my training classes. Fatigue is a very dangerous thing. He didn't necessarily admit to fatigue, but it was midnight or there abouts when he did it.

My informal research reading about NDs is that a great majority occur when the person is fatigued.

I hope he has a full recovery. Sounds like he did a fair bit of damage to his hand that he may or may not be able to recover from.

Thanks for sharing this acparmed.

-Scott-

BlueLion

Military taught me this.....Complacency Kills. Nuff said....be safe friends.

__________________
Listen, Think and React.....Nuff Said.....

BlueLion

P.S. Euc,... I thinks Revolvers are becoming more and more appealing to me.

__________________
Listen, Think and React.....Nuff Said.....

P95Carry

I agree too - re fatigue as perhaps the most dangerous (potential) factor - second to which is complacency and that is often where long time shooters screw up.

IMO - the four rules just HAVE to be followed to max - slavishly if you will - and one check is never enough.

I'll say again - rule #2 is my biggest ''catch all'' in as much as, while all should be followed all the time - this one at least avoids death and injury.

Years ago (many!) when I was medical training - I recall seeing many path' pics of gunshot wounds - external and internal - very thought provoking and helped me see the light! No wish to test on self or others - unless provoked to extreme.

__________________
Chris - P95
NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member.

"To own a gun and assume that you are armed
is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!."

If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

QKShooter

It NEEDS to be part of the permanent forum record.
Thanks for posting it acparmed.
I am putting the actual story and photos here.
My reason is that a year from now when the story and/or the photos are gone from the web...it will still be here on this forum.
The story & pics might just save a forum members life at some future point in time.
That is why even though the photos are GRAPHIC they NEED to be looked at & remembered.
Please everybody....ALWAYS BE EXTRA CAREFUL!

From an email......
They say the loudest sound you ever heard was the gun you thought wasn't loaded. Here's an unapologetic account of a self shooting with pictures.

"Well....I've always heard it's not a matter of "if, but "when". My number came up and I paid a hefty price.

Last Friday I was preparing to go shooting the next AM with a buddy of mine. I had just put a new a-grip on my Glock, and was going to clean it after my wife and I finished our movie. Crash is an awsome movie BTW.

I put the weapon back together and inserted the mag. I did not pipe a round because I knew I was going to strip it later. I went upstairs and put the weapon in the tool box in the garage.

About and hour later (mid-night or so), I returned to the garage to finish cleaning and getting gear together for the morning. I picked up the Glock, dropped the mag and prepared to remove the slide. I done this literally thousands of times in the last fifteen years, but this times things were a little different. I grabbed the slide getting ready to push the takedown pins and pulled the trigger......BANG!!!!! Apparently I DID pipe a round an hour prior. My shooting bud attributes it to force of habit, but why the hell didn't I check the chamber before pulling the trigger? Should that be force of habit too?

Not only did I set off a .45 in my garage, but I passed right through my left hand......Yep....I ****ing shot myself point blank. I'm still having a hard time getting my head around what I did. I was SO angry at myself. I have always been uber safe with any firearm, but one lack of procedure changed everything. I'm really taking this hard, and all the "it could have been worse", "accidents happen", and "thank god you didn't lose your hand statements really don't help. I guess I'm getting over it, but it still seems very surreal to me.

Here are details....I know you all are morbidly curious, and I don't mind telling...it's kinda like therapy for me.
I DID NOT hear the shot (nor did my ears ring afterwards), and it felt sorta like catching a fastball right in the palm of your glove. I have a very clear image, and suspect I always will, of the hole in my hand...perfect .45 diameter not bleeding....yet. I took a few seconds, and then the arterial arch in my palm cut loose. Blood like you wouldn't believe. I think the fact that I was a Paramedic in a former life helped me out here. I walked into the laundry room and grabbed a towel to wrap it up, call up the stairs for my wife to come down. I remember thinking "if I go get her, I'll mess up the carpet on the stairs". No lie. She came down half asleep and kind of grumpy, and I told her "I just put a bullet in my hand". Said she was calling 911 and according to her I responded "That would be a good idea.." My wife is neo-natal RN, and can remain cool as a cucumber. This helped me out too I think.

I went back into the garage, put my blasted hand on the floor kneeling on the towel and proceeded to open my ever present jump-bag with the other. I opened a US issue trauma dressing with my teeth, and proceeded to wrap my hand. Those dressing are the schiz nit by the way. My wife later told me it was very "Die-Haredesque"......
I do remember cussing at myself the entire time...I have never been that angry before.....

Four cops, the shift sup., a pumper truck and am ambulance later I was off to the ER. I didn't feel any pain until I got in the ambulance. The endorphins shut down and it hurt like nothing you can imagine. No tickets from the cops, but did have to ask which weapon I did it with. My garage looks like an arsenal pre-range trip.

The bullet (a Black Talon no less..) shattered my ring finger meta-tarsal, and 'removed' two others. It destroyed the flexor tendon of my ring finger, almost separated my pinky tendon, and exited the right side of my wrist just above my watch band. There was a definite exit hole, but the blast force blew the side of my palm WIDE open about three inches in length. I didn't even see the exit wound until I removed my watch for the FD. Anyway, nine hours of surgery, three screws, a tendon graft from my forearm and about two-hundred sutures later I was put back together. My surgeon said if anyone has to get shot in the hand, this was how to do it. No nerve damage....whew. Physical therapy twice a week for god knows how long, and the surgeon expects at least 80% function back.

I've included a pic of the round. Snap-On tool boxes are quite literally bullet proof. The jacket separated from the slug when it hit the box, that's why the slug is flat on one side. If the mods permit, I'll post pics of my hand too.....it's pretty burly, and will drive the point home.

Thanks for listening. My wife thinks I'm crazy to post this, but it really does help me feel better. Remember....check the chamber twice, then check it again."

PLEASE NOTE:
I have seen worse gun shot photos & some far worse than the ones provided in the above additional link by jdsumner. Thanks jd.
Some were so horrible that I would not ever dare post them for general public viewing.
Defensive handguns with defensive ammunition are designed to do one thing...Destroy the maximum amount of "Living Meat" as quickly as possible.
Don't ever forget that fact.
Bullets do not know the difference between your Good Guy Meat & Bad Guy Meat.
Always be careful.
AND as hurtin' as you'll feel if you Plug Yourself...You WILL Hurt "Worse~Times~10" if you N.D. & plug an innocent person or a family member.
It only takes a few short seconds to check that EMPTY FIREARM.
Check it once for yourself....and then check it once again for the people you love.
Do It Every SingleTime.
Thanks.

Euclidean

I'm telling ya... but seriously any gun needs to be checked. I just like that revolvers make it easier.

I hope this shooter recovers.

__________________
I am The Armed Educator.

maclean3

QkShooter: "Check it once for yourself....and then check it once again for the people you love."

Very well said.

Kompact9

I hope recovery goes well for the man...especially the mental part; many would be tempted to react much differently and just chuck it all away. I was lucky in that I was taught at a very early age that using any tool requires total attention. Our guns are tools and this reminds me of that early admonishment from my uncle--I only mashed a thumb with a hammer, but I can still feel that pain today when I think about it. His sharing that experience with the rest of the CCW community will certainly bring us all back to reviewing our gun handling procedures and renewing our dedication to safety.

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noli nothis permittere te terere...