[mojust]

I unloaded my 229, put new grips on it, dry fired it a few times, reloaded it and put it on the coffee table and watched TV for a while. Then I picked it up and dry fired it. Obviously I'd forgotten I'd reloaded. My bad. Fortunately nobody was home and the upstairs neighbors work at night. A round of Federal low recoil 135 grain went through three sheets of dry wall, the wood exterior wall of the house and through a drainpipe before it disappeared. The entrance holes were very well defined on all those surfaces and the exit holes were three times as big and uneven. I went outside and checked everything beyond that. it should have gone through the windshield of my car but it didn't. I checked the cars behind mine, the fence, the tree beyond the fence and the cars across the next street. No holes. I find it very disturbing that I had this AD, and am going to make sure it never happens again. Scary. I'm grateful no more damage was done and nobody was hurt. The house contains sound pretty well and no one called LE. Yikes. Now I'm off to the store for spackle.

 

[WHEC724]

That took guts to admit, mojust. I promise that I'm not chastising you in this post. In the spirit of what there is to learn here, I offer this thought:

* Inspect the chamber everytime that you handle a weapon. Setting it down means you inspect it when you pick it back up. It may be redundant, but doesn't cost anything.

* I don't like visual-only inspections. I particularly don't like the quick casual glance that I see at gun shops and shooting ranges. As long as the slide is back, take the time to view it from different angles (it's dark in there) and I always poke my dang finger in there as a second sensory precaution.

I too once had an AD about 27 years ago. I can still remember everything about that moment, even what I was wearing...

I'm glad nobody was hurt. Here's to your last AD!

 

[SIXTO]

Learn to press check the gun, and do it every time you pick it up.

 

[Ape]

IMO there's no such thing as an "AD".... Only ND's. That being said I'm sure you realize how infinetly lucky you were not to have hurt or killed anyone. And that I presume will stick with you for life for future safe handeling of firearms. :embarassed:
Safety 101....NEVER assume a gun is unloaded.

 

[MarkN]

Glad you were not hurt!
MN

 

[dukalmighty]

Anytime I dry fire my weapon,I unload it and leave the ammo in another room,I also check the chamber 2-3 times before I dry fire,the reason I do this is because almost 30 years ago I did the same exact thing,only I shot JR before anybody else did (Remember Dallas)then I had to go buy a new TV

 

[glock45]

The best precaution us to deal with guns as if they are loaded ALL the time. My guns are.

 

[David in FL]

Learn the 4 rules......

I'm glad that no one was hurt. Thanks for sharing......that takes guts! :hand5:

 

[tiwee]

Thanks for sharing. It will help me be safer. Glad you did not hurt anyone or yourself.

 

[jeffk14]

* Inspect the chamber everytime that you handle a weapon. Setting it down means you inspect it when you pick it back up.

Always. Every time. No exceptions.

 

[kazzaerexys]

I am actually going to disagree with SIXTO here, in a minor way.

Pulling back the slide a little to inspect the chamber is what I would do if I want to verify that a gun is loaded---it's a quick way to see that there is a round. On the other hand, if I want to verify that the chamber is empty, I drop the mag (or verify that there is no mag) and lock the slide all the way back.

A faulty extractor could leave a round in the chamber on your 'press check' and make it look like the chamber is empty. Not verifying the empty mag could also mean you dry fire an empty chamber, but then rack a live round into the chamber when you want to 'dry fire' from single action.

Glad to hear everybody was safe after your oops. Now don't let it happen again. :smile:

 

[ccw9mm]

mojust, thank you for posting this. NOBODY is bashing you, with the critiques. We've all been there, with momentary lapses on one or more of the safety procedures.

Folks are simply taking the opportunity to reinforce what we all try so hard to keep in mind: safety counts; safety matters. Better that we learn here, than to not properly think things through and end up doing something (even unintentionally) that cannot be taken back.

Glad that you, and more importantly others, are safe. It could have ended far, far worse.

* Inspect the chamber every time that you handle a weapon. Setting it down means you inspect it when you pick it back up. It may be redundant, but doesn't cost anything.

* I don't like visual-only inspections. I particularly don't like the quick casual glance that I see at gun shops and shooting ranges. As long as the slide is back, take the time to view it from different angles (it's dark in there) and I always poke my dang finger in there as a second sensory precaution.

Always. Every time. No exceptions.

Always. Every time. No exceptions. Yup. :yup:

Double-check, with "double" precautions, each of which back up the other check you might have performed. Better for everyone, in the long run. And, as suggested, it doesn't cost you anything, though it can save everyone from having a very bad day.

Accidental Discharge: What I can learn from this.

Obviously I'd forgotten I'd reloaded.

What can you learn from this incident? Perhaps permanently inserting the double-check into your routine for touching and putting down a firearm would be useful, as it has been for me.

When touching a firearm: If you're picking up a firearm after having not held it for even a moment, unload and both visually and physically confirm it's unloaded.

When putting down a firearm: If you're putting down a firearm that you intend to have sit there for more than a few seconds, unload and both visually and physically confirm it's unloaded. Better still, put a chamber flag into the action, as a second indicator of "proof" that it's unloaded.

The main reason I do this before each instance of either picking up or putting down a firearm is because I don't want to have to rely upon my memory for what I've done. It's basically the same reason why my local outdoor range requires chamber flags on every unattended gun, even though it's sitting right in front of you. If you're not using it, unload, lock the action open or remove the bolt, and put a chamber flag in it, at which point one isn't relegated to memory in order to "prove" the gun is indeed unloaded.

In short: better safe than sorry. Had the proverbial 3yr old child been walking along outside that wall, the situation would have ended somewhat differently. I'd simply rather not go there.

Be safe. :bier:

 

[RoadRunner71]

I agree that it took courage to admit the incident to us, here. I have given this possibility a bit of consideration in the past. For myself, I don't like to "play" with my guns off the range. That is, if I am practicing draws, or dry fire, I am actively doing that and nothing else. I am not sitting in front of the TV and randomly pulling the trigger. By committing myself to this and following the 4 rules, I hopefully will avoid your uneviable situation. I also feel that I get more out of the practice when I put my full attention to the matter.

Good luck.

 

[jwhite75]

Always assume condition 1. It does take guts to admit, and I applaud you. Most won't tell you this here but trying to be constructive....you got complacent. Two is one...one is none. Not just in the presence of weapons being carried, but safety always. Never should have happened. Glad you and other were alright.

 

[jdivence]

the lesson here is that a press check is your friend... I press check my EDC multiple times a day. Some call me crazy but I like to be sure. Glad no one was hurt and thank you for sharing this with us.. We ALL can learn from it.

 

[gottabkiddin]

I agree with the others and will just add, as you stated, you are so very lucky on so many levels that I wont waist your time mentioning um. Glad you and no one else was injured. My one rule that I always live by when it comes to firearms is. Assume that they're always loaded and you should be able to avoid the ND. :hand10:

 

[TucAzRider]

As mentioned,.. This thread took guts,.. I think I would have just fixed the walls and never told anyone.. LOL.. But that is me,... Ok... What can be learned..

1) Your human,.. No denying that now,. I know,. I know,. It stinks, but be thankful we can learn and no-one got hurt,.. I'm sure you'll never do that again..

2) Always double check and triple check before ever putting your finger on the trigger,. ALWAY!!!... No exception,.

3) Always point the muzzle at something like the floor even after double checking or triple checking,. .I'm not a fan of pointing and dry firing your weapon.. That is what the range or desert is for... If you want to just dry fire,. Go do it at the range,...

4) When you load your weapon,.. Put in in the holster,.. Never just lay it down. Never holster a unloaded weapon, and always hoster the loaded weapon.. ,.. Just another safety check..

So very glad no-one got hurt,.. This could have been really bad,. Your VERY lucky..

 

[Queensidecas]

Scary. Thanks for sharing this. While even dry firing it is good to still follow the gun safetly rule "never point your gun at something you do not wish to destroy" I dry fire into my closet which has a garrage and a brick wall behind it

 

[varob]

I think my dad said it best. " You will never pick up an unloaded gun ".

 

[Hubs]

You may want to do this: when unloaded, leave the slide back not racked forward. Still check to see if loaded anyway.

Glad you are okay!