Back to basics: a near disaster

[specweldtom]

A long-time friend and gunsmith had a very prominent sign in his shop. It said "I CHARGE $25. TO UNLOAD A GUN"

The other day, a friend brought me two shotguns to clean. I leaned them against the dining table in my house until I could take them out to my garage. Several hours later, I took them out and put them on my work table to check them out. They are duck and goose guns, and had considerable rust and several frozen parts on them. Just before checking the screw-in choke on the second one, I realized that I had not opened it. You guessed it. When I racked it back, it stood up a live 3" round. After the shock wore off a little, and I changed my underwear, I understood the real meaning of the sign. When his dad picked up the guns, I gave him a baggie with a live 3" steel shot, and a choke that said "FOR LEAD SHOT ONLY" and asked him to remember where all that shotgun had been since the last time it was used.

I always believed that I would never make a mistake like that, but I can't say that any more. One more time: THEY'RE ALL LOADED.

Stay safe, Tom

 

[James Jones]

very good point Tom , I make it common practice check and unload a weapon before I hand it over or as soon as i'm handed on.

It always amazes me when guys get offended when I unload my side are before handing it over for them to look at or checking their gun when I take hold of it. To many people are killed every year with "unloaded gun"

 

[7mmSendaro]

I remember as a young boy, perhaps 10, going with my Dad to the local gun smith with my bolt action .410 for a new magazine follower. The gun was delivered in a case and we picked up when it it was done in the same case.

When we got home, I pulled it from the case and, as taught, opened the action. Out popped a live round! Apparently the smith had been checking it for feeding and left a round in the chamber!

To this day, I will never except a gun, even in a case, without checking it myself.

I never heard the conversation between my Dad and the smith but can only imagine how it went! We never went back there............................

 

[britz]

19 year old Mn resident killed

Gun safety is so important! A local 19 year old kid was shot and killed last weekend about 3 miles from my home. Four guys between 18 and 21 were looking at a 22 and it went off shooting the young man in the chest.

 

[edge]

Last year, while sighting in at the range, I had TWO different knuckleheads "snap a cap" on their muzzleloaders. TWO live shots! One next to the guys own foot, and the other hit an unoccupied building on a ricochet!

Once a year hunters scare the H@ll out of me more than guys that shoot a lot. But every year folks shoot their ramrods downrange too!

They are always loaded!

edge.

PS After doing it and everyone looking at them, they both said that they knew that they were loaded!
Obviously they didn't, and I think that it even made them look more stupid!!

 

[Captn C]

I guess it been about four year now...my oldest daughter's fiance was shot and killed after a duck when when him and his hunting buddy were in the cabin. The shotgun had been propped up in the corner behind a door, his hunting buddy pick it up by the barrel and it discharged. The load of steel shot hit him in the neck at a range of about 6 feet.

My wife is new to hunting and she got right into it when we got married 3 years ago and she already knows the rule: ALL GUNS ARE LOADED AND NO GUN CAN BE UNLOADED!

We have a large collections of assult style weapons (many are the wifes)that that friends and family like to check out when they come over. If they ask about one being loaded or not my wife is the first to tell them..."every gun we own is loaded!" They look funny at her at first, once she explains why she said it that way they understand.

It sound odd at first, but I'd be willing to bet the people she has told that to remember it!

 

[AJ Peacock]

It happens to almost everyone at one time or another.

I have a story similar to those above. Just remember to be doubly careful and diligent when your mind is pre-occupied with other things.

Mine ended with nothing hurt but my pride with an accidental discharge of a 357.

I know of several other stories like those posted above; very experienced shooters that have a lapse or are otherwise distracted.

Practicing gun safety and keeping it foremost in our minds AT ALL TIMES is paramount.

Thanks for the reminder,

AJ

 

[Stonewall2]

I've seen this happen twice.

One day many years ago I walked into a gunstore in Calgary where a good friend worked .
Don showed me a Savage single shot 22/250 that the store had just purchased that day . He took that rifle from the rack and aimed it at a bank sign just across the road. Then he cycled the action and a live hand loaded 22/250 round flew out and hit the floor. We both looked at each other and didn't have to say aloud "F--K".

Another time I was called to the front of a store to check out two M70 Win hunting rifles in .243 and 30/06 for inspection and cleaning. The bolts were closed and locked. I cycled the bolts and both were chamber and magazine loaded with live rounds. His explanition was that the guns were useless unless ready to use so he left them loaded. He had three very young children with him at the time.......
The customer is "Not" always right. I was very polite when I told him what I thought of "that" idea but I'm sure it made no difference at all -an accident waiting to happen.

At that same store all firearms were displayed on the rack with the bolts open -actions opened and checked first thing on the rest of the guns before handing them to customers. Thank's Ari.

Glenn

 

[EZShooter]

Sobering stories that we all should remember!

Plus, there is the story of the accidental discharge in the Fort Worth TX Cowtown Colliseum, where all of a sudden there were several law enforcement officials very interested in one fellow - I was on the other side of the hall, but I could see the red faces from my vantage point - one embarrassed as can be, and two others with much angrier dispositions. A tough lesson on gun safety, luckily no harm done other than chipped concrete floors....

EZ