No "it just went off" excuses...

[Paladin]

http://www.thegunzone.com/nd.html

"Negligent Discharge...

No "it just went off" excuses... an experienced shooter's cautionary tale


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

On Friday evening, 30 September I was preparing to go shooting the next morning with a buddy of mine. I had just put a new A-Grip on my Glock Model 30, and was going to clean it after my wife and I finished our movie.

I put the weapon back together and inserted the magazine. 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 an hour later, just after midnight, I returned to the garage to finish cleaning and getting gear together for the morning. I picked up the Glock, dropped the magazine and prepared to remove the slide. I have done this literally thousands of times in the last fifteen years, but this time 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? Shouldn't that be force of habit too?

Not only did I set off a .45 ACP in my garage, but the round passed right through my left hand... Yep... I _______ shot myself! I'm still having a hard time getting my head around what I did. I was so angry at myself. I have always been über 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 everyone is morbidly curious, and I don't mind telling... it's kinda like therapy for me.

The "geometry" of the wound is as follows: the bullet entered at less than a 45 degree angle, not directly in as some folks think. The only reason my off hand was in the way is because it dropped the levers and pulled the trigger at the same time. I've done it like this for years... only after ensuring the chamber was empty... that was my mistake, and I paid for it.

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 0.45" 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 a 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 schiznit by the way. My wife later told me it was very "Die-Hardesque."

I do remember cussing at myself the entire time... I have never been that angry before....

Four cops, the shift supervisor, 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 they 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 the proximal phalanx of my ring finger, 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, damaging a branch of the biforcated ulnar nerve. 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 Fire Department.

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 photo of the round. Snap-On tool boxes are quite literally bullet proof. The jacket separated from the lead core when it hit the box, which is why the slug is flat on one side.

The images of my hand are pretty burly, but will drive the point home. My wife thinks I'm crazy to publish this, but it really does help me feel better. But it's a hell of a way to get a three month paid vacation!

Remember... check the chamber twice, then check it again.

Irregular Updates
12 October: Just got back from surgeon's office. He said it looks good. He also told me he had a hell of time closing the entrance wound. Sutures come out next week... O joy!

Physical Therapy sucks. My hand does nothing I tell it too. I need to learn patience.

14 October: I just got back from PT/OT. A lot of wound cleaning done today. It's still pretty swollen, but when that goes down some more we'll work on strength/function. I really doesn't look much better to me, but then again I see it everyday. The therapist says I am right where I should be 14 days out.

17 October: Ya know when your hand falls asleep, and when it "wakes up" there that 20-30 second pins and needles thing that sucks butt. I always feel like that... ring and left pinky anyway. Swelling is still going down, thank God!

It only really hurts infrequently now, but it's never really comfortable. I used to think I'd rather get shot than stabbed/slashed. I don't want to start a discussion about that here... but I think I've changed my mind.

26 October: Hand is healing. Still kind of soft around entrance wound, so Doc left the last few sutures in. Not a lot of movement, partly because of remaining swelling, but much better.

First bill, from hospital, minus surgeons' bill: $22,000....

22 November: BTW: I have no idea how I became a U.S. Marshal, much less a Supervisory U.S. Marshal, in the retelling of this, though! Behold the power of the 'Net. Maybe I need to go on the lecture circut, my leave pay is running out...."

[ElGato]

Paladin I want to thank you for writing this and reminding us that when we get too COMFORTABLE and too RELAXED is when this is going to happen, like gun's, it works pretty much the same way with horses and motorcycles.

Tomcat

[CaptDave]

Man, the photos at that url are pretty rude, and eye-opening.
Darn Glocks!!!

Paladin I want to thank you for writing this and reminding us that when we get too COMFORTABLE and too RELAXED is when this is going to happen, like gun's, it works pretty much the same way with horses and motorcycles.

Tomcat

+1 on the guns, horses and motorcycles

[JLaw]

That story has surely opened my eyes to my "comfort level" with firearms. I have come close to letting the hammer fall on a live round in the house, but that story and photos are much more of an awakening.

JLaw

[CaptDave]

I'm under the impression that it did not happen to Paladin, he is recounting the article from the link at the top of his post.

Which BTW has some "interesting" photos of what happens when your hand gets in the was of a .45 caliber bullet.

[JLaw]

Capt Dave... you're right, I'm embarrassed. Thanks for clarification, edited my post. Oops.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Capt Dave... you're right, I'm embarrassed. Thanks for clarification, edited my post. Oops.

I didn't see your post before you edited it. What did you do, wish Paladin a speedy recovery?

[stevie_d_64]

I kinda thought that at first as well...Darn Paladin!

I'd feel really horrible if it was one of my friends here that had something like this happen to them...

If anything, this sure does reinforce and remind us to practice safe firearms handling...

Book 1, Chapter 1 and verse 1...

[flintknapper]

If anything, this sure does reinforce and remind us to practice safe firearms handling......

I agree.

It is all too easy to "let down your guard" when exercising those things we do time after time. In fact, therein lies the danger.

Actions/techniques/procedures, that we perform over and over become habit, and "for good or bad"... are committed to "muscle memory".

This is the very reason we want to train ourselves in proper gun handling techniques. Example: When preparing to clean or work on your firearm, ALWAYS check to see that it is unloaded. I don't mean "pinch check" it either! Drop that magazine, and rack the slide 3-4 times, make this your "habit", and you'll never have a problem.

With revolvers, open the cylinder, look at it while turning it slowly, and literally count the empty chambers. Make this your "habit" and guess what, .........no problems.

If I hand you a firearm, check it. Even if you just saw me check the chamber, YOU check it too. I'll do the same when you hand it back, this may sound excessive....but it builds good habits.

Everyone here knows what safe gun handling is supposed be, but does everyone here practice it? I hope so.

Great topic!

[JLaw]

Capt Dave... you're right, I'm embarrassed. Thanks for clarification, edited my post. Oops.

I didn't see your post before you edited it. What did you do, wish Paladin a speedy recovery?

Uhm, yeah.

[Paladin]

My hands are both fine, but thanks! 8)

I think Glocks are fun to shoot, but my favored sidearm is the H&K... which doesn't require the trigger to be pulled to take it apart.

The guy in the article broke 3 out of 4 rules to put .45cal JHP through his hand. 1. He assumed the gun was unloaded 2. He pointed the gun in an unsafe direction (towards a body part) 3. He pulled the trigger. Some guns require the trigger to be pulled during takedown... but that means that the other rules should be followed to the letter.

Although, honestly, when you're not 100%, slip-ups can and do happen. Those photos are a dramatic illustration that safety can't be taken for granted.

[stevie_d_64]

I think Glocks are fun to shoot, but my favored sidearm is the H&K... which doesn't require the trigger to be pulled to take it apart.

[CaptDave]

but my favored sidearm is the H&K...

+1

[Paladin]

I think Glocks are fun to shoot, but my favored sidearm is the H&K... which doesn't require the trigger to be pulled to take it apart.

It's probably cause I'm not professional enough to carry a Glock "forty"