I am 'that guy': My ND story.

[ColdSteel223]

Dude, to be very honest you were lucky. All it really cost you was a pair of pants and some embarrassment. That embarrassment is the training tool. Finger straight, index on the slide, into/out of the holster until the sights are on the target AND the decision to destroy what ever that bullet is going to impact has been made. I am sure you have heard this and thought it numerous times. You now have personal experience WHY those words are spoken.

“Safety is something that happens between your ears, not something you hold in your hands.” Col Jeff Cooper

Use what happened as a tool to train others, yes you get to be the example. You have done that with this thread. Have others learn from your mistake that way (hopefully) they won't ND thru their pants (or any where else).

All of that being said I would, with out hesitation, stand next to you on a training line. I have a feeling you won't do that again.

 

[Clay]

Clay, the next time you are trying to take out LM, make sure he's on your RIGHT side.

rhino paid me to do it!!!!

 

[jblomenberg16]

Clay, the next time you are trying to take out LM, make sure he's on your RIGHT side.

Hey, I resemble that remark...I was the shooter immediately to Clay's right!!!!



Joking aside, I didn't realize he had an ND at the time. As he mentioned in his first post, we were all still getting the hang of it and were in one of the first courses of fire.

I had only completed my firing moments before, having also done a mag change. I scanned left, and scanned right, then reholstered. I heard 2 more shots after that. First hit the steel gong, and had a good ring. Then, a few seconds later (seemed longer to mee too), a second shot. I thought was odd for two reasons.

First, there was no light illuminating the target, and second, it was after longer percieved interval than most other follow up shots, even well aimed.



+1 for Clay for staying calm during the incident. While he had an adrenaline dump, he did keep the pistol pointed down range, and had a very even calm when he was being checked out on the line. Also kudos for getting back on the horse and finishing the course!

+1 also for the ACT instructors. Not only did they act quickly to ensure the gun was made safe, but they also turned it into a very teachable moment for the other shooters.

 

[jdg0724]

Im glad that you are ok. Everyone makes mistakes. The important thing is to learn from them. Im just glad you didnt hurt yourself or anyone else. Im sure that you got one hell of an adrenaline rush from that.

 

[DialTone301]

Clay, thanks for sharing....I am glad you are okay.

 

[tbone1951]

ND story

You were very lucky my friend, this could have been very bad. I hope you said a quick thank you payer right after, because I believe some one was watching over you butt that day.

Terry

 

[Goodcat]

Wow, that was a close one! Glad your ok man, sorry to hear.

 

[esrice]

+1 to Clay for turning this into a teachable moment for all of us in a very public and potentially embarrassing way. Although his lack of following 1 rule resulted in an ND, his following of the others saved his bacon. If he had been sloppy in any other category that round could've gone somewhere bad.

+1 to ACT for what sounds like a fantastic response to such an incident. I would imagine that they've trained for this kind of thing before as they took steps to ensure safety for everyone involved.

 

[mjblazor]

Thanks for sharing. I often polish, clean or just like to admire my toys at night while watching tv. Sometimes while watching tv in basement I'll work my EDC revolver trigger with snap caps. I'm guilty of sometimes triggering without focus on guns and more on TV. Usually I had reloaded the real ammo back in after. I had to stop doing that because the other day I very nearly shot my tv screen forgetting I removed the snap caps and reloaded. Now when I'm done with snap caps I put revolver away completely. Need to be very careful when practicing. it should be complete focus. I don't have kids at home so I alway's keep my edc loaded and near. You're story while not the same just reminds us that guns are not to be taken lightly. Glad ur okay.

 

[CSK22]

Glad your ok Clay, have met you before, I don't think this will change people's opinion of you. We all make mistakes. And we learn from them.

 

[GNRPowdeR]

This is a story that hits too close to home, for me...

I've been witness to two ND and they are situations not to be taken lightly.

The big one for me was when I had a good buddy put a hole in the dirt about 12" behind my right foot while shooting clays one 4th of July wkend. It is a bit unnerving, but like you, we got back on that horse & are able to share our lesson with others.

Fortunatly, like your story, no blood was spilled and we can look back and say, "Remember when..."

Glad to know everyone's OK... but how did you explain it to your wife when it was laundry time??? :wink:

 

[xring62]

I always said its good to make a mistake BUT nobody getting hurt as a way to learn .This kind of thing can happen to anyone with any amount of training & especially under any stress such as firearm malfuntion.Ive seen people with a jamb ,otherwise very safe in actions but all of sudden swinging the firearm all over the place to clear it. Many new shooters if something happens to their gun and it wont fire its turned in a bad direction. In Practicle pistol comps where I shoot there was 12+ shooters on the line new to the game,holstering a locked/loaded safety off pistol for the 'ready' phase, I always worried of them doing what happened here in this story,some older guys with guts that cant grab the pistols well,not used to drawing for fast timed shooting. lucky so far.....

 

[Shive.Justin]

Glad to hear you're ok.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

After my time out when I did get back to shooting, I slowed way down, especially at the holstering part, and made sure I knew where my finger was.

I have had an AD in class, an 870 fired upon closing.

I have witnessed one potentially tragic ND in class (lowering the hammer on underlever carbine causing Marlin to discharge).

And have witnessed several injuries in gun school (Detroit cop caught spent round off steel to his chest [no armor], guy fell down stairs in shoot house, and a woman took a spent round off the berm to her face [she was skin doctor and glued her face back in place--no, really, it was cool]).

We in the gun culture need to realize that we are around guns, deadly weapons, injuries can transpire. We need to acknowledge this fact so we can: 1. work to prevent them, 2. learn how to treat injuries when they do occur. Every shooter a medic.

Do you carry a wound dressing now? Are you enrolled in a first aid/trauma treatment class?

 

[Doc Unique]

Wow! You were indeed fortunate.
Glad you are OK.

Reminder to all of us---keep your booger hook off the bang switch while holstering!

 

[Clay]

I dont even walk around with my finger on the trigger of power tools at my house anymore.

 

[churchmouse]

This does happen to more folks than will admit it. It is somewhat like riding a motorcycle.
It is not if you will fall off but when.
I have experienced this and can say I learned from it. No one was injured except the bench in my shop.
It is good no one was injured.

 

[sweddle]

BZ to your health and humble honesty.

 

[troycowan]

Glad your ok, your not the first and wont be the last. Back in 08 I was using a glock 23 3rd gen. doing some drills with a few buddies, was pretty pumped up got in the moment, and when i went to holster my weapon, somehow managed to pull the trigger sending the round through my leg, another half inch and it would've hit my femoral. It happens to the best of us.

 

[bingley]

a woman took a spent round off the berm to her face [she was skin doctor and glued her face back in place--no, really, it was cool]).

Can you elaborate on this? Sounds interesting. Did her skin get torn off? What glue did she use? Crazy glue? Was duct tape involved? Is this something we should consider doing for ourselves?