I don't need eye/ear pro... it's only one shot

[scottka]

So... this happened a couple weeks ago, but I finally got around to posting about it. I was going to take my late grandpa's Marlin Model 60 out for a few rounds because it hasn't been shot for probably 15 years since he had last shot it. I threw on my eyes and ears and took it and a couple other .22s out the back and started shooting. The Model 60 gave me problems from the get go. It shot a few rounds but then wouldn't fully chamber a round anymore, so I put it down and finished my session with the others.

I figured I'd give it a good cleaning to try and get it to chamber. I started by cleaning and lubing the action. (Didn't clean the bore because I was being lazy and my bore snake was at the other end of the house.) I figured that had fixed my problem so I tried to load a round out of the tube mag to make sure it was working. Well, it didn't quite go all the way in, so my brilliant self decided to just give it a little assistance by bumping the back of the bolt handle. This caused the round to become stuck in the barrel. The extractor couldn't pull it out either. So I thought I'd just push it into battery and take it outside and fire the round then I thought the extractor could pull the spent brass out. I didn't put my eyes and ears on because, "Hey it's just one round of .22." I went outside, pulled the trigger, and BOOM; the son of a gun fired just a hair out of battery, blew the back of the brass off, and spewed powder in my face. Man, that sucker was LOUD too.

So, even if it is JUST one round of the lowly .22LR, it is still worth your time to throw on eyes and ears, folks. I got off easy as I just had to wash my face and listen to a ringing for a couple hours, but it could have been worse.

I'm normally very safety conscious, but I let my laziness get the better of me for one round, and I almost payed for it.

So INGO, safety can't be taken lightly for even a single round, no matter the caliber because that is the round that may get you.

Stay safe and shoot straight...

 

[gungirl65]

Thanks for sharing your story.

 

[Diesel24v]

Check and make sure that there is not a bullet stuck in the barrell as well. My buddy has a marlin 60 and the same thing happened with not chambering a round and come to find out there was a bullet stuck in the barrell.

Thanks for sharing and glad you are ok.

 

[scottka]

Check and make sure that there is not a bullet stuck in the barrell as well. My buddy has a marlin 60 and the same thing happened with not chambering a round and come to find out there was a bullet stuck in the barrell.

Thanks for sharing and glad you are ok.

Yeah, I thought the same thing too. I should have mentioned in the OP that after this, I extracted the brass, checked the barrel for any obstruction, then cleaned the bore and put a few more rounds down range (WITH eye/ear pro) to ensure proper function. It's all good to go now. Must have just been some powder/other crap built up around the breach.

Just hoping the post makes some people think about the consequence of each shot, not only in front of the gun but behind it also.

 

[Diesel24v]

Yeah, I thought the same thing too. I should have mentioned in the OP that after this, I extracted the brass, checked the barrel for any obstruction, then cleaned the bore and put a few more rounds down range (WITH eye/ear pro) to ensure proper function. It's all good to go now. Must have just been some powder/other crap built up around the breach.

Just hoping the post makes some people think about the consequence of each shot, not only in front of the gun but behind it also.

I hear you . I shot a buddies .45 one time without ears and I probably have hearing loss from it. It took 2 weeks to get full hearing back in my left ear, and now I refuse to shoot if I do not have hearing protection.

 

[sloughfoot]

huh?

 

[scottka]

huh?

This n00b must be on a 50 post run to the classifieds

 

[SSGSAD]

I have constant, ( or almost constant) ringing in my ears... Tinnitus ?
But anyway, after 26 years in the service, and being around loud noises, I am paying the price ..... TAKE CARE of YOUR EARS, and EYES, you only have the two, that YOU were BORN with .....

 

[sloughfoot]

My tinnitus started when a pipe bomb I was trying to difuse in a Junior High School in Cold Springs, MN went high order in 1972.

It didn't help when I forgot my ears in a high power match at Camp Perry.

All those years of shooting added to it. I double plug for rifles, but I think a lot of the noise travels up the buttstock, into the jawbone and into the ear.

 

[Cannon762]

I like to take people shooting but for some reason in every group there's that one guy who's "too cool" for ear pro. Conversation ALWAYS goes like this:

Me: Hey man, you're going to want to throw your ears on, these are pretty loud.

Future deaf guy: Nah. 'sgood. (or) Nah, don't use 'em, I'm a man. Teehee.

Me: Suit yourself, but don't cry to me when you can't hear your precious Nickelback albums anymore.

Mosin: MOSINPOWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHboom

::future deaf guy equips ear protection::

Me:

I don't know why anyone would think there's a manliness or toughness or coolness or whatever to having to not wearing ear protection. It just makes people look stupid.

 

[INyooper]

A few years ago I took out my right foam ear plug at the range for some reason I don't recall ...have you ever done something and forgot that you did it? It happens to me now and then. Went back to shooting my G30 (45ACP) and got a lesson in LOUD on one shot ...then I remembered that my right ear plug was on the table.

I can't imagine how loud a gunshot would be inside a room. Next time you see a gunfight on tv or in the movies, you know all the characters in the scene would be saying "What??? Huh???" to each other during the ensuing dialog.

FWIW, my high school American History teacher was on a heavy artillery crew during his stint in the army ...and (for some odd reason) his classroom was right next to a mechanical room (with associated mechanical "wirrrr" and "hummmm" noise coming from it). The teacher couldn't hear very well, and the students knew it. So, while taking tests, it wasn't uncommon to hear in a hushed voice somewhere in the room "hey, what's the answer to #12???" Of course, I'd never participate in such behavior.

 

[Bushido Devil Dog]

I'm normally very safety conscious, but I let my laziness get the better of me for one round, and I almost payed for it.

Unfortunately...not "almost"...you did pay for it because it damaged your hearing. It may seem okay now, but this could become noticeable when you get older ...let's hope not!

Each time someone is in close proximity to a gunshot without hearing protection, the sound pressure causes damage to the hair cells (illustrated below). The overstimulation of the hair cells leads to heavy production of reactive oxygen species, leading to oxidative cell death. The hair cells cannot grow back/repair themselves, so the damage is both cumulative (each shot damages more cells) and permanent.

Be safe and protect your hearing, or lose it forever, folks!

 

[HamsterStyle]

I did the same thing a couple months ago. Glad to hear it wasn't worse.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo..._discussion/216039-reminder_safety_first.html

 

[HamsterStyle]

I can't imagine how loud a gunshot would be inside a room. Next time you see a gunfight on tv or in the movies, you know all the characters in the scene would be saying "What??? Huh???" to each other during the ensuing dialog.

Similar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNZZhTXw72M&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[gregkl]

My tinnitus started when a pipe bomb I was trying to difuse in a Junior High School in Cold Springs, MN went high order in 1972.

It didn't help when I forgot my ears in a high power match at Camp Perry.

All those years of shooting added to it. I double plug for rifles, but I think a lot of the noise travels up the buttstock, into the jawbone and into the ear.

Tinnitus here also, but I don't know how I got it. I have above average hearing(I heard that pin drop), but I have to have some noise at night to sleep or the ringing bothers me too much.

When I was a kid, we didn't use ear pro, but the ringing just started a few years ago.

Sucks getting older, I guess!

 

[churchmouse]

Right ear rings constant. I can hear the machines I work on but voices are muffled and hard to hear. The TV has to be turned up. All this came to be at the range a month or so ago. Range went cold, I pulled my eyes and ears as it was a super hot day... nut bag next to me did not pay attention to cold call and I did not pay attention to him...44 mag at less than 5 ft. Permanent damage to right ear. Left one is better but not good. Be careful, be aware, ear damage sucks.

 

[tbone1951]

Don't shoot without protection

I tried it with a .223 7.5 inch AR pistol. Something you remember believe me. It sounds like sirens going off all the time in my ears.
Hell that was 23 yrs ago.

Terry

 

[avengedXT]

Don't know from what, but with (expensive) glasses that I regularly take good care of I noticed a pit in the lens. I can only assume it's from powder burn from some point in time. I don't wear anything over my glasses for protection but I do feel like I should - just in case.

Never do the ear protection on 22LR's, like my GSG-1911 or 10/22 but I always do on anything else.

Glad you were the better safe-than-sorry type

 

[Hookeye]

My tinnitus started when a pipe bomb I was trying to difuse in a Junior High School in Cold Springs, MN went high order in 1972.

It didn't help when I forgot my ears in a high power match at Camp Perry.

All those years of shooting added to it. I double plug for rifles, but I think a lot of the noise travels up the buttstock, into the jawbone and into the ear.

And while shooting geese I can feel/hear my 1100 magnum cycling through the stock, like a pickup truck dumping scrap metal on the road

It sounds like crap, but the geese tumble.

Just some days I really hear it, even with all the honking, wing flap and blasting.....think it mostly coming through the stock into my cheek.

 

[indybuell]

Thanks for the reminder!