Negligent discharge

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MrShooter

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If you love guns as much as I do, I bet you'll soon regret selling all them off.

In January 2006, a friend was shot because they were playing with firearms. It was a JA 380, a cheap little POS that never worked right until that night. I wont go into details, but he passed away at OU Medical center that night. In distress, I told myself guns would have no part in my life anymore... A few days later after coming to my senses, i realized it was not the guns fault but the person handling it. From that day on, I have always respected firearm safety and even taught a few new shooters the importance of firearms safety. It will happen to anyone eventually if you become complacent or careless at anytime.

Give it a while, and benefit from your mistake.
 

NightShade

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Yeah I agree that slamfire seems like a big possibility and I would head to a private and safe area to check it out. If it was reloaded ammo I would be double checking to make sure that the primers are being seated fully and you didn't have one part way up just in case.

I so far have not had any ND/AD but when I put a round in the chamber I always make sure it's in a safe direction and cringe slightly. I know that it's rare but even with a modern semi-auto I try to be safe rather than sorry.

Otherwise for tonight put things up and calm your nerves fix the damage and have a nice dinner with the family. The experience will make you appreciate them even more and extra diligent from here on out.
 

tomthebaker

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I had a 1911 go full auto on me when I dropped the slide. No fingers on the trigger. Fortunately it was at the range and not at home. Sear spring needed adjustment.
 

steelfingers

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It happens sometimes. Mine was 20 years ago and all my fault. Old 38 revolver that was acting up. Had just loaded it up and had noticed a problem with the cylinder advance. Gun was loaded so I'm an idiot to be checking an issue while it's loaded. Anyway had cocked it and noticed the cylinder was sticking. Forced it a bit and bang. In the floor one round.
Turned out the cylinder advance arm was screwed up but that's no excuse. Not glad it happened but what a wake up call for someone (me) that thought he was super safe. I am now. I do exactly the same thing every time I touch a gun now. If someone hands me a gun, I check it. When I'm working, cleaning or just handling my gun, I check it. Darn sure it's unloaded if I'm going to do anything. Also extra sure where it's pointed even after making sure it's unloaded.
It happens but thank God we learn from our mistakes.
 

POKE1911

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Don't beat yourself up over an accident. Just learned from it and consider yourself lucky. I bet every one on here has had one or doesn't realize how close they are to having one. Two quick tales:

My Dad had a pistol with a retention holster was watching closely to see what it clicked into and for a brief second in his 62 years of gun handling let his mind off the trigger and put a hole in my sisters floor. He was always more than diligent with his firearms.

I had what I consider a close call. If it hadn't been double checked it could have been bad. I was trading one of my 1911's (stupid, I know). This particular one had a Magwell on the bottom and I always ran 8 round mags in it. Well at some point after cleaning it I must have stuck one of my loaded 7 round mags in. With the mag being recessed in the magwell I never noticed that I had done that (used to seeing the plastic bumper). I got to the place of trade and the guy asked if I mineded if he could dryfire it. I told him to go ahead he racked the slide back kind of holding it open and there I saw a loaded mag. That could have turned out bad. I usually error on the side of caution, but I let me guard down.

Consider yourself lucky and just use it as motivation to up your safety game. Also, thanks for sharing. Most guys would be to ashamed to admit their errors. You never know, sharing your story may have saved someone's life by reminding them to be careful.
 

chuter

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I had one a couple of years ago; pure negligence on my part. Got cocky and in a hurry at the same time. Fortunately the safety rules sort of overlap, so I only hurt a floor tile and some sheetrock.

Like you I questioned whether I should even own guns; took 2 or 3 weeks for me to get over it, but I felt the shame and embarrassment for a long time.
 

MacFromOK

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I had a couple of NDs as a teenager on my Dad's H&R 16 gauge with a hair trigger (and I mean that literally).

Both were in the field, and no one was injured, but the experiences made me very aware that accidents do happen, and extremely glad that Dad always taught us kids to NEVER point a gun in someone's direction, loaded or not.

Don't dump your guns, just learn from the experience. And try to be more careful.
 

soonersfan

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I was in a tactical rifle class and I was primarily a pistol shooter. None of my pistols had safeties at the time and I struggled to remember to put my rifle on safety after shooting. I was using a single point sling with my rifle hanging, pointed at the ground, slightly to my left of center. I went to grab the grip with my left hand and pull the rifle to my left side while we were going down range. I am a right handed shooter so I was basically grabbing the grip upside down with my left hand. As I pulled the rifle , I snagged the trigger on something on my belt and fired a round in the ground.

I was immediately relieved that my muzzle was at least pointed in a safe direction and no one was hurt. I was more embarrassed than I've probably ever been in my adult life. I fully expected to be scolded, sent home, etc. I felt so guilty about it, I nearly excused myself. The instructor told me what I already knew about what could have happened. Then we drilled and drilled and drilled. I stood there with the rifle mounted to shoulder for what seemed like an eternity, putting that rifle on fire on safe on fire on safe, etc. at his command. Looking back, the instructor couldn't have handled things any better than he did.

To answer your question about getting over it, I haven't and probably never will. I hope that experience will always be in my head and will always remind me not to be complacent just because I've done it thousands of times before. It sounds like in your case, it may not have even been your fault. At least you had the gun pointed in a safe direction and no one was hurt. Don't let the experience alter your love of guns or your passion for shooting. As safe as you've handled guns in the past, my guess is you'll take even more precautions in the future.
 

n423

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Glad nobody was injured, put guns away for a while but I wouldn't sell them. I got mad once and pawned all my guns. One of the stupidest things I have ever done.

BTW, never had an AD.
 

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