Shot myself yesterday - The Firearms Forum

Ruger.44 · 10-02-2005, 05:27 PM

Yep, you read that right, I shot myself.

It happened like this...

I just came to inherit my grandfathers LLama Micromax .380. I always admired this piece for it's easy concealability and light weight. So, I loaded it up and packed it in the car.

Later that day...

I'm sitting there in my car, waiting for a client to show up with the rest of my money ( I just finished building a deck for him). I had the weapon between my seat and the center console of my car. I keep it on half cock to reduce the risk of a "drop fire" and have the safety on. I reached down with my right hand to remove it and place it in the glove box ( so that my client didn't see it and get wierded out). I gripped it by the slide, with the web of my thumb and forefinger over the hammer. As I lifted it from its perch, it discharged, striking me in the left thigh about 6 inches below the groin, exiting from the rear, about 12 inches below my buttock, and embedding itself in the door of my ride, leaving a tell tail lump on the door skin.

A futher investigation showed that the safety failed.

I have handled this weapon hundreds of times. I knew it hadn't been fired in a couple of years. I DIDN"T DO A FUNCTION CHECK!!!

I have many years of experience and alot of instructor time. Maybe too much. I became complacent and then I got hurt.

As a copuple of side notes:

In and out, no bone strike or vessel damage. I should be back to work in a week or so.

I was loaded with Winchester Silver Tips. Don't use these. There was absolutely no expansion after passing through 14" of solid flesh. Not that I'm complaining but, If I was being attacked, and received the same injury, I was more than capable of returning fire. Fact is, I'm not even taking any pain medication. It feels like a bruise.

Moral:

Always check your wepon's function before you carry it.

Jim

glocknut · 10-02-2005, 05:43 PM

A silvertip not expanding ?? hmmm...

mike
gn

SouthernMoss · 10-02-2005, 06:32 PM

First of all: I'm glad you're (mostly) ok!

Thanks for sharing your experience with us. It's a pointed reminder that we must NEVER become complacent.

BTW - what was your client's reaction?

Ruger.44 · 10-02-2005, 07:02 PM

My client's reaction?

He didn't really notice at first. I was seated in my car on the cell with 9-1-1 and he kinda waved and walked by. After I got his attention and gave him my phone, he sorta freaked out. I was most concerned with controlling bleeding and getting the weapon cleared, as I didn't know why it discharged, only that it was malfunctioning and dangerous to everyone around it. I lost a lot of blood in the first minute, before getting the bleeding under control so, I was starting to fade into shock and tunnel vision. He wasn't medically trained and didn't really know how to help, aside from talking to the emergency operator.

On the bright side, I told him his bill was in the passenger seat of my car. He took it and wrote me a check right there.

I hope I don't have to shoot myself evertime someone owes me money

.

Jim

berto64 · 10-02-2005, 08:18 PM

Glad to hear the damage wasn't more serious. Take it easy and keep it clean. Get better soon!

My son did something similar with a .25 Colt Jr. Auto last year except the round went thru the the front of his thigh and came out of the side about 8 inches away.

Same for him, no pain killers just hurt like a bad bruise.

I now have a copper dot in the wooden floor of my living room, but I'm glad he is all healed & fine now.

358 winchester · 10-03-2005, 05:30 AM

Ruger44
you are lucky and we are glad you will be OK.
The worst part of shooting your self is nobody will let you live it down

I had an accidental discharge of a POS 22 auto while trying to remove a live round, dang bullet ricocheted off my wedding band and through the meat of my little finger. the local sheriffs deputy's made dang sure that everyone in the county knew about it. They still pick on me about it

By the way the sliver tip would have expanded had it hit something a little more then just an old meaty thigh

lead · 10-03-2005, 06:54 AM

I'm glad you're okay. I've met two people who had similar experiences and both were in law enforcement and had the same story about being complacent. It's a sobering reminder for us all.
Two morals her actually, never let yourself get complacent about carrying a loaded firearm, and don't carry Llama's.

358 winchester · 10-03-2005, 08:12 AM

and don't carry Llama's.
your right Lead
they will spit on you

Country101 · 10-03-2005, 09:25 AM

Ouch.

gunfreakboy · 10-03-2005, 09:39 AM

Good thing you didn't change yourself from a rooster to a hen.

1952Sniper · 10-03-2005, 10:48 AM

Wow, sorry to hear about this. I guess those safety rules are worth something after all. Even with a malfunction, if you hadn't been pointing it at yourself (even for a split second) it wouldn't have shot you.

Glad to hear you're mostly OK, and I hope everyone that hears your story learns from it.

Ruger.44 · 10-03-2005, 12:50 PM

I'm hearing you, Sniper.

As I've said before, I caused this. I failed myself before the weapon failed me. I do hope that everyone that reads this takes a good close look at how they handle their firearms.

That's kinda why I brought it here. Most people wouldn't want to go throgh the humiliation of admitting they did something that stupid but, I had the pleasure of being wheeled into a trauma room in the E.R. and have my pants cut off of me, while going "Commando"

in the undergarment department. That was the end of any humility I had left.

On a most serious note, I know that I have crossed the barrel of my own firearm many times. I didn't realize it then but, thinking back, I'm sure of it. Likewise, I was taught to carry on half cock by my old DS in the Army. Bad, bad advice. He said it would prevent a "drop fire". My next mistake was treating this Llama like a colt 1911a1. It is not! It might look like a mini 1911 but, a close examination of the manual, along with the manual for my MkIV Series 80, my Kimber manual, and a couple of internet resources, showed that there are major differences in the internal mechanics. I will never take these things for granted again.

I became too complacent and got bit.
Speaking of bit, I keep getting these lectures from people about how " That should teach you not to own guns!!"

WTF, like I need to hear about how guns kill people. I'm VERY aware of what can happen when a gun goes off and it's pointed at you. Fact is, I got into a car accident last year but I still drive. I stubbed my toe and broke it 6 months ago but I still walk! My biggest fear at this point is that people will use my situation as a piece against firearms ownership instead of a tool to teach safety.

Jim

inplanotx · 10-03-2005, 01:28 PM

I'm sorry to hear about your accident, however, I am glad you came out well.

I did not want to say anything before this, but a half cock notch IS NOT A SAFETY per say. It is there to catch the hammer in case of a hammer drop due to a sear engagement problem. Plain and simple. An automatic should never be carried with the hammer in this position. I would tend to bet that if you have the weapon fully cocked and locked, the saftey would have saved your accident. Also if the hammer were down.

Again, glad you are well.

1952Sniper · 10-03-2005, 01:33 PM

Do you mind if I share your story elsewhere (on gun forums) as a safety reminder? I'll keep it as an anonymous "acquaintance", of course. I just think this is a great example of how something so seemingly routine can change your life. Everyone stresses gun safety at the range or when cleaning. But this is one of those types of stories that happened in an environment where you least expect it, for seemingly no reason (not one that anyone would expect, anyway). It's a good reminder to people that firearms should always be treated the same, no matter what the situation, and I'd like to use it as an example if you wouldn't mind.

Ruger.44 · 10-03-2005, 01:44 PM

By all means, Sniper. If this lesson can save someone the experience I have, go for it.

In regards to the half cock, I'm not sure exactlly why it discharged, though, unloaded and fully cocked, safety on, when I pull the trigger, the safety rotates down and the hammer falls. It doesn't require a great deal of presure to make it go. I figure that when I grabbed it, I must have put enough force on the half cocked hammer to release it from the sear. I haven't gone any farther than this but, I am willing to bet that when my smith gets a look at it, he'll find the sears to be a bit rounded.

Just to reiterate the point, I would have found it if I did a function check. (I'll stop beating my head against this wall when the headache is worse than the pain in my leg.)

Country101 · 10-03-2005, 04:15 PM

Ruger, I bet you wish you'd listened to your mamma a little more when she told you to always wear clean underwear in case you got in an accident, huh?

Crpdeth · 10-03-2005, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruger.44

Snip: I shot myself.

Jim, I'm sure glad you shared this with us, I am planning on taking a few of my family members to the shooting club in a few weeks and I am already dreading the "safety instructions" that I know will come bubbling out of my mouth in the direction of those with little to no firearm training, the thing is I dont want people to look back on our rare time together and all they remember is me and my mouth, but your story is a nice reminder that safety should be first no matter what...I'm sure I will think of tactfull ways to be bossy.

Shooter45 · 10-03-2005, 05:37 PM

Ruger, I'm glad you're OK. I'm also glad that you shared your story with everyone on this forum. You can never be too careful with any firearm.

Get well.

Carl S · 10-03-2005, 06:00 PM

Wow, Jim; you were blessed. That could have been a whole lot worse. I appreciate your sharing the story. We all have gotten complacent at one time or another and we all have mishandled a firearm. Most of us were lucky that there were no bad results.

glocknut · 10-03-2005, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruger.44

On the bright side, I told him his bill was in the passenger seat of my car. He took it and wrote me a check right there.

Now there's a way to collect money owed....

Glad you are ok. I should have said that up front. Sorry.

mike
gn

henry0reilly · 10-03-2005, 11:15 PM

Reminds me of a couple of stories.

I saw a guy at the range put a loaded chinese tokarov into his trunk on half cock. I set him straight on that one pretty quick.

A guy I used to work with got into an argument at a bar, fired a round out of a .25 to make his point and left. A couple miles down the road he sees flashing lights in the mirror and figures he's about about to be pulled over. He tried to drop the clip out of the gun with one hand, but shot himself instead. He pulled over and the cop went right on by.

I'm glad you lived to tell the tale, Ruger.

LIKTOSHOOT · 10-04-2005, 11:04 AM

Ruger, two things. First glad you will survive this, and secondly-thank you for sharing. While I`m sure everyone can say something of fault, it also brings reality to the forefront. I can honestly say, I see accidents waiting to happen more than anyone would admit. Some may say "never" me. To that I will say this. In all my years of shooting and being around it, I to this day see people who do something daily that could harm themselves or others.
No one wants to admit it, but it happens just the same and whether they admit it or not, most all are guilty. The fact that you share this in the open leads to your charactor. I thank you and others should do the same.

LTS

rosierita · 10-04-2005, 02:39 PM

ruger ~ 1st off, i'm so glad you are okay!!

thanks for sharing your experience w/ us.
quit beating yourself up over this! you're making the best of this situation by telling what happened & reminding us all to be more cautious about our actions. we can ALL use that reminder, no matter our years of experience!

thanks again! & i hope you're healed up quickly!

Deputy Dawg · 10-04-2005, 05:24 PM

Ruger glad you are ok, sorry to hear about your mishap, it could have been worse, good thing it was not a 45acp or a 44 MAG.

wipala · 10-05-2005, 12:27 AM

Your'e lucky you didn't clip the femoral artery. You would have bled out before you reached the hospital. Half cock could have applied to more than your pistol if you get my drift. Glad to hear you are allright.

10-02-2005, 05:27 PM	#1
Ruger.44 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 55	Shot myself yesterday Yep, you read that right, I shot myself. It happened like this... I just came to inherit my grandfathers LLama Micromax .380. I always admired this piece for it's easy concealability and light weight. So, I loaded it up and packed it in the car. Later that day... I'm sitting there in my car, waiting for a client to show up with the rest of my money ( I just finished building a deck for him). I had the weapon between my seat and the center console of my car. I keep it on half cock to reduce the risk of a "drop fire" and have the safety on. I reached down with my right hand to remove it and place it in the glove box ( so that my client didn't see it and get wierded out). I gripped it by the slide, with the web of my thumb and forefinger over the hammer. As I lifted it from its perch, it discharged, striking me in the left thigh about 6 inches below the groin, exiting from the rear, about 12 inches below my buttock, and embedding itself in the door of my ride, leaving a tell tail lump on the door skin. A futher investigation showed that the safety failed. I have handled this weapon hundreds of times. I knew it hadn't been fired in a couple of years. I DIDN"T DO A FUNCTION CHECK!!! I have many years of experience and alot of instructor time. Maybe too much. I became complacent and then I got hurt. As a copuple of side notes: In and out, no bone strike or vessel damage. I should be back to work in a week or so. I was loaded with Winchester Silver Tips. Don't use these. There was absolutely no expansion after passing through 14" of solid flesh. Not that I'm complaining but, If I was being attacked, and received the same injury, I was more than capable of returning fire. Fact is, I'm not even taking any pain medication. It feels like a bruise. Moral: Always check your wepon's function before you carry it. Jim __________________ -->

10-02-2005, 05:43 PM	#2
glocknut Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: THE FORUM MASCOTT... Posts: 12,482	Re: Shot myself yesterday A silvertip not expanding ?? hmmm... mike gn __________________ Where O where are you tonight? Why have you gone and left me alone? I searched to world over and a thought i found true love... You met another and PTThhh you were gone....

10-02-2005, 06:32 PM	#3
SouthernMoss Admin Tech Staff Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: SW MS Contributor Posts: 10,651	Re: Shot myself yesterday First of all: I'm glad you're (mostly) ok! Thanks for sharing your experience with us. It's a pointed reminder that we must NEVER become complacent. BTW - what was your client's reaction? __________________ My Second protects your First "I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand." - Susan B Anthony

10-02-2005, 07:02 PM	#4
Ruger.44 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 55	Re: Shot myself yesterday My client's reaction? He didn't really notice at first. I was seated in my car on the cell with 9-1-1 and he kinda waved and walked by. After I got his attention and gave him my phone, he sorta freaked out. I was most concerned with controlling bleeding and getting the weapon cleared, as I didn't know why it discharged, only that it was malfunctioning and dangerous to everyone around it. I lost a lot of blood in the first minute, before getting the bleeding under control so, I was starting to fade into shock and tunnel vision. He wasn't medically trained and didn't really know how to help, aside from talking to the emergency operator. On the bright side, I told him his bill was in the passenger seat of my car. He took it and wrote me a check right there. I hope I don't have to shoot myself evertime someone owes me money . Jim __________________

10-02-2005, 08:18 PM	#5
berto64 VMBB Admin Staff Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Owyhee County, Idaho Contributor Posts: 7,385	Re: Shot myself yesterday Glad to hear the damage wasn't more serious. Take it easy and keep it clean. Get better soon! My son did something similar with a .25 Colt Jr. Auto last year except the round went thru the the front of his thigh and came out of the side about 8 inches away. Same for him, no pain killers just hurt like a bad bruise. I now have a copper dot in the wooden floor of my living room, but I'm glad he is all healed & fine now. __________________ Be who you are & say what you will, Those that matter won't mind and those that mind don't matter. I'm a bitter clinger, One Nation Under God.

10-03-2005, 05:30 AM	#6
358 winchester TFF Admin Staff Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Pensacola Fl. area Posts: 7,335	Re: Shot myself yesterday Ruger44 you are lucky and we are glad you will be OK. The worst part of shooting your self is nobody will let you live it down I had an accidental discharge of a POS 22 auto while trying to remove a live round, dang bullet ricocheted off my wedding band and through the meat of my little finger. the local sheriffs deputy's made dang sure that everyone in the county knew about it. They still pick on me about it By the way the sliver tip would have expanded had it hit something a little more then just an old meaty thigh __________________ Administrator & Owner RangeDay.com Proud, White, Heterosexual, Gun Owning, Southern American, Christian. Any question about where I stand?

10-03-2005, 06:54 AM	#7
lead Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,522	Re: Shot myself yesterday I'm glad you're okay. I've met two people who had similar experiences and both were in law enforcement and had the same story about being complacent. It's a sobering reminder for us all. Two morals her actually, never let yourself get complacent about carrying a loaded firearm, and don't carry Llama's. __________________ The best things in life, are not things.

10-03-2005, 08:12 AM	#8
358 winchester TFF Admin Staff Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Pensacola Fl. area Posts: 7,335	Re: Shot myself yesterday and don't carry Llama's. your right Lead they will spit on you __________________ Administrator & Owner RangeDay.com Proud, White, Heterosexual, Gun Owning, Southern American, Christian. Any question about where I stand?

10-03-2005, 09:25 AM	#9
Country101 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Dardanelle, AR Contributor Posts: 2,026	Re: Shot myself yesterday Ouch. __________________ Gainfully employed= shooting somebody elses bullets and getting paid for it Country101

10-03-2005, 09:39 AM	#10
gunfreakboy V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Buffalo, N.Y. Posts: 338	Re: Shot myself yesterday Good thing you didn't change yourself from a rooster to a hen.

10-03-2005, 10:48 AM	#11
1952Sniper Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 5,138	Re: Shot myself yesterday Wow, sorry to hear about this. I guess those safety rules are worth something after all. Even with a malfunction, if you hadn't been pointing it at yourself (even for a split second) it wouldn't have shot you. Glad to hear you're mostly OK, and I hope everyone that hears your story learns from it.

10-03-2005, 12:50 PM	#12
Ruger.44 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 55	Re: Shot myself yesterday I'm hearing you, Sniper. As I've said before, I caused this. I failed myself before the weapon failed me. I do hope that everyone that reads this takes a good close look at how they handle their firearms. That's kinda why I brought it here. Most people wouldn't want to go throgh the humiliation of admitting they did something that stupid but, I had the pleasure of being wheeled into a trauma room in the E.R. and have my pants cut off of me, while going "Commando" in the undergarment department. That was the end of any humility I had left. On a most serious note, I know that I have crossed the barrel of my own firearm many times. I didn't realize it then but, thinking back, I'm sure of it. Likewise, I was taught to carry on half cock by my old DS in the Army. Bad, bad advice. He said it would prevent a "drop fire". My next mistake was treating this Llama like a colt 1911a1. It is not! It might look like a mini 1911 but, a close examination of the manual, along with the manual for my MkIV Series 80, my Kimber manual, and a couple of internet resources, showed that there are major differences in the internal mechanics. I will never take these things for granted again. I became too complacent and got bit. Speaking of bit, I keep getting these lectures from people about how " That should teach you not to own guns!!" WTF, like I need to hear about how guns kill people. I'm VERY aware of what can happen when a gun goes off and it's pointed at you. Fact is, I got into a car accident last year but I still drive. I stubbed my toe and broke it 6 months ago but I still walk! My biggest fear at this point is that people will use my situation as a piece against firearms ownership instead of a tool to teach safety. Jim __________________ Last edited by Ruger.44; 10-03-2005 at 12:54 PM.. Reason: the holes in my leg caused me to spell bad

10-03-2005, 01:28 PM	#13
inplanotx Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 8,897	Re: Shot myself yesterday I'm sorry to hear about your accident, however, I am glad you came out well. I did not want to say anything before this, but a half cock notch IS NOT A SAFETY per say. It is there to catch the hammer in case of a hammer drop due to a sear engagement problem. Plain and simple. An automatic should never be carried with the hammer in this position. I would tend to bet that if you have the weapon fully cocked and locked, the saftey would have saved your accident. Also if the hammer were down. Again, glad you are well. __________________

10-03-2005, 01:33 PM	#14
1952Sniper Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 5,138	Re: Shot myself yesterday Do you mind if I share your story elsewhere (on gun forums) as a safety reminder? I'll keep it as an anonymous "acquaintance", of course. I just think this is a great example of how something so seemingly routine can change your life. Everyone stresses gun safety at the range or when cleaning. But this is one of those types of stories that happened in an environment where you least expect it, for seemingly no reason (not one that anyone would expect, anyway). It's a good reminder to people that firearms should always be treated the same, no matter what the situation, and I'd like to use it as an example if you wouldn't mind.

10-03-2005, 01:44 PM	#15
Ruger.44 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 55	Re: Shot myself yesterday By all means, Sniper. If this lesson can save someone the experience I have, go for it. In regards to the half cock, I'm not sure exactlly why it discharged, though, unloaded and fully cocked, safety on, when I pull the trigger, the safety rotates down and the hammer falls. It doesn't require a great deal of presure to make it go. I figure that when I grabbed it, I must have put enough force on the half cocked hammer to release it from the sear. I haven't gone any farther than this but, I am willing to bet that when my smith gets a look at it, he'll find the sears to be a bit rounded. Just to reiterate the point, I would have found it if I did a function check. (I'll stop beating my head against this wall when the headache is worse than the pain in my leg.) __________________

10-03-2005, 04:15 PM	#16
Country101 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Dardanelle, AR Contributor Posts: 2,026	Re: Shot myself yesterday Ruger, I bet you wish you'd listened to your mamma a little more when she told you to always wear clean underwear in case you got in an accident, huh? __________________ Gainfully employed= shooting somebody elses bullets and getting paid for it Country101

10-03-2005, 05:37 PM	#18
Shooter45 Administrator Join Date: Feb 2001 Contributor Posts: 8,747	Re: Shot myself yesterday Ruger, I'm glad you're OK. I'm also glad that you shared your story with everyone on this forum. You can never be too careful with any firearm. Get well.

10-03-2005, 06:00 PM	#19
Carl S Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bunnell, FL Posts: 1,015	Re: Shot myself yesterday Wow, Jim; you were blessed. That could have been a whole lot worse. I appreciate your sharing the story. We all have gotten complacent at one time or another and we all have mishandled a firearm. Most of us were lucky that there were no bad results. __________________ Carl S Old Soldier The Bill of Rights - guaranteed by the Second Amendment You can trust the government - just ask any Indian

10-03-2005, 11:15 PM	#21
henry0reilly Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Indiana Posts: 553	Re: Shot myself yesterday Reminds me of a couple of stories. I saw a guy at the range put a loaded chinese tokarov into his trunk on half cock. I set him straight on that one pretty quick. A guy I used to work with got into an argument at a bar, fired a round out of a .25 to make his point and left. A couple miles down the road he sees flashing lights in the mirror and figures he's about about to be pulled over. He tried to drop the clip out of the gun with one hand, but shot himself instead. He pulled over and the cop went right on by. I'm glad you lived to tell the tale, Ruger. __________________ The only Thing necessary for Evil to Triumph is that Good Men do Nothing. Recruit someone for the NRA today!

10-04-2005, 11:04 AM	#22
LIKTOSHOOT Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 9,367	Re: Shot myself yesterday Ruger, two things. First glad you will survive this, and secondly-thank you for sharing. While I`m sure everyone can say something of fault, it also brings reality to the forefront. I can honestly say, I see accidents waiting to happen more than anyone would admit. Some may say "never" me. To that I will say this. In all my years of shooting and being around it, I to this day see people who do something daily that could harm themselves or others. No one wants to admit it, but it happens just the same and whether they admit it or not, most all are guilty. The fact that you share this in the open leads to your charactor. I thank you and others should do the same. LTS

10-04-2005, 02:39 PM	#23
rosierita Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: South Carolina Posts: 5,218	Re: Shot myself yesterday ruger ~ 1st off, i'm so glad you are okay!! thanks for sharing your experience w/ us. quit beating yourself up over this! you're making the best of this situation by telling what happened & reminding us all to be more cautious about our actions. we can ALL use that reminder, no matter our years of experience! thanks again! & i hope you're healed up quickly! __________________

10-04-2005, 05:24 PM	#24
Deputy Dawg Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Central Texas Gulf Coast Posts: 2,229	Re: Shot myself yesterday Ruger glad you are ok, sorry to hear about your mishap, it could have been worse, good thing it was not a 45acp or a 44 MAG. __________________ LOCK and LOAD................................... GOD, GUNS,GUTS the three that keep us FREE!!!!

10-05-2005, 12:27 AM	#25
wipala Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 2	Re: Shot myself yesterday Your'e lucky you didn't clip the femoral artery. You would have bled out before you reached the hospital. Half cock could have applied to more than your pistol if you get my drift. Glad to hear you are allright.