OK, Coming clean(pics as requested)caution....

[Chrisj CMA]

First, if this gets long appreciate the fact that once again I am reduced to typing one handed (left handed)  thankful for spell check!

Second, No it wasn't the cement mixer this time

Third....for all you gun nuts, I write this being humbled, embarrassed (humiliated even) but I feel its important to say.  I never thought it would happen to me, that's part of e arrogance I now know I had.  If you loose even SOME respect for anything dangerous...BEWARE that's when you get bit.

I am a wheel gun guy...revolvers if you didn't recognize that term.  but I figured I should at least clean the little .25 semi and maybe put it in the closet (storage) since I don't use it.

I dropped the magazine and THOUHT I remembered that I had removed the round from the chamber, therefore neglecting the second (and ALWAYS) required second step of jacking the slide.

Well, the firing pin doesn't care if you pull the trigger to lower the sear or raise the firing pin off the sear by trying to remove the slide.  That pin is GOING!  

The result was that the weapon discharged.  SCARED THE POOP OUT OF ALL OF US IN THE ROOM!  Thankfully, I was only one hurt.  The bullet passed through the center of the middle digit of the middle finger of my right hand.  You talk about OUCH!!

So, off to the ER (again)  Had to go immediately into surgery and my surgeon did a fantastic job putting the shattered bone together.  He also was amazed (me more so) that the tendons although damaged were still attached and plenty strong to heal back.  Also, there was no circulation or sensation lost to the fingertip which I view as nothing less than a miracle.

Now its the SO old waiting for the healing process, don't get me wrong, I am happy, thankful and blessed this wasn't worse, but I am impatient, one more quality I need to work on as well as pride.  The good news is, I don't need the pain pills, it happened Thursday (Christmas EVE) and I came home from the hospital Friday night and haven't used a pain pill yet.  

I was pretty proud of the fact that I knew lots about guns and I was so safety conscience that I would have bet you lots of money this could not happen to me.

While in the hospital, after the surgery a uniformed police officer passed by my door and looked in.  I know the hospital is required to report all GSW cases so  thought he may have been coming to see me.  So, I called out "you looking for me"  He wasn't but he stopped in to chat.  I am certain he wanted to know why I thought he was looking for me.  Once I told him my story he relaxed and told me a story.

He said when he was in the academy their first gun class was eight hours of:

REMOVE MAGAZIE/PULL BACK THE SLIDE  
REMOVE MAGAZIE/PULL BACK THE SLIDE
REMOVE MAGAZIE/PULL BACK THE SLIDE
REMOVE MAGAZIE/PULL BACK THE SLIDE
REMOVE MAGAZIE/PULL BACK THE SLIDE  

He said he wished we all knew how common this mistake really is

My thought is that anyone that owns a semi auto pistol should practice and practice until those two actions are irreversibly linked.  So it becomes close to impossible to remove the magazine without jacking the slide.

I think this goes for guns, motorcycles, anything inherently dangerous.  Know and follow the rules even if you get to the point where you think you know better and don't have to

Your life, or someone else's may depend on it

I didn't follow the rules and am paying the price.  Say anything you wish, it cant hurt my feelings any worse that what people have already said, and what I have said to myself.  

Just don't be the next one to do what I did! And YES THERE WILL BE A NEXT ONE.



 


  

[Hoser]

So glad it wasn't worse.  It happens, I once shot a hole in my pickup floor while unloading my 30-30 after a deer hunt. Missed my foot, though.  I felt like a fool, never did tell the missus, I would never have lived it down.  Hope you heal well. Hoser 

[Gryphon Rider]

Complacency and/or distractions are our enemies when it comes to safety.  We know what we should do, but sometimes we don't do it.  A couple of weeks ago I jacked up the front right corner of a friend's car to look at some suspension damage (his son hit a curb in an icy parking lot), but forgot to block the left rear wheel.  Nothing bad happened, but when I realized that I didn't do what I know I should always do, it was a bit of a shock.  It made me be more deliberately safety conscious when doing the repair.

I'm glad you showed us the after-bandaged photo rather than the before-bandaged one.  

[dreamaker]

Good thing you weren't taking a Wizz at the time, we would be calling you Miss. LOL Just trying to cheer you up, we are humans, so you take care of yourself.

[Hook#3287]

Man, could have been so much worse.

Thankfully, I was only one hurt.  

That is the most important part of the story.

Thankfully/hopefully, you'll heal up with just a bad memory and a lesson.

Hang in there

[Jess from VA]

Sorry for your finger there Jeff.  Thanks for the courage to tell this story, and happy to hear you will heal up with full function.  

Yes, it can happen to anyone.  I have a hole in my Spanish tile floor, right beside my safe where my (almost) empty Hi Power fired a round from the chamber with the mag out and laying on the safe.  Normally a Hi Power will not fire without the magazine, but I do not like this feature and had removed the magazine disconnect.  Of course this was not the reason for the AD; it was because I got in a hurry and was not paying attention to what I was doing, as I dropped the hammer on an (almost) empty chamber to clear a loaded piece to put it away.  The big chip in the tile next to the safe is also embarrassing, but I decided it needed to stay that way as a permanent reminder of my error.  

I had the left ring fingertip chopped off in a chipper, and that story is even more humbling than the AD. It was sewed back on at an ER, but took nearly a decade to return to full feeling.  It only takes very cold weather to make it ache like heck and remind me all over again.  Only two months later, while still healing, I cut the same finger down to the bone at the middle joint with a utility knife repairing old electrical work, and when I went back to the same ER, the same trauma surgeon admired his recent work sewing my fingertip back on.... and then said Jess, if you don't want this finger, I can remove it for you with much less pain and suffering than you've been inflicting on it.  

Everyone's a comedian.  

Take care.

Proverbs 16:18 - Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

[Willow]

Jeff, I'm sorry to hear that this happened to you.  I was more than pleased to read that it wasn't with the fifty cal.

Heal well.  Learn on this hard lesson.  The lessons only get harder when we don't.   

[hubcapsc]

Glad you're (mostly) OK 

-Mike

[KG]

There is a hole through my best friends refrigerator that I put there with a 22. There were some big rats down by the barn eating produce he sells at his roadside stand we saw them and headed out the door to dispatch them.

 I think it was a very old iver Johnson 22 pump that he handed me and as I went out the door I worked the slide with a little more force than I should have and bang. Scared the hell out of us. Went through the fridge without hitting anything and through the cabinet and lodged itself in the side of the drawer. Somedays you just get lucky

[Detn8er]

My oldest Brother, also my only Brother only has one leg now.....It is amazing how much damage an unloaded 12 gauge shot gun can do. Happened about 35 years ago. When I went to see him in the hospital I got next to his ear and whispered dumbass..... He nodded and said yes I am. Stuff happens...sometimes we live through it.  

[henry 008]

Glad you're (mostly) OK 

-Mike

+1
I was sitting on the couch at a friends house one time and I looked up and saw a hole in the ceiling.  ???  It looked like you could stick a pencil thru it on an angle. I asked him what it was and he said. " I was dropping the hammer on my "unloaded" semi and it went off"    he said that he thought he racked the slide after he took the mag out, turns out her racked it and then took the mag out. pulled the trigger and bang.    hole in the floor.
when he comes home from work and goes upstairs to change. I leave the living room.    lol!

[wiggydotcom]

It wouldn't be proper for anybody to beat you down, Jeff. I'm sorry to hear about the mishap but we all screw up and I'm glad your outcome wasn't any worse.

I've had a rifle and shotgun in my youth but never owned any guns as an adult--while my kids were growing up. It was just a personal preference not to have any guns in the house---at that period in time. 
With that said, I applied for my first FOID card on Dec 8th and am awaiting approval, etc.
I'm new to pistols and have been doing lot's of reading about terms, which kind to try etc. I'm not going to do much till I get the FOID but will go to a range that hopefully rents them and try a few out to see how it fits, etc.

So, even a painful lesson for you to share is an immense heads up for someone like myself just starting out. I was taught gun safety when my Dad took my brother and I to Montgomery Wards when I was 12 and I bought my first bolt action .22  for 15 bucks!

But a reminder never hurts especially when I'm just learning the interworking of pistols.

I thank you and wish you a speedy and complete recovery!

[The emperor has no clothes]

Like everyone else has said, I'm glad you are relatively ok. I'm sure you are very thankful it hit you instead of your wife. It is very easy to get complacent with something that you are very familiar with. Thanks for sharing your story and getting the rest of us to be a little less casual with safety.

[cookiedough]

I think we all have at one point or MORE in life did stupid mistakes costing us some damage of some sort to body or personal belongings.   

Just be thankful it hopefully will all work out o.k..  HEEL fast and well!

Last winter I smashed my right pinky finger in between moving the trailer tongue and the BB hoop down almost to the bone, but me being stubborn, did not go to the dr. and probably needed stitches since in the joint of my pinky finger pretty ugly.  It heeled thankfully but left a nasty scar for life.  Just lucky I was wearing winter mittens to absorb some of the crushing impact.  I thought I got my hand and all fingers outta there in time, guess not. 

And yes,  I have forgotten as well to block the rear wheesl if changing a front tire, but luckily no accident but best be safe than sorry. 

[Gavin_Sons]

Now the lefty guys can stress even more about how no one needs to carry guns because people are unsafe and even shoot themselves. I have never misfired a weapon but know sever that have. I remove the magazine work the slide several times and look down the barrel (of course from the chamber side). I'm becoming more of a wheel gun guy myself. Got this new Taurus Raging Bull in 44 mag and it holds a 2.5" group at 75 yards. Of course thats with my handloads factory loads were about 6" group.

[solo1]

As everyone else has said, heal quickly.

 Many years ago our family had a similar accident with a .45ACP 1911.  Although the pistol was pointed in a safe direction, the bullet ricocheted and hit a friend in the leg, fortunately only a slight wound. All of my instructions back then were ignored which caused the problem.  Partially my fault for leaving a loaded weapon in an unsecured place.   The good news, and result, is that we now have been teaching forearm safety for a long time emphasizing dropping mag first, then racking the slide.  Also, all my loaded pistols are now secured in a quick open pistol safe, even though I live alone.

Again, I'm glad that nothing worse happened. Bad enough on the finger.  Thank you Chris, for the honesty to mention it and make this a teaching moment.

[Serk]

Ouch.

Let me add to the chorus of "Glad it wasn't even worse" and thank you for being brave enough to share your experience.

I've had people mock me for being over the top anal retentive checking and re-checking weapons are clear, but if it's left my hands it gets re-cleared when it's back in my hands.

(And I'm not perfect, nor do I claim to be, just tried to make that a habit and for the most part have.)

Heal fast!

[LTD]

That can happen to anyone. My best friends dad whose a former marine battled hardened veteran of Korea and knew firearms as well as anybody did it. I saw it scared the crap out of me went off about two feet from my face fortunately no one got hurt but his pride. I never would have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself. You can never be too safe that's for sure.

[hubcapsc]

This one?



-Mike

[rocketray]

all the automatic gun owners--BEWARE OF THE SLAM FIRE!!!!---a dirty fire pin can hang up when the bolt is released onto a chambered round..I have had it happen twice----always slowly drop the bolt onto a chambered round manually!!!

[hubcapsc]

all the automatic gun owners--BEWARE OF THE SLAM FIRE!!!!---a dirty fire pin can hang up when the bolt is released onto a chambered round..I have had it happen twice----always slowly drop the bolt onto a chambered round manually!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVoShs4gzSI

[Tailgate Tommy]

Glad you're going to be ok. Heal fast!
Tom

[Gideon]

I am sure God guided your surgeon's hands.
Happy to hear you are on the mend. 
God bless

[BF]

Your thumb nail always that short? 

Heal well Jeff.   

[98valk]

Chris,
so sorry to read this. heal fast with the Blood of JC   

God Bless

[gordonv]

What more can be said? Heal up and hope to see you back doing what you love soon.

I'm sure no one is beating you up more than yourself for your momentary lapse of concentration.

A simple lesson for all of use to remember and put into practice.

[Jess from VA]

all the automatic gun owners--BEWARE OF THE SLAM FIRE!!!!---a dirty fire pin can hang up when the bolt is released onto a chambered round..I have had it happen twice----always slowly drop the bolt onto a chambered round manually!!!

Slowly easing a bolt forward on autos (rifle or pistol) is an excellent way to cause a feed jam (which can be hard to clear, and bad mojo in an emergency reload).  You are supposed to work the bolt back and drop it cleanly, letting the bolt and springs do their work.  I understand slam fires.  The rule about always keeping the muzzle in a safe position (muzzle security) and never covering anything you don't want to destroy is always applicable, including when jacking a round into the chamber.

If your weapon is slam firing, it needs (immediate) attention.

[Serk]

all the automatic gun owners--BEWARE OF THE SLAM FIRE!!!!---a dirty fire pin can hang up when the bolt is released onto a chambered round..I have had it happen twice----always slowly drop the bolt onto a chambered round manually!!!

Slowly easing a bolt forward on autos (rifle or pistol) is an excellent way to cause a feed jam (which can be hard to clear, and bad mojo in an emergency reload).  You are supposed to work the bolt back and drop it cleanly, letting the bolt and springs do their work.  I understand slam fires.  The rule about always keeping the muzzle in a safe position (muzzle security) and never covering anything you don't want to destroy is always applicable, including when jacking a round into the chamber.

If your weapon is slam firing, it needs (immediate) attention.

Sorry to make a post that has no more meaningful content than "+1" but...

+1

[CajunRider]

OUCH!!!!!    Sorry to hear about your mistake!     Glad it wasn't worse! 

I went to school with someone who's dad (drunk) shot her in the calf with a 12 gauge (similar mistake).  She actually lost her leg.  On the bright side, her grandfather was a machinist... he custom made her a solid titanium prosthetic.  It worked better than any "medical" prosthetic she had tried. 

We're all human... live and learn (both equally important). 

Hope you heal quick and regain full use. 

[Bigwolf]

Chris,

Thank you for sharing this all too common mistake.  It may save some of the rest of us from getting lax and having an even worse end result.

I used to help out at gun shows and remember one such discharge about 25 feet from me in a heavy crowd.  We ended up with no more than a hole in the concrete floor and a bunch of rattled nerves.  Sometimes we get lucky....or God and His angels save us from our mistakes.

Sorry for your pain.  Hoping you heal well and fast.

[Chrisj CMA]

Thanks everyone for going easy on me.  I'll report back on Monday after seeing the Dr.  I have no idea what it is going to look like

[Jess from VA]

My cut off finger tip sewed back on was bandaged up nicely (and covered with an aluminum protector) when I left the ER.  I was told to keep it out of the shower (after holding it up in the air a few times, I covered the whole hand with a baggie and rubber band).  I was also told to change the bandages every few days.

I was not looking forward to my first look.  When I got it, it looked like they cut a finger tip off some corpse they had laying around the ER and sewed it on me.  It took a couple weeks before it started to look alive again.

I discovered I often used my left hand to open doors and drawers and things.  After painfully banging my hurt finger on them (even though wrapped up and covered with the aluminum protector),  I started hooking my left thumb in my belt to remind me to stop using it.  Even small impacts hurt like the dickens.

[RONNIEB]

Had a friend that was bad about picking up handguns and snapping them without checking them. Got him with a revolver loaded with blanks. He snapped, it fired, I fell in floor and played dead. He almost had heart attack. I got up chewing his butt. Habit was broken.

[98 T]

I'm glad you're mostly ok.  A great blessing that the doc could put everything back together.
Thank you for sharing - I know it wasn't easy... but I'm thankful you're ok and see this as a good and powerful refresher course for all the rest of us....  exercise abundant caution working with firearms.

heal fast.

I'm hoping in summer 2016 we can vacation at Ft. Walton Beach and I'll look you up.

Loth

[Bighead]

We ALL know it is the guns fault (sourcasim font)
Glad it was no worse than it was.

[Chrisj CMA]

Hey, man.  Hope you are healing.  I have to ask... Is that little piece a Raven Arms .25?  I bought one years ago and got rid of it.  Just too flimsy.  Sometimes the local cops have a turn in program.  A $50 gift card would be more than a fair trade.

Keep with the wheel guns.

Happy new years.  Pluggy.

For now I am staying with my 686 and 642 because I prefer revolvers.  However, this experience has given me a renewed respect for semi s .  I would not hesitate to carry one again if I ever find the perfect one for me

[Jess from VA]

My dad picked up one of those Jennings .25s at a pawn shop (cheap) years ago for mom (she already had an all steel J-frame Smith).  I gave him some crap about it.  Then he passed.  Last time I went up there, I got it out and detailed it, then fired it up, down, sideways, limp wrist, fast and slow (only with FMJ).  It performed perfectly, and grouped pretty good (5-6") at short range.  I could not make it fail through 50 rounds, and dirty.  I still don't particularly like it, but I wouldn't throw or give it away.  At in-your-face distance, it's better than a rock or a knife, esp for an 87yo. 

There's still a 12g riot gun in the closet, but she's not too keen on it.

[Stanley Steamer]

You should have watched this first.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpgL5kuBpMA

[MP]

Unless you practice a lot, a revolver is MUCH simpler, and safer.

[Robert]

Chris you really need to pray against this accident prone streak you have had lately.