ditto1958

Who here wants to confess to having an accidental or negligent discharge of a firearm? I scared the livin' stink out of myself a week or so ago by doing something I can't believe I actually did. I was outside plinking at cans and stuff with my .22 Lever Gun. I chambered a round, but decided to move to a different spot. I didn't want to move with the hammer cocked, so I decided to de-cock it by putting my thumb on the hammer, pulling the trigger and guiding the hammer forward. Only problem? For some reason I started walking before I was finished. My thumb let the hammer go too fast, and I fired a round. Fortunately, I had my rifle aimed at the ground, so no harm was done. I am still upset at what I did, though.

So, anyone else wanna 'fess up? I'm hoping folks here will have some things we can all learn from to be safer.

Marine Division Two

There is an attachment you can put on that hammer,hopefully not happen again.Oh N/Ds and A/Ds,never had one and posts like yours help so as to not let them happen,congrats.

JRICKARD81

I had a titan 25acp pistol, i was out back shooting after a few rounds i decided to stop, on that gun u have to lower the hammer while also pulling the trigger. i had it pointed down and the hammer slipped, sound familiar?, a round went into the ground and the slide cut the web of my hand, i didnt know it cut me untill blood was dripping of the gun. Scared the crap outta me!

PiratePast40

My wife had an AD about a month ago. She was reloading her GP100 and it went off as soon as she closed the cylinder. We were at the range, there was nobody else in the bay, and the gun was pointed down range. She was so freaked out that she didn't want to ever touch the gun again. I convinced her to go back with me the next week and she was able to start shooting again.

I agree that these threads give us a chance to learn from others mistakes and also serve to enforce the safety basics.

terry_p

I found out the revelance of the statement "going off half cocked" with a 1911. Made a big hole in the lawn. I decided didn't like cocked and locked so I took it outdoors, put it in half cock and pulled the trigger, surprise. Not what I expected.

mhuxtable

How is that possible? The hammer had to have been cocked and dropped or she had her finger on the trigger or something....otherwise she has a dangerous and defective gun. Did you ever figure out how it fired?

Jack D

I have a habit of staging the trigger on my revolver by partially pulling the trigger and stopping just short of firing. Twice, I went too far and fired another round before I was aimed at the target. There is a hole in the back wall of my shop because I missed the target one of those times. There is a dirt bank outside my shop, so the only harm is the hole in the wall. The other time, I was at a public range and the gun was pointed down range. No harm. Still, it is alarming to have a gun fire when you're not expecting it.

KillDevilBill

Not sure if it's an AD or not, but my Mossberg scared me at the range yesterday. Range was clear, one in the chamber, on target, and safety off. Been so long since I've shot the old fella, I forgot what a light trigger it has. Went off WAY before I was ready, but like I said was still on target so no harm done, but still makes ya think about being a little safer next time.

PiratePast40

We had assumed that she had her finger on the trigger. Together, we've put about 200 rounds through the gun since then and assumed it was her error and not something wrong with the gun. But we haven't tried to duplicate the unintended discharge. You've got me thinking now and I'm going to have to spend some more time with the gun to try to figure this out.

andybothel

I've only had one that could be considered an AD in a way. I was at the range for the first time with my MKIII and was having trigger reset issues. At one point it wasn't firing, so I had it pointed down range and just kept playing with the trigger trying to get it to reset. I knew there was a round in the chamber thus why I was pointed on target, but given the problem I was having really wasn't expected it to go off. It startled me a bit, but no harm done.

When I got my first gun (LCR) before I started dry firing I would open the cylinder and check like 5 times or more that it was empty. I was a nervous first time gun owner. While that was excessive, I hope I don't loose the respect for firearms that I had that first day and become complacent.

mhuxtable

I would almost garuntee her finger was on the trigger. I think most modern revolvers are made so you can't cock the hammer with the cylinder out and you can't let the cylinder out if the hammer is cocked. Otherwise, there's no way for the firing pin to hit with that much force.

I would say this rule was broken: finger off the trigger until you're ready to fire.

jlh820

None, so far.

3482jl

Talk about careless and stupid from someone who should know better. I was messing around with a Mark III that I had just modified with a Volquartsen trigger, sear, and hammer, and shot a whole in the ceiling of my gun room !! Fortunately the gun room is in the garage with no second floor above it. And this was within the last few years.

PiratePast40

I tend to agree but think it's still a good idea to spend a few more hours at the range "investigating". Will need to take my SR9c out too!

bearcatter

First trip with my Mark III after installing a VQ kit. Went to sit down from standing, and just brushed trigger, I guess. Gun was downrange, but aimed for the sky. Rural area at a Forest Service range, but still spooky thinking that bullet came down somewhere, even if most likely in forest or a farmer's field.

Changed out the VQ springs for stock Ruger ones when I got home.