[PaulTaurus]

I post this in SHAME and CONCERN about what I did in hopes maybe refresh everyone's safety.

Monday Evening, a member of another FORUM had brought up an issue with a gun (same model as my PT111 G2 9MM). He had noticed his Recoil Rod could be pushed out past the front of the frame when he had the gun broke down for cleaning.


I thought that sounds normal to me as the Recoil Rod has to go out the front of the slide when firing the gun to allow the slide to go back. He had in fact said the gun functions OK.



Anyway, wanted to verify my thoughts. So, I decided to break my gun down (remove the slide to verify all this). I was at my computer desk.


Here is the breakdown procedure for a G2: remove the MAG, check Chamber to make sure no bullet in the chamber (always need to do RULE 1 even though I never keep a bullet in the chamber), then push the slide back about 1/8 inch and release the keeper buttons, let the slide back to normal position (the keeper buttons stay released), then pull the TRIGGER to release the striker (not all guns require that - many do). The Trigger Pull releases the striker and is the final step to pull the slide off the gun (break it down to expose parts for cleaning).


THAT REQUIREMENT to pull the TRIGGER is the ONE BIG reason to MAKE SURE the CHAMBER is EMPTY (and in my opinion somewhat a safety issue).


BTW, the PT111 has a chamber indicator on it. You can just look at that and know the chamber is empty - I did not do that either.


I am not STUPID (dumb) about Rule 1 (gun unloaded) when handling. Do it all the time every time I clean or pick up a gun (except for this incident

).





SO Being so SMART about RULE 1, what happened??? NOW THE BAD CARELESS PART.


The final story is; after breaking the gun down, I verified what the guy saw that you can push the Recoil Rod with your thumb and see it go out the front of the slide. Having verified what I thought, I put the gun back together and put the MAG in and put the gun away (nothing in the Chamber, I never Carry with one in the Chamber).


I decided to watch the Recoil Rod come out the front. So, I picked up the gun and manually pushed the slide back, of course it did protrude out the front. Then I released the slide, guess what a round loaded in the Chamber when I released the slide as I had the MAG in. That was the first part of the BAD.


Then a bit later, I decided to break the gun down again: Took the MAG out, DID NOT CHECK THE CHAMBER. I guess figured I just had it apart, or just did not think ( VIOLATE RULE 1).


Got to the step to Pull TRIGGER (release the striker). Gun went off (loud and scared the crap out of me).


Only good thing was that it was pointed in a safe direction due to the way I was sitting and doing the operation (more by accident than by my thoughts).



The bullet traveled at a down angle to my left (due to the way I was holding the gun getting ready to remove the slide). The bullet went thru front of a drawer (bottom edge) of another desk, and thru the top back of a lower drawer (top edge). Then thru the back of the desk, thru the wall into a bedroom. It then hit the treadmill in that bedroom (low about 4 inches off the floor and front about 6 inches from the edge) where the heavy part of the tread mill is located. That stopped the bullet.



Just to say what could have been- had the gun been level, and a bit further pointed east, it would have went thru a TV, the wall into the adjacent bedroom and out the window of that bedroom. Then who knows what? Killed someone?



I was lucky and Needless to say, I was UPSET and still I am still UPSET.



My wife (gun hater) was REALLY UPSET, that has been smoothed over to an extent as EVERYONE makes mistakes. :-(



ONLY GOOD THING - HOPEFULLY I learned to practice (100 % of the time) something (Rule 1) that I all ready knew and have always practiced.

 

[DeltaBravoKS]

Glad no one was injured.

I've never understood the idiocy of designing a gun that needs the trigger pulled to break it down. I always thought trigger pulling was for firing the gun.

I do hope you mount that desk drawer above your fireplace. You've earned it!

 

[silverstring]

It takes guts to admit a negligent discharge. Your after action analysis was part of the painful learning process. So glad the round found a safe spot to end its travels. I work on quite a few handguns and rifles and even with my safety routines , I have had two NG's in the last 6 years ( well one was one of my customers, but I should not have let that happen). I understand that horrible in the pit of your stomach feeling. It takes a long time for it to go away. But is part of the learning process.

 

[GhostHorse]

A wise sergeant I learned from in the Army said there are two ways to learn; trauma and repetition. You'll never forget this lesson. Thank God no one was hurt.

I can totally understand why some firearms need a trigger pull for disassembly. Low parts count enhances reliability, and reduces cost. Look at how some folks gripe about the Taurus security system.

 

[Smokewagon]

That was a harsh safety reminder for you and too bad it happened. Upside is, you'll probably never make that mistake again.

 

[WoodyUSSLUCE]

I am glad that no one was hurt as the ending could have been a lot worse but you already know that ! Admitting mistakes is hard sometimes but I am glad that you gave us a reminder that it can happen to anyone. It only takes a second for it to happen but you will probably never forget it. I remember someone posting online pictures of where he had shot himself in the leg with a 45 IIRC doing something similar and he will probably have issues for the rest of his life from it.

 

[BigBlue]

Call it a senior moment or an out of mind experience, but stuff happens. Thankfully it was pointed in a relatively safe direction and I'm very glad no one was hurt. Hopefully it will never happen again.

 

[Czechbikr]

Familiarity breeds complacency and we can take things for granted. I've been surprised by discharge at the range with the gun pointed in the right direction. I came close at home with my PT 1911 as I thought I was clearing the gun and had been very used to the USPSA "show clear, hammer down" ... It wasn't clear and I stopped just short of pulling the trigger. Just that close to doing it made my knees weak.

Thanks for posting...it took courage to share that. It reminds all of us that we must always be aware that we hande lethal tools that will not forgive a careless moment.

Happy Thanksgiving... One more thing to be thankful for that your slug only shot the treadmill.

 

[kenboyles72]

Glad everything is ok and nobody got hurt. My son had a ND a while back. He was practicing dry fire, he dropped the mag, but didn't clear/check the chamber. The round went through two interior walls, went through a dresser with clothes in it and almost went through the exterior wall. Went out back to see if it went through, found the bulge in the siding. This was Federal 115gr FMJ aluminum cased ammo and traveled 25ft before stopping. I have gone over gun safety with him many, many times over the past 15 yrs, so he knew, sometimes things just happen. No one was hurt, except feelings and a hard lesson was learned.

 

[Czechbikr]

This story also serves to remind us of over penetration.

 

[stupimlico]

I was in VERY close proximity to an ND involving my hunting partner. I was emptying his lever 30-30 and missed one, he dropped the hammer with a trigger pull and shot up his dad's desk. Luckily his mom wasn't home , just his dad. He checked that we were alright and swore us to secrecy.

CB nailed it with his complacency line, I harp on that all the time in safety meetings where I work.

Thanks for sharing.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Tuco_Ramírez]

Same thing happened to my mother a couple years ago.

I'm relieved to hear that nobody was harmed in the process.

 

[Czechbikr]

Same thing happened to my mother a couple years ago.

I'm relieved to hear that nobody was harmed in the process.

I remember that story.

 

[MOONDAWG]

I the words of my dearly departed father...

"Experience is the best teacher, but she has a high salary"

 

[dwhite]

Sad to say, been there, done that. Like you said, it is easy to get complacent.

I'm a touch ADHD too so I an extra careful. I give things a third look if not a fourth.

Glad no one was hurt.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[darbo]

First thing is I'm glad no one was hurt. Second thing is this was a lesson you will never forget. Third thing is that's some serious man up to tell of your mistake. Last thing, that tread mill just needed a shootin' anyway.

 

[Czechbikr]

Well, I've said that I am glad that no one got hurt. To inject a little levity into the story, you could have posted it in the "Who Went Shooting Today" thread.

 

[Doctordeere]

Betcha won't do that again.

Glad everybody's ok.

 

[PaulTaurus]

Folks, I really appreciate the replies and now glad I took the time to post this despite my embarrassment over My Negligence. Your inputs have been considerate and EYE OPENING.

I received very similar responses on another FORUM (TN Gun Owners). One had a link to other accidents (negligence I think involved also) was eye opening also. I will post those here.

https://www.itstactical.com/warcom/...her-holsters-can-cause-accidental-discharges/

I can tell you I will never forget this (it is a very disturbing bit of negligence on my part).

Not to inject Humor in this serious situation but one good thing is, I don't have many years left to have this on my conscious (I am 81 but in good health Physically and Mind, I think Mind not so sure now. Maybe live another 10 years LOL).

 

[PaulTaurus]

Finally - Pictures of projectile bullet path. I was setting facing the desk on the right (computer is on that desk). Probably had the gun positioned just above the desk surface with my left hand on the slide (top) while doing a disassembly ( and right hand on trigger - got to the pull trigger to release striker).