Accidental Discharge While Tyring To Help A New Shooter

[mitrod3]

After three great years of shooting at my local range without any serious incidents, this morning I went to help a young man with a gun that he was obviously having difficulty with, something I often do at the range if I am familiar with a particular gun and model. If I don't know the gun I suggest that they get help from one of the staff out in the shop. This young man had just placed his new Taurus PT92 (he was also a new shooter) on the bench behind his shooting lane after commenting to a friend that it was not functioning correctly, which I had already observed. I could see that the empty mag had been dropped out, but the slide was forward as it lay on the bench. I approched him and asked if I could help as I was familiar with the Beretta 92. He said "yes" and then told me that the trigger was acting up and that it would sometimes not engage properly. I was about to tell him that he should just make sure she was clear, pack it up, and to have a good smith look at it when he reached over to pick up the gun to bring it back to the firing lane/line, which he did. This all happened very quickly (way too fast) and instead of moving it with the barrel pointed downward or upward he proceeded to sweep it right over my chest (again very quickly thank the good Lord). I immediately kept an eye on where that barrel was pointed from then on (now at least down range) and I was just about to ask him to check it to make sure his gun was clear when he simply pulled the trigger (apparently to somehow demonstrate what was going on) and WHAMO, off she went very much to his surprise (by the totally stunned look on his face) and to my surprise, although I tried to remain calm instead of smacking him upside the head.

I could have just reamed him at that point but I could tell by his look and his immediate very sincere apologies that he was very aware of what had just really happened. I did comment (with some very serious intent) about his sweeping the gun over my chest because the thing had gone off literally seconds after that.

Apparently when he had fired his last round the trigger had malfunctioned. He had dropped the mag out (empty) but he got so caught up thinking about the trigger problem he never cleared the gun of the unfired round still in the chamber. He got just way too focused on the problem and not on being totally sure his gun was in a safe and/or clear condition.

As we all know distractions can be a real problem. At the range (as elsewhere) they could be plain deadly.

I found out later that on the way out he dropped off his gun at the range shop to be worked on and I can only hope this lesson will sink in big time in terms of gun safety. His shooting friend also pulled me aside and said he would have a good talk with him.

Edit: as mentioned below I also gave a heads up to the range staff to check him out next time he came in.

As for me, I must be ready to act more quickly (if possible) if I see an unsafe action when trying to assist someone with a gun problem at the range.

Be Safe, Shoot Well.

[LZHome]

mitrod3 you are a very luck person. As for the other individual he make several serious mistakes and should be banned from that shooting range until he attends a formal firearms safety class. I hope you alerted the range officer.

[mitrod3]

Yes....I feel today went well, in the end, compared to what could have been

I did mention the incident to both the range owner, his assistant, and the gun shop owner who all jointly run the place. I don't know how often that young man comes there but they do have a heads up for the next time he comes in. They track shooters by name (we all sign in) and know who he is.

Be Safe, Shoot Well.

[IndianaDean]

We're thankful you were not injured.

[Navy87Guy]

We all have to be on the alert for stupid actions on the range. I was shooting at my local range one night when three "kids" came in. I was just sweeping up my brass when they started to shoot. I noticed one of them at the bench behind the firing line "playing" with his pistol. I could see there was a mag in the gun and he was playing with the slide, sweeping the range safety booth and everyone beyond it. I told him he needed to take the gun to the firing line and stop playing with it there. On my way out, I told the gun running the range what was going on and he stopped what he was doing at the counter to go take care of it. Who knows if that gun was loaded or not, but I didn't want to find out the hard way!

Congratulations on being lucky...and for taking an interest in helping out someone who was having trouble. You probably helped avoid a tragedy with that guy and his gun later on!

Jim

[jyoung_usa]

MitRob3,

I have corresponded with you a bit on this site and I'm glad to hear that after today’s event that you are still here to chat about it. If you get the chance can you smack that guy for me just to make me feel better?

[invssgt]

If I am shooting on a public range (which is rare anymore) I don't approach anybody and offer unsolicited advice or help. You're too likely to draw an idiot like you just described. If someone asks for help, and they often do, the first thing I tell them is to put the gun down on the bench pointed downrange, and I'll be over there as soon as I can make mine SAFE. It gets two real important ideas across in one short sentence. If they don't out the gun down, I don't go over until they do.

[RIKMAN]

Mitrod,

Glad you are ok.Thanks for sharing this with us. As I read it, I remembered a situation at my range....new shooter also....with his buddy trying to help him.....well, they walked behind me with his action closed! I politely and stearnly told them to do that at the stall with their muzzle pointed down range!


Cheers,
Rich

[LHB1]

Mitrod,
+1,000,000 etc. that you are OK, friend. A bit unnerving to say the least. A somewhat similar thing happened to me several years ago. A guy fired his new semi-auto into the ground while loading it and he reacted stupidly. He turned to look at his girl friend, meanwhile pointing the gun directly at my chest with his finger still on the trigger. I could see his eyes glazed and in shock. All I could do was move out of the way until he turned front again. Then I notified the range officer as you did. Shook me up so that I couldn't concentrate on my shooting anymore and left to return another day when he was not there. Keep your eyes open. The life you save may be your own!!

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

[eckerph]

wow close call, i have lots of problems at a public range i use to go too. (i have since stopped going ) I have since started using the range on base since they are allowing center fire rifle, Even here i have had problems with people not paying attention to where their muzzle is pointing. usually its people who are new to the range and not use to handling a firearm on their own, i do my best to show people gun safety and what those little red lines on the floor mean but still some people just dont learn. We have confinscated the rental guns from people two times ( very shocked look on their face when you walk up and take the rental gun from them ) because they just do not pay attention. But i alwayz try to teach proper gun handling when i see someone haveing trouble because i believe we have a duty to our sport to make sure people handle these weapons safely. I am also glad you came out unhurt mitrod3

[ja_atl]

Wow!!!.......that's scarey.

It is a very good thing that you approached the guy even though the end result was still bad with the guy pulling the trigger. What a moron.

It amazes me how innocent bullets often find innocent victims. Meaning the intentions were not bad, but the result is deadly. It frustrates me that people that have never been around firearms will go and purchase one and then take it to the range without a clue. They don't know if a jam occurs to try to clear the round with the barrel pointing down range or if they don't know how to clear the round lay it on the bench with the barrel pointing down range and get someone with experience. And they don't know the most basic rule and that is keep your stinking finger off the trigger until it is pointing at the target.

I see guys all the time step back into the walkway to reload and they still have their finger on the trigger. Really ticks me off.

You guys were very fortunate this time and I hope this guy just learned how fortunate that he is and that he will never forget this event.

[Ski3918]

I am fortunate to live close enough to shoot at the NRA indoor range in Fairfax, VA. It is super safe with the range officers very alert to any safety violation. Also, most of the people that shoot there are very safe too. They make you take a test before shooting there the first time which simply serves to point out the BIG safety items that everyone needs to know. Sometimes I complain because of the crowds, but when I read stories like this, I quit complaining.

[mitrod3]

quick addition:

thanks to all. the more i think about this the more i realize how really close it was. the time between the sweep and the discharge was very short.

but......i will be back at the range later today.

i currently shoot three times a week for up to a couple hours at a time. this is the 2nd time in three years that i have heard about an actual AD at the range that needed to be brought to the attention of staff because of it's nature. i am sure there have been others though. the other one of the two i know about i heard 2nd hand but this one i was intimately involved in....just my luck.

most of the shooters there (new and old) seem to know what the heck they are doing and i will say that the staff does give a good talk to any new shooter (and a real run through on any rental gun) to the range.

by nature i am one of those who will encourage or help a new shooter. i am now recoginzed for that at the range and the staff will even point me to someone if they think it is appropriate knowing the guns that i am familiar with and can help people with. this is the 1st time someone ever did something like that, in the many times i have helped shooters there, which goes to show just how fast things can happen.

i will be back out there today as we have the day off and i will be helping someone again if needed but with a renewed sense of caution on my part.

good luck and good shooting to all.

Be Safe, Shoot Well.

[eckerph]

[QUOTE=mitrod3]quick addition:

.


most of the shooters there (new and old) seem to know what the heck they are doing and i will say that the staff does give a good talk to any new shooter (and a real run through on any rental gun) to the range.


WE need to do this at our range on base but i guess people assume that if one were in the military one would know how to handle a firearm safely and especially youre service weapon oh well it is the air force after all

[mitrod3]

i checked with the range staff today and they are planning to take this young man aside the next time he comes in and make sure he knows proper safety procedures so nothing like this happens again with him.

it does appear he is a very new shooter who needs some safety concepts drilled in.

be safe, shoot well.