CHP Student At Big Shots Shoots Himself Sunday.

[Gary]

Student attending a CHP class at Big Shots Sunday at 11:30 shot himself in the leg as he was holstering his weapon. 

Story was on 10/11 android app.  Student is 52 and not seruously hurt.  Reportedly a 22.

an inadvertent discharge of a weapon is bad enough, but the bullet striking a person is pretty sad news.   good thing no one was seriously injured or killed.   too bad the student shot himself, but it is fortunate he did not shoot a bystander or his instructor. 

sad a new business in the gun trade has to have this as publicity.   

I wish the 52 year old a speedy recovery, and I hope all our forum friends were not involved. 

I remember my class. I was shooting a 10mm.   if I had of shot myself in the leg with a 10mm, that could be a big injury. 

I always put a safety device in my Glock called a Safe T Blok.  impossible to have an inadvertent discharge with that installed. 

no doubt the State Patrol will get involved in this incident, will be interesting to see how this all plays out.   

in two weeks, I take my certification to teach this class.  this is a good wake up call for all of us, handling guns to be very careful and always focused. 

today's news could have been a real tragedy and so fortunate it turned out as well as it did.

[Gary]

trying to do more research on this story, I just learned another shooting happened not long ago at a Omaha area shooting range back in February.   that shooting ended in the death of the gun range user. 

something as simple and straight forward as a gun, does seem to be misused by some gun owners.

very sad.  I had not heard about the Omaha death till just now. 

there is a nation wide trend starting for gun range users to purchase and use bullet proof vests and other safety equipment. 

[FarmerRick]

I think there's been 2 or 3 suicides and at least one ND injury at The Bullet Hole in Omaha since it opened.

[bullit]

n two weeks, I take my certification to teach this class.

Gary as a NE CHP instructor myself please clarify what your are"taking" to get your certification???

[NENick]

The holstering part of shooting seems to really take people by surprise. Folks attend the CHP classes and haven't ever worn their holsters before.

That guy who is going to shoot himself will always be out there.

[GreyGeek]

From the time I bought my  BB rifle at around eleven and through the purchase and use of several rifles, including  two M1 Garands, and reloading my shells, I never had an accidental discharge, even though I usually kept my finger on the trigger while hunting or target practicing.  I shot thousands of rounds.  Probably 10s of thousands.   I was lucky, to say the least, but I didn't realize it back then because I didn't have to take formal training and never did.  I don't even know if it was offered in the area where I lived.

During the shooting portion of the CHP class that I took last November the first time my instructor saw me holding the Nano with my finger on the trigger he gave me a sharp rebuke.   The second time I did it all h*** broke loose.   He was all over me, in my face, said a LOT of sharp words and a few "If I ever see you doing that again I'll <insert clammity here>".   Everyone else on the range was looking at me, some were snickering.    Probably because I was so red in the face it burned.   It was the best thing he could ever had done.   I can't even pick  up my Nano now without hearing his voice and remembering the look on his face and I watch my trigger finger like a Robin looking at a worm.

[bullit]

I never had an accidental discharge,

As an aside there is no such thing as an accidental discharge....only NEGLIGENT discharge.  Finger off the trigger until on target AND you've made the conscious decision to fire....

[dcjulie]

I was going to ask the same question.  I didn't think there was anything you had to "take" to get certified as an instructor. We turned our application and materials in in January and are still waiting to hear from the NSP.

[CliffD]

I hope the guy is OK.

My Dad got me a BB gun when I was 2, a pellet gun when I was 6 and a 20 gauge pump when I was 8. Though I really don't shoot that much anymore, I shot a lifetime worth of ammo before I finished high school. I've always practiced gun safety and got on those around me who weren't.

One time, I went shooting with a co-worker. This was back in the early 80's. He had his two young kids with him and we were standing along a tree-line behind my house and was getting ready to head in to shoot for awhile. At that time, all of my guns were strictly hunting style firearms. He had a pistol grip 12 gauge with a sling and handed it to me to fire off a couple of rounds. I checked the safety and then slung it over my shoulder.

I about died when the gun went off behind me. There was a large hole less than 6 inches from my foot. I quickly glanced at both his kids to make sure they were OK, then looked at him. I took the gun off my shoulder, pointed it away and down and carefully unloaded it. I handed it to him and told him to destroy it.

It was the only shot fired that day and I never, ever forgot it. Everything I did that day was safe, yet there was still an unintended discharge...and there were kids present. To this day, any chambered firearm in my possession is not only pointed in a safe direction, but I can see both the muzzle and the trigger.  If there is a round in the chamber, I won't sling the gun.

It literally scared me in many ways and became a life lesson. I'm not saying all should practice this personal safety "quirk" (kind of defeats the purpose of a CHP), but I can honestly say that I will never, ever have a chambered firearm around that I cannot see both the trigger and muzzle.

[patrickdm]

I have to disagree with no accidental discharges. I've personally seen it happen.

[SeanN]

May or may not be related but felt the need to say it:

If you holster requires 2 hands to re-holster, it is a bad holster. Get a new one.

Lots of people show up to classes or competitions with a floppy holster that they have to hold open with one hand and then put the gun in, requiring them to basically sweep their hand on upon re-holstering.

Further, "speed re-holstering" is ridiculous and serves no actual purpose. Get the gun in slowly and properly. If it binds or feels different than normal, take the gun out and diagnose the problem.

Also I would argue there is such a thing as an accidental discharge. It isn't negligent, merely accidental. It just isn't what happened here. An example of an accidental discharge: You're working on your draws and getting the trigger pulled to just before it will fire and you accidentally fire a round because you pulled just a little too far. You weren't negligent, assuming you are using a good backstop and took all necessary precautions, you just fired accidentally.

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But back on topic: This is unfortunate and I hope the guy recovers and the business doesn't suffer for it.

[gigabelly]

I think I will go to Big Shots today, just to show support....well, and since I am there, I will probably shoot a little too...But mainly, I am going to show support.....yeah...pretty much, oh and I might use the archery range...but primarily I am going to show support..really.  Seriously, though.  If your local, go there and support them today, if you can.  Even if you don't shoot, just drop by and let them know the shooting community is supporting them.  I think they could really use the encouragement. 

Of course, you might as well shoot while your there....

[bullit]

An example of an accidental discharge: You're working on your draws and getting the trigger pulled to just before it will fire and you accidentally fire a round because you pulled just a little too far.

Maybe you have a problem with "Premature Discharge"..... 

[SeanN]

I see what you did there...

[66bigblock]

Maybe you have a problem with "Premature Discharge"..... 

Better than premature ejection...      


read it again people. 


66bigblock


p.s. - Thats ejection of the casing prior to proper firing.

[bullit]

Okay people before Dan washes our mouth's out with soap and sends us to our rooms, lets focus........I for one will now rise above the fray and wait for the report on the original post.  No report in the "Urinal Star" today.  All in good fun...better than the depression I've felt here on TAX day.....ugghhh......

[unfy]

I'm glad the fella wasn't seriously hurt ... and am hoping that there won't be any media b.s. fall out from the event.


"Speed holstering" is down right silly.  You drew your weapon for a reason.  You shouldn't be in a rush to put it back.... let alone the adrenaline that will undoubtedly be going on at the time, it's better to make sure things are 'good' around you and then slowly / safely reholster.

"Accidental discharge" pedantics is all about frame of mind... and a darn tooting good one.  Your finger better not be on the trigger unless you're on target, etc.  Modern weaponry also doesn't discharge without a trigger pull.  If you happen to get a trigger pull due to a bad holster or fumbling it... well.. can't help you there.... you either deserve a good thrashing (or in the case of a bad holster, throw the infernal thing away this instant).

I have had a *single* "accidental" discharge in my life so far, and will hopefully be the last.  Was one-handed cocking the hammer on my s&w 357mag with finger in the trigger guard (thus, the tilt of the gun in combination with tilt of hand was enough to let that feather light cocked revolver trigger go)... it went off pointed down rage at the target but not 'aimed'.  I was sooooo very embarrassed heh.

It was the best thing he could ever had done.   I can't even pick  up my Nano now without hearing his voice and remembering the look on his face and I watch my trigger finger like a Robin looking at a worm.

Indeed!  Bravo to your instructor and to you for taking his berating to heart .

My old man did some good screaming and beatings on me as a kid the first time I had my finger on the trigger when holding the weapon (a 22lr rifle) casually for the second time.

[gigabelly]

I went in to Big Shots and dropped some cash and a couple hours out of my day.  They are such good people.  I talked with everyone there and since they are giving "no comment" to the media, I will keep what they said to myself.  Apparently the shooter/shootee is very embarrassed, as he should be, but I hope he gets back up on the horse right away.  One thing is for sure, he will keep his finger off the trigger when holstering.

[SemperFiGuy]

One of the More Dangerous Acts in Concealed Carry Range Qualification.........

Involves holstering a loaded firearm.

So---we holster semi-automatics only with an empty chamber in my CHP classes.   We start with chambers empty, insert the magazines in the mag wells, come to the ready position, and then holster without racking the slides to chamber rounds.   In this way we holster all semi-automatics on an empty chamber.   On the "Draw and Fire"  command, students first draw and only then rack the slide to chamber a round into battery so that they can fire their qualification series.

Nothing in the NAC Title 272, Chapter 21 administrative rules requires holstering a semi-automatic with a round in the chamber, so we don't do it.   Which adds enormously to safety on the firing line during range qualification.

Can't do the same on revolvers.   Have to holster them w/loaded rounds in the cylinder.  But....just taking the semi-autos out of the equation is a huge safety factor.

FYI,

sfg

[Gary]

One of the More Dangerous Acts in Concealed Carry Range Qualification.........

Involves holstering a loaded firearm.

So---we holster semi-automatics only with an empty chamber in my CHP classes.   We start with chambers empty, insert the magazines in the mag wells, come to the ready position, and then holster without racking the slides to chamber rounds.   In this way we holster all semi-automatics on an empty chamber.   On the "Draw and Fire"  command, students first draw and only then rack the slide to chamber a round into battery so that they can fire their qualification series.

Nothing in the NAC Title 272, Chapter 21 administrative rules requires holstering a semi-automatic with a round in the chamber, so we don't do it.   Which adds enormously to safety on the firing line during range qualification.

Can't do the same on revolvers.   Have to holster them w/loaded rounds in the cylinder.  But....just taking the semi-autos out of the equation is a huge safety factor.

FYI,

sfg

Very smart, sir, I congratulate you for doing this, in this way.  I think a more advanced class could teach locked and loaded, along with other various methods of keeping one in the pipe. 

My class had us place one in the pipe, safety on (where there were external safeties).  While that is the fastest of all possible ways to kep a gun ready, in your holster, it does add to the risk in a large group, at a gun class.