Oh, crap......!

[MikieM]

One sunny Saturday afternoon at the range in Berryville, Arkansas, Bill Wilson, Ross Carter, myself, and a couple of others, were watching shooters do the ever popular El Presidente. In those days we didn't shoot stages like we do today, but rather courses of fire that would now be considered classifiers.

On that day a brand new shooter had stepped to the line and had made ready. This was his first match and we could see by the way he handled himself that he was nervous.

At the start signal he drew and fired two shots at each target, reloaded, then fired two more at each target, but what came next was an RO's nightmare.

Generally, in order to get in more rounds at a match, we would usually shoot the El Prez, and others, at least three times. So at the end of the first, and second, strings we simply thumbed the safety on, holstered, and then waited for the next start signal. 

Our new guy finished his first string without incident, put his safety on, and holstered his weapon, and stood waiting for the next round to begin. So far, so good.

At the start signal for the second string he draws and fires two, two, and two, manages a shaky reload, then two more on each target to finish. Now here's the fun part. Instead of thumbing his safety on, as required, he is so nervous that he forgets it all together and holsters the gun with...wait for it...his finger still on the trigger. As he jams the pistol into his holster the finger that's still on the trigger catches the holster's edge and the gun goes off. Car keys, and pocket change, go everywhere.

He has just shot himself in the leg. As he half turns on one leg, and looks back at us with the most incredible 'oh shit' look on his face I have ever seen, we rush out to help. Little can be done, however, until the ambulance arrives. 

As it turns out the bullet had entered the top of his thigh and exited just above the knee cap, but no bone or artery had been hit. He was a very lucky fellow. Believe it or not, about a month and a half later he was back shooting.

Thanks for listening.

Mike

 

 

 

Edited February 2, 2018 by MikieM

[tattooo]

Takes guts to get back shooting that quick. Hope he learned from that.

[Hi-Power Jack]

Tough hombre ....   

[stick]

That's going to leave a mark. 

[MikieM]

I'll bet when it's cold and rainey he remembers it, or at least feels it.

I've told that story for the past 35 years as a funny one, but the outcome that day could have been entirely different. Had he hit an artery, or his femur, there would have been nothing funny about it.

But, had you seen the explosion of pocket change and car keys, you would have laughed too.   

[Ross Carter]

I remember that, unfortunately that was not the only time I saw someone shoot themselves, most people worry about it on the draw but most of the time it's re-holstering.

 

 

[racerba]

his car keys and change could have saved him by deflecting the bullet just enough...

[Miranda]

note to self:

avoid holsters.

 

got it.

 

 

miranda

 

[MikieM]

5 hours ago, Ross Carter said:

I remember that, unfortunately that was not the only time I saw someone shoot themselves, most people worry about it on the draw but most of the time it's re-holstering.

 

 

 

Hey, Ross. Good to hear from you.

I think I got most of that right. My God, it's been so long ago. Feel free to correct anything, or add anything.