Below is an e-mail from the founder of USCCA
USCCA E-mail Report - "A Great (But Scary!) Story"
Dear XXXX,
I'm sorry that is has been so long since my last USCCA
report. It has been over TWO months! I'll do better in the future, I promise.
Here is an unbelievalbe story that will shock you. I admire this guy for having the guts to tell it...
*** START ***
Well....I've always heard it's not a matter of "if, but "when".
My number came up and I paid a hefty price. Last Friday I was preparing to go shooting the next AM with a buddy of mine.I had just put a new a-grip on my Glock, and was going to clean it after my wife and I finished our movie. Crash is an awsome movie BTW. I put the weapon back together and inserted the mag. I did not pipe a round because I knew I was going to strip it later. I went upstairs and put the weapon in the tool box in the garage.
About and hour later (mid-night or so), I returned to the garage to finish cleaning and getting gear together for the morning. I picked up the Glock, dropped the mag and prepared to remove the slide. I done this literally thousands of times in the last fifteen years, but this times things were a little different. I grabbed the slide getting ready to push the take own pins and pulled the trigger......BANG!!!!!
Apparently I DID pipe a round an hour prior. My shooting bud attributes it to force of habit, but why the hell didn't I check the chamber before pulling the trigger? Should that be force of habit too? Not only did I set off a .45 in my garage, but it passed right through my left hand......Yep....I *******ing shot
myself point blank. I'm still having a hard time getting my head around what I did. I was SO angry at myself.
I have always been uber safe with any firearm, but one lack of procedure changed everything. I'm really taking this hard, and all the "it could have been worse", "accidents happen", and "thank god you didn't lose your hand statements really don't help. I guess I'm getting over it, but it still seems very surreal to me.
Here are details....I know you all are morbidly curious, and I don't mind telling...it's kinda like therapy for me. I DID NOT hear the shot (nor did my ears ring afterwards), and it felt sorta like
catching a fastball right in the palm of your glove. I have a very clear image, and suspect I always will, of the hole in my hand... perfect .45 diameter not bleeding....yet. I took a few seconds, and then the arterial arch in my palm cut loose. Blood like you wouldn't believe.
I think the fact that I was a Paramedic in a former life helped me out here. I walked into the laundry room and grabbed a towel to wrap it up, call up the stairs for my wife to come down. I remember thinking "if I go get her, I'll mess up the carpet on the stairs". No lie.
She came down half asleep and kind of grumpy, and I told her
"I just put a bullet in my hand". Said she was calling 911 and according to her I responded "That would be a good idea.." My wife is neo-natal RN, and can remain cool as a cucumber. This helped me out too I think.
I went back into the garage, put my blasted hand on the floor kneeling on the towel and proceeded to open my ever present jump-bag with the other.
I opened a US issue trauma dressing with my teeth, and proceeded to wrap my hand. Those dressing are the schiz nit by the way. My wife later told me it was very "Die-Haredesque"......I do remember cussing at myself the entire time...I have never been that angry before.....
Four cops, the shift sup., a pumper truck and an ambulance later I was off to the ER. I didn't feel any pain until I got in the ambulance. The endorphins shut down and it hurt like nothing you can imagine. No tickets from the cops, but did have to ask which weapon I did it with. My garage looks like an arsenal pre-range trip.
The bullet (a Black Talon no less..) shattered my ring finger meta-tarsal, and 'removed' two others. It destroyed the flexor tendon of my ring finger, almost separated my pinky tendon, and exited the right side of my wrist just above my watch band. There was a definite exit hole, but the blast force blew the side of my palm WIDE open about three inches in length. I didn't even see the exit wound until I removed my watch for the FD.
Anyway, nine hours of surgery, three screws, a tendon graft from my forearm and about two-hundred sutures later I was put back together. My surgeon said if anyone has to get shot in the hand, this was how to do it. No nerve damage....whew.
Physical therapy twice a week for God knows how long, and the surgeon expects at least 80% function back.
I've included a pic of the round. Snap-On tool boxes are quite literally bullet proof. The jacket separated from the slug when it hit the box, that's why the slug is flat on one side. If the mods permit, I'll post pics of my hand too.....it's pretty burly, and will drive the point home.
Thanks for listening. My wife thinks I'm crazy to post this, but it really does help me feel better. Remember....check the chamber twice, then check it again.
*** END ***
Wow. Never forget this one, guys.
WEEKLY TIP
*****************
This "tip" was sent in by Mr. Kieth Elder.
After reading the "sissy hands" gun talk today... and after I stoped laughing... I have come to the conclusion of , "Yes" I have the answer to your problem of grip... Sell that gun, it doesnt "fit you"! The first thing to consider when choosing a handgun is... "grip and fit" to your hand. When you pick it up off of the table... it has to feel natural to your hand like it belongs there... I dont use gadgets and gimmicks on my Beretta's... I just pick 'em up and off we go... Nothing else matters if it doesnt feel natural when you first pick it up. Hope this helps. Carry on, Keith
Thanks for the note Keith, now I feel like a sissy with
small hands! - Tim
Click below to read the "sissy hands" gun talk from the last e-mail report...
http://www.uscca.us/uscca_e-mail_report_-_9-09-05.html
FREEDOM ALERT
*****************
Can you believe those crazy folks in San Francisco? They've
just outlawed guns and ammo. Period.
Just like that. I wonder if they're going to have to go door
to door to confiscate the guns that are already there?
Can you imagine what it would be like to live in a city that
is prone to natural disasters (earthquakes?!), and NOT have
a gun in the house? Not being able to defend my wife and kids would make me sick to my stomach.
I wonder if they'll still deliver gun magazines to the poor souls in San Francisco.
GUN TALK
*****************
One of the writer's for Concealed Carry Magazine just did an article on a titanium framed Taurus revolver. I'm pretty sure it was chamberd for the .357 magnum. (It was George Hill for those of you who read the magazine.)
This article got me wondering a bit...
Have you by chance ever shot one of those guns? Seems to me that the recoil would be pretty rough. I'm really curious because the ultra-low weight looks really nice on paper!
If these guns are decent shooters, please let me know.
USCCA UPDATE
*****************
By December 9th, the USCCA website will be ready to take orders for the electronic and hard copy versions of "The First Two Year of Concealed Carry Magazine"!
We've got a whole bunch of the electronic versions (CDs) but the actual hard copy archives are in VERY short supply.
I'll continue to keep you up to date as to exactly when the archive products are ready to go! Thanks for your patience.
By the way, if you haven't joined the USCCA yet, why don't you come on over and join up? We're a good group of folks who have a lot in common. I'd love to have you as a member.
Here is the link:
http://www.uscca.us/membership.html
Shoot straight & be safe,
Tim Schmidt
Founder - USCCA
www.uscca.us
tim@uscca.us
P.S. - If you want to have access to the best source of information on carrying concealed weapons, check out our website
www.uscca.us
P.P.S - Concealed Carry Magazine is our official publication. Join the USCCA today and get your full-color subscription to CCM. Check out our website at
www.concealedcarrymag.com