This is an informative post. A Glock 43 goes off in a Kydex holster carried about 11 or 12 o’clock IWB. Apparently, the bullet went into one of his legs. It did not hit the femoral artery, nor his man parts. However, it could have. I’m sure that was scary for him and some other folks.

A few observations, because I do care why it happened.

It appears to me that this individual failed to keep his shirt out of the path of the gun into the holster. He first pulls it up high, tracks the gun toward the open holster, but he drops the hem of the shirt BEFORE the gun is holstered. The shirt goes into the holster with the gun. He does not check the holstered gun at this point to ensure it is properly in the holster. That’s two mistakes.

Next, while moving he recognizes his shirt is not hanging as it should. Without checking properly, he pulls up on the shirt. It blouses over the top of the gun, but apparently the hem was still in contact with the trigger. He pulled just hard enough to move the trigger almost to the point of firing. Mistake #3.

When he bent over the shirt stretched the last little bit necessary to pull the trigger and cause the gun to fire.

If you are that careless, eventually you will shoot yourself.

Is there a carry position, a holster, and a choice of gun that would reduce or eliminate injury from negligent gun handling? Yes. Choosing such options is wise. No one should argue against that.

When each of assesses his abilities, we need to be honest and not over confident. Murphy is always lurking. As humans we make mistakes. It is almost impossible to perform critical tasks perfectly all the time.

Almost. There are many who do have the training, the repetitive experience, the proper equipment and procedures, as well as the personal care, confidence and responsibility to perform safe holstering of a gun every time.

When folks have this confidence, the priorities of choices in equipment and methods of carry may expand into riskier areas, because they perceive the benefits outweigh the risks. These are personal choices made with knowledge of the consequences.

I am more confident that I can clear the path to my AIWB holster than in any other position. I am confident I can keep the barrel pointed far enough away from my body that if I negligently discharge the gun while holstering the bullet will not hit me. I am confident I can clearly see the gun in the holster and know it is unobstructed and secure—BECAUSE it is in the Appendix position where it is most visible.

I am confident, having holstered properly, that the gun will not go off while in the holster.

I am confident I can draw the gun safely, with my finger off the trigger until I’m on target.

Seeing or hearing of negligent gun handling can either scare us and limit us, or educate and empower us to be safer and accept the critical responsibilities inherent with using guns.