A Word OF Caution For Appendix Carry

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lunger

lunger

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If you haven't seen this video floating around take the time to watch. I personally do not carry AIWB but do not presume to tell others what to do. I think it serves as a reminder no matter how you carry that it only takes one mistake. The guy in the video seemed well trained and experienced . He is lucky to be alive but his life is forever changed . Please be safe out there.

 
lunger said:
If you haven't seen this video floating around take the time to watch. I personally do not carry AIWB but do not presume to tell others what to do. I think it serves as a reminder no matter how you carry that it only takes one mistake. The guy in the video seemed well trained and experienced . He is lucky to be alive but his life is forever changed . Please be safe out there.

Click to expand...

uhmmm, that was no accidental discharge..... an accidental discharge happens when you are 15 in the back row of a movie theater making out with a smonk'n hot redhead. This was just complacency at its finest 🤔 As for PTSD, maybe wake up to the real facts, you f d up . . . . . .
 
To be honest, not surprised this doesn’t happen more frequently. I personally won’t carry appendix- but that’s my choice & if other choose to, that’s on them.

I RO and SO in competitive pistol games and I’m always nervous when I see a competitor with an appendix holster.
 
My observations are first a striker-fired gun. You may disagree, but I simply do not trust striker-fired guns, period. Maybe an explanation, maybe not.

Second, he states he doesn't know if he pulled the trigger or not! Bet he did. Hurrying to "beat the clock" as he stated can result in things like this! Drawing shouldn't cause an A.D. as any un-intentional/incidental contact, except by the trigger finger, should be forward on the trigger, not to the rear!

I will admit I have had one A.D. in my life that was a pure screw-up! Didn't keep my trigger finger clear of the trigger on a rapid draw with a DA revolver. Gun fired in the holster in a 4 o'clock position and struck the ground in front of my then wife who was sitting a few feet behind me! This was in 1966 Absolutely I Screwed-up, no question. My fault, pure stupidity! I will put money of the maker of the video doing the same thing! Ruined a perfectly good holster I had just made too!

On a draw use your middle-last fingers and thumb. KEEP your trigger finger straight until the gun is pointed down-range! A.Ds in an AIWB expose you to far greater danger than any other carry position. You need to be extra careful with them.
 
Alk8944 said:
Second, he states he doesn't know if he pulled the trigger or not! Bet he did. Hurrying to "beat the clock" as he stated can result in things like this! Drawing shouldn't cause an A.D. as any un-intentional/incidental contact, except by the trigger finger, should be forward on the trigger, not to the rear!
Click to expand...
Exactly! Finger out of the trigger guard and resting on the side of the receiver until ready to fire.
 
I'm another one of those guys who will never carry Appendix or IWB for that matter. 53 years of OWB predominantly K or J frame. I have carried a G42 in a leather pocket holster in a cargo pocket but even with that it's more offen OWB.

Many years F/A instructor, rangemaster or RSO I've never been on a range that allowed cross draw, appendix or IWB.

Quite frankly I'm so paranoid that I have one specific holster for the Glock that I use only once a year for LEOSA qualification. It is very stiff, totally open with no safety straps to get in the way. Yes, I watch it's return to the holster and pull my tee shirt tight around the right side.

I personally know one guy that shot himself in the foot holstering a #10 and another who shot himself in the hand with a Glock while cleaning an empty weapon. Yeah, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean you're not being flagged.
 
And not just appendix carry ... Anytime you have a loaded gun shoved down the inside of your waist band it will be pointed at some body part that you don't want perferated by a bullet .
IWB Accidental Discharges can Hurt !
Be careful , Don't be acting the Fool !
Gary
 
I seldom AIWB carry. I never reholster directly to AIWB when I do but much like pocket carry I take the holster, put the gun in the holster, and put the entire assembly back into place.

A revolver with heavier DA pull might be a better choice if one is going to do this. Or a manual safetied gun.


IMG_3020.webp
 
Harv 24 said:
Don't pull the trigger until you sights are on the target, there...Problem solved.
Click to expand...
Appears his sights were on the target.

Not wanting be a uniballer, this is exactly why I don’t appendix carry.
 
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I have been carrying all manner of firearms aiwb before it was cool. Since around 94-95. From 1911's to BHP, to Glocks, and revolvers. I am not a clown who likes to do no look reholstering and play tactical tommy. Everything is still there.

Bottom line is either his finger was on the trigger on draw or he no look reholstered and got a shirt tail or something in the trigger so when he drew it engaged the trigger.

It was a glock with a claimed stock trigger so it didnt just go off with a stock trigger

Reminds me of this guy with his finger on the trigger and disengaging the safety while still covering hmself

 
Talking revolvers here…..
Appendix carry is something I never even considered.
I tried IWB and couldn’t find anything that I liked……..and I tried, because the concept of IWB appeals to me (just not the appendix position)

Carrying a semi with a round in the chamber, IWB appendix?
I know many folks are totally comfortable with it.
I’ll never understand it…….I’m a fudd….I know.
 
The bullet came out the side of the holster at an angle so I'll go out on a limb and theorize that he had his finger on the trigger.

Years ago I shot the matches with a guy who one day showed up with a neat hole in the toe box of his boot. He explained that he was practicing in sub-freezing temperature and his trigger finger was numb. He reholstered his finger along with the M&P9 and fired a shot that went through his toe box. He said the bullet actually went between two toes and caused minimal damage to the two toes. He kept wearing the boot as a reminder.

I didn't watch the whole video. I stopped at the catheter part. Does he know if his penis will recover or will he be peeing out of a bag for the rest of his life?
 
Previously posted in these discussions:

Jeff Cooper [Cooper on Handguns, 1975] was wrong in describing Bruce Nelson's carry position. Bruce did not carry forward rake AIWB but rather muzzle to the rear, "forward of hip" in his terms, at about 2 O'clock, outside his leg.

That method gives most of the advantages of appendage except for a rigid wrist. The current appendage fad does not give a primary advantage of muzzle forward carry promoted by Cooper -- muzzle clear of the body.

June, 1980 Pistolero magazine.

Nelson, Bruce Holster Summer Special Pistolero 6-80.webp

Nelson never mentions in the article that he made holsters himself. Credit only to Milt Sparks. Bruce must have had very little ego - in the pejorative sense.
 

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  • Nelson, Bruce Holster forward pic Pistolero 6-80.webp
    Nelson, Bruce Holster forward pic Pistolero 6-80.webp
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I won't carry appendix carry, but that's my choice. I don't preach to others how to carry, but I'm amazed how quick some appendix carry fans are to jump on anyone who doesn't agree with their choice. "Get proper training", "Learn how firearms actually work", "So you think guns go off by themselves", "In my XYZ years of training....", etc. etc. I don't like appendix carry, but don't tell me that I'm stupid or uneducated because it's not my choice.
 
My take from the video . Pretty sure his finger was on the trigger causing the discharge. A foreign object in the holster usually comes into play re holstering not on the draw as he said he was doing. But not impossible.

I'll take him at his word he was ex military, an armorer , and a first responder with many years experience. Reasonably sure he knew safe handling rules.

He was practicing drawing and firing with a shot timer. Sounds as if he was competing against friends. Also he is a YouTube influencer ( I think that is the term) not sure if he was recording when this happened . My thinking is maybe to beat his friends time or his time or possibly for a video he just put his finger on the trigger and fired before he cleared his holster and on target.

The added stress or maybe showing off a little probably contributed . He probably has done the same draw hundreds of times . Familiarity breeds contempt. When dangerous things become common place we tend to lose respect for them.

I applaud him for posting this. It has to be embarrassing as heck. It serves as a reminder it can happen to anyone .
 
lunger said:
not sure if he was recording when this happened .
Click to expand...
He said it was not on camera because it was not meant for his youtube channel, "this was just a full blown, planned out professional training".
 
I personally think that the one rule that always, no exception, applies to gun handling is Never Point Muzzle at Something You Don't Wish to Destroy. Appendix carry, you are pointing the muzzle at either your testicles (if you are male) or the inside of your thigh. The femoral artery runs along the inside of the thigh...not a good thing to put a hole in. I carry either in shoulder holster, if you have an AD/ND the bullet will go down your side and more than likely cause a "flesh wound"; or on the strong side, OWB holster just in front of the "4 O'clock" position, or at the "4 O'clock" position. Either way an AD/ND will cause at most a flesh wound and/or a burn from the powder.
 
Exactly why I have never and will never appendix carry. I know I'm not perfect or infallible. This guy certainly has more professional training and experience than most - more than me, I'm sure.
Yet this happened to him.
I either pocket carry or carry IWB @ the 4 o'clock position.
If something were ever to happen, I'd much rather take the hit in the butt, calf, or even kneecap than in the privates or femoral artery.
But everyone has to make these decisions for themselves.
You makes your choices and you takes your chances.
 
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I carry AIWB. That said, I would prefer not to. But it is the only way I can carry without printing. My Shield .40 has a thumb safety, I carry round in the chamber as I feel having to rack in a SD encounter likely puts me at a disadvantage.
To my knowledge, the Shield has no record of AD's, so I have confidence in the lockup of the sear. But there is still that little ? swirling in the back of my brain.

Would love to carry 3o'clock IWB or OWB, but just can't.
 
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