Ever have a fumble?

[Smithsrevenge]

Last night I was working the graveyard shift at a family camp ground. My company does armed security there due to bear and coyote's that get pretty close to the camp sites in what we call "the hollow" which is a very dark 50 acre area set up for tent camping.

About 1/2 way through the shift I was walking with my partner through a huge sand pit out out back talking holsters and such. He has a generic Fobus holster with little to no retention, vs my Safariland 070-83 Level 3 holster.

He challenged me to a draw-off of sorts saying that no retention was better, vs my opinion that level 3 is safer but still fast.

Well our 3rd officer stood behind us and said "GO" and watched to see who could draw faster, Concealed Vs OC duty carry.

We both cleared our chamber rounds for safety purposes first.....

Well........I beat him on getting the weapon out of the holster faster...........HOWEVER. My jacket snagged on the slide of my G22........and with the force it takes to draw from the safariland there was a lot of inertia in my draw.......my pistol basically stopped dead after clearing the holster, as my hand continued the draw to chest height , the pistol flipped about 4 times and then landed right between my partners feet........

I just hear the owner of the camp who was in a golf cart watching our little competition scream "FUMMMMMBBBBLLLLLEEEE".


Least to say. For someone who has been in armed security for 10 years, Is a firearms instructor who helps out our local LE departments with training.......that was possibly the most embarrassing thing that's every happened to me. I blame the jacket for 1. Also my not thinking that the jacket was not tucked into the holster as it should have been.


Has anyone else ever had a fumble while drawing from a duty holster? haha *btw this was not my first time using this holster, I've been carrying this exact model for different firearms for over 8 years so this rookie mistake was done by a nearly 10 year veteran, so embarassing* :-D

 

[diamonback68]

Sure, blame the equipment.

 

[kozmic]

Yes...any further explanation would not bode well for my street cred.

 

[Smithsrevenge]

Sure, blame the equipment.

My grip may not have been as tight as it should have, then again with that holster it takes a rearward rock, and a LOT of force to remove the weapon. In 8+ years that's the first time that's ever happened.

I've had the two snaps not unlock, i've had the internal lock refuse to let go, I've dropped the mag while clearing the holster.

I've never Dropped the entire gun before though haha

 

[bp231986]

So far no fumbles on or off duty, We have a rule at work, you draw your weapon you write a report explaining the reason/reasons as of why. Dont really want to explain to my superiors that my partner and i were having a draw off on duty. lol dint say we havent talked about it or done it in the range

 

[Smithsrevenge]

So far no fumbles on or off duty, We have a rule at work, you draw your weapon you write a report explaining the reason/reasons as of why. Dont really want to explain to my superiors that my partner and i were having a draw off on duty. lol dint say we havent talked about it or done it in the range

Yeah due to the coyotes we draw probably 2-3 times a night when we get a complaint. They move in packs here so when we go into an area where one is spotted. We are ready. our main goal is to scare them off, but dispatch if required. However we did have the sound mind to use safety first. I know glocks are drop safe but that would just be a bad scenario if I had left the chamber round in haha.

 

[feralmerril]

Not the same but amuseing. Back in 1962 there were 8 of us young guys that rented a house together working a job in louisianna. One of the guys was a real knifeman and always carried a bowie knife. He was good and practiced a lot. I carried a single action ruger. Things were a little out of hand and we all were kind of wild back then. I know I sure wouldnt have rented to us. Anyway one of the boys goaded us into drawing against each other. The target was a playmate pinup above a big mirror on a dresser. Sure nuff, toms bowie would be quivering in the pinup girl about the same time my gun snapped on call from one of the boys behind us! He was good! We tried it once too many times. This time tom`s bowie hit the large dresser mirror and shattered it!
I recall this was a house split in two identical sides with just one bedroom each side. Most of us slept on whatever. The price? $100s a month split eight ways! $12.50 a month apiece! Jonesboro louisianna. Old archie doss didnt make much off us. Maybe we all are still paying for it?

 

[feralmerril]

My above story reminded me of this one: It was snowing and raining so we all took off work for the day. At the time our job was treating old utility poles for groundline decay.
Whats the statute of limitations? Anyway a car full of us was driveing through a narrow old road in the swamp. I recall whoever was driveing stopped so we could look at a wild pig in the bushs by the road. I felt like someone had hit me alongside with a shovel! Blewy! This jerk sitting in the middle had took a shot at the hawg with the muzzel maybe two inchs from my ear! I think I still am partialy deaf from it. Anyway we get back to our abode. Our house was on the very edge of town with nothing but woods beyound. Horseing around I said I am going to blow out that street light! I let one loose, purposely missing it.
At night back then the only thing open was a old truck stop/resturant where we all and the locals hung. A few of us were always hanging there.
I went in and the constable, a old guy wearing J.C. penney kackis, had a talk with me. Singled me out! Folks tell me there was a little shooting by yo boys place tonight! Really? Naw, but I do belive maybe one of the boys might have threw a M-80. He thought that one over a minute. Hey! Would ya like ta see my jail? I allowed that might be interesting. We walked over what looked to be a 100 year old shed hewed logs with no windows. He had a torch and opened up the establishment. One room with a cement floor. No electricity or heat. A old comode with no lid. Filthy! A rat chewed mattress on thebfloor, a blanket with dried puke. Spikes sticking out in the walls to where you couldnt even lean against a wall anywhere! If I or you were to spend a night there in the dark (pitch dark even in day time), we probley would have stood on one foot and then the other crying! Of course it had the odor. I didnt see even a faucet to get a drink! It looked like all the past residents had to be sick drunks! Life magazine would have paid a good price for pictures of that place!
I complimented the old man on his jail and promised to keep my boys in line! And did.

 

[vigil617]

All I was gonna say is that I thought it was commendable that the OP was willing to share what had happened to him, knowing that he'd made a mistake. All of us are human here, and well, stuff happens.

That was before feralmerrill made the two above posts, and what great stories they are. I'm feeling kinda reluctant to even post now, but I did want to say thanks to Smithsrevenge.

 

[Smithsrevenge]

Not a problem. My mistake serves two purposes that may help others.

Remember when your a veteran around rookies. Don't do stupid stuff :-D

Secondly. Make sure your equipment matches up. The jacket I was wearing was too long for use with a duty holster, So it did not stay where it was supposed to. In a emergency that could have gotten me killed. Practice, test ,Practice , test! with all your equipment.

 

[mc5aw]

Sure, blame the equipment.

At least he didn't blame Bush.

 

[Smithsrevenge]

At least he didn't blame Bush.

I blame a combo of.

Myself.

Sleep Deprivation.

The jacket.

Again myself for wearing a jacket that was too long for a duty rig

 

[snubbyfan]

Nah, it's the Glock. You're S&W hand was rejecting your .40 FS Glock.

 

[kamloops67]

i have never dropped my gun in a match ,but i have during dryfire practice i have chipped tile and dented hardwood resulting from pushing the envelope for speed
unless you are in a quick draw competion ,a lightening fast draw isnt really necessary, focus should be on a smooth draw concentrating on getting a consistant grip . its more what you do after the gun is in hand thats important. the shot timer teaches us that fast is smooth ,smooth is fast.
sorry you lost your contest you need a single action with a good lined holster , and maybe a lanyard, butter fingers! lol

 

[CALIF GIRL]

So far no fumbles on or off duty, We have a rule at work, you draw your weapon you write a report explaining the reason/reasons as of why. Dont really want to explain to my superiors that my partner and i were having a draw off on duty. lol dint say we havent talked about it or done it in the range

If I worked at a deptment with a rule like that I would be hot for the union to get it changed. That is a good way to get someone killed.

One of the lessons learned from the Newhall Incident April 6 1970. CHP had a similar rule regarding racking shot guns, which was changed after this incident which took the lifes of four young Highway Patrolmen.

 

[Texas Star]

I had my thumb slip on the hammer of my old Iver Johnson (marked as Diamond Arms) .410. I was trying to lower the hammer after a flock of ducks flew by too high to shoot at.
I was maybe ten then, and the hammer slipped. The shot just blasted some water and reeds, as I knew to have the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

Coats were mentioned. I once had the slide of a Browning HP 9mm catch in recoil on my jacket cuff. I had to take the coat off and PULL to get the gun free. Hmmm... I guess it was actually the ring hammer and the tang where the coat caught. The coat was trapped between the hammer and the tang of the gun. That could have gottten me killed in a fight! I thereafter wore revolvers in cold weather, where I needed a thick jacket.

 

[shouldazagged]

Never had a fumble like that, but once in haste (taking a break from hunting and suddenly was presented with lots of shots while drinking coffee) I found myself loading the left barrel of a 20 gauge double with a roll of Tums.

Sure glad it wasn't a self-defense situation.

 

[Smithsrevenge]

Nope, no fumbles here...but just a little food for thought.

At the sake of offending the OP, "on the job" is NOT the place to be practicing your "quick draw".

What would have been the security company's take on your quick draw demonstration had there be a discharged firearm and property damage?

Or worse, the legal ramifications of an innocent camper being shot?

Or...at the least, some camper "video taping" the stunt and putting it on YouTube.

A few years ago we had a "former Lieutenant" become so after just such an episode made the internet.

Not trying to offend you.However I would re-read the original post. Firearm could not be discharged and a camper could not be shot on the sole basis that I Unloaded the Weapon Previously to doing this.

There is not a lot to do at this place after 2am. EVERYONE is asleep. The place is 300+ acres. We get bored. We also dismantle and clean our firearms, We go out back to the sand pit which is used AS a shooting range and I train the less experienced officers on proper coverage and how to not sweep other officers while clearing an area *we had a problem with that before, so I like to personally watch how they move*. Un-holstering our weapons out in the sand pit is a very common occurrence, especially because that's where the wildlife with teeth hang out

This is not a 40 hour a week job, we all work during the day so this is a part time and while ON SHIFT is the only time I have to train my guys. Also the owner of the company is usually with us becuase he works the night shift at this site as well. The point of this little shebang was to show my rookie that duty retention holsters can be just as fast as no retention and 3x safer in gun grab situations, im pushing him to buy one for himself ............it just didnt work that well. However I did prove to clear the holster faster then him. I just didnt hang on to it very long

 

[feralmerril]

On my first day on a guard job at a huge movie studio, forgot the LT`s name but he had been MR. KEEN, TRACER OF LOST PERSONS on the old radio show and I guess he had taken the guard job to still hang around the studios. He was ruminating, talking a tough pep talk to me in his office. Then he leaned back in his desk chair with his hands behind his head I think to read my expression on how he was doing. With that the chair flew out from him and he did a half gainer right on his head! He was embarassed and I enjoyed it!

 

[Smithsrevenge]

On my first day on a guard job at a huge movie studio, forgot the LT`s name but he had been MR. KEEN, TRACER OF LOST PERSONS on the old radio show and I guess he had taken the guard job to still hang around the studios. He was ruminating, talking a tough pep talk to me in his office. Then he leaned back in his desk chair with his hands behind his head I think to read my expression on how he was doing. With that the chair flew out from him and he did a half gainer right on his head! He was embarassed and I enjoyed it!

Yep. Haha

We all screw up in front of a rookie eventually. We're all human. Guess its cosmic payback for the 400 times they screw up in front of us.............