hard post to make about a stupid mistake

[richrd]

I've been shooting for 60 years, taught shooting and big on safety with never a mishap.

Until....

I bought a new 617/2 home today. first thing I did was load 10 rounds and head to the back yard. So far so good. One ftf, spun the cylinder and tried again, bang.

Opened the cylinder and all ten shells had hammer marks. Next stop was the kitchen with the trigger scale. I left the empties in to cushion the firing pin. checked the single action three times, (way too heavy) then went on to measure the double action.

Click, BANG! Yeah, you saw that coming. Bullet went about 4 feet, thru the side of my Sneaky Pete carry holster that was laying on the counter, and hit the top of the slide on my sig365. Luckily the bullet fragmented, only leaving a small splash on the slide but no damage.

I've always been serious about safety and have never done anything wrong. (???).

The thing is, it was a very stupid mistake that we all know better, and if it can happen to me, there's a chance it could happen to you. It'll be another 60 years before I do anything that dumb.

Even when you know the gun is empty, check anyway.

 

[Autonomous]

Glad you are OK.
Complacency is a real danger.
Age and overconfidence, in my experience, contribute. I see both in your post.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Glad you are OK.
Complacency is a real danger.
Age and overconfidence, in my experience, contribute. I see both in your post.

I'll just go along with that but I'll add that happily you're okay, happy 2025, let's be careful out there!

 

[Frailer]

As I used to tell my high school students, “We learn from mistakes; try to learn from other people’s.”

Thanks for sharing; glad to hear no serious damage was done.

 

[abigails&w]

Thanks

OP, what you describe does not seem at all that improbable to happen. Glad that you did not get more damage from this and thanks for sharing as a reminder for everyone to be safe!

Happy New Year!

 

[sigp220.45]

Live and learn. Nobody was hurt. I bet you go 60 more years without another one.

 

[schutz5]

Nice cathartic post. Important to share so readers can keep frosty on safety!
Thank you!!

 

[Krogen]

Thanks for posting. I'm glad nobody got hurt. I appreciate an occasional wake-up call. Even the best of us can fall to complacency, inattentiveness or whatever.

In my own case, I had pulled down some 44 Mag rounds that were loaded with Speer half jacket bullets. I even looked in each case before popping the primers in my model 29. I didn't notice that the lead slug in one had separated from the jacket when I used my inertial bullet puller. The jacket was still in the case over a full load of 296. It looked like an empty case mouth.

You can figure out the rest. The gun was pointed at the basement foundation - a safe direction. Thankfully, the worst of it was a divot in the foundation and a need for clean shorts.

 

[GnarlsR2]

Handling a device that can cause instant death should always be handled with the highest level of attention, concentration, physical manipulation, and ALL known safety protocols. We are humans.

 

[cracker57]

Some things are hard to post, however when you do it might help others from doing the same.
A couple of weeks ago I was letting a friend shoot my 44, I said just keep pulling the trigger until it doesn't go bang any more than you will know it is empty. Thats what he did and I put the revolver away. when I got home and emptied the cases out one was a round that never fired but had a dimple in the primer. This must have been the last of 6 rounds, its always the EMPTY gun that goes bang when it shouldn't.
Glad you didn't get hurt .

 

[Yendor357]

Rich, You kept it pointed in a safe direction.

Now you have a good story to tell about how your SIG 365 saved the day without firing a shot.

And you raised awareness of those of us open minded enough to apply what they’ve heard. So some good came of your near miss.

 

[Bald1]

Richrd, glad nobody was hurt. It takes a pretty big man to post on a gun forum about making such a mistake. Hopefully it’s not in vain and we all just go a little slower exercising a little more caution.

 

[8shot]

Another 617 FTF story, how common are FTF's with Ruger and Colt 22LR double action revolvers?

 

[Heinz]

Thanks for posting. I recently bought some 22 snap cap dummies. In the past, I have used fired rounds as 22 snap caps. I am glad you reinforced my decision to switch. Yeah, I know you can use those dry-wall screw thingies, but they do not fit very well and they look cheesy.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

We all make mistakes, those who claim they never do delude themselves and others. And yes, it's good to learn from others mistakes.
Here are some of my safety practices:
1. I am a big believer in snap caps, drywall anchors No. 5 for 22 RFs, and centerfire and rifle snap caps.
2. I store my most frequently fired/handled guns with snap caps.
3. The only handgun I keep loaded is my bedside one. And I am VERY careful with that one.
4. For dry firing semiautos I use dedicated magazines, blue ones for nickel/stainless handguns, nickel/stainless for blue ones.
Yes, the dry-wall thingies look cheesy, but at $5/100...good for 5-10 dryfires, the yellow ones I use really stand out. I load them in the magazines of my bolt action 22s and Ciener units to tell me when I have emptied a magazine.

 

[StillStanding]

You have done all of us a great service in the posting of your experience so that we remember to be vigilant in all aspects of shooting.
A great big Thank You ��

 

[jeffrefrig]

Nobody got hurt, as you kept the gun pointed in a safe direction. You reminded us to always wear our seatbelts pertaining to gun safety. (Yinz know what I mean, I hope.)
It reminds me of a few chunks of lead & copper that have hit my cellar wall or floor with a flat mark from concrete. A couple went through a stack of beverage boxes on purpose.
Thanks for the post, and reminder to not drink the pickle juice out of the jar until all the pickles are gone!
Seriously thank you. JT

 

[stansdds]

Glad you are not injured and there was no serious damage, but instead of using empty shells as snap caps, consider using the yellow colored drywall anchors. There is no way of confusing a drywall anchor with a live 22LR round.

 

[jimmyj]

Hopefully your Mother will not find out.

 

[AJ]

When I taught Combat Handgun in the Corps, I use to tell the students. "When you handle guns long enough you probably will have an accidental discharge, hopefully it is down range!".