Oppo, I need to come clean about something

"Big Bubba Ray" (eganward01) 07/01/2016 at 09:00 • Filed to: None

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On May 21st I put a .40 caliber hollow point bullet through my leg. I know Oppo has plenty of gun lovers, myself being one of them so that’s why I’m telling you guys about this. Somewhat of a story below, but I urge you to read it if you have a minute.

It was a normal Saturday spent at the range with my younger brother. After shooting at the range, I put my magazine of hollow points back into my Glock, chambered a round and put the gun back in my IWB holster. I went home that day like normal, nothing out of the ordinary.

Night time rolled around and my brother and I were talking about our pistols and the upgrades we planned to make to them in the future. I should note that my brother and I own/carry identical Glock 23s. I picked up his gun, unloaded it and set it down. After setting his gun down I got distracted and ran upstairs from my basement to take care of something. I came back to the basement after a couple of minutes and picked up my handgun which was still loaded from earlier in the day. For you folks that know Glocks, the first step in disassembly is pulling the trigger and I did so - about 8 inches from my left leg.

The hollow point tore into my lower leg, fragmented, broke my tibia and ripped out the other side of my leg and ended up embedded in the drywall in my basement. The gun jumped out of my hand and I didn’t realize what had happened until I noticed the hole in my jeans about a minute and a half later.

My brother was sitting to the left of me on the couch. I very easily could have shot him. Just thinking of what could have happened to him literally makes me dry heave and feel ill. I could have killed my brother - my best friend. Just typing this has me in tears.

Basically what I’m trying to say here is that you can NEVER be too careful with guns. I got cocky. I thought it could never happen to me and now I’m suffering the consequences with months of recovery and physical therapy. Recovery is going beyond well but trust me, checking a firearm two, shit even three or more times before handling it is beyond invaluable. Your or somebody else’s life could literally depend on it. Stay safe out there Oppo and make sure you’re more responsible than Big Bubba Ray because he’s a dumb shit.

I should also note that I’m not at all ashamed by this incident. I got what I deserved and am paying the price! I have many nicknames now such as: The Marksman, Gimp, Legs and the most popular, Dumbass. If you want to make fun of me, have at it because all I can do is laugh about this now. Also please do not use this as an opportunity for a gun debate, that is not my intent. I just want to make sure everyone here is as safe as they can be with firearms because an accident can happen to anybody.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:04

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Sorry to hear about your accident mate, crazy stuff :(

Hopefully your leg will be pretty much back to a close to 100% as it can be with time...

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:06

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Thanks for keeping it all sensible, and be safer next time! Still planning on leaving it chambered in the future? That always seems like an accident waiting to happen to me.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:07

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That sucks. Get better soon.

Party-vi > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:08

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Is the heft of a loaded Glock and unloaded Glock similar enough that you didn’t notice a difference, or did you move to disassemble it too quickly to realize something was amiss? If anything this is a good cautionary tale of how someone should always treat a gun as if it were loaded. I’m glad it wasn’t any worse. Good luck with recovery!

Funktheduck > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:09

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1. Always keep firearm pointed in a safe direction. Never point it at anything you do not intend to destroy or kill.

2. Never touch the trigger until you are ready to fire.

3. Make sure the gun is unloaded before handling.

Ash78, voting early and often > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:09

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Thanks for posting, Bubba. I’ve only read a handful of confessionals about people accidentally shooting themselves and then owning up to it, so I applaud your courage in putting this out there (for ridicule, and the inevitable TOLD YA SO from the anti-gun crowd). This is the exact reason that I don’t carry yet. I feel like I have to be absolutely at 100% with every aspect of gun management to where it's second nature. I'm confident with most rifles and revolvers, but I'm new to automatics, especially those without external safeties (ie, almost all compacts and subs). Look on the bright side — these are the types of accidents you never repeat, and hopefully your post hits home with other people. Thanks for telling your story.

Leon711 > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:10

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Being British I don’t have any exposure to waking around with loaded firearms. I was however in the Army Cadets as a teen, so we mostly fired rifles amongst other things. Anyway, we were always told that even if you think the weapon is clear, don’t point it at yourself or anyone else.

Berang > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:10

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Wow that sucks. That’s a really shitty way to learn about not making assumptions, but if it makes you feel any better it’s a mistake a lot of people could have made. Just glad you’re getting better and nobody else was hurt.

Sovereign, Purveyor of Coupes > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:11

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I am a huge gun supporter and I hear you on your point here. Guns are no joke. Not to be messed with.

I’m sorry to hear about your very unfortunate accident, yet glad that it didn’t end up worse. A speedy recovery to you.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:12

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Well, that sucks.

One of my teachers lost her son because of a handling error. He stuck a cleaning rod down the barrel of a loaded shotgun and blew most of his face off.

Accidents happen. Glad to hear yours wasn’t worse.

XJDano > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:12

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Thanks for sharing. I am no “gun nut” but I like them and don’t have enough.

This is another reminder that you can never be too safe around guns. I have been handed guns before and always told they were unloaded, first thing I always do is check myself. I trust no one when it comes to that, not even myself.

Again thanks for having the guts to share your story to keep awareness up ( at your own expense), but I bet you won’t do that again.

Maybe it’s time to customize either your gun or your brothers with a different colored sight or something subtle that you & him would really only notice.

Stay safe!!

Scary__goongala! > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:12

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Thanks for sharing your story man. I actually just bought the exact same weapon last Saturday.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:16

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Damn, that’s a shitty accident to have. Glad recovery is going well for you, I doubt this will be a lesson you’ll forget, and now you’ll have a badass scar to use as a teaching aid to other marksmen.

“Always double-check your weapon. Why? This will happen.” *rolls up pants*

BringBackTheCommodore > Funktheduck 07/01/2016 at 09:20

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Also...

1.) Treat every weapon as if it were loaded.

2.) Be aware of what is behind or beyond your intended target.

Flavien Vidal > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:20

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Well, there is a reason why dozens of studies explain that you are more at risks of being killed if you own a gun than if you don’t.... Guns do create a lot more trouble than they solve any.

I understand the fun side of it (shooting a P226 is tons of fun! thx ‘murica for getting me to discover that) but yeah, anyone can become ill and depressed, anyone can have moments not thinking straight, anyone can make mistakes or anyone can lose control of himself... And guns make all of those problems “solve themselves” much more easily than when guns are simply not available close to you... The way problems are solved with guns are never going to be at your advantage though.

So if you own, a gun, just be aware of all that. Know that it’s an risk you’re taking when you own one and not an easy way out of problems. It’s tons of fun to shoot at stuff, but lots of potential problems also.

Rico > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:21

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Speedy recovery man!

Life and Times of Magoo: The People's Champ > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:21

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Props for having the fortitude to post your story man.

I have seen many people online complain about the amount of safety features built into my Ruger....But the more stories and knowledge I pick up, I feel like the Glock’s were designed with very little margin for error.

Kind of blows my mind that pulling the trigger is the 1st step of dismantling it.

BringBackTheCommodore > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:23

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At least the round did not hit the femoral artery, or any of the branch arteries that come off of it.

Shitty circumstances, but at least you, and your brother, lived to tell about it. Painful way to learn a lesson about gun safety, terribly painful. Heal up quick, and hey, you’ll have a kick-ass scar to talk about.

CounterTorqueSteer > Life and Times of Magoo: The People's Champ 07/01/2016 at 09:28

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The first step in dismantling ANY firearm should be to check to make sure the gun is clear. A very good safety practice is to dismantle/clean a firearm in a completely different room than where you keep ammunition.

Funktheduck > BringBackTheCommodore 07/01/2016 at 09:29

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I I treat that number 1 as a state of mind instead of a rule.

When I was a kid we were taught all guns were dangerous because my parents had real guns and they didn't want us blurring any lines. That included nerf and BB guns. I remember my brother getting in huge trouble for pointing an unloaded BB gun at a friend.

crowmolly > CounterTorqueSteer 07/01/2016 at 09:30

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I can’t think of one that doesn’t have clear/check/check again as the first step.

BringBackTheCommodore > Funktheduck 07/01/2016 at 09:31

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Same here, my Dad was pretty damned particular about how any weapon was handled, including BB guns (as you referenced). The two points I added were from what my Dad lectured me about, and from what I was trained to do with any weapon (training courtesy the U.S. Navy).

ttyymmnn > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:32

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Why did you chamber a round before holstering it?

Life and Times of Magoo: The People's Champ > CounterTorqueSteer 07/01/2016 at 09:34

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This is obvious. I drop the mag out and pull the slide back to check it’s clear. Not really sure what you’re getting at.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:36

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I use empty chamber indicators (ECI’s). A good inexpensive way to ensure that you know your firearm is empty before cleaning/disassembly/etc. I live/work around guns and explosives. When you are around them all the time it is easy to get complacent, so safety needs to be built-in to your routine. Glad to hear you are recovering well. I was around for a close call on a home made range where a ricochet took off the top of a friend’s ear. We joke about it now, but a few inches the other way and it could have been a different story (though it probably didn’t have enough energy/mass to be lethal it could have easily taken out an eye). The silver lining in these incidents is that you learn a very powerful lesson. Let’s just say that range is no more and you probably won’t ever pull a trigger without the gun pointed down range again.

Sweet Trav > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:40

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One of the points that needs to be made (for non glock owners) is that a dry-fire is part of the process of disassembly for the gun. Unlike a pistol with an external trigger, there is no way to “de-cock” a glock besides dry firing so the disassembly procedure for cleaning is as follows: Dry fire, pull down on on the slide retaining tabs, pull the slide back slightly and as the slide comes forward, the gun comes apart.

I applaud you sharing your cautionary tale, I’m glad you are OK and good luck with the rehab process.

Everyone with gun:

There are lots of “rules” for handing weapons, but in order to properly handle a firearm you must always be mindful of what a gun was designed to do. Kill things. Respect the gun and its capabilities, from a .22 to a .50 cal BMG they can all kill. It’s almost like that old saying that a dull knife is the most dangerous, because you don’t fear cutting yourself. Too many gun owners get too comfortable and overconfident in their abilities and accidents happen.

Stapleface > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:46

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Thanks for having the courage to tell the story, despite the chances of there being ridicule. I have a question though, because I don't know and have only ever shot rifles before. Why did you chamber a round when you re-holstered it earlier? Is there some technical reason to do that?

R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:49

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As a marksmanship instructor and range master, I have ground the 5 infantry weapons safety rules into my brain on a daily basis. There are key words that are so meshed into my thought process that I cannot disassociate them from my psyche.

Treat

Never

Keep

Keep

Know

Monkey B > Party-vi 07/01/2016 at 09:53

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I don’t have a Glock, but my Kahr (similar pistol) doesn’t have any notable difference in loaded/unloaded weight. In fact any pistol in my experience doesn’t. But even if there was or if the magazine is out you have to presume it’s chambered as it’s the safest way to avoid this type of incident.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:54

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Thank you for having the courage to share your story. It really, really sucks that you shot yourself in the leg, but I’m glad it wasn’t worse. I hope you make a speedy recovery.

I have a couple striker fired guns (M&P, Ruger LC9S) and I have to admit that they make me nervous when it comes to disassembly, especially because I live in an apartment so there really isn’t a “safe” direction to point it.

Monkey B > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 09:57

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Thanks for having the humility to post. Reminders are always a good thing and maybe this post will save someone the same misfortune someday. Sorry you had to learn the hard lesson but at least the consequences, as you pointed out, were not as bad as they could have been.

Your boy, BJR > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 10:01

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I’m gonna get you one of these.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 10:03

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Damn. I know Glocks have a great reputation, but that just seems like a bad design to have to actuate the trigger for disassembly. Is it because of the striker-fire system inherently, or was a design choice from Glock independent of that?

My USP 40 (hammer fired) doesn’t require using the trigger to disassemble.

I’m glad you’re OK. It’s always good to make a mistake without the direst of consequences.

iaintafraidofnoghost > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 10:04

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But in all serious I'm glad no one was seriously hurt and you're taking it in stride. Thanks for sharing a good lesson/tip with gun ownership.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 07/01/2016 at 10:06

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Once a few friends and I were out at a guys farm shooting steel, and me and the owner were standing behind the line talking and another friend was on the line shooting. We heard *BANG* *ZING* *THUD* and felt a noticable breeze... the bullet had ricocheted off the target and went right over our heads and embedded itself into the barn behind us. If either of us were an inch taller we’d probably have been hit.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Sweet Trav 07/01/2016 at 10:08

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The last part is the most important part. You can write all the rules you want, but if you’re not following them they don’t do a damn bit of good. It’s all about having a mindset thats conducive to safety and not letting yourself get careless.

OCD-CO > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 10:09

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My Brother did this same thing with his Glock 23 a decade ago....

We were at the range and completed our shooting. He had not checked the gun or chamber when he was putting it away in his truck. He was standing near the driver side door and I was behind him. I didn’t know what had really happened but I heard the pop and saw his face as he turned to me. I immediately thought he had shot himself.

No one else noticed as there was other guns firing at the same time on the range.

I screamed at him asking if he had been shot but he was dazed and I assume half deaf from the shot of a .40 in the cab of a truck. He finally admitted he was not shot.

But, his new Tacoma was.

I followed the path of the bullet and it had shot between his upper and lower seat cushions. Beneath the seat he had an aluminum ice scraper. Somehow the bullet hit dead center on that 5/8" aluminum scraper and did not penetrate, rather it guided the bullet out the back of the cab floor. The straight ice scraper was now a half moon shape with a channel grooved in to it.

The hole in the cab was millimeters from the gas tank when it exited.

He didn’t touch the gun for 7 years. I have never shot with him again.

I CC M&P’s not Glocks. But regardless of manufacturer/brand/flavor, we all have to be conscience of handling firearms. Glad you are ok.

Xyl0c41n3 > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 10:11

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Ok, so I won’t make this a gun debate, because I’m actually a fan of guns, too. Love .40 cal glocks. Even earned the nickname “Annie Oakley” at a previous office for my capabilities shooting one.

But I will make this an ammo debate. Why even have hollow point rounds? Their sole purpose is to cause as much catastrophic tissue damage as possible. They’re engineered to twist and turn and rip apart as much soft tissue as possible while shattering any bones they encounter. That carnage isn’t aimed at maiming animals, it’s aimed at maiming people.

You won’t find a hunter using that kind of round because a hunter wants to keep as much meat/skin as possible usable for eating and/or mounting purposes.

Hollow points are horrific. What they can do to your fellow man, whether bad guy or not, is horrific.

I’m not going to tell you to get rid of your guns. And I wish you well on your recovery. But I will urge you to refrain from continuing to purchase and use a round that is specifically made to hurt people with the maximum amount of brutality possible.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > ttyymmnn 07/01/2016 at 10:12

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for CC, it makes more tactical sense for readiness to carry cocked and locked

450X_FTW > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 10:12

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The hollow point tore into my lower leg, fragmented, broke my tibia and ripped out the other side of my leg and ended up embedded in the drywall in my basement.

So you’re saying hollow points are effective?

I own a Glock 20 that I carry for my “up north in the woods” gun, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be completely comfortable carrying that gun with a round in the chamber. Not having a traditional button or lever safety just worries me too much. Even my FNH45 that I keep in my car I don’t have a round in the chamber, because I don’t want an accident to happen.

yamahog > Your boy, BJR 07/01/2016 at 10:16

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/thread, Ben won

Rainbow > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 10:17

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As with pretty much everyone who has one on Oppo, I trust that you’re a responsible gun owner. It’s scary how even the best of us can make such a monumental mistake, though. I’m trying to keep from verging too close to debate territory, but it’s really eye-opening to consider there are people out there with far less common sense than you who own far deadlier weapons. Sure, there’s nothing inherently wrong with that as long as they’re well-trained and not psychotic, but damn. You’re one of the lucky ones, having only gotten your leg.

Here’s to a speedy recovery, and I’m sure you’ll be sure to be extra extra careful from now on! Nobody would blame you if you want to switch over to a BB gun for a while, too. ;)

My bird IS the word > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 10:21

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Somebody on oppo told me that pulling the trigger for dissasembly wasn’t a design flaw.

Lol to them.

Accidents happen dude. That doesn't make it any better when they do.

mcseanerson > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 10:26

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Just another reason I don’t want a Glock. Honestly though even without this incident I don’t want one because I want more than just a trigger safety.

I’m glad you shared this and I hope recovery is going well. I’m going to be directing a short film involving some firearms and this just reinforces my opinion I want three people checking every firearm to make sure there is no live ammo loaded before every shot.

nafsucof > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 10:32

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Should you look down the barrel to make sure it's empty? I kid...is glock the name of the gun or proper name or slang? I have no gun experience and once only once held my friends unloaded handgun.

CounterTorqueSteer > Life and Times of Magoo: The People's Champ 07/01/2016 at 10:34

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You said that the first step in disassembly of a Glock is to pull the trigger. As you just said yourself, in safe practices, the first step is to clear the gun.

CB > Funktheduck 07/01/2016 at 10:36

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Can’t agree more, especially about Nerf guns. Almost lost an eye because of one.

crowmolly > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 07/01/2016 at 10:38

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Some striker fired pistols need the pull but not all of them. I don’t think the SR9 does. But that could be because the Glock design is older and people had a chance to design-out the trigger pull.

Life and Times of Magoo: The People's Champ > CounterTorqueSteer 07/01/2016 at 10:41

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For me, thats natural first movement when picking one up. So we’re saying the same thing. It’s foreign to me that pulling the trigger is any part of the process for the Glock.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > crowmolly 07/01/2016 at 10:42

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Ok, that answers my question.

Thanks!

CB > Xyl0c41n3 07/01/2016 at 10:50

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Hollow-points are used to prevent collateral damage, unfortunately. So the round is going to stop in the person, rather than carry through and possibly hit someone else. It’s pretty shitty, but understandable from a certain point of view. However, you think something banned by the Hague Convention for use in wartime 117 years ago (although the US didn’t sign this treaty, so they can still use it) would have found a replacement that does a similar task of stopping without causing collateral damage.

CB > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 10:51

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Shit man, that really sucks. Kudos to admitting your fault, and here’s to a speedy recovery!

crowmolly > Life and Times of Magoo: The People's Champ 07/01/2016 at 10:51

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As I said to Snap, certain striker fired pistols require a trigger pull. But that’s not the first step.

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > mcseanerson 07/01/2016 at 10:59

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Firearm safety for theater/movies goes well beyond that. Removing the firing pin is pretty standard procedure if using a real gun. Consider getting prop guns that can't even accept any ammo. If you have to use something that shoots, blanks are just as dangerous; people have been killed by them before. There's a lot of resources on the Internet for more info. Ideally this would all be handled by a dedicated gun wrangler, so to speak, who would be in charge of all aspects of them.

Ross Kraz > Sweet Trav 07/01/2016 at 11:27

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But uhh... wouldn’t you take the magazine out? In the case of this story, wouldn’t you notice that the mag is not removed, even if the guns are identical?

I get that he had one chambered, so I guess the same thing could have happened, but he didn’t mention removing the magazine from his gun...

Ross Kraz > Xyl0c41n3 07/01/2016 at 11:33

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Because if someone breaks into my house, I want to know that even my fiance can point anywhere in the dark and fuck that dude up if she has to.

Of course, for safety reasons, I keep this locked and I don’t keep the mag in it. And I hope I NEVER have to actually use it. But it’s ready if we do.

Ross Kraz > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 11:37

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You have been found guilty of a mistake. Your punishment will be, due to your injury to your left leg, driving slushboxes until you recover.

El Rivinado > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 12:40

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We in the gun community have a saying. There are two types of firearms, those who have had an accidental discharge, and those who will have an accidental discharge. In your case, you kind of fell into the latter camp.

At the very least, I’m glad you are safe, the fact that the bullet didn't hit a major artery in your leg should count as a huge sigh of relief for you.

Xyl0c41n3 > Ross Kraz 07/01/2016 at 13:13

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Dead is dead. A regular bullet will kill someone just as well as a hollow point.

Your fiancée pulling the trigger aimlessly in the dark requires no more effort with a gun loaded with regular ammo versus hollow points. The difference is when she (or you) accidentally shoots someone she knows and loves (like Bubba Ray here did with himself), the injuries sustained are more likely to be catastrophic than with a regular bullet.

And face it, there’s a higher likelihood that the gun will be used against someone you know (whether on purpose or not) versus some theoretical bad guy with a balaclava trying to sneak into your house at 2 a.m.

By the way, remind me never to go anywhere near your neighborhood. One, because you actively hope your fiancée would recklessly “point anywhere in the dark” with a firearm, and 2. Because the casual sexism implied in the statement “even my fiancée can...”

Women shoot, too, you know. Get your fiancée some firearms training or don’t allow her near your firearms at all. That goes for anyone in your life that doesn’t know how to use a gun. It’s irresponsible to let ANYone who doesn’t know gun safety access to your weapons. Doing so greatly increases their odds of being injured by said firearm.

mcseanerson > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver 07/01/2016 at 13:17

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I plan on having myself as the director checking for safety, a friend who is a big gun enthusiast doing nothing but checking guns for safety for every shot, and teaching each actor to check each gun themselves before every shot. I am likely using airsoft guns for handguns so there shouldn’t be an issue with blanks vs live ammo there. I’m still trying to make up my mind on the rifle I have in mind. It will either be an AK47 or AR15 or end up being a home made prop gun. If I can make a gun to look like a take down 50 cal then I will go with that. The idea for the rifle is something the character can hide in a backpack.

Xyl0c41n3 > CB 07/01/2016 at 13:37

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One person’s “prevent collateral damage” is another person’s “let’s make sure this asshole never walks again/never wakes up.”

And no, most people in the US who buy hollow points aren’t doing it out of an abundance of concern for not accidentally hitting grandma’s Hummel figurines up there on the mantle after the bullet goes through Billy the Burglar, they're buying them to make sure Billy the Burglar dies a horrific death because he took a shining to your $500 PS4.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 13:44

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You’re lucky you didn’t shoot your eye out!

Ross Kraz > Xyl0c41n3 07/01/2016 at 14:38

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But a hollow point hit in a non-lethal area will do more damage and have a better chance of stopping someone when you’re flustered and your adrenaline is pumping. That’s what I mean by “anywhere”.

I don’t believe in “accidents” when it comes to firearms. There is deliberate action and there is carelessness. Either way, you are fully responsible for the consequences. That’s why extreme precaution is necessary, even to the point of redundancy.

That wasn’t casual sexism. She just doesn’t shoot. She knows how, though, and I would trust her with my life if it came down to it.

Again, I never want to use it to harm someone. I doubt I ever will have to. But if that day comes, I don’t want to be at a disadvantage.

You are welcome anytime in my neighborhood. Anyone is. It’s a nice, safe, friendly place full of people who have worked hard for what they have. But, I guarantee, if someone steps foot in any house on the block with intent to steal/rape/murder, he or she won’t be walking out. That makes me sleep better at night.

Big Bubba Ray > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 07/01/2016 at 15:14

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Haha I’ve heard this plenty of times!

Big Bubba Ray > Xyl0c41n3 07/01/2016 at 15:16

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I see you’ve gotten a few responses so far but I’ll chime in nonetheless.

In some areas it is actually illegal to carry fmj rounds for personal defense simply because they would just shoot through somebody. Like CB said, they’re to prevent collateral damage.

Big Bubba Ray > Your boy, BJR 07/01/2016 at 15:18

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Hahaha I need one!

Big Bubba Ray > Ross Kraz 07/01/2016 at 15:19

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Sorry, forgot to include that. I dropped the mag at some point in the gun mixup. There was just one left chambered and that’s where I goofed.

Big Bubba Ray > Party-vi 07/01/2016 at 15:22

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There is a noticeable difference but I forgot to mention that I had dropped the magazine out of my handgun with a round still chambered. I thought everything was clear, wasn’t paying attention to whose gun I was actually handling and didn’t check the chamber again. Last time I’ll make that mistake.

Ross Kraz > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 15:23

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Damn. Maybe you guys should get different grips or something in the future lol You need those James Bond guns that only fire with his handprint on them.

Big Bubba Ray > ttyymmnn 07/01/2016 at 15:24

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I always carry it loaded. Safe to say everybody with a CC license does the same. If the gun is ever needed, you may not have time to draw and load it.

Big Bubba Ray > Ash78, voting early and often 07/01/2016 at 15:26

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Thanks for the response. I was a bit ashamed about it after having surgery to put my leg back together but I realized that not talking about it isn’t going to do me or anybody any good.

I have this stupid story and hopefully somebody will benefit from it!

Big Bubba Ray > XJDano 07/01/2016 at 15:27

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I’m more than confident in saying that I’ll never make that mistake again haha

And the reason this happened is because I was going to disassemble my gun to throw night sights on it to prevent mixing up the guns. Oh the irony.

Big Bubba Ray > 450X_FTW 07/01/2016 at 15:28

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Hollow points are very effective haha

I still have bullet fragments in my leg. Just noticed them the other day when looking at my x-rays!

Ash78, voting early and often > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 15:29

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I always say life is too short for us all to make our own mistakes, we have to learn from each other or we'll all end up dead. Thankfully you're still with us! Good luck with your recovery, keep us posted.

Big Bubba Ray > OCD-CO 07/01/2016 at 15:30

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God that’s terrifying. I had the same reaction when the gun went off. I turned to my brother and just said “no way that just fucking happened.” We both scanned ourselves for wounds and then I noticed the hole in my jeans. Scary shit and I’m glad your brother was ok!

Big Bubba Ray > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/01/2016 at 15:31

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Haha exactly. So many scars and I’ve got an x-ray showing the rod that is literally holding my tibia together. Gnarly stuff.

Big Bubba Ray > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 07/01/2016 at 15:31

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Lots of painful PT but at least I can walk right now which is surprising! The wonders of modern medicine.

Big Bubba Ray > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/01/2016 at 15:32

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Just check them over and over and over and over and you won’t end up like me! haha

Big Bubba Ray > El Rivinado 07/01/2016 at 15:33

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Yep, the situation sucked but looking back now, I’m kinda thankful it went the way it did. It could have been monumentally worse.

ttyymmnn > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 15:36

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Loaded, of course. But chambered?

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 15:38

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I do. I would say I check them at least 5 or 6 times before I clean them. I get super paranoid about safe gun handling, but I coach a junior smallbore rifle team so I kind of have to be. Gotta set a good example for the youngins.

Also, I’ve never been a big Glock guy, for a couple reasons, but the whole pulling the trigger to disassemble was always one of them. But after getting the M&P, Ruger, and a Styer L9 (my fave) I got more used to striker fired guns. And, I got a glock mag carbine, so I finally broke down and decided to get a Glock. But since I like to tinker, I got a Spectre lower so I can custom build it. Should be a fun little project.

CB > Xyl0c41n3 07/01/2016 at 15:49

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To be fair, that’s the purpose of a gun. Every use of force scale puts firearms at the top because they should only be used to kill, not maim, in instances where a person’s life is threatened. I’m not 100% sure on castle defence laws or however you call them, so feel free to correct me, but don’t they assume that any person entering your home threatens your life? And using a firearm in your own home, you’d want the bullet to not go tearing through walls, once again because you may hit another human being. I think claiming a firearm user wants a person entering their home to die an agonizing death is a little facetious, I think they just want the person to go down, regardless of how it happens.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 15:49

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I have no idea how I made it through 12 years of competitive shooting without hurting myself, but this story makes me insanely glad I did.

MUSASHI66 > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 15:52

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I won’t carry my Shield with one in the chamber, for this very reason. I also do a chamber check mag check every time I take a gun in my hands. My father in law drilled that into me, and I thought it was excessive, but I appreciate it now, especially after stories like this. Lucky for you , you didn’t do something terrible that you couldn’t live with. I hope you heal 100%

MUSASHI66 > Snuze: Needs another Swede 07/01/2016 at 15:57

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I had. .22lr conversion kit for my AR. Once, I was done shooting, I took the mag out, racked the weapon to clear the chamber, but a .22lr round stayed in the BCG of the conversion kit. We caught it when we opened the gun and went to install the original BCG. Scared the shit out me. I never used it again and I sold it days later.

P.V.B. > Big Bubba Ray 07/01/2016 at 16:47

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P.V.B. > P.V.B. 07/01/2016 at 16:55

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Because of this...

Nicknames included “Jesus”, “Plaxico” and of course “dumbass”.

Other jokes included “raise your hand if ___” due to having to keep it eleveted, “...fisting spongebob...” due to the foam pillow that helped maintain said elevetion, and “hey! High Five.”

My friends and I are big fans of The League (FX) thus our dialogue was pretty ruthless.

Like you, I took it al in stride, I can’t blame the machine, it was all my fault. The above jokes were earned.

Since then, I have completed my Army OBC (EN) and deployed, all qualifying as Expert at the ranges, with zero further incidents.

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > ttyymmnn 07/01/2016 at 17:00

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If you think about it, a fully loaded revolver is always chambered.

DAO and first-shot-DA autos (decockables like CZs and FNs) safeguard against accidental discharge by having a fairly heavy DA pull, while most SA autos use a frame or grip safety (or both, in the case of the 1911, for instance) that allow you to carry in condition one safely. The idea is to be able to draw, aim, (de-safety), and fire in one motion as quick as possible; racking the slide in the middle of that process adds a pretty big chunk of time when the psychopath visiting the prayer meeting starts dropping people. I’m not a Glock shooter, but my understanding is that Glocks and other striker-fired autos are supposed to have trigger weights similar to DAO, in addition to the trigger-touch safety. I’d say that, if you’re doing everything correctly, carrying a Glock with a round chambered is no less safe than carrying a loaded J-frame revolver or a 1911 in condition one, considering that it should absolutely not discharge unless you ACTUALLY pull the trigger...which is precisely what Ray did. It always goes back to Cooper’s first two rules: the gun is always loaded (even when it isn’t) and don’t point it at anything you aren’t willing to destroy.

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > nafsucof 07/01/2016 at 17:04

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Glock is the name of the manufacturer. The ‘make,’ if you will, while the number (Glock 23) is the model name.

ttyymmnn > Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious 07/01/2016 at 17:20

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If you think about it, a fully loaded revolver is always chambered.

Good point. I’m not a gun owner, and don’t know much at all about the differences between brands. I was asking out of genuine curiosity, and I appreciate the long reply. Despite my not owning any firearms, I have tried at least to educate my boys about how to be responsible if they handle one, and to recognize when somebody else is being irresponsible. It took them a while to understand that the most dangerous gun is an unloaded one, but I think they get it now.

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > ttyymmnn 07/01/2016 at 17:45

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“...the most dangerous gun is an unloaded one...”

I like this, and I am stealing it from you forever...just like you totally stole that lick from Nat Adderly in Mercy Mercy Mercy . ^_^

ttyymmnn > Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious 07/01/2016 at 17:46

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I would like to credit Nat Adderly, but I have no idea where I heard it first. Probably my grandfather.

Big Bubba Ray > Stapleface 07/01/2016 at 17:58

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Yep there is a reason to keep it loaded and holstered. Basically if I were to ever need to pull my gun, god forbid, drawing then chambering a round takes just too long. You may not have that extra second to pull the slide back if things happen quickly.

Big Bubba Ray > TheRealBicycleBuck 07/01/2016 at 17:59

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God that’s sad and thanks. I got pretty lucky overall.

Big Bubba Ray > nafsucof 07/01/2016 at 18:00

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Haha I’m sure people have checked that way before!

The brand of gun is a Glock. The model is a 23. There are a ton of different Glock models that you differentiate by their number.

Big Bubba Ray > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 07/01/2016 at 18:02

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If it’s in my holster, one will be chambered. This wasn’t a holster and chambered round problem, this was me being a dumbass problem haha

Big Bubba Ray > Ross Kraz 07/01/2016 at 18:03

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HELL NO! I had surgery to have a metal rod inserted all the way through my tibia to hold it all together. I was back driving stick two weeks after!

Big Bubba Ray > Scary__goongala! 07/01/2016 at 18:03

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Yep yep. Be safe and enjoy the hell out of it! I love mine.

Big Bubba Ray > Monkey B 07/01/2016 at 18:05

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I’ve got no problem talking about it now simply because I want others to avoid making the mistakes that I did! If I can help only one person by putting this all out there, then I’ll be thrilled.

Big Bubba Ray > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/01/2016 at 18:09

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Hey, you made it by being responsible, attentive and careful!