Negligent Discharge

[Hoosierman]

After 15 years of handling firearms on an almost daily basis, I finally had an ND. I thought it would never happen to me, I was too careful, followed all the rules, etc... but it did, while I was attempting to field strip my new Ruger LC9s. I cleared the gun by pulling the mag out and cycling the slide several times, then I visually checked the chamber to verify it was empty. The LC9s requires a pull of the trigger in order to let off the spring pressure, and after clearing it, I tried to pull the trigger. BUT, it has a magazine disconnect. So I grab the (still loaded) magazine, thinking it's no big deal, I'll just use it to pull the trigger. After the trigger was pulled, the slide still wouldn't come off, so I figured maybe I would bring the slide back a little bit like my Glocks. That was my mistake, I brought it back just enough to feed a round into the chamber, then when the trigger was pulled again, I sent a round right into the floor next to me. Thanks goodness it was pointed in a safe direction, but I'm very angry at myself for allowing it to happen. All of my classes have preached not to let yourself get complacent, and that's what happened. I figured it wasn't a big deal to have a loaded mag in the gun while stripping it, as I "knew" there wasn't a round in the chamber. Still a bit shaky, but I'm going to double down on my safety checking from now on.

Edit: This is clearly why ruger includes a bright orange dummy magazine in the box. They know this is possible when you're required to have a mag in the gun and pull the trigger in order to strip it.

 

[Bfish]

Whew, very lucky? Anyone else home?? We have a thread that going about this kind of thing recently...

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...-you-have-ever-done-gun-learned-lesson-3.html

Glad no one was injured!

 

[Hoosierman]

Yup, the wife and kids were all home. I always keep my guns pointed in a safe direction when I do have to pull the trigger, and it saved any injuries, but I still feel like scum for letting it happen.

 

[Sheepdog Gear]

Glad nobody was hurt! When things like this happen to folks, I always wonder what the other-half's initial response was. If it's not too personal, would you mind sharing?

 

[Kutnupe14]

Thank the Lord you're ok.

 

[kiddchaos]

Whew!

 

[JetGirl]

I sent a round right into the floor next to me. Thanks goodness it was pointed in a safe direction

That could have been sooooo much worse. Glad you're OK. But dude... never ammo in the same place when you clean stuff. For this exact reason. Now go buy a lottery ticket or something.

 

[Dead Duck]

Just tell your wife you saw a mouse.

 

[Hoosierman]

Glad nobody was hurt! When things like this happen to folks, I always wonder what the other-half's initial response was. If it's not too personal, would you mind sharing?

She was actually really chill about it, she was glad I was ok. She didn't know for sure it was a gunshot at first, but she came in to check on me, apparently she was calling for me and I didn't hear her. When she realized it was a gunshot, and that I was ok, she was more relieved than upset. I'm beating myself up for it much more than her.

 

[Paul30]

Glad everyone is ok. I hate guns with extra complications built in. Dad showed me his P.O.S. phoenix .22 pistol once. Took him several tries to figure out how to take all the safety's off. I told him to get rid of it quickly, it's too complicated to be used for protection. I had one gun with a magazine safety, I promptly looked up how to disable it and did so. I really don't care what benefits they offer, when I pull the trigger I want it to go bang. If I am in the middle of changing mags and need to fire it, or any other reason I want to fire it with a magazine out of it. That's a perfect example as to why I hate the magazine "safety's". Glad you are alright, you are not the first. Glad you mentioned visually checking the chamber since many "assume" that cycling it several times will make certain it is empty, when a failed extraction can happen several times on a stuck round with a bad extractor. If you have been looking to upgrade to another pistol, perhaps this would give you an opportunity to convince the wife that you want one that does not have that "liability". Lets be honest, if you had one without a magazine safety that would never have happened.

I looked up removing the magazine safety and a few discussion forums talked about how to do it, and that it seems more difficult that other pistols. One guy tried it and found the trigger did not work so he is sending his back to ruger with "sorry and I promise not to touch it again" letter. Youtube also had a few video's on it, but it does seem more difficult on that model than others if one decided that is what they wanted to do.

 

[ModernGunner]

Might not want to do that too often. Gets kinda hard on the flooring...

But now ya have a story when friends come over and ask, "Hey, why's that throw rug in a new spot?"

 

[Hoosierman]

If you have been looking to upgrade to another pistol, perhaps this would give you an opportunity to convince the wife that you want one that does not have that "liability". Lets be honest, if you had one without a magazine safety that would never have happened.

I own several pistols that don't have a mag disconnect. I have a Ruger Mk III that had one, but it was removed. I think you're right, if it had been just like my Glock it wouldn't have happened, but it's still my dumb@$$ fault for sticking a loaded mag into it while trying to take it down. Anybody want to trade a once fired LC9S for an LC9S Pro?

 

[pudly]

Anybody want to trade a once fired LC9S for an LC9S Pro?

If you aren't looking to remove the thumb safety, then you can remove the magazine disconnect yourself.

[video=youtube_share;A4WYcnE2yCM]http://youtu.be/A4WYcnE2yCM[/video]

 

[Cameramonkey]

Yup, the wife and kids were all home. I always keep my guns pointed in a safe direction when I do have to pull the trigger, and it saved any injuries, but I still feel like scum for letting it happen.

Dont be too hard on yourself. You learned your lesson and nobody got hurt. Thats a good thing.

Now go make a clearing bucket (5 gallon bucket of sand) for future trigger pulls in case this might ever happen again.

If you aren't looking to remove the thumb safety, then you can remove the magazine disconnect yourself.

[video=youtube_share;A4WYcnE2yCM]http://youtu.be/A4WYcnE2yCM[/video]

I would recommend this. if you didnt have to put the mag back in, it never would have happened. Yes there are other factors but still...

 

[looney2ns]

No ammo in the same room where you are working on guns. Zero.

 

[USMC-FF]

Hoosierman, I'm glad everyone is okay. Thank you for sharing your story.

 

[Paul30]

No ammo in the same room where you are working on guns. Zero.

Since we treat all guns as if they are loaded, it should not matter. Had the design not forced him to reinstall a magazine to release the spring, he would not have put the magazine in. I suppose he could have emptied the magazine in the other room then taken the empty magazine into the other room to install it. It's a poor design that I believe started when they were trying to childproof guns. I believe the designers thought if you store the magazine separate the kid can't fire it even if it has a bullet in the chamber. Problem is kids are smart and would figure it out anyway, and it forces you to install a magazine in a gun to release the spring for cleaning. To me it is a dangerous design that encourages one to over ride their natural well developed instinct to remove the mag, then check the chamber to make it safe. I have heard of military members doing the same thing when clearing a handgun. Normally at end of shift weapon turn in you remove the mag, rack the slide and verify the chamber is empty and dry fire into the sand bucket. One guy racked the slide, removed the mag, then fired a live round into the sand bucket. Mental fatigue causes tired thinking which can result in a ND. I treat every gun as if it's loaded, and if I assumed it was unloaded because I never allow ammo in my cleaning room then I might let my guard down. I check mine out of habit EVERY time I pick it up, or any time someone hands me one even if I just watched them check it that way there is never a question of me forgetting anything. Again, that's why I hate the magazine "safety", because they make a gun less safe. Mine are removed, or the gun would be sold. I would likely research it before purchasing one to verify I could easily remove it.

 

[actaeon277]

Learn from it.
And at least you were following the safety rules.

 

[BugI02]

Dude, major props for being willing to share this. It must have been hard, but may save someone else.

 

[mom45]

If your story saves one other person from making the same mistake, then it was so WORTH SHARING! I agree with the others...thank you for sharing and making others aware of how it happened.

I like the idea of the 5 gallon bucket of sand!