wife got bit by a Taurus, 6 stitches

[UncleMike]

The injury the OP's wife suffered was from having her thumb directly behind the slide and in the path of the slide's rearward travel during recoil like this...

...or sticking straight up like this , both of which are...

I've seen a grown man do that, but with a Sig P220.
He lost some of the top of his left thumb but didn't give up shooting the Sig.
Of course, he never repeated the mistake.

 

[IndyLongColt]

OP here with a little more info. This did happen at BGF. I have been shooting my own handguns for about 4 years. The excellent range officer, actually showed me that I was using an improper handhold. Ive evidently been lucky Ive never experienced slide bite. I just knew about slide action and not to over grip level but my wifes incident was entirely my fault for teaching bad technique. I really preached slide action, stay away from here etc... but taught bad form. She stayed below the slide with her non shooting hand, it was her shooting hand thumb that floated up.....still my fault.
Hoping this may help someone else by making sure youre using correct form, especially if youre supposed to be the professional.

 

[Mgderf]

Both thumbs on the same side of the firearm. Left or right, it doesn't matter, but both thumbs on the same side of the slide.

I volunteer to teach the NSSF (National Shooting Sports Foundation) "First-Shots" program.
It is exactly what it sounds like. Teaching brand new, first time shooters, about firearms and safety.

We drill, and drill, and drill, into them that "this is gonna hurt if you do this..."

I've put probably close to 500 people through this class in the last 3 years. I think we've only had two people get bit by the slide of the Ruger MKIII's we use for the class.
I believe one required stitches, the other just slapped a bandage on it and went back to shooting.

We tell these people over and over again to watch out for this, but we end up catching one out of each class that we have to stop before they shoot. "Where is your thumb? Why is this not right?"

Actually I think we've been lucky that we haven't had more slide bites.
Ironically enough it's usually the adults. I can't remember a child getting bit.

 

[Mark 1911]

I hope she keeps trying and doesn't let one bad experience ruin it for her. Sounds like it should be an easy enough mistake to avoid in the future.

 

[Lori]

OP here with a little more info. This did happen at BGF. I have been shooting my own handguns for about 4 years. The excellent range officer, actually showed me that I was using an improper handhold. Ive evidently been lucky Ive never experienced slide bite. I just knew about slide action and not to over grip level but my wifes incident was entirely my fault for teaching bad technique. I really preached slide action, stay away from here etc... but taught bad form. She stayed below the slide with her non shooting hand, it was her shooting hand thumb that floated up.....still my fault.
Hoping this may help someone else by making sure youre using correct form, especially if youre supposed to be the professional.

Kudos to you for accepting responsibility for this - just one more reason your wife WILL want to go with you again. You obviously didn't make her feel like an idiot, and she will know she can trust you because you are taking your role in this very serious

 

[Lori]

Per the original post, the pistol in question is a Taurus PT709:

The PT709 lacks an external hammer, and thus lacks the need for a 'beavertail thing', properly called a beavertail safety, to prevent the webbing of the gripping hand from being pinched between the hammer and the grip safety...


(note the red mark on the webbing of the shooter's hands)

...an issue most commonly associated with the 1911 pistol design.

The injury the OP's wife suffered was from having her thumb directly behind the slide and in the path of the slide's rearward travel during recoil like this...

...or sticking straight up like this , both of which are...

Thank you for showing this, +1

 

[yotewacker]

I have scars on both hands from that when I was a kid.

 

[Dead Duck]

Beavertail is your friend.



Never had a handgun bite me but did have an argument with this animal.



My brother's old 97 is covered with my dna.

 

[irishanimal917]

Sorry to hear that happened to her but am happy to hear she's a trooper and willing to give it another go. Best of luck on round 2.

 

[raptorracer]

Sorry to hear that. I have been also working with my wife on her grip and off hand with her body guard. Years ago she got bit by her taurus pt738. It made her wiser in the future

 

[k1500]

It is good she didn't let that deter her. Last year I took a colleague to the range for his first time shooting a pistol. My Beretta "bit" him on the thumb. It was only the size of a paper cut and he still enjoyed the experience. I guess you could look at the bright side here...this will likely be the only time she is "bit" by a slide on a semi auto. Don't feel bad about failing as instructor. You could be watching perfectly and she might still have shifted her thumb right before pulling the trigger.

Before the next range experience, use some snap caps and watch her hands very closely. Correct her as needed. It might even help if you can find some youtube videos showing a semi auto in very slo mo so she can see the slide moving in relation to the shooter's hand.