Guys,

 

Maybe you've done it before, or maybe I'm just an idiot. I must have been quite tired today, and/or my blood sugar was quite low or both. In any case, I got to the range at about 6:30pm, load the three 40 cal mags for the HG, everything is pointed downrange, all other safety rules followed, but I pick up the gun and my dumbass finger goes right in the trigger guard and well, I hit the target, but I shook myself up pretty good. In any event, I have decided that I will not be 'rushing home from work to run to the range' any time soon.

 

So between that and my otherwise uncharacteristic inconsistent performance today, I was pretty disappointed with myself. I couldn't group for shit, I was continually surprised by the trigger break on my first and most familiar gun and I couldn't hit for crud with my other two guns. UGH.

Its good that you followed one of the most important golden rules of "never point any firearm at anything you dont intend to destroy". EVERYONE has off days. I know police officers who are actually firearms training officers who have had misfires. One of which even shot himself in the leg. Sorry you were shook up, but maybe that is a good thing yanno? We all tend to get a little lazy and do stupid things all the time, which is why they are called accidents. I wouldn't be to hard on yourself, it was VERY hot and humid today, like you said, you were rushing around, blood sugar, etc...a combination of things, but being an idiot is certainly not one of them.

 

As far as shooting poorly, everyone has good days and bad days and shoots crappy from time to time, I'm sure you were still shook up from the incident. Don't get discouraged, you'll do just fine next time I'm sure!

Thanks Chad. I eventually had to shed the safety specs too (against my better judgement) they were fogging up so bad. I think perhaps you may be right that the heat had something to do with it too.

Yeah man....its amazing how any extreme weather can affect you, hours or even days later! You are not alone....it happens to me also, I just can not think clearly when its so hot out. I make mistakes at work, driving, etc.

Good to hear you're free of anything truly regrettable. Off days are off days, it speaks volume that you continued to drive through it.

As for mental lapses. My unit was doing MILES training (lasers attached to rifles, blanks used to simulate trigger time), and a Private who was loading mags for us accidentally managed to mix in live rounds with dummies! Can't blame him as the S4 Sergeant left the ammo cans literally next to each other. Either way, after the kid was reamed for an hour or so, and then smoked for another hour, he never forgot the difference between the green tips and dummy tips...

it happens. I had one of those last tuesday... after being forced. to shoot the ptr's, and othe boomsticks... I could shoot for crap handguns.... felt bad.

 

but the heat today was just terrible. it happens, most importantly, you were safe and didnt have that negligent discharge at something that could not be replaced. It only gets better from here. and props to you for having the balls to share that story.

You're saying that as you lifted the gun up it fired? How light is the trigger pull? Has the trigger been adjusted?

 

I'm certainly not perfect either but I have practiced keeping my finger off the trigger enough that's it's automatic.

 

here's the routine you need to work on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJE2GpF9Ohc

You're saying that as you lifted the gun up it fired? How light is the trigger pull? Has the trigger been adjusted?

 

I'm certainly not perfect either but I have practiced keeping my finger off the trigger enough that's it's automatic.

 

here's the routine you need to work on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJE2GpF9Ohc

 

Nah - trigger is factory on an XD - it's not light by any means. I had the gun pointed at the target and hit the target, but I wasn't ready to shoot... Noob mistake really. I suppose it's like the kid who's been driving for 6 months, they think they know everything and that time during their driving career is the most dangerous.

 

I'm certainly not perfect either but I have practiced keeping my finger off the trigger enough that's it's automatic.

This of course is what my lapse was.

oh boy bad day Dan. Did you get anyone to come out, I never heard back from you so I figured you had gotten one of the guys and went out for an hour and a half torture session of rowing. I am paying for it today LOL

 

And the heat was brutal, towards the end of my workout, I almost flipped the scull like 5 times because I couldn't think straight anymore. Thats when I said, ok had enough and brought it back in. Glad you didn't hurt yourself, but that heat was brutal, now you know for next time to be extra cautious when its warm out!

Dude it happens to everyone one or twice. The other guys are right in everything they said. When it happened to me it was a wake up call. I am VERY Concious about where my finger is at all times and when a gun is loaded and not. You need to get back to the range and shoot. As far as your specs. One you can try fog X from the rain x people. Or Oakley. They never for on me and they are balistic rated. Glad to here no one got hurt. We do not need any FL stories up here.

oh boy bad day Dan. Did you get anyone to come out, I never heard back from you so I figured you had gotten one of the guys and went out for an hour and a half torture session of rowing. I am paying for it today LOL

 

And the heat was brutal, towards the end of my workout, I almost flipped the scull like 5 times because I couldn't think straight anymore. Thats when I said, ok had enough and brought it back in. Glad you didn't hurt yourself, but that heat was brutal, now you know for next time to be extra cautious when its warm out!

 

I went alone. No biggie - I used to go alone all the time prior to NJGF. You had your rowing practice and I was pulling a 'short notice' deal. I'll get out sometime this week yet and go over to TBH during lunch - may even bring one or two guys with me, we'll see.

I did that trigger pull thing once. I freaked myself out so bad I almost dropped the gun. I clicked the safety on and stepped back a minute. lol just had to calm myself down.