Mistake made with flintlock

[Richard J.]

Was just informed that a person I know shot his hand. He was hunting and came home propped weapon up with his hand on barrel and proceeded to wipe the weapon off to get rid of the snow and water. He had the hammer back and the trigger set. Rag hit trigger and patched ball went thru hand and thru the ceiling and roof. Had hand operated on and transfered to larger hospital. This person had no instruction or training with a flintlock. He borrowed it and the guy showed him how to load it and pull the hammer back and set trigger to shoot. Five minutes of instruction. Had no business even being in the woods without practice. My brother lives next to him and he never had any interest in shooting BP when offered. Brother took the weapon to check it out and hammer would not drop when stock was bumped against floor, even with the rear trigger set. Took weapon apart and everything is fine. The guy is worked up and making different statements but it looks like it was ready to fire and the rag hit the trigger according to the original statement. Doctor said because it was black powder it must have stopped most of the bleeding. Going to have a messed up hand. Really sad because he is a real nice guy, just a mistake made because of not being familiar with the weapon.

 

[Jumpshot]

He went hunting with it and he's never even shot it?

Doctor said because it was black powder it must have stopped most of the bleeding.

What?

 

[Matt85]

he may be a nice guy but hes not a very smart guy... :shake:

im glad it was just his hand and not something more vital. i hope he learned a lesson about weapons. (but i also hope this doesnt turn him off to muzzleloaders... it wasnt the guns fault)

my simple and most important rule to all people: know your weapon

-matt

 

[Stumpkiller]

Cauterized the wound?

Ouch. Bet he don't do that again.

 

[ssettle]

Why would the hammer be back and the set trigger set if he was done hunting for the day? Happy to see no one else was hurt. Can't understand why he was even allow to use the gun in the first place. You do not bring the hammer back to full cock and set the trigger unless your aim at a target your going to shot.

 

[pa woods roamer]

Sounds to me like He was running around all Day with the Hammer back and the Trigger set ??? An accident waiting to happen.

 

[Walks with fire]

A very sad accident that could have been much worse.
I noticed the hammer back on a friends rifle a few seasons back; We were driving deer and he pulled it back to shoot at a deer he kicked up but didn't shoot; forgot to lower the hammer.

 

[Geraldo]

Although not recommended, people get away with violating one safety rule at a time, in this case having his hand over the muzzle of a loaded rifle. It's when they violate two at a time (hand/rag near trigger) that things go badly.

Sadly there a lot of people in the woods and elsewhere that have little clue about how to use their particular firearm. When I worked in a gun shop I saw it every year before deer season. People would buy guns intending to hunt without sighting in, let alone taking time to familiarize themselves with the weapon.

 

[Trench]

Sounds like this gent needs to stay away from rifles and shotguns, period. This incident could have happend with any kind of rifle, modern or BP.

It's a sad story, but I'm happy to hear he's alive and well. People shouldn't have to learn life's lessons that way.

 

[TFoley]

He went hunting with it and he's never even shot it?

Doctor said because it was black powder it must have stopped most of the bleeding.

What?

The proximity of the flame must have cauterised the hole. Lucky him, eh?

Like somebody I met once told me that the very first time he ever fired a little .36 BP revolver he'd had one finger point straight out alongside the cylinder gap.

Said that the owner never told him about the rather energetic flame that comes out sideways at the cylinder gap...

He never did that again, he confided. The neatly-scarred slot in his index finger was the result of the wound that had not bled, but, he noted, it sure as he&& stung. Didn't put him off, BTW - he is a fine shot.

Me, I make a point of telling noobs most definitely NOT to put any part of their anatomy forward of the trigger guard when shooting a C&B revolver and often demonstrate the reason why with a First National HD. Me, I don't mind burnt, so long as it's still kosher.

Best to all for 2013

tac, mrs tac, ig and ken the GFT

 

[Many Klatch]

Well unfortunately, the lender did not tell the nooby about how to "gently" lower the flint and open the frizzen to make it safe after he has cocked it. With a double trigger set up that can be pretty touchy.

How to make a gun safe is as important as how to load and shoot.

Many Klatch

 

[TFoley]

Sounds like this gent needs to stay away from rifles and shotguns, period. This incident could have happend with any kind of rifle, modern or BP.

It's a sad story, but I'm happy to hear he's alive and well. People shouldn't have to learn life's lessons that way.

There are some folks for whom personal management of a spoon is a skill they have yet to accomplish successfully. I'm not saying that our pal with his modified anatomy fits exactly in that category, but you have to wonder what goes through the mind of somebody who is prepared to deal death to a pretty large animal using a tool that he knows SFA about.

Let's look on the bright side, eh? Now he can play 'peek-a-boo' with his kids just by looking through the new aperture in this hand. PLUS, he'll always have someplace to stow a pen while he does something else.

tac

PS - I have a VERY funny story about an incident of this kind. If anyone wants to read it I'd be more than happy to post it, but it DOES involve a modern shotgun rather than an older piece. Let me know what you want, OK?

 

[F.G. Ford]

I hope the lender does not get sued over the incident!
Fred

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Yeah sometimes the set trigger can't be "set" unless the rifle is at full cock, and with only a few minutes of instruction, it would be easy to misunderstand the difference between half and full cock, and when to set the trigger. I met a person on the range many years ago who thought that the rear trigger on a set trigger was a type of "safety". :shocked2:

As a kid I saw an older man on the skeet range with his loaded shotgun resting on the toe of his right foot, as he prepared to shoot at one of the stations. I asked politely if that wasn't a bit dangerous, and replied, "Not a bit..., I blew off the toes on that foot ten year ago doing the same thing."



LD

 

[Lonegun1894]

I fro one would like to hear it, Tac. While I know that this is a traditional ML forum, the safety rules cover all guns equally, and any experience can be beneficial to any and all of us as we all need a refresher/reminder on occasion. The way a gun operates varies due to the mechanism, but the rules stay the same. I've seen some "good" ones too, but most of those ended up kinda ugly, with a few that would be funny if it wasn't for the danger involved.

 

[Dean2]

1

 

[Dean2]

I hate to say it, but anyone as unfamiliar with guns and as stupid in their handling of them as your friend should never be allowed to touch a gun. Sit a loaded, fully cocked gun in the corner to start with, and then to make it worse start wiping it with a rag.

Man, that is hard to fathom. This is the kind of person that gives the antis all kinds of examples to push for manadatory education/licensing etc. Like we don't have enough trouble with the pure wackos. Just glad no innocent people got hurt too.

 

[cynthialee]

I understand that we all have to exercise our own due dilligence, but the guy who loaned him the gun did him a disservice.

 

[David W.]

He violated a major safety rule.

A flintlock should have a frizzen cover in place at all times, except when ready to fire.

 

[gjr902]

I hunt in VT and CT. We are required to empty the pan/remove the cap, prior to getting to the road, muchless the vehicle. This guy missed a few crucial rules and hunting regulations, beyond the common safety rules.