Howdy,
Crazy situation! NOT ME but most experienced shooter I know did it!
We were showing off our pride and joy 1911s. I cleared mine and set it on the table. I watched him clear his and SAW with my own two eyes an empty chamber. I heard him manipulate some how while I was looking away and then BANG! Hole in the floor! At least he pointed it safely!
I was thinking maybe busted extractor and the light made the chamber look empty. I saw him give a sharp look and rotating in the light to see for sure though...I was 4 feet away and know it was 100% empty at that time!
He figured after he cleared it he dropped the mag back in, pulled the slide to check again, released slide chambering a round and then dropped the mag again.... Don't even ask me how or why!
THIS is why I ALWAYS check! If he had handed me the firearm right after I SAW him clear it I would have checked and cleared again. While he was "smart" enough to know to point in a safe direction it could have gone really bad!
I've tried to drill this into friends I instruct to shoot with and will double down. If you clear a firearm 100% and set it down for 1 second you go through the entire check again and do this every time the firearm goes in and out of your hands! I see so many people accept that the guy who had it in their hand cleared it.
We're not perfect and I made numerous non consequential mistakes on a daily basis. We can't treat firearms like a bowl of cereal. Complacency will kill you or someone else! I know I look stupid sometimes triple checking what I just checked but I've searched 5 minutes for glasses that are on top of my head!
I'm so glad I got to see this by an experienced shooter. I got to learn a lesson and it didn't even cost me the $1 .45 ACP is going for nowadays!
Be safe! And keep an eye on those "experts" out there!
I'm going to make it a habit of walking all the ammo out of the room from now on. Not just remove but walk the danged magazines OUT before any admiration is done. Just like when cleaning or dry fire. No ammo nearby!
W
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