Putting my guns up for awhile.

[phillyfanatic]

When I played baseball and got beaned I got a free base. I proceeded to steal 2nd,then my team mate got a hit and I scored....YEEEHAWW. A couple of innings later while on deck I realized that I had to get in the box and go again.......hmmmm. I thought about it all the way up to the plate,no place to run or hide,got in the box...first pitch ...chin music...backed out and thought about all the practice and at bats that I had been through,got pissed that Jr. tried me with the chin music,got back in crowded the plate......got plunked again....another free base. It hurt but I did not rub it. That's just part of the game,but I chose to get back in it. Just like barstool guru said,these things are bound to happen,you just have to live and learn...It will make you better.

Great analogy and story. Something we can all apply to many other parts of our lives.

[Wondering]

New guy to the forum (and to Glocks) here and I was scoping the forum to see if it was worth registering for. After seeing this post and the supportive responses...well here I am.

To the OP-

Thanks for posting this. It does an amazing service to remind us all that these things can happen and to be preemptively vigilant always. I'm new to CCW and will carry dead-chambered for now and possibly always. With that in mind I would recommend practicing drawing (completely unloaded of course and with no mag) and racking and bringing the weapon to sight with a finger canted across the slide outside of the trigger guard. Practice that over and over and I think you may be impressed with your speed.

Also, carrying dead-chambered leaves you open for a quick attack or having your off hand incapacitated during a struggle, so I would also practice one-handed racking by racking the slide on your belt using the rear sight. If someone more experienced than I has something to add or call BS all please do!

[JohnL]

Welcome to the forum from Kentucky.

The guys here have very little attitude on display (unlike many other forums) and there is a lot of useful information on preexisting threads. The lack of attitude is what attracted me to this forum too. Glad to have you here.

[mercer59]

Hello and welcome to the community from NW Florida!! Sometimes I will go by feel, consider my environment, like when you ride through somewhere and feel the need to roll up the windows and lock the doors,then obviously you are put in a defensive mode. It's like being on offense in football,you know where the play is going when you line up. Location and environment dictates when I carry dead-chambered.

[Russman]

Good advice Z Killer. Did that for a few weeks after I got my first serpa holster. It really does help.

[huff64]

wow. is that a hair trigger. With my glock 23 i have put alot of pressure on the trigger to fire...

[1wise1]

My first question would be, has anyone: you, anyone else, done any trigger work on this gun? polishing to make it pull "smoother" changing of springs or mechanisms to lighten the pull? .. Many of us been around enough Glocks to know that the safe action works until somebody messes with the tolerances on the trigger, but even then it does not charge itself and a bullet must be in the chamber before the gun will go bang. If you are carrying condition 3, anything snagging the trigger could potentially fire a round.
If you are carrying condition 2, not even a sledge hammer will do what happened to you.
Live and Learn

[dano115]

+1 on the Safety routine comment earlier.

I've worked construction a lot of years and for example...I always wrap my two last fingers around the fence of a chopsaw when cutting trim. If the wood explodes and goes flying my hand is less likely to follow as it's touching the fence. The same goes for the table saw as i keep a few fingers spanning the fence.

These same sorts of routines can be implemented with shooting...keeping things the exact same (ie muscle memory) every time.

[Dtom]

Hi guys,

New to glocks but not to guns. Have been in shooting sports for over 30 years and never, by the grace of God, never had an AD.

Thank you for sharing your story. It is a reminder to all of us to not be complacent. We must be ever mindful of the power literally in the palm of our hand. Please remember as well, that anything mechanical can, and will, fail.

I realize this thread is a bit old, but has timeless info from experienced shooters and many friends you've never met. I hope you are back at the range shooting away.

Thank you again for the reminder. It takes humility to do what you've done here. My regards, good sir.

[NName591]

Hi - I know you've gotten a lot of good advice, and the thread is not new, but I thought I'd reaffirm by saying you haven't "lost your edge" since you know yourself enough that you should put things away until you figure this out. My hats off to you for the courage you're showing in many respects.

If you're interested, to get your confidence back and win-back (in your own view) the right to shoot again, I can offer these suggestion to help work the problem logically:
- if you haven't already, take your gun to a Glocksmith to have them go over everything thoroughly. I'd probably do this regardless of anything else you choose to do right now. Though rare, Glocks aren't perfect and certainly not so over time. Things wear, and can show no hint beforehand. Even if the gun review result is that it is in tip top shape, it will be a good starting place to rebuild trust mentally.
- I think after you give yourself some time, you will want to shoot again. Don't force it. I'd even put the gun away safely and simply forget it. You will either find you have a desire to shoot and despite trying to forget about it, keep finding yourself missing time on the range, OR, you won't think about it at all. It's another good way to gauge where you are at.
- I personally take classes on a routine basis. The trick too is not to repeat the same class from year to year. My husband, a 19yr LEO, along with so many of his department (3rd largest in US) are always looking for new ones that are different (be it a different instructor or focus). LEOs have the benefit they are around guns all the time, and a gun culture tends toward constant safety reminders, if you're in a good good. As individuals who carry or shoot, we don't always have that benefit, even with military training. Once you're out of the service, that all is no longer present on a daily basis. I think that gets taken for granted (not on purpose of course). Take something that's strictly interesting, or maybe you need something new? Maybe you want a refresher - that might be a pride issue for some, and others it wouldn't. It's your choice what you want to do and no one's business what you pick.
- find an instructor who's well versed in analyzing and helping review your range habits. You may have all the right and perfect range habits, but again, a 3rd party impartial review could serve as another positive check mark for you to reconsider returning to the range in time.
- don't beat yourself up over this. WORK the problem and give yourself time to do it.
- last: you may know everything everyone has suggested. If that's the case, all the knowledge doesn't replace time, and forcing it won't do you any good (you know this I suspect).
Take a deep breath, let your reaction cool off a bit and then objective work through what happened.
These are options and several ways to approach this logically so you can go back to the range and TRUST yourself, if that's what you want.