If you have children, please read this!!
01-25-2005, 04:04 PM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 579
If you have children, please read this!!
This is very hard for me to do, but I want to tell a story of how I almost lost my son due to an error on my part. I hope it prevents a gun death in the future. I was lucky, my son survived but it still haunts me to this day.
He is now 19 years old and going to college and probably doesn't even remember the episode. I will tell it to him when he has kids of his own. It happened when he was about 6 years old. I always took him hunting with me and on occasion I would let him shoot a 20 guage at doves if we were sitting down. One day he asks to go along with me to shoot my .22 ruger revolver. We were sitting there having a good time, he was shooting into a bank about 20 yards away and I was right there at his side watching him. I taught him about gun safety and he was doing fine. I decided to walk back a couple of yards to sit and watch him as he fired into the bank. I ONLY TURNED MY BACK FOR 2-3 SECONDS!! I turned around and to my horror he had the gun pointed straight at himself looking down the barrel with the hammer cocked! This still raises the hair on the back of my neck knowing how his life, my life, my wifes life, his grandparents life could've changed due to that 2-3 seconds of inattention. THERE IS A GOD!! He never pulled the trigger and the gun never fired. I instantly grabbed the gun and yelled at him asking why he did what he did and lecturing him about doing something like that. He told me he wasn't sure how many bullets were still in the gun and he was just looking into the front of the cylinder to see how many were left. I've never told anyone about this until now. My wife still doesn't know how I almost killed our son that day 12 years ago. If that trigger had fallen, he never would've been prom king, made "most valuable" on the basketball team or been able to go deer hunting with me. I know I'm opening myself up for some sharp criticism about how he was too young or I wasn't attentive enough. I just wanted you to know how my life almost changed that day so that maybe I can prevent an accident with your kids. Thank you!!
He is now 19 years old and going to college and probably doesn't even remember the episode. I will tell it to him when he has kids of his own. It happened when he was about 6 years old. I always took him hunting with me and on occasion I would let him shoot a 20 guage at doves if we were sitting down. One day he asks to go along with me to shoot my .22 ruger revolver. We were sitting there having a good time, he was shooting into a bank about 20 yards away and I was right there at his side watching him. I taught him about gun safety and he was doing fine. I decided to walk back a couple of yards to sit and watch him as he fired into the bank. I ONLY TURNED MY BACK FOR 2-3 SECONDS!! I turned around and to my horror he had the gun pointed straight at himself looking down the barrel with the hammer cocked! This still raises the hair on the back of my neck knowing how his life, my life, my wifes life, his grandparents life could've changed due to that 2-3 seconds of inattention. THERE IS A GOD!! He never pulled the trigger and the gun never fired. I instantly grabbed the gun and yelled at him asking why he did what he did and lecturing him about doing something like that. He told me he wasn't sure how many bullets were still in the gun and he was just looking into the front of the cylinder to see how many were left. I've never told anyone about this until now. My wife still doesn't know how I almost killed our son that day 12 years ago. If that trigger had fallen, he never would've been prom king, made "most valuable" on the basketball team or been able to go deer hunting with me. I know I'm opening myself up for some sharp criticism about how he was too young or I wasn't attentive enough. I just wanted you to know how my life almost changed that day so that maybe I can prevent an accident with your kids. Thank you!!
01-25-2005, 04:32 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Olive Branch MS USA
Posts: 1,032
RE: If you have children, please read this!!
As the father of a 9 year old boy who likes to go hunting and shooting with me (he's got a .22), I appreciate you sharing that. I'm always stressing proper gun safety to him, but hearing a story like that from time to time is necessary and helpful to make sure I don't get too lax.
01-25-2005, 05:34 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: MD
Posts: 4,572
RE: If you have children, please read this!!
trust me, being a father of a 2 1/2 yr old and an 8 month old, I can tell you I BELIEVE YOU when it comes to the split second of turning your back. I guess it is a good thing to hear about this, so we can all say, "Im not gonna turn my back even for a second"!! I appreciate your honesty....no critism here.
01-25-2005, 07:19 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,476
RE: If you have children, please read this!!
Thanks for sharing. You have performed a very important role in stating and proving that it is impossible to take TOO MUCH care in the handling of firearms.
I shudder with you at the thought....and can only imagine how huge your heart must have felt when it clogged your throat that day.........
I shudder with you at the thought....and can only imagine how huge your heart must have felt when it clogged your throat that day.........
01-25-2005, 07:26 PM
#6
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location:
Posts: 2,052
RE: If you have children, please read this!!
Hunter you are completely normal!!!
Children and guns DONT mix unless you use some EXTREMELY wary safety precautions. I'll tell ya a story about how I could've blown my 4 year olds head off!!!
My oldest son (now 9) really liked going out to my step-fathers farm and shooting, riding 4 wheelers and just doin "big boy stuff". So I caried him with me one afternoon to sight in my muzzleloader. We loaded everything onto the 4 wheeler and rode down to a safe field for shooting. It is a large field (over 1 mile long and appx 1/4 mile in width) right through the middle of it is an old ditch row that is about 10ft deep and has head high weeds growing along the side. Anyway, I knew I was in trouble as I began shooting at the target while it was at 25yds (a taped paper target on a 4'x4' box) as my son wouldn't be still and his movement made it difficult to shoot steadily off the 4 wheeler I was resting on. I required him to stay on the 4 wheeler and behind me so that I knew where he was. Being a muzzleloader I would have to shoot, clean, walk down range and tape over the holes in the target after each group was shot. So in between shots and groups he would get down and run around. Most of the time he would run quickly too the ditch and "explore" like little boys are prone to do.
After a couple of shots I then moved the target too 100yds and walked back to shoot again. I got ready and called for my son, he wouldn't answer me but I was fairly sure he was playing in the ditch (which was about 20yds too our left and ran parallel to the "range"). But being cautious I wouldn't shoot until I knew EXACTLY where my son was. I called and called and finally he answered... He was sitting IN the box my target was taped too and looking back through the 50 caliber bullet holes at me!!! [
][][] My heart instantly JUMPED into my throat at the prospect of what would've happend had I simply gone on and pulled the trigger. Too this day I REFUSE to shoot guns with small children unless I can make EXACTLY sure where each and EVERY one of them are at ALL times and there is another adult with me to help with them. I told my wife and my own mother of the story and they nearly cried. I get chills everytime I mention the story or even think about it.
You can just NEVER be to sure, they say alcohol and guns are THE most dangerous combination. But I honestly think under many situations that guns and small children are a much more dangerous combination!!! [:'(]
Glad BOTH of our stories ended safely.
RA
Children and guns DONT mix unless you use some EXTREMELY wary safety precautions. I'll tell ya a story about how I could've blown my 4 year olds head off!!!
My oldest son (now 9) really liked going out to my step-fathers farm and shooting, riding 4 wheelers and just doin "big boy stuff". So I caried him with me one afternoon to sight in my muzzleloader. We loaded everything onto the 4 wheeler and rode down to a safe field for shooting. It is a large field (over 1 mile long and appx 1/4 mile in width) right through the middle of it is an old ditch row that is about 10ft deep and has head high weeds growing along the side. Anyway, I knew I was in trouble as I began shooting at the target while it was at 25yds (a taped paper target on a 4'x4' box) as my son wouldn't be still and his movement made it difficult to shoot steadily off the 4 wheeler I was resting on. I required him to stay on the 4 wheeler and behind me so that I knew where he was. Being a muzzleloader I would have to shoot, clean, walk down range and tape over the holes in the target after each group was shot. So in between shots and groups he would get down and run around. Most of the time he would run quickly too the ditch and "explore" like little boys are prone to do.
After a couple of shots I then moved the target too 100yds and walked back to shoot again. I got ready and called for my son, he wouldn't answer me but I was fairly sure he was playing in the ditch (which was about 20yds too our left and ran parallel to the "range"). But being cautious I wouldn't shoot until I knew EXACTLY where my son was. I called and called and finally he answered... He was sitting IN the box my target was taped too and looking back through the 50 caliber bullet holes at me!!! [
][][] My heart instantly JUMPED into my throat at the prospect of what would've happend had I simply gone on and pulled the trigger. Too this day I REFUSE to shoot guns with small children unless I can make EXACTLY sure where each and EVERY one of them are at ALL times and there is another adult with me to help with them. I told my wife and my own mother of the story and they nearly cried. I get chills everytime I mention the story or even think about it. You can just NEVER be to sure, they say alcohol and guns are THE most dangerous combination. But I honestly think under many situations that guns and small children are a much more dangerous combination!!! [:'(]
Glad BOTH of our stories ended safely.
RA
01-25-2005, 09:01 PM
#7
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location:
Posts: 207
RE: If you have children, please read this!!
Thanks for sharing and I'm glad your son is still around. I'll be sure to keep this in the back of my head when my son starts shooting (he's 2 1/2 now) but I've started to teach him proper safety by letting him handle unloaded pellet and paintball guns.
01-25-2005, 09:17 PM
#8
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location:
Posts: 833
RE: If you have children, please read this!!
I have a 4 year old son he has a 22 bolt cut down to fit him.I will not let him shoot a pistol at all .I only have 1 but it wories me more than all my rifles and shot guns together.
I keep good track of my son any time I am shooting. I think most people do that.If you know do not know where they are you are NOT doing your job.
We as parents know that every thing our kids do is unsafe.All we can do as parents is to teach them the best we can.
I am glade to hear all is well in the to incidents.
I keep good track of my son any time I am shooting. I think most people do that.If you know do not know where they are you are NOT doing your job.
We as parents know that every thing our kids do is unsafe.All we can do as parents is to teach them the best we can.
I am glade to hear all is well in the to incidents.
01-25-2005, 11:00 PM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location:
Posts: 16
RE: If you have children, please read this!!
Many stories end with a happy ending, scary but happy!! Used to work @ Level one Trauma center ER, I saw the unhappy ones!! Personally, I believe children under age of 10, should not
be in proximity of loaded firearms, unless it is @ public/private firing range with safety officers on premises. Later take them to field after safety/firarms handling in controlled enviroment.
be in proximity of loaded firearms, unless it is @ public/private firing range with safety officers on premises. Later take them to field after safety/firarms handling in controlled enviroment.