First Negligent Discharge.

[Conrad101st]

PROPS TO POSTER FOR THE REMINDER.

I always habitually pull the bolt to the rear to pull the hot round - before dropping any magazine on any bolt action. Once mag is pulled, eyeball chamber or pinkie finger it if it’s dark. Safety stays on unless I’m about to literally pull the trigger on purpose.

I did have one Remington where I had to have the safety off to operate the bolt so that’s the exception. I hated that design and sold the gun.

On semi autos, (safety on) I drop mag and then fully rack the charging handle a couple times and then eyeball the chamber.

Once chamber is clear and bolt is forward (safety on already) I’ll reinsert a hot mag on any rifle that is currently being used in a hunting camp, or as a truck gun. I always know my weapons have a hot mag and a cold chamber.

On a bolt gun, I usually only have 3 rounds in the mag. Rack one in the stand/blind/OP and have two follow-ups.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

Thanks for sharing.

This is why you always point your firearm in a safe direction unless you mean to kill what’s in front of it. I’ve been around a couple of green hunters/shooters who sweep their muzzles all over the place including sweeping the muzzle at people unknowingly. Combine your incident with a poorly swung muzzle and real bad things happen.

As others have mentioned, bad design. The UM looks like the better way to go.

I know it’s a cliche, but slow is smooth, smooth is fast….and safe.

 

[huntnful]

Thanks for sharing.

This is why you always point your firearm in a safe direction unless you mean to kill what’s in front of it. I’ve been around a couple of green hunters/shooters who sweep their muzzles all over the place including sweeping the muzzle at people unknowingly. Combine your incident with a poorly swung muzzle and real bad things happen.

As others have mentioned, bad design. The UM looks like the better way to go.

I know it’s a cliche, but slow is smooth, smooth is fast….and safe.

Couldn’t agree more. I’m always conscious of muzzle direction for sure, but in this instance I wasn’t as conscious with engaging the safety automatically. But worst care scenario always flashes through your mind when something like this happens for sure!

 

[Fireflyfishing]

The only critique of John Moses Browning’s masterpiece is that he put the safety lever of the M1 inside the thumb guard.

I understand your point of the safety coming back into the trigger guard for an M1 or M1A/M14 rifle.

I own both and can tell you it takes effort to release the safety. Additionally, those rifles have two stage triggers. Last, the clip release for the M1 is on the outside of the action and the mag release for the M14 is outside the trigger guard. The safety for the OP’s rifle is up top like any REM 700 variation. So, not really the same issue at all.

 

[HankBC]

Thanks for Posting OP, seems a few good things came from this. I just ordered the UM DBM for a new build as well. I also store / set my rifles aside with the hammer down. For me it was a confirmation that no one else has fiddled with it and that it’s still empty since the hammer is down. I can see how that’s not necessarily ‘best practice’ as I could get complacent when checking.
Cheers

 

[100percent]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[TaperPin]

All firing pin springs loose effectiveness over time - storing it in a cocked position simply speeds up the process. Decocking is standard practice for many accuracy sports to prolong the spring’s life.

When things get exciting we definitely resort to what’s been drilled into our brains during practice. I missed a good deer because during practice I became used to not using the safety every time - now pushing the safety off before every shot is SOP.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

All firing pin springs loose effectiveness over time - storing it in a cocked position simply speeds up the process. Decocking is standard practice for many accuracy sports to prolong the spring’s life.

When things get exciting we definitely resort to what’s been drilled into our brains during practice. I missed a good deer because during practice I became used to not using the safety every time - now pushing the safety off before every shot is SOP.

Agreed.

I think carrying concealed taught me this the most. It transferred into all my rifle pursuits.

 

[waspocrew]

I think the difference with the hinged floor plate, is you’re hardly ever accessing it with a round in the chamber. Especially not in a face paced scenario. It’s really only accessed to unload the rifle, and you general start with the round in the chamber. That’s what I’ve been accustomed to for several years. So seeing this mag release is the same spot didn’t raise any red flags. But not I release to access the mag under different circumstances compared to dropping a hinged floor plate.

I would agree - anything inside the trigger guard probably isn’t the best idea whether is for DBM or a hinged floor plate. If we are speaking strictly from a firearms safety standpoint, I’d say DBM or hinged plates wouldn’t be accessed until ensuring the chamber was empty first.

Again, glad no one was hurt and thanks for sharing. Always a good reminder!

 

[huntnful]

I would agree - anything inside the trigger guard probably isn’t the best idea whether is for DBM or a hinged floor plate. If we are speaking strictly from a firearms safety standpoint, I’d say DBM or hinged plates wouldn’t be accessed until ensuring the chamber was empty first.

Again, glad no one was hurt and thanks for sharing. Always a good reminder!

Absolutely. And now that I think of it, that is probably the first time I’d ever accessed the mag, with a round in the chamber. And the scenario certainly showed the weak points in my safety efforts, as well as the design. Even now that it is stuck in my mind, I would certainly be 100X more cautious and probably never have another issue with the current design. But it seems like an easy safety factor to address with the new bottom metal. So I will give it a shot.

 

[DisplacedHusky]

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Mike D Texas]

All firing pin springs loose effectiveness over time - storing it in a cocked position simply speeds up the process. Decocking is standard practice for many accuracy sports to prolong the spring’s life.

When things get exciting we definitely resort to what’s been drilled into our brains during practice. I missed a good deer because during practice I became used to not using the safety every time - now pushing the safety off before every shot is SOP.

They lose effectiveness by being exercised, not being held in a static position.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[TaperPin]

They lose effectiveness by being exercised, not being held in a static position.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

If what you say were true, old firing pin springs with very few cycles would be the same length as new. They aren’t.

 

[Butcher8]

On a semi auto i totally see it happening, on a full auto? Hey happens but not on a BA. WTH??

 

[Weldor]

Some good info on firearm's safety. Now that the chastising is over. Did you guy's get the pig?

 

[huntnful]

Some good info on firearm's safety. Now that the chastising is over. Did you guy's get the pig?

Haha we did. Biggest pig either of us had ever seen.

 

[Weldor]

Haha we did. Biggest pig either of us had ever seen.

View attachment 716891

Right on, nice hog.

 

[Raider4044]

Any chance you want to sell that Hawkins bottom metal? lol

 

[huntnful]

Any chance you want to sell that Hawkins bottom metal? lol

That’s so funny that you asked. I just took pictures of it and the mags to post for sale and came on the thread to post it, but checked notifications first haha.

Bottom metal along with 2 PRC mags and 2 creedmoor mags for $400 if you want it. I don’t feel like splitting everything up, just going to sell it all as a package.

 

[Raider4044]

That’s so funny that you asked. I just took pictures of it and the mags to post for sale and came on the thread to post it, but checked notifications first haha.

Bottom metal along with 2 PRC mags and 2 creedmoor mags for $400 if you want it. I don’t feel like splitting everything up, just going to sell it all as a package.

Pm sent