XD Talk

mountaineerscxd · 05-12-2010, 10:42 PM

***Before i start this thread, please keep the replies polite and constructive. Believe me, I've been through enough torture.***

Also, bear with me, i'm typing with one hand and i'm still on pain meds

Even though my xd subcompact 9mm is my first handgun, I have been raised around and spent a considerable amount of time with rifles and shotguns. Therefore, i don't blame this horrible mistake I made on the fact that i'm a newbie to pistols. i am fully aware of the need to double, triple, and quadruple safety check any firearm. I just feel that I made a mistake that anyone could have made: I allowed myself to become careless for ten seconds.

I bought my XD on cinco de mayo (last wednesday) and waited until Friday after work before I took it to the range. I put 50 rounds through it, and then went home to clean it. while cleaning it, i noticed that the striker retainer pin (the little pin in front of the rear sights) was wiggling it's way out.

***before i go any further, i do not blame Springfield's faulty retainer pin for my injury. I completely blame myself for my carelessness***

I immediately freaked out since I forked out big bucks for this new gun, and I was already having problems with it. I started googling for solutions, and learned that this is a decently common problem, but an easy fix.

I then UNLOADED my gun, field stripped it, and started trying to get the bad pin out. Since i didn't have the necessary tools for the job (i.e. a pin punch of the correct diameter), i decided to stop messing with it, and just let my gun smith fix it so i wouldn't break anything.

I then reloaded the gun, you know, just in case some crack head decided to break in over night, and stored it in my "secret hiding place"

Two and a half hours later, I returned home from taking my girlfriend out to eat and fretting the whole time about how to fix my gun.

***this is where i got careless***

I got the gun out and decided that i was going to dry fire it at few times to see if the pin would wiggle out any. At this point in time it was about 12:30 at night and I was half asleep. NEVER SCREW WITH A GUN WHEN YOU'RE SLEEPY! I unfortunately was paying more attention to the pin than whether or not there was a magazine in the gun. I racked the slide slowly one time, held the gun parallel to my body, then pulled the trigger. The gun fired a round and a bullet went through my left index finger knuckle.

Now, due to my own stupidity, i have to hope and pray that the skin will live on my finger so that i can keep it. i've got 23 external stitches, seven internal stitches and several shattered bones. If i get lucky, everything might heal up ok, and i may still have some functionality out of my finger. but hey, i'm just glad to be walking away with my life.

So what's the moral of the story? It's whatever you make of it. Of course my accident defines the need to be O.C.D. about safety checking your firearms, but i just hope that telling others about my terrible accident will help keep other handgun owners from making the same mistake.

xdmp22 · 05-12-2010, 10:52 PM

oops, thanks for sharing, and this reiterates the rule of never point a gun at anything you don't intend to destroy.

on a side not, i think you got lucky, if your avatar is any indication of your hand, i am surprised its not worse, looks like it was not a direct hit, but more of a 90% graze

what kind of bullet was it?

good luck to you on your healing

JohnMichael · 05-12-2010, 10:53 PM

Wow. Dude, you are so freaking lucky to be alive. I will definitely leave the more negative comments alone, but damn. Make out with your girlfriend, go buy yourself a huge steak, and treat yourself to some earthly pleasures...cause you almost wouldn't have been enjoying them ever again.

Glad you came out almost unscathed.

JM

And post pics!

mountaineerscxd · 05-12-2010, 10:56 PM

it was a blazer brass 9mm 115gr. full metal jacket. (ammo that the range was selling). i am indeed very very lucky. thank you for the good wishes

SRD · 05-12-2010, 10:57 PM

Glad you are ok. Remember you only get one mistake and it could cost you or someone their life. Glad you are mostly ok.

JAguirre · 05-12-2010, 11:04 PM

Glad it didnt turn out worse. Sorry this happend.

**insatiable ONE** · 05-12-2010, 11:04 PM

+1 on the rule of never point a gun at anything you don't intend to destroy.

next time dry fire at your tv, couch w/ make shift targets.
is what I do on occasion. ( with nothing on the other side of the wall either )

glad you are typing & not in jail for ND with girl friend!

mountaineerscxd · 05-12-2010, 11:06 PM

Here's a bigger pic of my hand... and my avatar. The bullet went in at an angle just above my left index finger knuckle.

I go back to the hand specialist next wednesday, i'll take more pics for this thread.

Nor-Cal · 05-12-2010, 11:09 PM

Your one lucky man it could have been worst. Unfortunetly it took a mistake to learn but let this remind you to always use the basic steps to firearms saftey, but I wish you a speedy recovery and hopefully you heal up good and keep all fingers attached,

Ski098 · 05-12-2010, 11:13 PM

Ouch... that looks very painful. I hope you can still play the violin after all the stiches come out.

On the bright side. I imagine the number of people who actually get shot is pretty low. Kinda of like lightning strikes. So your odds of ever having to go through this again is like 1,000,000 to 1.