A case of cerebral rectitis

[jnyork]

I hope others can learn from my mistake. I have been an active competitor in the shooting sports for over 50 years. I am an NRA RSO, Firearms Instructor, Junior Rifle Club coach and Hunter Education Instructor, along with being a graduate of Lassen College school of gunsmithing. All this does not mean I am one bit smarter than the average bear, and as you will see, probably more stupid.

Last Wednesday evening I attended my club's weekly Lever Action Silhouette match. I brought a Marlin 30-30 with cast lead loads and, just for fun, an Enfield #4 .303 British with lead loads. Not a lever gun, I know, but our club is pretty loose on what you can shoot. I was pretty tired and not feeling so hot, but went anyway..

I did pretty good with the Enfield on the chickens, pigs and turkeys but then things went to the devil on the 200 meter rams. First shot hit in the dirt a few feet in front of the animal. "Wow, must have really jerked that one" I said to myself as I fed in another round (single loading, not from the magazine) Second shot neither my spotter or myself saw any hit at all, and we both decided it must have gone over the target a bit into the thick weeds behind the target. Third shot hit way out in front of the ram again. "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, self?" I said to myself, something amiss here for sure. While pondering and discussing with my spotter, I glanced down at my ammo box. There, in plain sight, among the load data inscribed on top of the box, was the source of my problem. "30-30 Winchester" it said!!

Strangely, there was no discernable difference in the recoil or the sound of these rounds. They just didnt go where they were supposed to go.

If this had been certain other calibers of rifles, with full power jacketed rounds, things might have been altogather different. With the relatively low power cast lead loads, there was no damage done other than to my ego. The photo below shows a 30-30, a .303 Brit and the 3 rounds in question. No, I didnt examine them as they came out of the chamber.

Fellows, the lesson here is when you pick up a firearm, you better have your head out where the sun shines brightly. The slightest few seconds of inattention to what you are doing can mean diasaster, including serious injury or death to yourself or others. I feel very lucky in this incident, and will never again go to the range with 2 firearms whose chambers will accept the other's cartridges.

[mordecai]

KEWL.... Glad it all held together!

[Jason]

Yep... glad no parts came flying off. You sure picked a hell of a way to fireform brass, though.

[glen ring]

I know you debated long and hard about sharing your mishap. That took courage and you're a true firearms instructor by telling and showing us how easy it is to make a mistake. When I hear a story like this it makes me even more careful, so thanks. Most of us have done something silly with a firearm and thank God no one was injured. If it'll make you feel better, I once was cleaning two handguns after working all night. I put one back together and dry fired it at the My Wife's cat, that was just looking out the patio door. No problem. Then for some unknown reason I picked up the other revolver and dry fired it at the cat also. BOOM! The cat flew up into the air and after finding the projectile firmly embedded in the carpet over the concrete floor, I chased down the cat and , after a wrestling match, made sure she wasn't injured.

Lesson learned and a story I share with all young folks to keep them from making the same mistake that I did.

The cat and I were still buds, but she spent the last seven years of her life gun shy.

[ajj]

glen ring, thanks for what must have been an embarrassing story to tell. It can't be easy to admit you can't hit a house cat that's in the same room with you.

[BlauBear]

glen ring, thanks for what must have been an embarrassing story to tell. It can't be easy to admit you can't hit a house cat that's in the same room with you.

From my experience, confession gets easier with practice.

[glen ring]

I don't think the cat ever forgave me for that. When I would get up in the middle of the night to go down the dark hallway to the bathroom, The cat would jump on the back of my leg with a surprise attack and then run off and hide under furmiture.

If I'd hit the cat I probably would have experienced a division of assets.