Confession is good for the soul

Dave29461 · Nov 4, 2012

To anyone who was Boggyhead this morning and saw me embarrass the heck out of myself, I apologize.
My daughter and her husband are being transferred to Fairbanks, AK soon and we were discussing which pistol to take with them. I don't have a 44 mag and he had never shot one but had fired a 44sp. I said we would take the S&W 686+ and let him try 38 special and full load 357 and he could get an idea of the difference between 44sp. and 44 mag. We arrived at the range and brought our stuff to the table and began unloading the firearms on the table. Someone called for a cold range so we were talking and set up the targets to take out to the berm. Came back and was sidetracked by a gentleman looking at the 686 and a conversation began. While we were talking I had a brain spasm and picked it up and started loading 38 and 357 shells into the pistol. I looked around and realized the range was still cold and just about wanted to crawl under a rock. We all have seen dumba$$es like that but to be one is painful. Not keeping my mind on the situation at hand ...I can't apologize enough.
Had I not been there to for a good reason I might have packed up right then and left. We did what we came to do but I had ruined my range trip.
Dave

Midnight Raver · Nov 4, 2012

Dumbasses don't realize they've done anything wrong, don't learn from these experiences even when brought to their attention, and don't feel bad when making mistakes.

We're all only human(ok, most of us) and mistakes happen. That we learn from them is more important. You realized you were making a mistake due to being distracted, meaning you were concsious of the fact. Nobody said anything to you, did they? You caught yourself before anything bad could have happened- that is what is REALLY important!

Don't beat yourself up over it, it still had a happy ending! :mrgreen:

C_Carson · Nov 4, 2012

Rosea Carpa · Nov 4, 2012

+2 it's all about knowing that you made a Mistake and fixing it!

Tigerstripe · Nov 4, 2012

most people dont know not to handle during a cold spell. i confess, i had a suppressed 22 , must have been loading mags when it went cold. i walked to the line beside someone and started raising the pistol with a loaded mag and slide back. i dont think i dropped the slide but when i looked downrange and saw a guy walking back i put it on the table.

shooting IPSC we operated a cold range, empty hammer down no mag no undrawn weapons, everywhere but the firing line at ROs direction. any other time people handle guns while cold at DNR ranges EXcept where you shoot through the pipes and the DNR was on duty operating.

with so many of us at a range during Shootzenfest it is too easy to not notice and be handling. in fact i was thinking about that when i saw a range on u tube with a sign for cold and hot. any engineers got an idea how we could get 6 signs to move together at the 6 tables? then there are the people outside of the roof, of which ive been one. could or should we put a folding table there? or not shoot there.

Midnight Raver · Nov 4, 2012

Maybe use orange cones on top of the tables to help indicate no fire times, then simultaneous removal upon going hot? Cones should be easy to come up with, even the smaller ones that people carry in vehicles for breakdown incidents. Hell, I bet a bunch of y'all have some in your vehicles already! :idea: