Unimaginable Gun accident

Kyle_in_Tex · Sep 10, 2004

A terrible gun accident happened here in Giddings Texas last weekend Sept. 4th.
A group of hunters from San Antonio were here on a Dove hunt a few miles south of town. While the hunting had slowed down, they brought out some other firearms for some target shooting. Each was shooting and comparing the others guns. A 12 year old boy fired a 454 Casull(sp) and the recoil kicked the firearm up and hit him so hard in the forehead, it crushed his skull and killed him. The father ( I feel so sorry for him) was also rushed to the hospital in a state of shock.
I am a gun owner and was myself dove hunting the previous Wednesday. It just gives me such a hollow feeling about such a terrible accident. I don't know the repercussions or fallout that may come about due to this tragedy, but I hope if anyone who reads this and has a high power pistol such as this, that they may think twice about letting a young or otherwise weaker type person shoot it by themselves.

God speed young man.

PS. I own pistols too...Kyle

Soundguy · Sep 10, 2004

I shoot a .44mag with one hand.. no problem. But a few year ago I purchased a .50AE and figured it couldn't be much worse than a .44mag, and fired it one handed. Even with a gasvent3 on the barrel, I nearly pegged myself in the forehead... And I've been shooting guns for a while... I can't imaging handing that gun to a kid to shoot... Unless I did custom reloads, and loaded that one with a primer cap only.. or similar light load..

Soundguy

RanchMan · Sep 11, 2004

http://www.lexingtonleader.com/story3.shtml

texbaylea · Sep 11, 2004

Its a terrible accident but unfortunately some adults don't know how to say no to a child and stick to it.

I am very careful about who I let shoot my 10mm auto magnum and its no way as severe in recoil but is a handfull.

Vernon

Bob_Skurka · Sep 11, 2004

I know when we had some people from Japan over to visit they wanted to shoot guns so we'd take them out. I'd load up a shotgun with a 2 3/4" dove load. When they were used to that, I let them move up to a 3" pheasant load. Only a few times did any guest want to go farther, but the occasional visitor took the recoil of a 3" turkey load out of a light weight 22" barrelled gun with a turkey choke. Those that did certainly had a story to tell their family back home.

My wife and I used to shoot together a lot. She is several inches shorter and many pounds lighter than I am. We both shot 12 gauge shotguns & 45 ACP pistols. While the recoil never bothered me, I could tell when she it was getting the best of her because her "miss" rate would go up dramatically. A 45 ACP is a puny little whimp compared to the likes of a 454 or a similar round, I could not even imagine my wife pulling the trigger on a gun like that, let a lone a 12 year old boy. I grieve for the family, but the father really should have known better than to allow that child to pull that trigger.

Birdhunter1 · Sep 12, 2004

I don't blame the dad one bit. It was just a tragic accident in my opinion. When I was 12 I wanted to shoot a .44 of my neighbors when we were out doing the same thing as these guys. I had shot a 9mm and a .357 mag and i handled them alright. The 44 mag was a lot more but I did it, but I do know the 454 is a stout load. My 9 year old nephew wants to shoot my .30-.30 but his arms aren't long enough or else I'd let him do it (though i would take the scope off beforehand). He has shot my 20 ga and my 12 ga once, it knocked him right over too. Not once would I reconsider doing that, my nephew has been shooting with me since he was 5 and he knows that some guns will kick hard and he knows how to hold one in on his shoulder. Maybe this kid in the accident was well knowledged maybe he wasn't, but what I would think about is what if the kids dad were readign this and was a user of this site. I don't kow if I would let a 12 year old shoot a .454 or not but I would rather him shoot it under supervision thatn pick it up when nobody is around and have at it. Let's show a little compassion.

GRUMPA · Sep 12, 2004

Thats one saaaad story alright. Something that size even for an adult is on the rough side, I wouldnt even own something that large, to much of a monster for me and the way I think, I dont think I'll have to defend my home/family from a herd of elephants anytime soon.

But on a side note when my 12yr old grand daughter wants to go out and shoot or when I take one of the guys out from work I (ALWAYS) make mild loads for the gun. My grand daughter loves it when she can shoot the 12ga, it has the recoil of a 22.

MikePA · Sep 12, 2004

<font color="blue">...thatn pick it up when nobody is around and have at it. </font>
I assume from this statement that you do not have your weapons locked away, use trigger locks, etc., or otherwise make them inaccessible to kids? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

<font color="blue"> Let's show a little compassion. </font>
Bob said that he grieved for the family, but that should not preclude him from pointing out (here, not directly to those involved) that what these adults allowed to happen was wrong.

Letting kids, or small adults for that matter, shoot high powered long guns, where all they will get is a sore shoulder is one thing. Letting them shoot high powered handguns is another. The owner of the 454 should have stuck with his first answer to the boy... "Ramsey told the young boy the gun was too large for him to shoot."

RoyJackson · Sep 12, 2004

"I wouldnt even own something that large, to much of a monster for me and the way I think, I dont think I'll have to defend my home/family from a herd of elephants anytime soon."

The large caliber handguns such as the .454 Casull and even the .44 Magnums aren't made for home defense. If I was in bear country, I'd sure like either one (especially the .454) as a backup sidearm to the rifle I'd be carrying.

Both are probably good sidearms for rural law enforcement or carrying for self defense in a rural environment. Too much gun for urban law enforcement (Dirty Harry, notwithstanding).

I've never shot a .454 (yet) , but since I don't care for .44 Magnums, I probably never will shoot a .454. However, some guys I shoot with love 'em...their choice.

This was a tragic error in judgement...and a tragic accident. Nothing more then that...

EddieWalker · Sep 12, 2004

Kyle,

Thanks for sharing the story. I had some friends out last weekend with kids. Two boys, 11 years old. They wanted to shoot the guns, so we went to the pond and set up targets.

I always start with the 22's and work my way up. We ended with the 44 mag. super blackhawk with a 12 inch barrell. Its the biggest pistol I have and the biggest I've ever shot.

They both shot it once and that was enough.

I never considered the possibility of the recoil cracking them in the head and it scares me now looking back and the possibility of something like that happening.

I have almost 30 years experience with weapons, I spent 5 years in the Marines, and Ive hunted all over the world. I feel I'm fairly knowledgable about handguns and firearm safetey. This one is a suprise that I never heard of or considered. Thanks.