There's a blog post over at Wirecutter's place about a guy who shot himself in the ass with his concealed carry pistol. The original story is here. You can click on either link (or both) to read the full story. Graphic photos of a through-and-through ass-cheek shot, and I won't replicate them here. Let's just say that the fellow will have a very interesting scar
The original story is supposedly in a gun-related web magazine. I've read the article through twice and for reasons I can't understand, there is no mention of the gun make. model. or type. That's piss-poor reporting. It's a gun magazine. Neglecting to tell the full story is simply asinine. From my reading, I can't tell you what type of gun the fellow shot himself with. There is no sense speculating. If, someone reads the story and finds the pistol type, let me know, please.
The article blames the discharge on the holster. Reportedly, the guy went with a Blackhawk Nylon IWB Holster, Size B. Not a bad holster, as holsters go, but decidedly not the best. I'll let him tell you in his own words.
“I holstered the firearm in the new holster at home and made sure it was secure and comfortable, and then drove three miles over to our storage facility. I spent 10 minutes in the storage facility, just climbing around stuff and going through boxes. When I left, I walked outside and opened the car door. I went to go get in the car and just heard a loud bang,” Matt explained.
“There’s no way that just happened. That did not just happen. And then I grabbed by butt and felt a hole in my pants and said, ‘Ok that just happened.'”Luckily, the guy is going to be okay, but with a really nice scar on his butt. Clic on any of my links for the full story, but let's take a minute and talk about holsters.
I've been a daily carrier for thirty years. I can probably count on my two hands the number of days in those past thirty years that I have not carried a handgun. As I sit at my kitchen table, typing this blog post, I'm carrying a gun. It's a decision I've made a long time ago. And I've learned a few things.
First and foremost, I cannot tell you how to carry your gun. That is an individual decision based on gender, age, body type, personality, clothing preferences, daily activities and a host of other considerations. I can give you some basic pointers, but you're going to have to decide how you carry your gun. No one else can help you with this. Inside waist band, outside waist band, small of the back, strong side or crossdraw, you're going to have to figure it out for yourself.
Buy a good holster, or have a custom guy make you a holster. However, don't feel bad if that holster doesn't work for you. I've bought a lot of holsters over the years and a goodly majority of them were worn for an hour, or a day, and pitched in the spares box. You are going to have to decide what works for you, and there is no market for used holsters. You can give them away, you can swap with friends, but you are going to spend money on holsters you never use. Get used to it.
When you're trying a new holster, you might want to carry for a day or so, unloaded. If it's a semi, take the magazine out. Carry the gun, and check it at the end of the day. Has it been fired? If so, that's not a good way to carry the gun. If you're carrying a revolver, unload it, but figure out a way to check to see if it's been fired. Maybe put an empty brass case in the cylinder and when you check it later, see if the cylinder has moved. If so, you've shot your self in the ass.
Carrying a gun every day is an adult responsibility, and if you're an adult, you can figure out how to do this safely, but you've got to figure it out based on your own needs, desires, and preferences. I can help you, but I can't make the decision for you. You're going to have to figure this out for yourself.
Oh, and if you shoot yourself in the ass, you're doing it wrong. Don't blame the holster or the gun.
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