Made huge mistake this morning

[Shawn156]

I only ask as a pistol with no manual safety to me is an issue. You have discovered why I have that opinion.
My night stand gun is a 1911 (go figure) and has to be manipulated to fire it. Not saying it could not happen as I have many many hours with this platform just saying it is another barrier between me and an AD.
I do hope your having the gun in a safe does not cause you issue should the need arise to use it in defense of house/family.
You are the one that knows what your needs are.

My Sig is SA/DA and when in DA has a long trigger pull before it will shoot and I felt safe with that (still do).I would never carry it in SA mode with one in the chamber. The trigger pull is not very long in SA. I would of like to of had a manual safety and normally I would not have a gun with no thumb safety,but I was sold on that Sig when I first had a chance to handle it at the store. I feel very safe with it in DA and will always carry it with me with one chambered.Just not chambered when I go to bed or away from the house.

 

[Shawn156]

You just have it out for Glocks ever since your temptation



OP......glad everyone is ok.

You keep mentioning that you and your GF have discussed things and come to an agreement etc, but dont forget about the little ones. It probably scared them more than it scared anyone else in the house. Make sure they know it was an accident and that they can still trust daddy...last thing you want is them to be scared of you when they see your gun on your hip

Just curious...but I'm guessing HP into an exterior wall on a brick house? Otherwise, I'd double check for an "exit wound"...

The kids knew it was a mistake.My daughter was the only one in the house and the other 2 were outside.She ran in my room asking if I was ok and I don't even think I answered her. I was freaked out by what happened. We did talk to the smaller kids and explained that it was an accident and that we took proper steps to ensure that it hopefully never happens again.Showed them the safe,and where it was.We did not show them how to open it or how it works because I don't want one of them thinking that it is ok to carry one at their age or take it to school and cause me many more problems I don't want.I have explained what the laws are to them about me carrying the gun and that there are certain places I can and can't go with it. My son still wants to go shooting when I get his rifle so I think they are ok and know it was an accident that will hopefully never be repeated.
The was no exit hole,I did check so it probably fell down to the floor behind the drywall. Old house so there is also more wood behind the walls and it probably stopped it from exiting.I did try to find it in the hole without any luck

 

[88GT]

Scary stuff. I'm surprised no one has asked this yet: where did the round end up? I know you said it entered the wall next to you, but did it penetrate through to the next room? Was it an exterior wall? Inquiring minds want to know.

Edit: someone did ask it and you answered while I was typing.

I only ask as a pistol with no manual safety to me is an issue. You have discovered why I have that opinion.
My night stand gun is a 1911 (go figure) and has to be manipulated to fire it. Not saying it could not happen as I have many many hours with this platform just saying it is another barrier between me and an AD.
I do hope your having the gun in a safe does not cause you issue should the need arise to use it in defense of house/family.
You are the one that knows what your needs are.

I would bet money that a safety is just as likely to be manipulated based on muscle memory. After all, it's essentially muscle memory that is making this happen when one is asleep.

 

[nakinate]

When I carry, I always have one in the chamber. For various reasons I keep my home defense weapon without one in the chamber and safety on. I'll add this to my list of reasons to do that.

 

[jgreiner]

You aren't taking Ambien, are you?

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

...these this is all so troubling and thought provoking on so many levels...
(I may need some of GFGT's popcorn for this one)

 

[churchmouse]

Scary stuff. I'm surprised no one has asked this yet: where did the round end up? I know you said it entered the wall next to you, but did it penetrate through to the next room? Was it an exterior wall? Inquiring minds want to know.

Edit: someone did ask it and you answered while I was typing.


I would bet money that a safety is just as likely to be manipulated based on muscle memory. After all, it's essentially muscle memory that is making this happen when one is asleep.

As I have been running this through my warped and sometimes limited mind I can see this. As I posted I have many many hours running a 1911 and muscle memory is what we are all trying to get set in our response to threats. If I do pull it from the holster everything takes place with out thought, just happens. Thought comes into play when finger finds the trigger.

If having a nightmare that home/family was in danger you may be correct, this could happen.

 

[Mark 1911]

I've heard of similar incidents that ended tragically with horrific legal consequences. Can you imagine living with that and through that? Glad for you that no body was hurt. Very scary stuff. As you realize, some changes are needed. Make them, move on.

 

[hoosier21]

This scenario has crossed my mind more than once, as I keep my weapon on my nightstand. Although I have never found myself sleepwalking, anything is possible. I awoke last week at 1:00AM to a shadow in our bedroom. Fully alert I opened my eyes wondering if i needed to reach for my Ruger. I then realized it was my 18 year old son coming in to greet the dog who was under our bed. #1, the dog would have alerted us to an intruder. #2, my son knows not do that again.

 

[Robjps]

I use the bladetech/5.11 thumbdrive holster for the night stand pistol. I wouldn't recommend a serpa for this but the thumbdrive works well. I'm not worried that i would pick it up and fire it but ive been know to flail in my sleep and wouldn't want some bizarre knocking it off the nightstand onto a screwdriver that would randomly press the trigger perfectly. I seen a guy almost kill himself by falling with a holstered firearm in a hoodie with his keys.

 

[Ryno300]

OP - kudos to you for sharing and very glad no one was hurt.

 

[HoughMade]

I have a Sig 2022 9mm so no safety. I must of been having one hell of a dream to be able to do that.
I don't think guns are unsafe and will continue to carry mine,but at night it is going to be next to me in the safe. It has a number combination so I should still be able to get to it fast. I do keep a magazine in the gun but not a round in the chamber,just in case I somehow wake up and open the safe and do it again. I normally am not a sleep walker but have woke up a few times talking in my sleep.

You need to see a doctor. Preferably one who specializes in sleep disorders. This could the beginning of something very serious, but here's some humorous inspiration.

[video=youtube;_2ao5KQrd9M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2ao5KQrd9M[/video]

 

[Rookie]

Years ago, I kept a pistol in my night stand, unloaded with the mag beside it. My thinking was, if I was awake enough to open the drawer, load the gun, and rack the slide, then I was awake enough to know if there was a legitimate threat. Imagine my horror when I awoke to my wife yelling at me, fully loaded gun in hand and the slide racked, pointed directly at my wife! My gun stays locked in a safe beside my bed now.

 

[cmamath13]

It's one of those things a person doesn't give much thought to since they are asleep.I never would of imagined I would find myself doing this since I am so careful when I am awake and always know where my gun is when awake,either on my side or in the safe,never laying around since I do have kids. The kids know not to touch the gun if it were left sitting,I talked to each one about it and my daughter has shot my Sig and knows how to disable it (take round out of chamber) if needed. I never let her shoot a new gun until she goes through the safety check with me.

I'm lucky no one was hurt and only a small hole to patch up in the wall. I was less then a foot from shooting it through the window into the neighbors house. I will practice taking the gun out of the safe so that if I need it,I can do fairly quick.The safe I bought has a 6 number combination instead of a 4 number one,so a few extra seconds.I left the magazine in the gun to make up for that time. I don't see myself having to use it here since I live in a quiet neighborhood.First place I have lived my car hasn't been broken into yet and I have been here a year.
I felt I needed to post this to bring light to the subject that it can happen to anyone. Not in a million years would I think this would happen to me,but it did and it won't again. It worried my girlfriend a lot but we came to an agreement that I can keep the gun as long as I lock it up at night or where I can't carry it at,it stays home locked up. She never really told me I had to get rid of it,I was going to on my own,but decided a new safe would take care of the problem and we can continue to target shoot when we want or when the ammunition can be found.

I will read the thread posted above later today.Got to get back to bed.I work overnight tonight.

I've had this gun less then a month but have shot around 600 rounds through it. And to answer the questions above,it was one hell of a rude awakening and I couldn't hear much except for ringing in my ears for a good 1/2 hour. It is on of the louder 9 mm guns I have shot. Not saying that from the experience yesterday but when me and the g/f went to the range Sunday,I was adjusting my hearing protection when she was shooting and it is louder then others I have shot.

I carried it yesterday with me after the initial shock was over and even looked a a few guns.I found another Sig 9mm I liked and considering on buying. I can't remember the model number but it was just small enough to fit my hand and felt comfortable.I'll have to get the model number and research it and talk it over with the g/f before I buy it. I think she has become attached to my current Sig and wants it for herself to carry.

Please don't take my comments negatively. I don't think you did, but just in case. I have done some careless things myself over the years. Personally, I sleep with a pistol within arms reach and had NEVER considered grabbing it in my sleep. Now I realize that is a possibility. I have done enough repetitions with it that I think I could do it in my sleep possible too. Things for me to take into consideration. Again, thanks for posting.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

I used to leave mine in the lockbox, but unlocked/opened, during the night.
Then about a month ago, my wife said that I was sleep walking, and had climbed over her to get out of her side of the bed, mumbled a bunch of stuff, and then walked into the kitchen.
After that, I decided to lock it up each night. Hopefully I cannot do the combination in my sleep walking state.

Your experience has shown me that sleepwalking is a definite possibility, and confirms I made the right choice, even if it means a little slower retrieving my firearm in the middle of the night.

 

[Hookeye]

New 4473 gonna have a sleep disorder question?

 

[tbhausen]

This thread scared the hell out of me. You can never be too careful.

 

[Squander]

Consider putting the gun in a secure holster that requires active thumb motion to release the gun (such as Safariland 6280 series), put a belt through the holster, and hang over the foot of the bed out of arms' reach. Using the gun then requires several active motions that would likely require waking thought. I think this would be superior to putting into a safe while sleeping.

 

[IndyDave1776]

You should have also mentioned the likelihood of a spoof thread from someone pretending to be his neighbor who now has a Scott Baio from Charles in Charge part down the middle of his head. Laughter ensues. God, we're so predictable.

All true! I didn't want to scare him too much in one post! After all, he hasn't had the opportunity to get to know us yet!

 

[88GT]

Consider putting the gun in a secure holster that requires active thumb motion to release the gun (such as Safariland 6280 series), put a belt through the holster, and hang over the foot of the bed out of arms' reach. Using the gun then requires several active motions that would likely require waking thought. I think this would be superior to putting into a safe while sleeping.

Don't count on it.

Anyone with kids knows that the ability to do seemingly complex actions that should require conscious thought is entirely possible while one is asleep and unaware of one's actions. I once watched my older son come down the stairs, walk to the entry hallway, flip the dead bolt, and try the handle to open the door. (Talk about scary! What if he did that after we had gone to bed?) He was asleep the entire time. And based on the (lack of) marksmanship, I'm pretty sure both of my kids make their midnight bathroom runs while still asleep.