Like many gunshows, Wanenmacher’s Tulsa Arms Show requires all firearms to be unloaded and cleared for safety. Because only trained professionals can handle firearms without shooting each other!
As we began to watch this, we were expecting the guy in the shorts to ND, because, after all, he was the show attendee, and the security guys are trained professionals. Right.
Watch as trained professional Brian Pounds (left in the POLICE sweatshirt) plays with a .22 and surprises himself with a shot, which banks nicely off the cinderblock wall and strikes fellow trained professional Rick Treadwell (seated far right, in POLICE sweatshirt) in the hand.
Apart from everything else wrong with this negligent discharge, where did Pounds get the idea that it’s okay to dry-fire a .22? It’s not okay, and risks damaging the firing pin and especially the breech face.
Don’t Dry Fire Rimfires, people. And when you’re a dumb-ass and disobey that, Don’t Point Them at People. “But how do I check a trigger?” Simplicity itself: snap caps. Too cheap for snap caps (Pachmayr sells a package of .22 dummys for a few bucks)? Try yellow #4-6 sheetrock anchors, aka drywall anchors, aka wall dowels.
Extra bonus: if there’s a snap cap or wall anchor in your chamber, you can’t shoot your fellow human being, dog, family heirloom, or anything else with the gun.
Forrest’s mama always told him. “Stupid is as stupid does.” This is a bushel basket full of stupid.
About the only positive thing we can take away from this is that dumb luck prevented loss of life, so it could have been worse.
We bet that whatever department these two sad sacks are on is really glad their POLICE sweatshirts don’t have the department name in big letters, too.
Hat tip, Miguel at Gun Free Zone.
Kevin was a former Special Forces weapons man (MOS 18B, before the 18 series, 11B with Skill Qualification Indicator of S). His focus was on weapons: their history, effects and employment. He started WeaponsMan.com in 2011 and operated it until he passed away in 2017. His work is being preserved here at the request of his family.
52 thoughts on “The Only One who Can be Trusted…”
Must be a recently discovered never seen before episode of The Three Stooges. Mind boggling.
“Did you mean to do that?” …. “Yeah” . LOL!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l5M59EL_Ac
This expect took the weapon out of a box. He did NOT drop the mag or check the chameber when he pulled the slide and loaded a round from the apparently live mag. He then pointed the weapon in an unsafe direction when he pulled the trigger……and then…….SURPRISE. If I was that lad, I’d go to the Northwest part of Idaho and live the rest of my life just like the Unibomber.
Just a nit: The august Harvard grad known as the Unibomber was from Montana.
If I read that without my glasses, it comes out “Snap Cops”
Heh.
Someone in the commentariat has already prepared a copyright registration for a brand of snap caps called Snap Cops… they come in blue… there are also white-shirted versions that look important but don’t do the job.
Remember, these are the guys for whom polymer-framed handguns had to be redesigned so that the trigger didn’t have to be pulled during the takedown process. Why? Because no matter how good or extensive the training, one of these goofs manages to put a hole where one should not be. Build an idiot-proof mechanism, and along comes a new generation of bigger and worse idiots….
Kirk
Which is why my theory as an engineer and designer would be to make things as brutally lethal as humanly possible, in order to weed out the idiots in this generation. Making things idiot-proof merely serves as a challenge to the universe, which it will gladly answer. On the other hand, work with the universe to eliminate the unfit and feckless, and the universe will reward you.
That’s my theory, anyway. My bosses have felt differently, over the years.
Except it’d probably end up weeding out the poor bastards forced, by job or whatever, to be in the vicinity of the idiots, rather than the idiots themselves. Might also be too late to take out the idiots in any case, as there seems to be an association between idiocy and fecundity. Still, such an approach probably beats our current approach of actively subsidizing production of persons whose parents are, if not actual idiots (though I suspect yes), at least prone to poor planning, minimal impulse control, and stupid decision-making.
Kirk
Ironically, my way seems to be working better, at least with regards to traffic:
https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2013/04/lots-cars-and-trucks-no-traffic-signs-or-lights-chaos-or-calm/5152/
http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/controlled-chaos-european-cities-do-away-with-traffic-signs-a-448747.html
https://www.wired.com/2004/12/traffic/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Monderman
Mr. Monderman is a man after my own heart; I think his insight can be applied in many other places, as well. Idiot-proofing things is inherently a futile effort, in that the universe always replies by way of providing us with a new and improved idiot. I say that we ought to embrace the facts of life, and actually make things more lethal. Instead of padded surfaces that invite people to take risks, I say we instead apply spikes, to encourage a healthy caution in them. And, if they’re unable to comprehend that something is dangerous? We should look at it as tuition paid to improve the species.
If we’d had today’s health and safety boffins running things, back in the days we were spreading out across the Eurasian landmass? Like as not, they’d have had us putting pads and spike protectors on all the mammoths before we went in for the kill. Every hunt would have started with a safety risk assessment, and I wager that the Neanderthalers would still be the dominant species…
There’s an excellent book called Traffic, sorry I forget the author, that covers Monderman and much more besides. Think it’s from about 2007… I know I had it before this house.
Re: Traffic Why we drive the way we do by Tom Vanderbilt 2008 (at least thet is the date of the Canadian edition put out by Vintage)
That’s the book, Tom Vanderbilt is the guy. And ISTR the cover of my US hardcover is yellow.
The first five or so minutes of Idiocracy is potent documentation of the Idiocy/Fecundity correlation.
As are all the kids we know who were Mommy’s first and only when she was 4n years old. (Although idiocy is only one possible negative outcome there).
idiocracy……now *that* is a good movie, because it so perfectly defines what we are headed to. only thing missing from it, near as I can tell, is some reference to the millenials. all else in that movie looks eerily familiar to trends currently happening.
side note: I think the president in that movie would certainly be a good one to have nowadays though.
Don’t we? That’s what the New York Times wrote while he was campaigning against St Pantsuit?
Would those bosses be “Stumpy” and “Nub”?
The world needs more sharp edges.
I congatulate you then, for your for your work on the Japanese Type 94 semiauto pistol, which I always figured that with proper training and handling procedures might not have been all that bad. But maybe not; a lengthy discussion with a former Japanese tank crewman elevated to NCO elevated to platoon leader over the course of the war’s casualty-driven promotion opportunities indicated that his outfit, equipped with the things, suffered more fatalities from Type 94 accidents than from direct American gunfire. Banzai! Banzai! Banzai! BANG!
Stunned by Naval artillery shelling on Saipan, he also suffered massive bleeding from his femoral artery but was treated by a Navy corpsman who he would have killed with his T94 had he been conscious, then would have shot himself. The Japanese call that kind of honour-driven obligation to dutygiri. Nevertheless, 60 years after the events, he expressed concern that his T94, likely taken as a trophy by some Marine, may have killed or injured some unwary American over the years.
There is something to be said for making things wickedly dangerous and lethal looking. It tends to force the bystanders and operators to pay attention and back off.
As a fellow engineer, I heartily concur.
It’s time we put some calcium hypochlorite into the gene pool.
I don’t think the issue is with safety. The issue is with personal accountability. It’s rare to non-existent these days.
“Don’t Dry Fire Rimfires, people.”
Well, unless it’s a Ruger 10/22…in which case, you’ll wind up dry firing whether you want to or not (unless you’re really good at counting rounds as they fire). But yeah, in general, bad idea…but as far as this clown goes, best he stay away from all guns, period.
It’s true of many rimfires – all Rugers, for example. The Owners Manuals for the Single Six, MK2 et al, and Ruger American Rimfire all explicitly say dryfiring is OK.
For the MK2 et al., you do have to have not removed the cross bolt pin that limits firing pin travel.
There are others – the Izmash IZ-whatever that was all the bullseye hotness a few years ago has a firing pin that’s maybe a quarter inch in diameter with a flat end. part of the end is notched to form a firing pin, but the rest is flat and impacts the flat breech, and the manual explicitly allows dry firing.
The general rule – “don’t dry fire rimfires w/o verifying the design allows it” is of course a good one.
Right, and centerfires are not automatically OK, either. Some are very vulnerable to failure from dry firing. Tokarev, CZ 52 and some of the rarer old CZs spring immediately to mind. For that matter, late-war P.38s.
Brad
Some less expensive rimfire handguns have manual safeties which only block the hammer, which I like because I can dry fire them without damaging the firing pin or chamber if I apply the safety first.
Probably old knowledge, but these work well for semis:
www DOT larrysguns DOT com /Products/Chamber-Plugs__LGI.aspx
I’ve dry fired my Model 41 tens of thousands of time with them.
As mentioned in the OP, there are other field expedient things that work well, too.
They may not actually have been cops but the police shirts were from a show by the band The Police
Nice!
In which case, the ND would have been Sting operation.
Oh, those Police. That totally explains the gun handling!
Ever had a ND or AD, Hognose?
I did touch off a blank into the grass once. Other than that, no. I’ve been around for a few with foreign counterparts, and they do indeed focus the mind.
Wow is all I have to say after watching that I still can’t believe the guy really did what he did.
Some day when I’m in the story telling mood I’ll discuss the fact that a veteran deputy almost blew my balls off in the locker room with a 357.
I keep on saying it, folks: if they weren’t gun people before they pinned on the badge, they don’t magically become gun people afterwards.
Badges or uniforms. Back when “Ragin’ Cajun” dictated “weapons immersion” for pre-deployers (goes everywhere, except perhaps the shower) we had lots of ventilated clearing barrels out in front of buildings on the base from exactly what happened in this video.
There are predators and prey… just because you have a badge and gun, doesn’t make you a predator… I wonder how they are as cops on the street with behavior like this?
I’m guessing, not in high demand as backup on hinky calls.
Al true enough, but….You have to ask yourself why the dimbulb customer didn’t have the magazine out and the slide locked back when he came in. Stupid multiplies.
“Don’t worry, I’m a cop…” probably ranks second only to “Hold my beer, watch this…” in the annals of phrases uttered seconds before a negligent discharge.
From the Ruger Mk I manual…
1. Remove the magazine. Draw the bolt fully rearward and visually inspect the chamber to be certain there is no cartridge in it and then release the bolt. Pull the trigger, to be sure the hammer has fallen. Hammer must be uncocked before pistol can be disassembled.
a police uniform does not make you a firearms expert. many don’t care much and just carry the gun around like the handcuffs, radio, club, notebook…
This incident makes me wonder how many unintended shots have been fired in the same timeframe by non cops.
If you watch closely you’ll notice officer FIFE racked the action and chambered the round himself. Just…..WOW….
Fortunately, Andy gave him just one bullet. There could have been more blood shed!
And when someone asks me “What profession is stupider with firearms, based on documented incidents, than actors?” (who are so serially stupid that for a propmaster or armorer to hand them a weapon, let alone one loaded even with blanks, borders on gross professional negligence and depraved indifference to human suffering) I have my answer ready to go.
Take a minute and google “Brian Pounds Tulsa”. This is just the latest in the list of shady shit he’s been involved in. He’s a professional screw-up.
Perfect.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r01YiwEqn_o
Great story about another N D
Even having an empty chamber did not prevent this as he racked the slide and then pulled the trigger!
The trigger puller has been charged with a misdemeanor even though the victim does not want charges filed
Aesop
A misdemeanor? As in one?!
There’s the first problem.
Let’s try:
Misdemeanor brandishing.
Discharge of a loaded weapon within city limits.
Malicious mischief.
Criminal negligence/Depraved indifference to human life and safety, with injury.
Damage to private property.
Injury to a city employee.
Battery on a police officer.
And then pile on with employee disciplinary charges like:
Gross professional negligence
Breathtakingly poor judgment and common sense
Embarrassing the department and city
Bottomless liability exposure
and ultimately
Too Egregiously Stupid To Be Entrusted With Firearms Or A Badge Without Adult Supervision
that last leading to immediate termination for cause, with extreme prejudice, and no appeal, as completely at odds with the requirements of the job itself at the most basic level.
His face to be subsequently placed on “@$$Clown Of The Year” full-page posters, detailing the specifics of the incident, same to be prominently and publicly posted and displayed on a billboard at city hall for one month, at all city offices and courts for one year after termination, and at all city police and jail facilities and the city internet website in perpetuity.
Truth is an absolute affirmative defense against libel charges, BTW.
Then you’d know they were taking this stuff seriously.
Apparently this guy did not have a badge, currently. He had been a reserve (i.e. volunteer) deputy and got fired from that. His wife is a sergeant with the county, and she seems like she’s got issues, too.
I’ve got close to 5000 dry-fire rounds through my CZ 452 .22lr (which I made into a biathlon rifle). Many modern .22’s are absolutely ok to dry fire. Check with the manufacturer first.
Yep, and the CZ 52 pistol
I have a CZ .22 that came as a package deal with a pistol I wanted. I haven’t shot it yet because every time I pull it out, I just sit there admiring it. (I grew up on Winchester, Savage and Remington .22s, which were stone-solid “functional,” so most Euro rimfires are in another class entirely). I just wish it had a machined trigger guard, the sheet metal strap detracts from the impression.