Received my first shooting related injury today.

[Doyle]

I went out to the range to shoot some 5-stand today. I brought a 20ga O/U Antonio Zoli that I bought last year but haven't had a chance to shoot yet. While I was waiting for the other lanes to shoot, I was moving the safety back and forth to see how stiff it was. When it came my turn, I called Pull, sighted on the clay, and tried to shoot. No bang. I didn't realize that I had left the safety in the ON position. So, I kept the bead on target and reached my thumb up to push the safety off. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that I still had a little pressure on the trigger and it fired before I moved my thumb back to the normal grip position. Ouch. The recoil bounced the action lever back into my thumb splitting it open. Within a few seconds, blood was comming out pretty good, so I had to drop out of that round to get patched up. Of course, I missed that bird.

I also learned that I don't hit near as many birds with a 20ga as I do with a 12ga.

 

[Hog Hunter]

Dang glad your ok. One of my x gf's decide to do the same thing while at the range with my rem 700 in 7mm mag. Nedless to say she quit shootin for a while

 

[oneounceload]

Sorry about your thumb, but don't blame your scores on the 20 vs. 12 - if the scores aren't as good it is because that gun doesn't fit as well. Get it fitted and you'll see your scores go up and your thumb injuries go down......

Good luck!

 

[Doyle]

Unfortunately, I can't blame the injury on the fitting. I might be able to blame the bad shots on it though. I know that before I try with it again, I need to shoot it against a pattern board to see where it is hitting.

I also need to figure out if I had my finger against the trigger when I pushed off the safety or if there was some kind of residual pressure against the seer. This gun looks almost brand new but it is at least 30 years old so it could be an internal problem.

I guess the best way to find out is to get some primed hulls made up so I can try and recreate the problem (sans the recoil).

 

[oneounceload]

You might try pulling the stock and seeing if the action needs cleaning - there might be some old gunk causing your issue

 

[Bud Helms]

Let's go to Shotguns ...

 

[zippy13]

This incident is akin to getting your held-too-high thumb sliced by a pistol's reciprocating slide -- a painful lesson well learned. Now you know why some target specific guns have their safeties blocked.

 

[Doyle]

This incident is akin to getting your held-too-high thumb sliced by a pistol's reciprocating slide -- a painful lesson well learned. Now you know why some target specific guns have their safeties blocked

I agree. Normally, I don't use a safety when I'm shooting 5-stand. I simply leave the action broken open until it is my time to shoot.

 

[HunterGuy]

I had a friend of mine shoot a .338 Lapua Mag at the range one day, gave him the ol' scope eye and nearly knocked him unconscious.

Needless to say we laughed after we got him patched up.

But yeah, I have had a few shotgun related injuries myself. One was due to someone handing me a 3" magnum when I was shooting birdshot. They all saw why a mad me is not a good thing.

 

[bennie schott]

Twentyfive plus years ago an old friend, Ray Stafford tod me this.
"You can HIT with a 20 as easily as with a 12, it's just easier to MISS with the 20 than the 12."
ben

 

[HKGuns]

If that is the worst that ever happens consider yourself lucky....Glad it wasn't more serious.

 

[Gehrhard]

Glad u r OK and thanks for sharing. Never heard of an injury like that. Jeez, it sounds nasty as I don't think u r speaking of any sharp edges there to speak of...
Gehr