Accidental Glock Death

[Ben]

Firstly, tragic for the family, and my sincere condolences.

A father was play wrestling with his 4-year old son. If the article is accurate, his Glock fell and discharged, striking both of them in the head. The article says the gun was sent in to check for a malfunction.

The TV station link in the article alludes to "small of back carry". Doesn't mention holster or no holster.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/indiana-boy-dies-after-father-gun-discharges-play-wrestling

[makattak]

Firstly, tragic for the family, and my sincere condolences.

A father was play wrestling with his 4-year old son. If the article is accurate, his Glock fell and discharged, striking both of them in the head. The article says the gun was sent in to check for a malfunction.

The TV station link in the article alludes to "small of back carry". Doesn't mention holster or no holster.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/indiana-boy-dies-after-father-gun-discharges-play-wrestling

I know people warn against this¹, but with small children around me... effectively constantly, since I can't carry at work.... I will only carry Condition 3.

It may cost me an extra half second while drawing, but that extra safety is worth the trade off to me.




1: "What if you only have one hand free?" is one of the arguments against.

[MechAg94]

As described, I am not sure how it would have happened short of one of them grabbing for the gun and bumping the trigger.  If it hit the floor and he reached for it while lying down, it it would be at an awkward angle and bumping the trigger isn't unlikely.  

The only lesson I can take from this is to make sure your holster has some retention.  I heard someone say a while back that you should be able to run across your yard and hit the ground rolling around and the gun should not come out.  The speaker was talking about how attackers are often at bad breath distance and you may end up in a wrestling match before you realize you need to pull your gun.  You don't want to break free and reach for it and find it has fallen out.  This incident adds a different potential outcome.  

[lee n. field]

Firstly, tragic for the family, and my sincere condolences.

A father was play wrestling with his 4-year old son. If the article is accurate, his Glock fell and discharged, striking both of them in the head. The article says the gun was sent in to check for a malfunction.

The TV station link in the article alludes to "small of back carry". Doesn't mention holster or no holster.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/indiana-boy-dies-after-father-gun-discharges-play-wrestling

I wonder if he had an aftermarket trigger.  Or a crap holster. 

One of the things that got me actually comfortable with the Glock was examining how the striker block worked.  No, a normal Glock is not going to "just go off" when dropped.  A whole lot of things have to go wrong for that to happen.

But, being the news, it might not even be a Glock.

[Tim L]

I wonder if he had an aftermarket trigger.  Or a crap holster. 

But, being the news, it might not even be a Glock.

I had a customer ask if I could order a "silver Glock with wood sides".   

He wanted a Glock because that's what his LEO friends told him to get, but he didn't want black plastic.

[Hawkmoon]

I've seen a couple of reports on this incident that said the father had the gun tucked into his pants. So ... Mexican carry. Didn't learn anything from Plaxico Burress.

https://www.espn.com/blog/new-york/giants/post/_/id/58206/ten-years-later-how-plaxico-burress-shooting-unraveled-nfls-best-team

[Fly320s]

I had a customer ask if I could order a "silver Glock with wood sides".   

He wanted a Glock because that's what his LEO friends told him to get, but he didn't want black plastic.

Two cans of spray paint can solve that problem.

[dogmush]

I had a customer ask if I could order a "silver Glock with wood sides".   

He wanted a Glock because that's what his LEO friends told him to get, but he didn't want black plastic.

That's doable.  Should have sold him a stainless slide Glock 17, and charged $100 to drill and tap for 1911 grip bushings, and a set of ebay wood grips.  Dremmel the Glock frame flat under the grips.  Not only would you have sold a gun, every fanboy that saw it (from either camp) would freak out.

[brimic]

Another anecdotal reason not to use hot garbage like small of back holsters.

[Ben]

Another anecdotal reason not to use hot garbage like small of back holsters.

Not that I would EVER  be in favor of forcing it through gov, but sometimes I wish an 8 hour defensive pistol training class, including shooting from the holster, would go with one's first pistol purchase. That would talk most people with a >100 IQ out of a small of back for any kind of constant carry.

I say constant, because though not small of back, I have in the past answered the front door with a .45 in my jeans rear pocket. Besides lack of quick access though, I can't help but think how much it would hurt falling down with a full size in a SOB holster.

[MechAg94]

Even if it is a hated SOB holster, make sure it has enough retention that it won't just fall out.  I gotta wonder if this was something like an Uncle Mike's holster or something similar.  Even a poorly fitted leather holster may not retain well in the back.

[brimic]

Even if it is a hated SOB holster, make sure it has enough retention that it won't just fall out.  I gotta wonder if this was something like an Uncle Mike's holster or something similar.  Even a poorly fitted leather holster may not retain well in the back.

I immediately pictured a Uncle Mikes.