Lost my trigger finger - Page 2

Parke1 · November 20, 2002, 12:02 AM

My father, a now-retired LEO, lost up to the first joint on his trigger finger many years before becoming a policeman. He took a few months off shooting, but then he started again, he still used the same hand/finger. Never really had a problem with it, and let me tell you, he's a heck of a lot more accurate with 9 and 2/3rds fingers than I am with 10!!!

Here's wishing you a speedy recovery!

-Parke1

Chugach · November 20, 2002, 12:36 AM

Sorry to hear about your accident, and I hope you have very quick recovery...

ATTICUS · November 20, 2002, 12:44 AM

I read an article about Johnny Unitas the other day. He shot himself in the hand while cleaning a pistol when he was 18, which resulted in permanent nerve damage to the index finger of his throwing hand. He did pretty well anyway...didn't he.

Camel · November 20, 2002, 01:03 AM

I can imagine how much that must have hurt. Ive never lost a finger but have a nice scar on the pad of my thumb. Was doing something dumb and jabbed myself good with a pocket knife. Still twinges a little more than a year later.

Learn an important lesson from it my friend. I learned my lesson. Dont cut towards your own thumb.

PS. When you are feelin a bit better take the saw out and execute that treacherous b*****d.

westex · November 20, 2002, 01:27 AM

My dad lost his middle finger at the second joint when he was eight. Got it caught in the gears of a windmill. He claimed when he got down his brother had to set his own hair on fire just to catch him.

When I was growing up it always fasinated me and I would ask him how he lost it. He never told me the truth until I was about 18. He made up a new story every time I asked about it. The one that always puzzled me the most was that he "caught it between the boat and the water". I wouldn't put my hand outside a boat until I about 10.

Another was that he "wore it off pointing". That one always made me laugh.

His favorite thing was to stick the stub up his nose when kids were around. They loved that. Of course he never did that when mom was around.

Great dad. Miss him every day for the last 23 years.

Archer1440 · November 20, 2002, 01:29 AM

I'm sorry to hear about your injury.

In 1995 I was 2 weeks away from the 1996 Olympic trials in my sport of archery when I had a folding knife close on my right index finger pad, severely cutting it to the bone. I shot the trials using the two remaining release fingers to release the string, with the index in a splint, and finished out of the running for the Olympic team, but after healing, with a still-numb finger, finished 4th in the national ranking later that year for a slot on the 1996 National team.

In the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Karoly Takacs (Hungary) won the gold medal and beat the world record by ten points, shooting with his left hand. A member of the Hungarian pistol shooting team in 1938, a defective grenade exploded in his right hand - his pistol hand - and shattered it completely. He then taught himself to shoot with his left hand.

I have a very good friend in Arizona who lost most of the right index finger of his shooting hand in an accident similar to yours.

He shoots all types of firearms with no modification, using the middle finger. He's an excellent shot.

I wish you the best of luck in your recovery.

Bogie · November 20, 2002, 11:38 AM

Power tools scare the bejeezus outta me. I get VERY anal retentive when operating 'em.

I've got friends who know I shoot, and when I tell them that I'm more worried about injury from my circular saw than from a firearm, something sometimes clicks...

Circular Saw
Table Saw
Chainsaw
Router
Several power drills

**4V50 Gary** · November 20, 2002, 11:45 AM

Ouch! I hope it can be reattached and the use restored. Best wishes.

Jim March · November 21, 2002, 05:56 AM

From everything I've read, once you heal, try the middle-finger approach on the strong hand first.

Sorry for your loss, but don't assume you're going to be seriously handicapped here.

SW 586 · November 21, 2002, 07:37 PM

If it'll make you feel any better, I once nailed my foot to a shipping pallet with a framing nailer when I was hurriedly crating a piece of equipment that just had to be shipped that day without fail. I managed to get loose and jump off the truck somewhere east of Muskogee.

AR-10 · November 21, 2002, 08:59 PM

Sorry to hear about your mis-adventure.

You didn't provide too many details, not that I blame you. Don't know if this will help or not, but...

I took my weak hand thumb through the blade path four years ago. a clean 90 degree cut right across the nail bed. Due to the fact that the joint was not severed or shattered, I have full use of the shortened digit today. As a carpenter, the ability to hold nails and pick up objects with my weak hand are a necessity. I feel very fortunate to have opposable digits today.

My wife found the errant part in the shop, but the surgeon persuaded me to forgo efforts to reattach it. You should have seen the look on her face when I asked her to find it and meet me at the E.R.

Point is, things may heal better than you think. Good luck to you.

November 20, 2002, 12:02 AM	#26
Parke1 Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2000 Location: Bowling Green, Ohio Posts: 136	My father, a now-retired LEO, lost up to the first joint on his trigger finger many years before becoming a policeman. He took a few months off shooting, but then he started again, he still used the same hand/finger. Never really had a problem with it, and let me tell you, he's a heck of a lot more accurate with 9 and 2/3rds fingers than I am with 10!!! Here's wishing you a speedy recovery! -Parke1 __________________ NRA Life Member

November 20, 2002, 12:36 AM	#27
Chugach Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2002 Location: Alaska Posts: 172	Sorry to hear about your accident, and I hope you have very quick recovery... __________________ No such thing as bad weather, just bad gear... "A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves." - Bertrand de Jouvenet

November 20, 2002, 12:44 AM	#28
ATTICUS Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 1999 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 2,100	I read an article about Johnny Unitas the other day. He shot himself in the hand while cleaning a pistol when he was 18, which resulted in permanent nerve damage to the index finger of his throwing hand. He did pretty well anyway...didn't he. __________________ Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. Mark Twain

November 20, 2002, 01:03 AM	#29
Camel Member Join Date: June 8, 2002 Posts: 51	Ouch. I can imagine how much that must have hurt. Ive never lost a finger but have a nice scar on the pad of my thumb. Was doing something dumb and jabbed myself good with a pocket knife. Still twinges a little more than a year later. Learn an important lesson from it my friend. I learned my lesson. Dont cut towards your own thumb. PS. When you are feelin a bit better take the saw out and execute that treacherous b*****d. __________________ "Where the choice is between only violence and cowardice, I would advise violence." ~ Mohatma Gandhi "There are three reasons to own a gun: to protect yourself and your family, to hunt dangerous and delicious animals, and to keep the King of England out of your face." -- Krusty the Clown

November 20, 2002, 11:38 AM	#32
Bogie Senior Member Join Date: June 5, 2000 Location: Job hunting on the road... Posts: 3,827	Power tools scare the bejeezus outta me. I get VERY anal retentive when operating 'em. I've got friends who know I shoot, and when I tell them that I'm more worried about injury from my circular saw than from a firearm, something sometimes clicks... Circular Saw Table Saw Chainsaw Router Several power drills __________________ Job hunting, but helping a friend out at www.vikingmachineusa.com - and learning the finer aspects of becoming a precision machinist. And making the world's greatest bottle openers!

November 20, 2002, 01:27 AM	#30
westex Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 1999 Location: E of El Paso & W of Ft. Worth Posts: 602	My dad lost his middle finger at the second joint when he was eight. Got it caught in the gears of a windmill. He claimed when he got down his brother had to set his own hair on fire just to catch him. When I was growing up it always fasinated me and I would ask him how he lost it. He never told me the truth until I was about 18. He made up a new story every time I asked about it. The one that always puzzled me the most was that he "caught it between the boat and the water". I wouldn't put my hand outside a boat until I about 10. Another was that he "wore it off pointing". That one always made me laugh. His favorite thing was to stick the stub up his nose when kids were around. They loved that. Of course he never did that when mom was around. Great dad. Miss him every day for the last 23 years.

November 20, 2002, 01:29 AM	#31
Archer1440 Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 2001 Location: USA Posts: 519	I'm sorry to hear about your injury. In 1995 I was 2 weeks away from the 1996 Olympic trials in my sport of archery when I had a folding knife close on my right index finger pad, severely cutting it to the bone. I shot the trials using the two remaining release fingers to release the string, with the index in a splint, and finished out of the running for the Olympic team, but after healing, with a still-numb finger, finished 4th in the national ranking later that year for a slot on the 1996 National team. In the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Karoly Takacs (Hungary) won the gold medal and beat the world record by ten points, shooting with his left hand. A member of the Hungarian pistol shooting team in 1938, a defective grenade exploded in his right hand - his pistol hand - and shattered it completely. He then taught himself to shoot with his left hand. I have a very good friend in Arizona who lost most of the right index finger of his shooting hand in an accident similar to yours. He shoots all types of firearms with no modification, using the middle finger. He's an excellent shot. I wish you the best of luck in your recovery.

November 20, 2002, 11:45 AM	#33
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,849	Ouch! I hope it can be reattached and the use restored. Best wishes. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

November 21, 2002, 05:56 AM	#34
Jim March Senior Member Join Date: February 14, 1999 Location: Pittsburg, CA, USA Posts: 7,417	From everything I've read, once you heal, try the middle-finger approach on the strong hand first. Sorry for your loss, but don't assume you're going to be seriously handicapped here. __________________ Jim March

November 21, 2002, 07:37 PM	#35
SW 586 Senior Member Join Date: March 9, 2000 Posts: 269	If it'll make you feel any better, I once nailed my foot to a shipping pallet with a framing nailer when I was hurriedly crating a piece of equipment that just had to be shipped that day without fail. I managed to get loose and jump off the truck somewhere east of Muskogee. __________________ "I started out with nothing and I still have most of it left"

November 21, 2002, 08:59 PM	#36
AR-10 Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2001 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,182	Sorry to hear about your mis-adventure. You didn't provide too many details, not that I blame you. Don't know if this will help or not, but... I took my weak hand thumb through the blade path four years ago. a clean 90 degree cut right across the nail bed. Due to the fact that the joint was not severed or shattered, I have full use of the shortened digit today. As a carpenter, the ability to hold nails and pick up objects with my weak hand are a necessity. I feel very fortunate to have opposable digits today. My wife found the errant part in the shop, but the surgeon persuaded me to forgo efforts to reattach it. You should have seen the look on her face when I asked her to find it and meet me at the E.R. Point is, things may heal better than you think. Good luck to you.