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One of our senior agents had an ND at the range two years ago. He previously retired from a very large law enforcement agency where he carried a revolver for virtually his entire career. Then he came over here and transitioned to the Glock 22.
On the particular day in question, the qualification shoot was over and everyone was cleaning their guns. This gent got the order of the manual of arms a little bent. He dropped the mag and pulled the trigger to begin the field strip process without clearing the chamber first and the gun went bang. Fortunately, the gun was pointed in a safe direction and no one was injured.
Conclusions:
1. Not all cops are gun buffs. In fact, most aren't.
2. Because of rule #1, they revert to their past experience when handling weapons. In this case, the guy's primary experience was with revolvers, not automatics, so he screwed up the manual of arms. ALSO, however, he was pointing the gun in a safe direction when the ND occurred, so no one got hurt.
3. More training is needed. Also, perhaps some people would be better off with revolvers than with pistols, based upon no more than their years of experience with that particular style of weapon. PARTICULARLY if they are not gun buffs.
4. This does not necessarily mean that this cop or all others who have NDs are idiots. It means that we have to continually practice gun safety and be trained.
Anyone who labels others idiots in such circumstances obviously believes that he himself would never mishandle a gun and is therefore an ND waiting to happen. Let's do away with the name calling and resolve the problem.
Bob
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