CUSTOM SHOTGUN BARREL

[az_shooter]

A bit of a funny story, myself and a couple buddies were out bird hunting this afternoon and I was having a bit of bad luck and wasn't hitting any of the birds I was shooting at. Then a big storm moved in and we started getting poured on. We were huddled next to a few mesquite trees trying to stay dry but we were all soaked to the bone. Then I accidentally put a really nice Remington 1100 20 gauge barrel in the mud and out of frustration from everything I quickly shot to clear the barrel of what I thought was a little bit of debree, well it wasn't a little bit. Just glad I can laugh about it now.

[hoghntr]

Ouch! hey i have not done that but i have put a 243 through a ford f-150 from the inside out. the door metal looked very similar. 10yrs old i guess that hunters safety course wasn't quite enough for me and my paps.

[Scooter]

Yeah be glad you still have your face. VERY UNSAFE and not even the slightest bit funny. There's a right way and a wrong way to clear ANY barrel obstruction... I teach gun safety classes, so this disturbs me that someone out there would attempt to "shoot" a barrel obstruction out. On top of it, a classic American shotgun was harmed. Glad to see nobody was injured- and I'm adding this photo to my slides for educational purposes. Be safe out there az_shooter, no matter how frustrated you get...

[Antmo23]

Wow man, wow... I'm sure glad you lived to tell, that's scary stuff right there...

[Big Browns]

Very scary! I would have pooped my pants!

[az_shooter]

/>Yeah be glad you still have your face. VERY UNSAFE and not even the slightest bit funny. There's a right way and a wrong way to clear ANY barrel obstruction... I teach gun safety classes, so this disturbs me that someone out there would attempt to "shoot" a barrel obstruction out. On top of it, a classic American shotgun was harmed. Glad to see nobody was injured- and I'm adding this photo to my slides for educational purposes. Be safe out there az_shooter, no matter how frustrated you get...

Alright now, listen, everyone here, including yourself has made a mistake before. I consider myself a very safe outdoorsmen. I put this up for you guys to see what happens and maybe someone will think "hey remember that post, maybe we shouldn't do this." I appreciate your concern for my safety but I don't need the scolding or lecturing bud. Feel free to use the picture for any of your classes you teach but please don't assume I'm an unsafe person, it was a mistake and no one was even remotely harmed. I won't ever do this again and it's called experience bud, some people get it in different ways.

[Scooter]

/> Yeah be glad you still have your face. VERY UNSAFE and not even the slightest bit funny. There's a right way and a wrong way to clear ANY barrel obstruction... I teach gun safety classes, so this disturbs me that someone out there would attempt to "shoot" a barrel obstruction out. On top of it, a classic American shotgun was harmed. Glad to see nobody was injured- and I'm adding this photo to my slides for educational purposes. Be safe out there az_shooter, no matter how frustrated you get...

Alright now, listen, everyone here, including yourself has made a mistake before. I consider myself a very safe outdoorsmen. I put this up for you guys to see what happens and maybe someone will think "hey remember that post, maybe we shouldn't do this." I appreciate your concern for my safety but I don't need the scolding or lecturing bud. Feel free to use the picture for any of your classes you teach but please don't assume I'm an unsafe person, it was a mistake and no one was even remotely harmed. I won't ever do this again and it's called experience bud, some people get it in different ways.

 

Sorry, I know that it was lecturing in a pretty condescending way... I wasn't trying to be rude.

 

Here's my main issue: The tone of your OP (and the one in the classifieds) was pretty lighthearted about an incident that easily could have taken out you or your friends. You also rationalized it by saying you overlooked safe practices because you were very frustrated. If you are getting so frustrated out there that you can't think and act safe 100% of the time- you may need to relook some things. The whole post was kind of "haha, look what happened" instead of your previously stated intent of "don't make the same mistake as me".

 

Again, I do apologize for scolding. Everyone does make mistakes, and you certainly have to agree that some have more dire consequences than others- right? Your "experience" could have easily ended up putting a 7/8oz load of #8's and other jagged pieces of shrapnel into another human being. To some of us "lame internet forum safety rangers" that's a pretty serious error in judgement. You had to kind of expect that some people would react the way I did when you posted this, right? Shake it off, my friend. Everyone gets their pride hurt once in awhile. You've learned the lesson the hard way, but certainly not the hardest way. The fact that nobody was hurt is not and should never be the main takeaway from this... only the best-case scenario. Best of luck, and I hope the next picture you post is a whole bunch of birds laying on a tailgate!!!

[prowlerMan]

I look at this in the same way as if someone went out drunk driving and crashed their truck into a tree. Then started a thread on "custom truck bumper". I don't have a problem with people's negligence hurting themselves but when that negligence puts others around in danger, I have an issue with that.

[Big Browns]

I don't think anyone was promoting unsafe behavior or was trying to lecture anyone! I am glad az_shooter posted this. I have had similar situations this year and have been able to teach my boys the safe way to clear a gun, but not everyone knows what the consequences could be. az_shooter was just trying to educate and remind everyone what the dangers could be. Scooter was also just trying to remind everyone of the dangers from a Gun Safety Instructor perspective. I am grateful for both perspectives and will be more cautions, because of what I have learned from this post. Thanks again for the reminder!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Adam

[Scooter]

Adam, I appreciate the mediation... but the more I think of it, the more I have a hard time believing that the OP was really trying to educate folks on what can happen when they try to expel a barrel obstruction by firing a live round...

 

This is the post that was in the classifieds:

 

"Wow, if that was a 20 gauge barrel I would jump all over it. Funny story, just happened today to haha. I was out dove hunting with my buddy and we were getting poured on by a massive storm and I accidentally kicked my remington 1100 20 gauge over into the mud and clogged the barrel. Well, out of frustration from being soaking wet and not hitting a single bird all day I pulled the trigger to clear the barrel of what I thought was a little bit of mud. Well, it wasn't a little bit and now I have a nice split barrel to show for my frustrations. It split into three pieces about 5 inches down form the end of the barrel. Nice custom job haha."

 

The terms "funny story" and "haha" several times and a humorous reference to a "custom job" indicate that this might have been a bad joke that nobody else thought was funny. Never once does he say or hint at how serious it could have been, or that he was scared, or that there even was any lesson to learn at all. So that's why I jumped in with the lecture. Because the tone of everything was not equal to the seriousness of what actually happened out there. Again, I'm sorry- but I just feel obligated to get involved when I see stuff like that, I have sort of a complex. I didn't write in anything but utter concern for another hunter, and as I said before I am very glad that this turned out as a property-damage-only incident... even though I've been looking for a Classic wood stocked non-vent rib Rem 1100 in 20 gauge for years and I'm kinda mad that one got ruined!

[az_shooter]

/>Adam, I appreciate the mediation... but the more I think of it, the more I have a hard time believing that the OP was really trying to educate folks on what can happen when they try to expel a barrel obstruction by firing a live round...

 

This is the post that was in the classifieds:

 

"Wow, if that was a 20 gauge barrel I would jump all over it. Funny story, just happened today to haha. I was out dove hunting with my buddy and we were getting poured on by a massive storm and I accidentally kicked my remington 1100 20 gauge over into the mud and clogged the barrel. Well, out of frustration from being soaking wet and not hitting a single bird all day I pulled the trigger to clear the barrel of what I thought was a little bit of mud. Well, it wasn't a little bit and now I have a nice split barrel to show for my frustrations. It split into three pieces about 5 inches down form the end of the barrel. Nice custom job haha."

 

The terms "funny story" and "haha" several times and a humorous reference to a "custom job" indicate that this might have been a bad joke that nobody else thought was funny. Never once does he say or hint at how serious it could have been, or that he was scared, or that there even was any lesson to learn at all. So that's why I jumped in with the lecture. Because the tone of everything was not equal to the seriousness of what actually happened out there. Again, I'm sorry- but I just feel obligated to get involved when I see stuff like that, I have sort of a complex. I didn't write in anything but utter concern for another hunter, and as I said before I am very glad that this turned out as a property-damage-only incident... even though I've been looking for a Classic wood stocked non-vent rib Rem 1100 in 20 gauge for years and I'm kinda mad that one got ruined!

Agreeable, but the "haha" and "funny story" wasn't intended to sound like how it does. I intended for it to be more of a "wow I can't believe I just did that" kind of haha, not a haha hey guys watch this! You know what I mean. And I am glad I can look back and laugh about the situation now instead of looking back and seeing that I hurt myself. Like I said before, it was a mistake and a good learning experience, no one was injured and I hope people can look at this post and see what I tried to make it. Not just a "hey, check this out" but as a reminder to maybe think just a bit longer before you do something. Also my frustrations were not to the point of me just being unsafe and pissed off, it was more of a just not my day kind of thing. To all who don't like this and think I'm negligent, then so be it, but to those who see this as to what I intended, then wonderful, glad to help.

[muleskinner]

az-shooter...posting this must have seemed like a good idea at the time! folks need to lighten up just a bit...most people would never have admitted a mistake like that, much less post it on a public forum! Nobody is suggesting that this is a proper way to clear the barrel on a gun...however people make judgement mistakes on a daily basis...doesnt mean they are careless slobs that should be publicly reprimanded. I always pray before I go out on a hunting venture...mostly asking the good Lord to protect me from myself!

[hoghntr]

Az_shooter im sorry i posted my 1100 for sale it seems that it set you up to deal with same swell guys i have been dealing with. i took your ha ha's and funny story as you felt super stupid for the incident that happened. i know you didn't risk your life on purpose or destroy that CLASSIC gun on purpose and i dont think your telling everybody to go be unsafe with guns. this to shall pass and they will all find some other guys to bully! just sUper glad i am no longer that unhappy. life is good! God is gooooooood! and people are mostly just dumb.

 

Oh and whoever it was that was sad about the classic gun gettin destroyed i have a pristine

remington 1100 LT-20, 28" i will sell you just wont be cheap and you must be nicer to the guy who is bold enough to share his mistake with us.

 

Lets see i shot hole in truck with 243 age 10

Shot floor in house with 380 due to narcotics age 16

Had friend shoot ground between my feet age 17

Probably few more i have luckily forgotten

 

Does anybody remember the old ben avery range with so many holes in the roof that you would get sunburned while shooting???

Accidents happen as innecusable as they may seem they happen and hopefully we live and learn.. hopefully i have taught my kiddos better than i was taught.

 

Az_shooter i will hunt with you just fix that barrel first and no playing in the mud.

[az_shooter]

/>Az_shooter im sorry i posted my 1100 for sale it seems that it set you up to deal with same swell guys i have been dealing with. i took your ha ha's and funny story as you felt super stupid for the incident that happened. i know you didn't risk your life on purpose or destroy that CLASSIC gun on purpose and i dont think your telling everybody to go be unsafe with guns. this to shall pass and they will all find some other guys to bully! just sUper glad i am no longer that unhappy. life is good! God is gooooooood! and people are mostly just dumb.

 

Oh and whoever it was that was sad about the classic gun gettin destroyed i have a pristine

remington 1100 LT-20, 28" i will sell you just wont be cheap and you must be nicer to the guy who is bold enough to share his mistake with us.

 

Lets see i shot hole in truck with 243 age 10

Shot floor in house with 380 due to narcotics age 16

Had friend shoot ground between my feet age 17

Probably few more i have luckily forgotten

 

Does anybody remember the old ben avery range with so many holes in the roof that you would get sunburned while shooting???

Accidents happen as innecusable as they may seem they happen and hopefully we live and learn.. hopefully i have taught my kiddos better than i was taught.

 

Az_shooter i will hunt with you just fix that barrel first and no playing in the mud.

New barrel is on the way

[Scooter]

I stand by my position. I never called anyone any names, I never said anything derogatory, and I certainly never accused someone of promoting unsafe actions. That was all you guys putting words in there. I just took issue with the lighthearted tone of the whole thing. Somebody said "people need to lighten up", well I couldn't disagree more with that statement. Every time someone has an "accident" with a gun, it's on every news channel. It'd be nice if we all just took the extra half-second and really adopted the safety rules, all of them, and quit arguing about who needs a lecture from who or who needs to "lighten up". Az_shooter, I'm sure you're a great guy, and there's a reason most people wouldn't admit a mistake like this... It's because they know they were wrong and don't really need to hear it from anyone else. Again, I didn't personally attack or call anyone any rude names... I only took issue with the delivery method for the lesson az_shooter wanted to share with folks. Remember guys, when you're out there handling firearms it only takes one tiny little mistake to end a life or multiple lives. Complacency kills. It's a serious message that every hunter and sportsman should reinforce, and I go so far as to take it as my responsibility. I don't care what people think about me, I gave up trying to be popular or worrying about that childish thing long ago.