quote:

Originally posted by Mike70560:
This was posted on AH last night. Thought I would share:

My name is Mark Howland and I am the Father of Anthony who was injured in the accident on
Wednesday last week and had to have his right arm amputated as a result.

He was looking for a warthog for his client when the accident happened. I understand the client dropped his weapon while crossing a small stream and the safety failed and resulted in an AD which hit my son in the elbow from behind. The round was a large calibre soft nose and virtually separated the bottom of his arm from the top.

My 12 year old daughter is a hunter. She doesn't post here, but she reads many of the threads. She directed me to this particular thread because of this awful accident, which in her 12 year old opinion, was the result of violating the most basic rules of firearm safety. I agree with her, as this is one of the most basic universal safety rules taught and known by everyone both young and old. Be it a small stream, a creek, a ditch, or a fence, you never push or pull a loaded weapon toward yourself or another, and you always open the chamber and make the weapon safe before crossing the obstruction. If you do not, you may lose control of the weapon and it will discharge as it did in this incident. This is very sad.

quote:

Originally posted by timg953:
It is the same as carrying a 1911 hammer down on a live round. A sharp blow to the muzzle or the hammer can overcome the firing pin spring and drive the firing pin forward with enough force to fire the round. It is very mechanically possible. This type of situation got Ruger sued into making the new model Blackhawks with the transfer bar safety. I had never even heard of dropping the firing pin on a live round in a bolt action rifle until I had some afikaaner friends telling stories about all the ADs they saw while teaching rifle work to local shooters/hunters. Do what you want and believe what you want. For me it is either live round up the spout and safety on or full magazine and empty chamber.

Quite agree, but as for 1911s, there is one more observation, taken from 1911forum.com's FAQ:

"The single biggest change to the 1911 design came about in 1983, when Colt introduced the "MK IV Series 80" pistols. These guns incorporated a new firing pin block safety system, where a series of internal levers and a plunger positively blocked the firing pin from moving until the trigger was pressed, thus eliminating the possibility of the gun discharging if dropped onto a hard surface or struck hard."

Right now I feel like a real clown....Fact is, I do know Anthony Howland. Have met him, albeit briefly, at Tafika camp, in 2010, while walking the border...

We arrived at Tafika early in the day and Anthony came in late that evening with a resupply. Everyone was a bit tired so we had an early dinner, a few laughs and went to bed. I just didn't put 2 and 2 together...Heard the guy who was shot worked for Gavin Rorke, just remembered Anthony as Anthony or Ant...Have just been going through my field notes and the name jumped out at me...I actually think his name is spelt Antony.

Ant, if you ever read this, I'm sorry man - for what happened and for not figuring who you were immediately. I will find out where you live and visit when I'm next in Harare.

Now that I have realized who Antony is, I am confident he'll be up and running in no time. Tough young man, for sure.

David

quote:

Originally posted by Ganyana:
A client has just 'amputated' a toe with his .500NE...Getting to be a rough season.

Ah f--k! That hurts just to read!

Hope Ant is feeling better. It's been a bad one in Zim this year. Let's try to close this one out safely!

I thought EVERYONE knew not to carry a firearm decocked with the firing pin resting on a primer.

That's why the old cowboys used to only load five rounds in their Colt Single Action Army Revolvers Model of 18 and 73!

And why Ruger installed a hammer interrupting device on their SAA copies.

As far as I'm concerned, guns that don't provide a sear interrupting safety should be illegal. Yes I hunt with a loaded chamber--with Model 70.

As a PH myself I am often astonished how easily cleints accidentally point firearms at other people.I have a large yellow and black sign in my truck now that clearly states:"Point your rifle in a safe direction at ALL times"
By pointing even an unloaded firearm at someone else I regard that hunter as incompetent.

quote:

Originally posted by Eardley Rudman:
As a PH myself I am often astonished how easily cleints accidentally point firearms at other people.I have a large yellow and black sign in my truck now that clearly states:"Point your rifle in a safe direction at ALL times"
By pointing even an unloaded firearm at someone else I regard that hunter as incompetent.

Careful how you go old bean - there's people on this forum who don't take kindly to being preached on such issues.
There are soooo many of them who, after having shot a buffalo or two know it all.
Lastly, the majority don't like being told point blank that they have screwed the pooch - its most always attributed to "shit happens".

quote:

Originally posted by Eardley Rudman:
As a PH myself I am often astonished how easily cleints accidentally point firearms at other people.I have a large yellow and black sign in my truck now that clearly states:"Point your rifle in a safe direction at ALL times"
By pointing even an unloaded firearm at someone else I regard that hunter as incompetent.

Having it in the back of your truck is good. Having it sewn on the back of your shirts is possibly even better.

quote:

Originally posted by Milo Shanghai:

quote:

Originally posted by Eardley Rudman:
As a PH myself I am often astonished how easily cleints accidentally point firearms at other people.I have a large yellow and black sign in my truck now that clearly states:"Point your rifle in a safe direction at ALL times"
By pointing even an unloaded firearm at someone else I regard that hunter as incompetent.

Having it in the back of your truck is good. Having it sewn on the back of your shirts is possibly even better.

Picking up on fujotupu's point about about screwing the pooch, personally I don't go for the "shit happens" explanation when someone is shot. Whether it what's an accident or not is irrelevant - shit happens because some arsehole caused it.

quote:

Originally posted by Spartan:
Picking up on fujotupu's point about about screwing the pooch, personally I don't go for the "shit happens" explanation when someone is shot. Whether it what's an accident or not is irrelevant - shit happens because some arsehole caused it.

This must be the most stupid post on this subject!

Good to see that at least one individual leads such a charmed life that nothing, ever goes wrong in his life!

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Spartan:
Picking up on fujotupu's point about about screwing the pooch, personally I don't go for the "shit happens" explanation when someone is shot. Whether it what's an accident or not is irrelevant - shit happens because some arsehole caused it.

This must be the most stupid post on this subject!

Good to see that at least one individual leads such a charmed life that nothing, ever goes wrong in his life!

I received this from Debbie Rorke of Gavin Rorke Safaris. I sent a contribution.

Dear Friends

Ant Howland was involved in a accidental shooting on the 20th June . He had his right arm amputated. Ken Nelson has kindly set up a trust for Anthony.
Any contributions would be greatly appreciated by Anthony. Please see below the details for those kind people who would like to contribute –


Anthony Howland Trust
c/o Dr K W Nelson
2723 E Central
Andover KS 67002
USA

Regards
Debbie Rorke

Does anyone know how Ant is doing lately? Will he still be a PH? I briefly met him as he was helping construct a camp in May, 2011. After I shot my hippo, which sank, he jumped into the Zambezi River and tied a rope on it. He definitely had a zest for life and I hope he still does.

Has the client been named yet?

quote:

Does anyone know how Ant is doing lately? Will he still be a PH? I briefly met him as he was helping construct a camp in May, 2011. After I shot my hippo, which sank, he jumped into the Zambezi River and tied a rope on it. He definitely had a zest for life and I hope he still does.

I haven't seen many one armed PH's. Nor clients hiring one armed PH's. Might get a support role if he is lucky I think.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Spartan:
Picking up on fujotupu's point about about screwing the pooch, personally I don't go for the "shit happens" explanation when someone is shot. Whether it what's an accident or not is irrelevant - shit happens because some arsehole caused it.

This must be the most stupid post on this subject!

Good to see that at least one individual leads such a charmed life that nothing, ever goes wrong in his life!

Which one, the original post or the reply?

I don't see why basic safety procedures go out the window when hunting in Africa.

Things like:
- unload your rifle's chamber before getting in a vehicle.
- unload your rifle's chamber before leaning it against a tree. Leaving it loaded leaning against a tree is just negligence waiting to happen, not "shit".
- if climbing through a fence, unload the chamber and preferably hand the rifle to another person on the other side.
- jumping a stream, maintain control of the rifle ESPECIALLY if it is loaded. Who on Earth jumps a stream with a loaded rifle on a sling on their shoulder! Take a moment to open the bolt, only takes a second, streams often have mud, and are slippery. Shit doesn't happen if the rifle's bolt was opened for the stream jump.
etc

The result again is another person shot and loosing their arm and probably their career when they didn't need to.