Gun Safety
LESSONS LEARNED: Rule #1

Gun Safety Rule #1 states that:
1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
A "safe direction" ALWAYS includes knowing what is BEHIND any objects that the gun is pointing at AND to consider ALL THE PATHS that the bullet might take after traversing through or ricocheting off of each and every one of those objects.

In this "LESSONS LEARNED", a semi-automatic pistol fired after the slide jammed while manually cycling cartridges out of the magazine.
The gun was pointed at the floor, but that is not always a "safe direction" as shown in the photos below.
The string in the photos shows the path that the bullet took; narrowly missing someone.

The pistol fired and the 9mm bullet went through the carpet (and padding)...


through the 3/4 inch plywood floor...


through an edge of the metal heat duct...


through the 5/8 inch drywall...


into the room below...


narrowly missed someone near the door...


into the door (the chip to the right of the hole in the door was caused by a piece of the metal heating duct striking the door)...


through the door...


into another room...


ricocheted off the concrete floor...


through the surface and edge of a ceiling tile...


ricocheted off a 1/2 inch plywood wall...


and finally came to rest in that room.
The photo below shows pieces of the metal heat duct, the bullet jacket, and the bullet.
To the right are the 9mm cartridge case and an unfired cartridge.


LESSON LEARNED: Rule #1

ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction where:
"safe direction" includes consideration of what is BEHIND any objects that the gun is pointing at AND ALL THE PATHS that the bullet might take after traversing through or ricocheting off of each and every one of those objects.

Also see:

Gun Safety LESSONS LEARNED: Rule #2
Gun Safety LESSONS LEARNED: Rule #3