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Posted on 09/24/2015 5:52:56 AM PDT by Gamecock
A soldier’s death while target shooting with friends last weekend was accidental, Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher said Wednesday.
Army Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Heintz died when a .50-caliber pistol he was using recoiled and fired into him, Fisher said.
There were no signs alcoholic beverages or narcotics were involved, she said.
The incident happened about 1:30 p.m. Saturday at a home in the 1500 block of Willis Street about four miles south of Batesburg-Leesville, according to an incident report from deputies.
Heintz, 44, was there with his brother, Russell, and other friends, according to a website created in his memory.
He was a 23-year military veteran whose parents lived in Rock Hill, the website said.
**a .50-caliber pistol he was using recoiled and fired into him**
I’m sorry, but I don’t understand this. Can somebody explain how this happens?
As a shooter, I can’t imagine how that could happen. I could understand a recoil that would hurt a person nearby—but unless he were aiming the gun at himself I can’t see that happening.
If not help real tight a 500 smith and weston can come loose when fired rotate back causing a second firing of gun now pointed at your head
There was a gal killed like this when some guys gave her one to fire thinking it would be funny They were charged
One must be down range of the muzzle to be hit with a bullet.
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“I’m sorry, but I don’t understand this. Can somebody explain how this happens?”
Recoil twists the gun upward so that it is pointing back at you at the same time you tighten your grip on the gun (and trigger) while trying to get control. Hard to believe that it can happen with a double action revolver but apparently it can.
If not help real tight a 500 smith and weston can come loose when fired
Playing with a weapon is not playing, it is asking for trouble.
It has happened at least once before with the big bore guns. Several years ago a woman was trying to shoot her boyfriends gun and she ended up shooting herself in the head. These guns recoil violently and some try to re-grip the gun as it jumps, and end up pulling the trigger again.
There are plenty of on line vids of folks (mostly women) losing control of 44 mags and such when shooting them.
RIP
OK, that makes sense. Thanks!
Exactly. Limp wrist can be fatal.
Obviously, the woman was shooting the wrong gun for her or wasn’t holding it correctly. Also, apparently the range wasn’t clear.
However it happened, it’s a tragedy as she will have to live with this for the rest of her life, as will the victim’s family.
Oops—I meant to say the person holding the gun—not the woman……..
An army Command Sgt major with 23 years of service has a lot on the ball and shooting is one of them. Something wrong.
There’s a youtube video of a bank robber killing himself with the recoil of a revolver he was using in the armed robber.
If this soldier was shooting a .50AE or 500 S&W it doesn’t surprise me. I’ve seen those guns fly right out of the hands of folks not familiar with the strength of those calibers.
I do not have the strength to safely shoot a full house 44mag or larger handgun, so I do not try any more. I certainly know how to safely handle the firearm, and how to hold it, but it is beyond my physical capability.
This is true for a large number of people. Similar problem when the kid (or instructor, don’t recall exactly) was killed while shooting a full auto Uzi recently. The child could not control the weapon.
Look up some video of test firing the Tyrannosaurus Rex rifle. There are people/equipment combinations that just do not work, and are dangerous.
I’ve fired these. I can easily see it happening. The recoil feels like you slammed your hand in a car door.
I load only one round at a time for this reason.
Start with a multi-shot .50 cal pistol
Fire the first shot without enough grip to keep the pistol from rotating from the recoil.
Pistol rotates in hand now points to head
Inertia takes over and moves the pistol backwards
Because the pistol is now rotated, the inertia pushes the finger against the trigger with considerable force, enough to fully action the trigger and thus the second shot.
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