doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com My Beretta bit me!

The local postman was also in a re-enactment society. He was the only casualty in the 'Battle of Worcester'. Blew his big toe off with a blank firing musket - bet that stung a bit! Cured his in growing toe nail though!!

Carried one in Basic, and for a few years after that in the National Guard. Never got the thumb, although I saw it happen. I have the more unique injury: M1 wrist. Cold morning at Ft Leonard Wood, the drill sergeant gave the "inspection arms!" command. I was a little off target and missed the handle, which went right up my wrist. Pushing 50 years later, the scar is faint but still visible. Also broke a stock on one in a bayonet assault course . . . but that's a different story.

Back when I was running the state rifle team, I used to put on two DCM Marksmanship schools a year with about 250 attendees. We always warned of the dangers of M1 thumb. For the first couple of years we would have a couple of cases of M1 thumb everyday.

In later years, before we went to the firing line, I showed the shooters the state pin on my hat explaining it was the prize for the first M1 thumb. I explained that it was a nice pin but if you got it, you'd have earned it.

Only had about one M1 thumb every two years after that. Somehow, it made the caution a lot stronger.

Had my finger tip basically crushed and impaled by the ejector of a Browning A-5 12 gauge.
Man, you have no idea how strong the closing spring is on those until that happens!

Back when there were still a lot of quail in this part of the country the hotel in downtown Allendale, SC was owned and operated by one "Colonel". He and his bird dogs would walk from downtown to the outskirts and hunt quail every suitable day during season. He had used a double for many years, until his children gave him an A-5. First evening after returning from hunting with it he was unloading it when it slammed shut on a finger. For years afterward, just about dusk, you could hear three shots in the yard of the old hotel. When visitors asked about the commotion the locals would reply, "Oh, that's just the Colonel unloading his shotgun".

Stan