Man Hospitalized After Drilling through Live Round to Make Keychain Charm

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/55042537.html ^ | August 26, 2009 | Mike Waterhouse

[Morgana]

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A 57-year-old man was treated for a serious hand wound Tuesday after Charleston Police say he tried to drill through a live round to make a keychain ornament.

It happened at about 1 p.m. at the man's home on the city's west side.

Sgt. Eric Hodges with the Charleston Police Department says the man was drilling through a .30-06 deer rifle round when he saw a spark and the ammunition exploded, causing serious injuries to his left hand.

Hodges says the powder charge inside the round had not been removed -- and the round was still live at the time.

The man did not immediately seek treatment, but consulted with his neighbor and eventually went to St. Francis Hospital a couple hours later. He is not expected to lose his hand, Hodges said.

No charges are going to be filed in the case, and Sgt. Hodges says the man's name is not going to be released.

[Morgana]

Trying for the Darwin Award!!!

[Constitution Day]

Oh Lord.

People this rock-stupid obviously can’t be trusted with power tools, never mind bullets and guns.

[ClearCase_guy]

If at first you don't succeeed, try, try again.

I hear that third time's the Charm.

[Leg Olam]

Idiot.

[Nathan Zachary]

Must be a Democrat.

[Man50D]

I hate when that happens.

[BenLurkin]

Just d*mn......

[Jeff Chandler]

“Hold muh Springfield.”

[Rebelbase]

Had it been a live .50 the outcome would have been a bit more messy.

[sticker]

Shop class teacher?

[WayneS]

D’oh!!

[RichInOC]

TIM TAYLOR: WHAT HAPPEN?
E.R. DOCTOR: YOU NOT KNOW WHAT YOU DOING.

[FateAmenableToChange]

How did he get a spark off a brass case? Is anyone actually making steel-cased 30-06?

[Jeff Chandler]

I hear that third time's the Charm.

Charming.

[Dick Bachert]

And the gene pool ALMOST deepened a bit.

Make my day and tell me this guy hasn’t reproduced.

[Joe 6-pack]

"Had it been a live .50 the outcome would have been a bit more messy."

Would've been a little large for a "keychain ornament."

[South40]

People this rock-stupid obviously can’t be trusted with power tools, never mind bullets and guns.

No, but they vote and thus we have Senator Robert KKK Byrd.

[investigateworld]

I'll bet you'd have few funny stores from dealing with idiots and explosives .....(Guardian Angels looked out for me in my younger and more foolish days - I admit it)

[razorback-bert]

Should have started with a .22, then worked his way up.

[Morgana]

reproduced? I am just scared that he owns a gun and hunts!!!

[gimme1ibertee]

C'mon,you know the drill....
This doesn't need to be blown out of proportion...:P

[TexasNative2000]

And the gene pool ALMOST deepened a bit.

This guys gene pool needs some chlorine.

[paul51]

next up, using a match to see inside a gasoline can

[Joe 6-pack]

"How did he get a spark off a brass case? Is anyone actually making steel-cased 30-06?"

I was kind of wondering the same thing at first, but there are a lot of possibilities...an electric drill will create sparks in the motor, he might have drilled through the case and hit the steel of a vice with the drill bit, etc.

[Nathan Zachary]

"People this rock-stupid obviously can’t be trusted with power tools, never mind bullets and guns."

That's why I think he must be a Democrat. Obviously he thought without a gun to shoot the bullet out of, the bullet is safe. Most Democrats think the entire bullet, casing and all, is shot out of the gun.

[Morgana]

Actually don’t worry that he has reproduced....you know what they say about the fact that “talent skips a generation” who knows..maybe his kids are sharps as tacks!!!

[Myrddin]

If at first you don't succeeed, you should avoid skydiving as a hobby

[paul51]

gotta hand it to him

[calex59]

My thoughts exactly, then I remembered we are dealing with the MSM. He probably hit the primer compound with the drill, doesn’t take much to set it off. No spark off the brass case.

[Nathan Zachary]

"How did he get a spark off a brass case? Is anyone actually making steel-cased 30-06?"

More likely he was drilling through the primer.

[Morgana]

drilling a live round ping!!!

[bert]

That was exactly my thought. The ignition must have come from heat.

[rahbert]

probably heat from the drill bit.

[ArtyFO]

Spark from his cigarette?

[Just another Joe]

JUST what I want hanging around banging in my pocket with my keys, pocket knife, and change - a LIVE .30-06 round.

(Oooohh, they draw up into my abdomen just thinking about it)

[Constitution Day]

Oooh. Damn good point.

[CodeToad]

Too stupid to live.

[csvset]

consulted with his neighbor

Well neighbor, if'n that was my hand, I'd be on my way to the hospital.

[Joe 6-pack]

"More likely he was drilling through the primer."

LOL...that would git'r done, too!

[Kozak]

[Myrddin]

How did he get a spark off a brass case? Is anyone actually making steel-cased 30-06?

I'll bet he was drilling the primer and set off the round. The correct approach starting with a live round would be to use a bullet puller, dump the powder, pour a few drops of oil into the primer (or fire it in a proper firearm), use a decapping die to push out the primer. Trying to decap a live primer isn't particularly safe.

It would have been infinitely safer to just buy new brass, bullets and a press with a seating die and collet style neck crimper die.

[Jewbacca]

Good thing he was holding his beer in his right hand, or he'd a lost it.

[Still Thinking]

You mean....like this woman?

"An elderly [and ignorant] Iraqi woman shows two bullets which she says hit her house following an early coalition forces raid in the predominantly Shiite Baghdad suburb of Sadr City." -- edits mine

[Still Thinking]

That’s not his beer.

[Redleg Duke]

"More likely he was drilling through the primer."

Well, that is a different way of decapping brass!

[Allegra]

Hey, I need a keychain...

[Still Thinking]

Actually don’t worry that he has reproduced....you know what they say about the fact that “talent skips a generation” who knows..maybe his kids are sharps as tacks!!!

They'd have to be to still be alive, living in the same house with this guy!

[NormsRevenge]

Lucky he made it to 57..

[KoRn]

Good thing for him he wasn’t drilling on a .50, trying to make a Christmas ornament.

[reagan_fanatic]

LOL - I know we have the Darwin Awards, but a special award should be created for idiots just like this.

The Tim Taylor Award does have a nice ring to it..