Loaded Antique Revolver Responsible for AM Shooting?

By Robert J. Bastille on 12 February, 2008 18:29:00

MARSTONS MILLS – Tuesday - A lead ball was somehow propelled from a black-powder revolver before accidentally becoming lodged in a man’s right thigh.

It’s safe to say that the antique black-powder Colt revolver was loaded and ready to “go.”

The Cape Cod Times reported that John Crocker, age 43, was up bright and early “cleaning” his weapon at his 137 Audrey Lane address when things suddenly went wrong.

The gun fired a lead ball, hitting him in the leg.

The 911 call was received at about 6:30am.

Barnstable Police and COMM Fire officials responded and treated Crocker for a non-life threatening gunshot wound. He was then transported to Cape Cod Hospital.

I’m not going to pass judgment and ask "why in the world does anyone clean a loaded black-powder weapon?" I won’t go there.

I’m not going to ask if Crocker actually knew his black-powder handgun was loaded or not. I won’t go there.

I certainly am not going to ask if Crocker had been lawfully “carrying” the loaded weapon prior to deciding to clean it. I certainly won’t go there.

I refuse the temptation to even begin to wonder if the gun was actually “stored” loaded, complete with black gun powder and a lead ball. I wouldn’t want to pry.

I would never be so rude as to ask if Crocker actually took his revolver out of proper storage, loaded it, and then was dumb enough to clean it anyway. That would be an infringement on the man’s privacy.

I spoke with the police and so far there hasn’t been an official press release on the incident. And without that press release I would never be so bold as to suggest that police are not interested in pursuing charges in this “shooting.” Maybe they are, maybe they’re not, but I’m sure I’ll find out in the very near future.

So what really happened? Is this 43 year old antique gun owner so stupid as to load his revolver with a black gun powder charge right before he decided to clean it? Or was he already lawfully “carrying” the antique weapon? Remember, in Massachusetts it is illegal to store a loaded handgun. Or was Mr. Crocker getting ready to take a chilly morning jaunt down to the local shooting range as he loaded the weapon, forgot, then decided to clean it?

You see, everyone knows that I, myself, am not the sharpest tool in the proverbial shed, at least not always. I’m just a simple guy, with a very simple mind, and I cannot for the life of me figure out what this guy was doing by, knowingly or unknowingly, “cleaning” his LOADED cowboy-style handgun prior to 6:30 in the morning. Was he getting ready for a showdown at the Cape Cod Coral?

Did Mr. Crocker “dodge a bullet?”

Probably a poor choice of words on my part, but my simple brain keeps wondering if Crocker will be charged with something? Anything!

If the Town of Barnstable had a “Stupidity Bylaw” I personally would have been picked up on that one by now! Not that I’m always stupid – hell, even I wouldn’t be so idiotic as to clean a loaded black-powder weapon – but I can certainly plead the “fifth” on several other lesser crimes of stupidity. What can I say? I’m not perfect.

So, if Mr. Crocker was indeed lawfully handling his black-powder weapon, then one could make a reasonable assumption that he was being “JUST PLAIN STUPID.”

Also, I can guarantee you, without the slightest doubt, that the NRA will not doing a feature magazine story on this guy any time soon.

But if Crocker admits to not only being just plain stupid, but also to unlawfully storing a handgun or firing one within 500 feet of home, dwelling…. whatever? Then we should expect that Crocker will receive gun charges in the very near future.

Email me if you have any theories about this one. Spell it out for me (slowly) if you can figure out what happened.

The bottom line:

At least no one lost an eye, or worse, a life!

Marie - good points - bottom line: 1st rule in responsible handgun ownership: if you pick up a gun, assume it's loaded until you can prove it is not. I agree this fella is very lucky he did not hit an artery and die. I also feel he is lucky nobody else died either. I personally wish him the best, dispite his almost fatal lapse in common (and when it comes to guns, regulated) sense... You make an interesting point in that his injury may equate as "time served" - - personally, I don't believe the police are interested in making a huge case over this. Hey look at Dick Cheney's stupid move!
(Posted by Robert J. Bastille, 13 February, 2008 22:49:48)

I don't think he should be charged with anything, especially discharging a firearm within 500 ft of a dwelling. IT WAS A FREAKIN' ACCIDENT, for crying out loud. Perhaps someone had left the firearm to him and he hadn't touhed it for YEARS! Perhaps he had just fished it out of where ever it was, didn't think it would likely be loaded at all after such a long time, and decided to clean it. Why does it sound fishy? It sounds like an accident exacerbated by total stupidity to me! I think he has been punished enough for his stupidity. If that bullet had hit his femoral artery, he would have bled out in a matter of seconds!
(Posted by marie lancey, 13 February, 2008 22:33:51)

Any responsible gun owner will tell you that you have to assume all guns are loaded before handling.The next step is to confirm that it is not.Period.This does sound fish y and at the very least irresponsible. Full Message
(Posted by concerned, 13 February, 2008 19:30:29)

Thanks for the input Jay. I am trying not to be too hard on him. If I were to talk with Mr. Crocker right now, I'd tell him how happy I am that he is still sucking air, to walk another day on this side of the turf. If I were to see Mr. Crocker, I'd tell him how happy I am that a child was not killed. If I were to see Mr. Crocker, I'd say "I bet you're not going to do that again." If I were to see Mr. Crocker, I'd say "it's a good thing this didn't happen in Hyannis because you'd likely be in jail right now. You see Jay, without breaking out the law books I know that his Colt was a "revolver" and that's a handgun in my book (especially if someone points it at me…). Again I ask, what in the world was this gun owner doing cleaning a loaded black-powder weapon? Was he being a responsible gun owner? What if some neighborhood kid found this loaded weapon (since we're being hypothetical) and pointed it at his little brother's head and pulled the trigger, or dropped it on the ground, or tripped with it? would it had fired and possibly killed someone? I've fired black powder weapons before and they often make bigger holes. Very powerful, sometimes not as accurate. I also find them less stable than modern firearms, all the more reason to be an ambassador for responsible ownership. Thanks for the comment Jay. I’ll try to find out more about exactly what type of Colt…
(Posted by Robert J. Bastille, Hyannis News Editor, 13 February, 2008 00:39:50)

Don't be too hard on him. First of all - a musket is not considered a handgun in MA, it is a "Primative Arm". He may have wanted to shoot it that morning and figured he'd clean it prior to going to the range - a good practice to follow. I do agree that something's amiss here though....A loaded musket won't fire unless it receives a spark, or charge. Most of these old guns use a percussion cap, which is plainly visible on the exterior of the weapon. When one is cleaning the bore on such a weapon, the cleaning rod is inserted into the barrel and worked toward the breach. If the rod doesn't go in all of the way - you know it is loaded. I am not passing judgement - may have been put away by someone else who had loaded it and not fired off the round (that's the only way to unload it).
(Posted by Jay, 13 February, 2008 00:10:40)

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Loaded Antique Revolver Responsible for AM Shooting?

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