N'er Do Well in Northboro

[Rob Boudrie]

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/n...ough-gun-store-clerk-shoots-own-hand-with-357

I wonder it this was Peter Dowd himself. It would be interesting if his LTC was revoked and his guns turned over to a bonded warehouse

By Matt Lynch/Daily News staff
MetroWest Daily News
Posted Jul 25, 2008 @ 11:55 PM
NORTHBOROUGH —

An employee at the Village Gun Shop on Rte. 9 accidentally shot himself in the hand Thursday afternoon while handling a .357-caliber handgun, police said.

The shop sells and buys guns, and the employee was in the process of examining a Smith & Wesson .357 when he accidentally fired it, said Northborough Detective Sgt. Brian Griffin.

"He was in the process of clearing the gun to make sure there was no ammunition in the gun," said Griffin. "There was still a bullet in the chamber and it accidentally discharged into his hand."

Griffin said the employee was taken by ambulance to UMass Memorial Center in Worcester.

Griffin said the shot was fired at about 3 p.m. Thursday. Police do not believe a crime occurred, he said.

"It appears to be a clear accident," he said. "Anytime a weapon is discharged, especially at a gun dealership, we investigate."

(Matt Lynch can be reached at 508-490-7453 or [email protected].)

 

[bostonasphalt2]

I drove past the ambulance and stuff because I was leaving Wagner BMW from picking up my car

 

[pdm]

Ouch, a .357 to the sandwich clamp is a painful lesson in safe handling.

 

[EddieCoyle]

Ouch, a .357 to the sandwich clamp is a painful lesson in safe handling.

I hope it wasn't a hollowpoint.

 

[Admin]

I hope it wasn't a hollowpoint.

+1

at PDM's "Sandwich clamp" comment.

 

[clinotus]

"He was in the process of clearing the gun to make sure there was no ammunition in the gun," said Griffin. "There was still a bullet in the chamber and it accidentally discharged into his hand."

This was a revolver right?

 

[Raoul Duke]

This was a revolver right?

Yeah, I had to stop and try to figure that one out myself...

 

[Mr Weebles]

I call horseshit.

How does a revolver "accidently discharge"?

Sounds like someone was practicing unsafe handling of a firearm.

 

[BOBKATT]

Does it say that it is a revolver? Or could it be a pistol chambered in .357 Sig or something along those lines?

I don't see revolver. Looks like someone saw .357 and associated the caliber to a revolver. There are .357 caliber pistol cartridges as well.

Either way, why is your hand in front of the muzzle when you are "clearing" the gun? And why did you pull the trigger with your hand in front of it?

Oh ya, and the big question: Why was there ammunition in the gun in the first place? Sounds like maybe the guy was showing his CCW piece to a customer or vise versa, and igored the majority of gun safety rules that I can think of.

Way to add fuel to the Anti-gun fire. All you had to do was follow rule one. Just off the top of my head, I would like to take the time here to remind you. Goes a little like this: ALWAYS KEEP THE FIREARM POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTOIN AT ALL TIMES.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

One would think the term "in the cylinder" rather than "in the chamber" would be used if they were referring to a wheelgun.

 

[tele_mark]

One would think the term "in the cylinder" rather than "in the chamber" would be used if they were referring to a wheelgun.

We're talking the press here.

 

[Admin]

I call horseshit.

How does a revolver "accidently discharge"?

Sounds like someone was practicing unsafe handling of a firearm.

Is there any other way to shoot yourself in the hand?

 

[clinotus]

One would think the term "in the cylinder" rather than "in the chamber" would be used if they were referring to a wheelgun.

Even so the story just doesnt add up.

Who would action live ammunition in a gun shop anyway? You've got a ton of customers who are unfamiliar with any idea of firearm safety who may be handling a firearm at any time.

At what point, whether revolver or semi-automatic, did someone decide it was a wise idea to place a live round within the firearm? Chambered or not.

Either this was a personal firearm someone was showing off with, or brought into the shop, or a colossally huge safety violation by an employee.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

The last I heard, that shop is not open to the public but is a business that picks up confiscated guns from PDs and charges owners storage and transaction fees - or sells the guns to get the money for said fees.

 

[bostonasphalt2]

The last I heard, that shop is not open to the public but is a business that picks up confiscated guns from PDs and charges owners storage and transaction fees - or sells the guns to get the money for said fees.

really? Ive always wanted to go in there, and on the masscops forum, plenty of people civvy and non-civvy have said they have been there....

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Perhaps my info is out of date - can anyone on the forum enlighten?

 

[RIFLEMAN1000]

Well i have to admit that pulling the trigger with your hand in the way is one way to check to see if a gun is loaded. I myself however choose to visually inspect the gun instead but to each his own. Maybe he should look down the barrel next time to see if its loaded and let Darwin do the rest.

 

[wahsben]

The last I heard, that shop is not open to the public but is a business that picks up confiscated guns from PDs and charges owners storage and transaction fees - or sells the guns to get the money for said fees.

Yes, this is correct the place has not been open to the public for years.

 

[mark056]

I thought the Village Gunshop was closed and that Dowd was working primarily as an appraiser and liquidator of gun collections etc.

Has it re-opened as a full free standing gun shop?

Mark L.

 

[EddieCoyle]

Has it re-opened as a full free standing gun shop?

No.

It's a by-appointment-only thing. He gets confiscated guns and buys gun collections. It doesn't surprise me in the least that a loaded gun showed up in the store. Not one bit.

I once went to look at a collection that belonged to a friend's deceased relative. I was the first "gun person" to check the stuff out. There were about a dozen long guns and half that many handguns. Most were loaded.

 

[dwarven1]

"He was in the process of clearing the gun to make sure there was no ammunition in the gun," said Griffin. "There was still a bullet in the chamber and it accidentally discharged into his hand."

Ballocks. It's wasn't an accident, it was NEGLIGENCE plain and simple. He had his booger hook on the bang switch when the muzzle was pointed at his hand. I seem to remember, almost 35 years ago, being taught to OPEN THE FREAKING ACTION instead of pulling the trigger. Maybe this is one of those new procedures.

The last I heard, that shop is not open to the public but is a business that picks up confiscated guns from PDs and charges owners storage and transaction fees - or sells the guns to get the money for said fees.

Yankee Artifacts is colocated there and if you purchase something from YA you can pick it up there. Appointment only.

 

[Mil-Dot]

I stopped there on the way home from work about a year ago. When I walked in there were two guys talking; one selling and one buying. I was told that if I wanted to look at any guns that I would have to make an appointment. How can a gun shop stay in business with that type of policy? I was itching for a new rifle. Went to Stateline the next day an dropped $1600.00.

 

[TY43215]

We all know the easiest way to clear any firearm is pull the trigger. (Not safest. just easiest) You just have to move the hand first

 

[dwarven1]

I stopped there on the way home from work about a year ago. When I walked in there were two guys talking; one selling and one buying. I was told that if I wanted to look at any guns that I would have to make an appointment. How can a gun shop stay in business with that type of policy? I was itching for a new rifle. Went to Stateline the next day an dropped $1600.00.

Because they sell primarily over the internet and ship the purchases to local FFLs.

 

[bostonasphalt2]

Because they sell primarily over the internet and ship the purchases to local FFLs.

yet I am unable to find a website for them.......so, what gives?



I am certainly not going to make an appointment just to peruse, *maybe* if I knew they had something that I wanted to buy.

 

[dwarven1]

Yankeeartifacts dot com.

 

[bostonasphalt2]

Yankeeartifacts dot com.

so is there a difference between Village Gun Shop and Yankee Artifacts? or is it the same place?

 

[dwarven1]

Same place.

 

[Knob Creek]

so is there a difference between Village Gun Shop and Yankee Artifacts? or is it the same place?

I believe there is. I would not do business with Dowd. However I have bought guns from Phil with Yankee Artifacts. He advertises over the Internet and if you purchase a gun you can make a apt to pick it up there.
When you go in, Phil is on the left side of the room and Dowd's operation is way over to the right. Phil is a nice guy and reasonable prices. Separate FFL's

 

[EddieCoyle]

Yeah. I like Phil. I hope he didn't shoot himself.