One of the most dangerous combinations is stupidity and firearms. That is because such a combination goes along with other lethal combinations like automobiles and stupidity. When you are being stupid with a weapon it’s likely somebody will get hurt and that’s exactly what happened in Hill City:
John Ellis thought someone had thrown something at him during the Old West shootout in downtown Hill City on Friday night.
Seconds later, he laid on the ground clutching his bloodied elbow as his two young daughters watched in horror.
“I got shot in the forearm, and it went through the other side of my elbow,” said Ellis, an optometrist vacationing with his family from Pennsylvania. “I had surgery around midnight Friday to remove bone and lead fragments.”
Ellis was standing 40 feet from the mock gun battle performed by the Dakota Wild Bunch Reinactors, when what he believes was a live round buzzed through his arm.
If you’re using firearms for reenactments the utmost caution must be taken. There should be no live ammunition on the site where the reenactment is taking place, all guns should be checked by every person participating in the reenactment, and shooting should be done in such a way as muzzles never cross the area where spectators are located. It would even better to use replica firearms that are unable to even chamber and use life rounds.
When firearms are involved lack of caution needs to be checked at the door. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being paranoid about firearm safety, especially when other people are involved. On the other hand not being paranoid about firearm safety can lead to people being injured or killed. There is a reason people haven’t been shot at United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) matches, everybody is paranoid about safety and if you violate the safety rules you’re disqualified and sent home for the day (or permanently if the error was egregious enough).