I have expressed my appreciation to Fred for sharing this accidental discharge with us at KCA. This topic can be appreciated at any blog regarding firearms.

The main thing is that Fred and his guests are OK. Except for the hearing effects, no loss of limb or life. It wouldn't take much to have been worse. Please, do not put live rounds in a firearm inside unless you are loading for self defense. I even have taken the firing pin (striker) out of my bolt to allow me to cycle live rounds through my Krags to test them and adjust them. The second thing is, of course, watch where the muzzle is pointed, even when you think it is unloaded. What's the warning: Always assume every firearm is always loaded and treat it as such!

Butlers is in a better position than I am to evaluate the exact mechanism(s) that might have caused this A.D. I told Fred that I have never tried to alter my Krag triggers or sears other than polishing them and removing burrs for smoother function. Trying creative gun smithing to lower the trigger pull or make the trigger a one stage pull-through may not be in everyone's best interest.

I have some different recommendations that may be important to consider.

Any KCA (or other site) postings to alter the trigger should be regarded as thought-provoking but not an actual recommendation since it could be dangerous and result in damage or death. That could also easily be said for load recommendations or powder changes with reloading.

Always check any load recommendation against printed reloading manuals before actually reloading. This is a typical warning seen many times on other sites. How easy it is to make a typing error and not proofread to correct that might cause someone inexperienced to make a deadly mistake.

Permanent hearing loss can definitely occur as a result of even one unprotected discharge in an inclosed space such as happened to Fred. We are all getting older and have normal aging loss of hearing and hereditary difficulties. (cont)