Appendix Carry Accidents and How to Avoid Them


Having a negligent discharge occurs when appendix carrying is probably the worst-case scenario. The muzzle of the weapon is pointed straight into highly sensitive areas. There are many different cases that could cause a negligent discharge. 

With the rise in popularity of appendix carry over the years, many questions followed. 

  • Is it more beneficial to appendix carry?
  • Does body type matter?
  • Is it safe to appendix carry?

In this article, we clear the waters. We discuss the concerns that come along with appendix carry and how to avoid them altogether. Then we wrap it up with some tips if you do plan to appendix carry in the future. I believe that any smart gun owner will agree, regardless of the carry location, if a negligent discharge occurs, it is the gun owners’ fault and puts themselves and everyone around them in danger. 

These are dangers that can be nonexistent when following proper gun safety. Keep reading to find out how to safely and effectively remove the dangers that come along with appendix carry.

Dangers of Appendix Carry

No matter where the weapon is, a negligent discharge is when the trigger gets pulled, and a shot is fired. The trigger may get pulled by a person, a piece of clothing, or lipstick in a purse. Although it should ideally never happen, it occasionally does. This is where the main problems arise when you appendix carry. In the unseen event of a negligent discharge, the weapon is pointed into areas that could be life-threatening. 

If the bullet goes through the femoral artery, the main blood supply to the legs, it could spell a disaster. Even more so, if you are by yourself, and no one is around to quickly tourniquet your injury. A different scenario puts the bullet into reproductive organs. A place that you are more likely to survive, but with dire consequences.

As one can see, appendix carry can be deadly if the right safety precautions are not taken. The accident can happen while you are drawing, holstering, or just walking around. In the case of drawing and holstering, these can be solved with proper technique. Keeping the finger out of the trigger guard until the muzzle is aimed downrange at the target. Being trigger happy will cause a misfire.

In the event of an appendix carry draw, that is going into a bad spot on your body. If the holster is on the hip, the bullet still has a chance to enter the body, only at a safer location like the butt. There is a video of a man who reholsters his weapon, walks over to pick something up, squats, and his weapon fires. In this case, it was not his finger that caused the discharge, but an object.

This video can create more fear because of the fact that an object caused a negligent discharge instead of a finger. In either case, they could both be mitigated with proper safety. Lastly, many of the accidents occur because the gun owner is not using a holster. They grab their weapon and slide it into their waistband. This should never happen. There is a huge increased risk of a negligent discharge occur when no trigger guard coverage is present. Even with the safety on, it is not okay to carry without a holster. Get the proper training before making a purchase.

Done with Appendix Carry | Surgery Story

There are advantages to appendix carrying, though. 

Appendix Carrying

With all the dangers of appendix carry, you may ask what benefit it offers to outweigh these dangers. To start, it is simple to pick up and go. You have your pistol and holster, then slide them into your waistband. With a few slight adjustments and maybe a tightening of a belt and you are good. There will be no more messing with belt loops.

To add to this, you can always reholster by taking the holster out and then sliding the handgun into it and back into your waistband. With other forms of carrying the holster may be attached to the best and not allow for this. Another is the accessibility to draw the weapon. With appendix carry, your hands are in a natural position. There is no more bending the arm back and making a noticeable movement, allowing you to draw the weapon a little faster and more discretely.

When properly trained and following safety protocols, appendix carry is not any more dangerous than any other carrying location. It is up to us to be adequately educated to ensure no negligent discharges will occur.

With appendix carry, your hands are in a natural position (Source).

Some Tips

The first tip we have is to not go cheap with a holster. You have a weapon that you spend good money on, so please do not try to budget on your holster. A bad holster increases the risk of accidents to happen. For increased comfort, look for a canted holster. A holster with a cant will angle the gun towards the strong side, which makes for a better draw as well. Make sure to try both; you may find that the cant does not suit your body type well.

Start off appendix carry with a revolver. This is to get good practice in while reducing any risk of a negligent discharge. Since a revolver will not fire unless the hammer is cocked, they provide a reduced risk. Do not be the person who buys a gun and does not get any training. If this is new to you, please go get some professional training. It will provide you with proper safety techniques and may just be the difference in a life-or-death situation.

A trained professional will also be able to decide which handgun is best for you and which carry method is going to give the best results. Do not be afraid to ask for help.


OUR RECOMMENDED TACTICAL GEAR LIST:

  1. Best Health and Fitness Tracker, Whoop. Get 1 Month Free: See it here!
  2. EDC Assisted Opening knife we can’t live without: See it here!
  3. Best EDC Concealed Carry Pistol: See it here!
  4. Extreme Performance Morning Dink: See it here!
  5. Best 3D Printer For Gun Parts and Accessories: See it here!
  6. Our Top Rated EDC Flashlight: See it here!
  7. AR Red Dot Sight We Can’t Live Without: See it here!
  8. Best Handgun Safe For Quick Access: See it here!
  9. Top Wireless Security Camera For Home Security: See it here!
  10. The Range Bag You’ve Always Been Looking For: See it here!
  11. CIA Approved Sharp Shooting Course: See it here!

Kevin

Kevin was born and raised in Texas and loves all things tactical. His hobbies include shooting, hunting, rock climbing, and hiking with his dog Jax.

Recent Posts