Ugh, reminds me a bit about an "close encounter" with a 40mm grenade in Lebanon.
The local militia had to check in their weapons at our (UN) checkpoints before entering the UN controlled areas. Mostly the consisted of rusted AK's but once in a while we got in M4's(never M16's:thinking: ) When they delivered the weapons to us, they had to empty them before handing them over, and we gave them back with an empty chamber as well.
So to our story;
One sunday I got a car full of people, clearly on their way for a picnic to the local river(a popular spot). Out of the car comes a drunk soldier from the local militia, toting a M4 with a M203. He clears the chamber and hands me the magazine, then he rack the mechanism on the M203 so that the 40mm grenade pops out and down on the pavement. I think I jumped at least a meter back. :sweat:
He picks up the grenade and gives it to me with the rifle. The grenade looked like it had been banged against something hard, several times. It was dented and the paint scarred.
As it wasn't allowed for the militia to carry guns in our area I *had to* take care of it until he returned... I carefully carried the grenade to the shelter where we had the weapons stashed, placing it were we put explosies.
When they came back a couple of hours later, he reloaded the gun and the M203 and threw it in the back seat with the kids. I don't think gun safety was a major concern in the militia.