americans, what's your reasoning for not shooting yourself?

[well2hell]

Also depending on the type of gun and bullets used... couldn't the bullet potentially go through, say, a crappy apartment wall, and potentially injure someone else?

This too. It is not necessarily a safe method.

 

[ryo the frog]

not eligible to get one

also question, why not just shoot the side of your head. from what i've heard alot of those failed attempts seemed to have done it from the front.

 

[Fadeawaaaay]

Violent frightening and messy.

 

[temporal_anchorite]

It's not peaceful and the chances of survival are too high.

Wtf? Suicide via shotgun literally has the highest lethality rate of any suicide method.

 

[nopointinlife]

Wtf? Suicide via shotgun literally has the highest lethality rate of any suicide method.

It's not peaceful, and will leave a horrific mess for others to find.

 

[U. A.]

Placement doesn't eliminate recoil. You have to be able to control the gun.

True, but if you're aiming in the proper place to begin with, the recoil isn't going to obliterate your face, from what I understand. As @ryo the frog's post indicates...

why not just shoot the side of your head. from what i've heard alot of those failed attempts seemed to have done it from the front.

...there seems to be a pervasive notion of an incorrect way to go about doing this. You don't aim at your temple. You don't aim under your chin. These are ways that will seeming fail and lead to disfigurement and/or horrible brain damage.

The first few pages of the guns/firearms megathread has a lot of excellent information, and the following addresses this issue succinctly:

Fortunately, this is perhaps the one shooting situation anyone will ever encounter where recoil is a complete non-issue: by the time you experience any recoil the bullet will already have done its work and you will already be dead.

Far more important is to avoid what shooters call "flinch", which is when you anticipate the shock of the discharge and preemptively pull the gun off target as you pull the trigger. One thing that helps you avoid this is to have a light trigger pull. To that end, can you cock your revolver so that it functions as a single action? Trigger pull is much lighter for a single action than for a double action, and "flinch" will not be as much of a problem.

The other factor working in your favor, to counteract "flinch", is that "flinching" typically pulls the aim of the gun down. If you aim at the brainstem but miss low, you're very likely to hit the spinal cord, which will be just as effective at killing you.

Further explanation of why you would never aim in a way that would be likely to destroy just your face here. All that said, it is still possible to fail and wind up with brain damage which is plenty terrifying. People have failed with shotguns, somehow. But if I ever did this, I'd be in the middle of nowhere and would hopefully die slightly-less-than instantaneously, worst case scenario.

 

[goodnighttime]

It's just way too fast and scary for me. Also couldn't do it knowing whoever found me would be traumatized as it's very messy

 

[makethepainstop]

Damn, I'd trade any of y'all my SN for a magnum and some hollow points. I don't mean this in a judgmental way, but it's so interesting how we all rationalize our choices and fears in our own ways. Every method has risks, many can leave you in a "vegetative" state, but the incredibly high success rate and sheer instantaneity of a gun to I what a are the perfect pair.

Given this is a not accessible method to me I haven't studied up on recoil and as such could be way off base, but to those worried about surviving with only part of a face (@SamTam33 @willitpass @Hirokami) - how could shooting at the brainstem from just behind the ear pose this risk?

Ever seem someone who survived a misplaced shot, or used the wrong caliber weapon? That alone makes my gun my backup choice is my sn method fails.

 

[FrancesFarmer]

If you've ever been committed to a mental health for 72 hour evaluation, you're automatically flagged in the state of Florida for no gun ownership. I believe there may be ? is a long process around that to get it repealed. If I admit myself to a local psych hospital they have to do a mandatory 72-hour hold. I worked in a psych ward and I saw it frequently where somebody would come in terribly depressed, the next day they would realize how s***** it was and asked to leave, by law they have to be held for 72 hours because they are deemed a risk to themselves hence that goes on your background check for guns

 

[LunarLight]

Even if I was American, I wouldn't CTB with a firearm. For two reasons. First I'd be afraid of failing and ending up disfigured. Second, I want to feel myself leaving. That's why SN seems like a better option for me at least.

 

[Kadaver]

I cannot legally own a gun anymore because I've been 5150'ed

 

[divinemistress87]

I dont know how to use one or anything about them. Im to depressed and cognitive issues to go out and learn. Im afraid I would be that small percentage that survives with a blown off face. I dont want my brains everywhere for people to come clean up

 

[Leiot]

I have several guns but I would never use one of them for suicide. I've had the pleasure of knowing several first responders and if I used a firearm someone would have to find my body. I won't put anyone through that.

I used pills for my attempt before but that clearly didn't work. I have something else worked out if the time comes again.

 

[brokeandbroken]

I always wonder why americans dont just buy a gun and shoot themselves. It seems like such an easy option. So if youre american or from somewhere where firearms are legal, whats your reason why this isnt your method?

Harder then you think still. There's background checks etc... Walking the streets asking people for a gun isn't also a good strategy.

 

[RN13]

Why not just shoot in the chest everyone talks about the head and are scared.

You will remain concious a bit. But i wouldnt give a damn. A famous NFL player did the same forgot his name. It worked
But i cant have a gun here.

It's not peaceful and the chances of survival are too high.

Dying isn't peacefull …

 

[3/4Dead]

Why not just shoot in the chest everyone talks about the head and are scared.

You will remain concious a bit. But i wouldnt give a damn. A famous NFL player did the same forgot his name. It worked
But i cant have a gun here.

Dying isn't peacefull …

Can use the resources section to see statistics and similar research to see that shooting through the chest is less reliable, and a noisy way to die especially since it makes it less likely being instant or quick; way more margin for error or discovery. I dont recommend it.

Dying can be peaceful, especially depending on your person view of "peace". Do you think a minimally painful and quick death is non-peaceful? Something quick is, for me, peaceful. Matter of degrees.

 

[tinyboxer]

Because it's extremely scary. I went to a shooting range just for practice and even with protective headphones the sounds of the gun up close were terrifying. Also there was a lot of anxiety before pressing the trigger and that shock when your body jumps from the impact. Idk anyone who uses guns must be in a horrid place they are so scary and not peaceful. Plus blood.

 

[banger12]

Concerns over price, background checks, transport, getting caught attempting to purchase by family etc etc.

It's actually my preferred method but these are deterring factors