Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Second Amendment CCW and Dropped Guns

In the past year there have been two incidents in public places where a licensed gun carrier dropped his piece resulting in dischages. One incident occurred in a restaurant. The other in a food court in a major shopping mall. The second incident resulted in an injury but not life threatening.
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<br>I never did hear what they were carrying but I suspect something other than quality firearms.
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<br>I hate to see Indiana add restrictions on types of firearms and modes of carry but I wonder if some training might be needed to keep the uneducated from putting our carry rights in danger.
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<br>Any one who has not dropped a gun may cast the first stone. One time I dropped an M60 (S&W not machine gun) in the squad room. You should see how fast my colleagues ducked for shelter. The gun didn't go off.
<br>A friend one time dropped a derringer and it did go off.
<br>The difference was in the firearm.
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<br>Norm

Once a model 60 fell out of a cheap IWB, and landed on the hammer. No discharge, and no one saw. It was like 20 years ago.

Hawk,
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<br>Sure makes your heart skip a beat though, doesn't it?
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<br>N

Definitely. A couple of janitors were just coming around the corner at the time, but I picked it up pretty quick.
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<br>You know (just as an aside), a Government Model is prone to going off when dropped. It is not just low quality guns that will go off that way.

The Govt. Model, 1911 Colts don't go off easily if dropped. I've seen a number of them dropped and banged around.
<br> They have what's known as a flying firing pin. If the hammer is resing on the frame - not half cock - they usually can't give the firing pin enough momentum to propell the firing pin forward and cause a discharge. A very heavy blow on the hammer can cause a discharge however.
<br> The safest way to carry them is Condition Three (or four), on an empty chamber. Very close to that is Condition One, Cocked and Locked. E

TRH,
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<br>You are right about expensive guns going off when dropped. That's why the 80 series had a firing pin safety added.
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<br>A friend, active in law enforcement at the time, dropped his Model 39 on it's nose and it went off. Usually inertial firing pins would not have enough momentum unless dropped straight down on the barrel. Probably the least bad in a bad situation.
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<br>I don't carry semiautos with out firing pin safety any more. When I did it was always cocked and locked.
<br>Funny though Browing High Power was always recommended to be carried hammer down in an empty chamber. Fortunately now a days Browning has added a firing pin safety to its HP.
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<br>Maybe I should have said a "quality" gun will not discharge.
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<br>In any case, having a licenced carrier drop his piece in a public place and having it go off is very bad for our side.
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<br>N

E
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<br>A heavy blow on the hammer or dropping directly on the muzzle. Let's here it for the firing pin safety device on series 80 and later.
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<br>N

Honest to God, I have never dropped any kind of firearm. I even had my service revolver still in my hand after getting shot and my partner had to take for the ambulance crew. I was unconcious at the time.

T,
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<br>I believe you, honest to God. I never dropped one in a stressful situation just in a stupid squad room situation.
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<br>Good work I might add in keeping your firearm after being shot. Good instincts. Most guys I've seen shot seem to want to get rid of the darned thing and drop 'em like hot potatoes.
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<br>Except for the bad guys. The just keep in ticking.
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<br>N

I don't know for sure, but he said he had to carefully pry it from my fingers.
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<br>I was in the squad room one shift change when one of our Sgts., who was want to carry a Commander off duty in his back pocket cocked with the safety off, slipped on the steps and shot himself in the butt cheek. Actually it just burned him. He said he thought the grip safety was enough to keep it from fireing. Like you said we did a whole lot of duckin' and coverin' in that concrete room lined with steel wall lockers!

T Lee,
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<br>To quote my grandson: "Well Duh!"
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<br>N

Yeah, the Sheriff took a very dim view of the procedings, "Sarge" returned to work minus the stripes. Oh yeah, got put back to revolvers only till the next NRA Poice handgun course was given, by me!

I had a remington xp-100 fall out of the holster while climbing a tree stand. You can bet there was some puckering as it it fell hitting branches on the was down had visions of 140 grain 7mm bullet making it's way thru my body from bottom up. afterwards I remembered I had done the right thing and unloaded it before climbing. oh and yes pistol was undamaged. tom

Norm, you are quite right. A fall, that lands on the muzzle, can do it too.
<br> I don't like the firing pin safety guns - they are really hard to get a good trigger break.
<br> I much prefer Condition One, when I carry. I don't have a problem with Condition Three. I do know how to chamber a round one handed.
<br> Come to think of it, I usually carry my 1006 in Condition Two. It rides in a Bianchi Mil. Spec. holster. Darn DA guns don't allow Condition One carry. Now that S&W is up and running, I need to see if they will convert it to single action.
<br> BTW, what's your opinion on magazine safeties ? I refuse to have them. I've seen a magazine, or two, drop out at the wrong time. Thus rendering the gun to the club status. I'd much rather have a single shot, than a club. E
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E,
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<br>I've got two Kimbers, two Sigs and two Glocks with firing pin safeties. All six have good triggers.
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<br>As for magazine safeties I have mixed emotions.
<br>First I only have one with one and don't carry it.
<br>Long years ago when I carried a M39 I removed the
<br>rear sight and deactivated the mag safety.
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<br>But for a house gun with a round chambered and a magazine close but out of the gun a mag safety could be an asset.
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<br>I have always envisioned a mag safety as being for semi- or non-skilled shooters.
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<br>I have carried single actions semiautos over the years. Depending on whether the guns was holstered or in my belt I made a cocked and locked, hammer down or chamber empty decision.
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<br>I can chamber a round one handed but don't really want to have to do it with some azzh_le blazing away at me. Nowadays if I carry a semiauto it has a round chambered-period.
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<br>Norm

At the risk of sounding trite. "Cocked and Locked" since 1911, works for me!
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T Lee,
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<br>Thanks for the photo of the worthy war horse.
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<br>Interestingly, I carried cocked and lock today. I went the the range and shot Sig and Glock. So I packed the Kimber Officers Model Size C&L--Securely in a Fobus paddle holster.
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<br>Norm

I carry IWB in either a Milt Sparks "Executive Companion", Alessi "Hideout" or a holster I had made that is an IWB cross draw design. All depending on dress and where I will be most of the day.
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<br>Thanks for the compliment, my Dad bought her in 1952 for $55.00 brand new and I have had her for 30+ years.

Yes, it is a beaut. I also like the Executive Companion by Milt Sparks. Never consider any other holster anymore.

What's the brand on all the "accidental discharges" from being dropped???
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<br>Not since the early 70's and the Ruger recalls have I heard of any major manufacture have to deal with this problem.
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<br>Hell even cheapies like Charter Arms or H&R have a transfer bar design.
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<br>What are these people buying, RG's ????