'accidental' discharge by equipment failure

We have a member here who competes, I think in IDPA. He had a discharge when he racked his slide to chamber a round in a competition. Maybe he'll stop in to tell the story.

 

I think you are asking if a gun has just gone off in the holster without being handled in any way?
If so never heard of that-

 

Technically it is "possible" for a mechanical failure to result in an unintentional discharge, but that is VERY rare. The most common would be a "slam fire" where a stuck or broken firing pin causes a round to go off as it is chambered. If a gun is reasonably well maintained, it will not ever happen. In my experience people attempt to blame a mechanical malfunction for a lack of caution on their part. Guns go bang when the trigger is pressed, period. An untouched gun in a holster does not go off. An improperly holstered gun goes off when the trigger finger presses the trigger.

 

I have never had a problem with any of my carry guns. I carry with one in the chamber. However, I have a Jennings J-22 that is just for the range. There is one type of cheap ammo that does all kinds of crazy stuff in that gun. One time I let the slide go and it emptied the mag without me pulling the trigger. Any other time it would have jammed on the second shot. I would not normally use a 22 for self defense anyway. But if I did, it would be a well tested and superbly reliable gun. Any gun I carry I have put hundreds if not thousands of rounds down range with. I will not carry a gun that has a history of malfunctions at my hand.

 

ive seen it happen at a local range with some yahoo that was diying his own trigger job (stupid) set his gun down on the shelf at the range on the firing line and it went off and went full auto. fortunately it was pointed down range and was a 1911 with only 7 rounds and all 7 went down range.

someone called the police (wasnt me) they showed up about 30 minutes after it happened questioned him and took him, and the guns he had, away with them in handcuffs. im sure lucy had some splainin to do

never heard of it happening with a gun that hasnt been messed with including the remington 700.

 

Ah ha, I see now...
Yeah, that's not generally ever going to happen with a gun that's in good repair. I have never personally heard of a gun just going off on it's own outside of a slam fire or a major malfunction.

 

Yes, my dad had an ad in the living room once. Not sure why he had his loaded Marlin 30-30 in the house but he is retired army national guard so I'm sure he had a reason. It discharged through the ceiling and roof and he says it was faulty, he had just bought the rifle so he called the manufacturer and they fixed it. That was 20 yr ago, I don't know of any others involving pistols.

 

There are many other thing to worry about--
Kind of like your car my decide to explode because you have a full tank of gas--

 

It was a good question and shows you to be a responsible gun owner. I've personally carried a handgun daily for 17 years and never experienced an ND or AD of any kind.

Use factory set triggers, ensure you holster protects the trigger, and do not handle your gun unnecessarily...and you'll be fine.

Tack

 

Most firearms (as they come from factory) are safe, functioning correctly items.

Quality ammo, quality accessories (holsters, mag carriers), and quality firearms are a must.

I've had a 1911 where the firing pin broke and lodged in the firing pin hole. On the command "Load and make ready" the exposed firing pin did hit the primer as the slide went forward. This was with an old Springer that had, by then, thousands of rounds through it. It was classified as an AD at the time due to equipment failure. But reflecting back, I have since considered it a ND on my part for not checking that my equipment was ready. That "thousands" of rounds without checking the firing pin was my fault.

Following the rules of firearms safety will decrease the chances of an AD or ND. But we have the responsibility to make sure our equipment is maintained correctly and is safe.

 

Guns that have discharged in a holster is usually caused by the owner putting his hand on the weapon. It would be incredible for a 1911 pistol to empty a magazine without being held. The "Weak Wrist" or soft hold on a 1911 Pistol is the number one reason for 1911 FTF. The normal 1911 Pistol can not fire without a solid grip support that can over come the inertia of the slide. The grip safety and disconnector as well as sear and firing pin failure had to occur. This is the result of some kitchen table gunsmithing.

 

Yup, this happened to me with one of my used guns I purchased. Immediately replaced the whole firingpin assembly. Taught me real quick that once I get a new to me gun, previously owned or not, I take it straight to the range or don't load it until I can.

 

I think this fellow is worried that his holstered weapon would go off by itself.

I say it non needed worry.

Police carry their weapons holstered and chambered, these guys run jump roll over fight, car wrecks and more, and I have never heard of one going off.
Only time it will fail, is if someone messed with it and screwed it up! Millions of people have loaded weapons in their homes and they just dont go off!! Unless some dickhead not knowing or thinking about what he/she is doing and MAKES IT GO OFF!

 

During my years as a Certified Handgun Inst. I have seen this many times. There are many people who have taken up handguns since the CCW programs have become popular. Many of these have never owned or developed a comfort zone with firearms. They simply have not learned to trust firearms. This can be a problem if the need to use a carried firearm should occur.

 

Did any of that address the OP's concerns at all, or just serve to make you look better? Maybe since you're such an experienced certified instructor and have seen all/know all, how about maybe some help of some sort? Surely you could at least point the OP towards some resources in maybe finding an instructor in their area that might would have some experience in personally addressing the OP's type of concerns with other inexperience gun owners?

maybe some key words for google? Even just a kind word instead of an implied supreme superiority?

 

I did read a story about a holstered gun going off and shooting a hole in the floor of the car the guy was a passenger in. The problem was attributed to an old holster which puckered up right by the trigger guard. The holster material went into the trigger guard and touched the trigger when he moved. I believe that lesson was to be very careful with over-use of leather conditioner. At least that was the story.

 

I had a 22/45 that had an issue with AD. I installed a volquartsen trigger kit, it went in fine, loved the trigger. If the safety was on, and if the trigger was pulled, nothing would happen as expected... right up until the safety was flipped off. Luckily, the muzzle was pointed down range, because it went bang.

It's not an unheard of failure. VQ adjusted the gun for me.