Quote:
Originally Posted by tops
In the early 60s I dropped a P38 from waist high and it landed on the hammer spur and the dent was still the pine floor when we sold the house about 5 years ago. The gun didn't go bang.
On a pre 70 Colt 1911A1 with the hammer down the firing pin is not resting on the primer. Larry
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Important points:
1. As to the P38, if it landed on the hammer spur (hence the REAR of the pistol), inertia would carry the firing pin AWAY from the primer, so no surprise that the P38 did not discharge. Try that same trick with a drop on the muzzle, but when you do so, be sure you are behind a bullet proof wall.
2. As to the Colt, you are correct, with the hammer down, the firing pin is not resting on the primer. Unfortunately, that is NOT what determines whether a drop causes a discharge. The discharge comes about when you drop the pistol on the muzzle, and inertia carries the firing pin forward to strike the primer.