Drop firing??

[Atlanta_SW40]

So this hasn't happened to me thankfully, but just out of curiosity, how many of you have dropped a loaded semi auto Smith and what was the end result?

Blaxiko Burress came up in conversation the other night when a friend asked me how he managed to shoot himself. I informed her that he wasn't wearing a holster when the gun came loose and he reached for it and accidentally grabbed the trigger, thus resulting in a discharge. She then asked me if it would go off if it did hit the floor.....I didn't have an answer and am now searching for it myself.

So if anyone has any experience they would like to share...i promise i wont pass judgment.

 

[Atlanta_SW40]

All current manufacture handguns pass a drop test.

Chances of a handgun firing when dropped are remote, even from height.

A rifle or shotgun is much more likely.

yeah yeah yeah I'm sure the manufacturer does their "due diligence" just like how they fire 1 round to make sure it works....too bad the problem, if it is to occur, will happen on the 2nd+ round. I'd like to hear it first hand from someone who has actually experienced it.

 

[snw19_357]

With the firing pin safety that S&W pistols have had since 1980, the firing pin will not move, forward or back, without the trigger being pulled all of the way to the rear.

This feature is one of the reasons I went with a S&W years ago!

 

[GJH77]

I understand that the first generation models 39 and 59 did not have the firing pin block. Were there any instances of a dropped weapon having an AD and was that the reason for the block being added? Do other manufacturers offer a firing pin block?

 

[mlk18]

Most modern designs have mechanisms in place to block the firing pin. Most safety features are added because either an engineer realizes it could be a safety issue and tackles the problem before it becomes and issue or because people were dropping guns and having them fire and the factory decided it needed to be upgraded.

Dropping a gun and having it go off is possible, but not NEAR as likely as hollywood would have us believe.

 

[DavidA]

I dropped my 4006. It did not fire but it did not help the condition of my underwear.

 

[shovelwrench]

The "drop" theory is a lawyer invention if you ask me.

 

[Arizona Commander]

The "drop" theory is a lawyer invention if you ask me.

More likely a left over from the old single action days, not possible with modern arms. I have also "heard" of pre-80's series 1911's discharing when dropped on their muzzle end but never seen it myself.

 

[shovelwrench]

I have also "heard" of pre-80's series 1911's discharging when dropped on their muzzle end but never seen it myself.

This is where the titanium firing pin came from too, I've never seen it confirmed as happening.

 

[BrianE]

I dropped my 4006. It did not fire but it did not help the condition of my underwear.

HAHA!

 

[WR Moore]

IIRC, Plaxico was toting a Glock. They have a firing pin safety device that prevents firing without the trigger being held back. In addition, striker fired pistols like the Glock would require some unique circumstances-probably involving parts breakage- to drop fire anyway.

Part of the 1911 acceptance tests was not firing when dropped muzzle down 6 feet to a steel deck. So long as your firing pin spring is of proper specs, it should not fire when dropped.

I can recall a few thrown guns from inept draws (didn't clear the holster before moving the hand forward) that didn't fire on impact.