[Gabe]

If a revolver is kept loaded in the trunk of a car, is there any danger of an accidential discharge from the force of a car collision?

[Albert Shear]

Not with modern revolvers like Colt,S&W,Taurus, Ruger etc that employ safety transfer bars as well as hammer/rebound slide safety shelves. Of course anything is possible however improbable the odds.

[Billy Sparks]

I have seen a lot of car crashes. Never seen any type of firearm go off. Even recovered one out of a car that hit a tractor trailer and they got hit from the rear by a second tractor trailer at which time there was a VERY large fire, weapon did not discharge.

[popeye]

Now I suppose, California will want car crash tests.

[SirVette]

A lot of things are possible, including things many would not believe. Possible but not probable w/ a modern revolver. One thing many did back in the old days w/ SA revolvers was to carry 5 chambered & hammer down on empty chamber.

[Jim Watson]

To paraphrase Robert Heinlein, any impact that would fire the gun would kill the driver first.

[WonderNine]

I suppose if a revolver that didn't have a transfer bar type safety was pointed in the right direction upon impact the inertia could cause the firing pin to strike the primer hard enough to cause a discharge. People talk about this regarding "dropping firearms" all the time, I don't see why it couldn't happen in a car crash.

[Brasso]

As said above, with a modern revolver it is highly unlikely unless the trigger was somehow depressed by hitting something hard enough and at just the right angle. But still, I doubt it.

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's All-

FWIW, the late and famed Tennessee sheriff Buford Pusser
had a fully loaded 2.5" barrel Colt Python in the glove box
of his Corvette at the time of wreck that claimed his life. The
original 6 bullet's are still chambered in the firearm*. The
grips are are burned off, and you can tell the firearm has
been through a fire; but it would not take much to restore
this historic firearm.

*FootNote- The above mentioned weapon is currently owned
by a retired doctor and his wife, who run the Police Museum
in Pigeon Forge, TN. If anyone has the time, its worth the
effort and money to tour the museum.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

[Jim K]

If a fire is hot enough, cartridges will discharge. As to a gun stored in the trunk firing from hitting something in the trunk or a part of the car, it would be very unlikely. Even if the gun were not of a safe kind, and even if it struck something hard, it would have to strike in exactly the right place.

This sounds a bit like one of those politically correct mystery story endings where hero can't actually hurt the bad guy, so it is necessary for him to get killed in a car crash or by his own gun going off.

Jim

[444]

In addition to what has already been said, I would hope that you don't have guns just lying loose in your trunk without some kind of protective case. Besides protecting the gun for abuse it would also protect the gun in the event of an accident and from flying around everytime you put on the brakes, swerved, or accelerated.

[twoblink]

Unless something got into the trigger well, it's unlikely. If the gun is holstered first, even less likely..

But, accidents do happen.

The modern day guns are safe.. (Despite the rhetoric from the Bradys..)

[CJC]

Ruger was sued over this at least several times and came out with the transfer-bar ignition for their single action revolvers to avoid future lawsuits. The most memorable case was a semi driver who had a fully loaded old model 44 Super Blackhawk with a round under the hammer on the seat next to him. He wrecked, revolver hit the floor, landing on the hammer, discharging and mangling his leg. Same would happen with any old style single action revolver.

When it comes to old model single action revolvers - Load five and stay alive!