Accidental Discharges

[GCMkc]

Today I was loading up my carry gun (Browning Hi Power) and when I released the slide with a loaded mag, the gun went off. The bullet traveled through my bed, box springs, and finally into the floor. This happened in my 2nd floor bedroom and didn't pass all the way through to the floor below. I am extremely lucky that I didn't get hurt and that it did very little damage.

Firearms basics such as pointing the weapon in a safe direction are EXTREMELY IMPORTANT and should always be followed. I am still kinda shaky and will be taking my Hi Power to a gunsmith to make sure everything is in order. It's an older Browning Hi Power which I believe don't have firing pin safeties.

Has an accidental discharge happened to any of you guys? If so, what gun did it occur with?

Remember guys, safety first!

 

[X-Rap]

I have read about people having pails of sand in their house for doing the very thing that caused your AD. I think it is probably a good idea. Hope you will let us in on what the final word is on the cause.

 

[Loosedhorse]

Today I was loading up my carry gun (Browning Hi Power) and when I released the slide with a loaded mag, the gun went off...

...will be taking my Hi Power to a gunsmith...

I absolutely agree: Get it fixed. Don't carry it again until it is.

I will assume, as I should, that your finger was off the trigger, etc. NO GUN SHOULD DO WHAT YOURS DID. Get it fixed!

I have never had a mechanical-failure discharge. Finger-on-trigger unintentional discharge? Yup.

 

[Mac's Precision]

Out of curiosity, what was the load that discharged?

Has the pistol ever been worked on? Trigger job etc?

 

[leadaddict]

I'm curious what ammo it was with. Was there a 'normal' looking primer strike?

Glad you're okay and were pointing in a safe direction!!

 

[GCMkc]

Out of curiosity, what was the load that discharged?

Has the pistol ever been worked on? Trigger job etc?

It has target sights that were put on 20 years ago, that's it.

The load was a Winchester T-Series 9mm +P 124gr bonded JHP. Normal looking primer strike. I had taken the gun to the range last week and ran about 100 rounds of WWB FMJ's and it ran flawlessly.

I am definitely going to look into getting a pale of sand as mentioned above.

 

[gspn]

Scary. Years ago when I was on a .22 cal pistol team I had a gun do that. It happened twice in one practice session...not cool at all.

 

[Unistat]

Pretty scary, but a good example of a true Accidental Discharge. It's because you were not complacent and followed the rules that it was not a Negligent Discharge. Congratulations, for lack of any better word.

I'm going to get a bucket of sand.

 

[dprice3844444]

take the slide apart and clean the fireing pin area.

 

[Owen Sparks]

In this case it seems that you actually own a "dangerous weapon" as it discharged due to mechanical failure when used as intended.

BTW, were you willing to "distroy" your matress and box spring? (See Coopers rule #2)

 

[gspn]

In this case it seems that you actually own a "dangerous weapon" as it discharged due to mechanical failure when used as intended.

BTW, were you willing to "distroy" your matress and box spring? (See Coopers rule #2)

Last week a cousin was in town and wanted to see some of my new guns. We were in the kitchen and he was pointing it in a "safe direction" which was low and away from everyone...basically in the direction of the dish washer.

My father in law says "careful you don't shoot the dishwasher" and my wife (who wants a new stove) says "yeah...point it at the oven".

 

[leadaddict]

I'm glad it wasn't a water bed!

 

[GCMkc]

Picture of a dime next to the hole.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[iLikeOldgunsIlikeNewGuns]

Glad you and any of your loved ones are ok! i've seen it happen with .22lrs, which I'm guessing has something to do with the breech-face hitting the rim of the round.

I'd bet your firing-pin was stuck in the forward/protruding position for whatever reason, hitting the primer as the slide rammed home. Thank you for the safety reminder, I'm very glad for you that it wasn't any worse!

 

[ns66]

glad no one got hurt
how about ears? do you have to report to police about the AD?

 

[GCMkc]

Thanks for all the positive responses guys! I still can't believe this happened today.

If someone got hurt other than myself I can't even imagine how bad I would feel. Glad so many others out there who are comfortable with firearms still respect the power of them and what they can do.

I don't know about reporting this to the local PD. I don't think it is really necessary. Also, my ears are doing just fine. Honestly, it wasn't as loud as I thought it would be, but that is probably due to the fact that I was in shock that the gun went off.

 

[hermannr]

I purchased a used .22 a while back that did that...someone before me had filed the sear. Stupid attempt to get a shorter throw on the trigger. It would double fire about once in 10 too. Shot about 20 rounds through it before I tore it down and repaired it properly. Worked perfectly ever since.

Loose dry sand in a container at least 18" deep is a super way of containing a problem like that. When I was in Vietnam we had to clear into an old brass 105 canister full of sand.

 

[GCMkc]

Loose dry sand in a container at least 18" deep is a super way of containing a problem like that. When I was in Vietnam we had to clear into an old brass 105 canister full of sand.

I bought a 120mm mortar ammo can a couple months back which I haven't found a use for. Time to fill her up with sand!

 

[Winchester101]

In the 20+ years that I've carried/handled handguns I've always pointed them at a brick wall or other solid surface when chambering a round or using a decocker (other than on a range of course) for just that reason. I've never had one fire due to mechanical issues like you seem to have, never had an accidental discharge, but I have had ONE negligent discharge (there is a difference) that I'll share here. Just to re-enforce the importance of muzzle control with all guns.

I have a Springfield Armory XD Tactical 9mm that I use in IDPA competition and 3 gun matches. While at a gun show a few years ago, I bought a box of what the guy said were "practice dummy rounds". 50 to a box, blue plastic with the bullet being molded as part of the case. The case head/extractor groove was aluminum, which I assumed was just for durability, the "primer" looked aluminum and part of the casehead, and the entire case from the web up was blue plastic.

One evening after a match, I cleaned my XD and went to put it away. I thought that I'd put one of those "dummies" in it to use as a snap cap and decock the gun. So I chambered one, pointed the gun at the wall and pulled the trigger. That was the LOUDEST click I've ever heard! That dummy round went off, sent the plastic bullet through the drywall of my gun room (i didn't point it at brick because I KNEW it was a dummy round) and into my bathroom. I was stunned to say the least (and so was the little lady who was downstairs and heard the loud "click").

A few days later I disected one of the rounds in that box of "dummies". I'm not sure what their intended purpose was (the box was plain brown cardboard with some numbers stamped on it), but they contained about 3 grains of a flake type powder and the plastic bullet/case was molded with a weak spot at the case mouth so that the bullet would seperate upon firing.

If I had not followed my usual rule of pointing the gun at a wall (even though it was drywall and should have been brick) when I dropped the hammer I shudder to think what could have happened.

Basically if you spend enough time handling guns, your number comes up, either through a negligent discharge like mine or through an accident like happened to the OP. As long as we never become complacent with our muzzles, when our number DOES come up, it will just be a loud click instead of a tradgedy.

W101

 

[belercous]

This was a truly accidental discharge. Not your fault & you did everything right. Most of us have had negligent discharges, myself included.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Anything made by the hand of man will eventually fail. I'm glad your machine failed in a way that no one was hurt. Get it fixed, and keep performing proper safety procedures. Machines break. Machines get fixed.

 

[Snowdog]

do you have to report to police about the AD?

If the police haven't already come knocking on the door concerning a gunshot heard by neighbors, I cannot imagine any reason why someone would want to go open that can of worms by reporting it.

No one was hurt, not crime was committed and police need not get involved.

 

[we are not amused]

I once had a Mauser .30 cal. "broomhandle" go off as you described.

I thought the weapon unloaded, (it should have been) and when I pulled back the slide and saw the chambered bullet, I accidently let go of it. I was negligent in that the hammer was not locked back in the cocked position, and was only being held back by the slide, and that I had only partially pulled back the slide.. Naturally, when the slide came forward, so did the hammer. Fortunately, I was pointing the gun downrange. so no problem other than my almost wetting my pants. While that may be considered a design flaw in the weapon, the real error was in accidentally failing to unload the weapon when last shot previously, and failing to lock back the hammer due to not knowing any better. (Then, I do now)

For someone in a house or apartment, a substitute for a bucket of sand or dirt,might be a thick stack of magazines or books. While the bibliophile in me cringes at the thought of blowing a hole in a bunch of books, it might not be so sacrilegious to some.

 

[Marlin60Man]

That's pretty crazy. I think I'll second the guess that the firing pin was stuck forward.

I witnessed my first negligent discharge days ago. Was over at some woman's place with my friend Jeff... His boss or something. Anyway, someone else neither of us knew was showing her this .22 WMR derringer that she was looking to buy. I wasn't paying any attention to it and talking to Jeff when *BANG*, we both jump and look over, and there was the guy holding the gun after he just sent a hot one through the couch.

Just glad he didn't decide to point it at one of us.

 

[Eric M]

I agree with Marlin60Man, the Hi Powers have inertial firing pins so it's likely that some gunk or something else kept it forward and that caused a slam fire when you released the slide.