Cop's 1911 vs. MRI Machine

[SDC]

A very interesting article, and thanks for posting it, but something doesn't sound right here; if the FP safety was disengaged, the pistol could certainly have gone off if it had struck on the muzzle, but the direction of pull to disengage the FP safety is different than the direction of pull needed to move the firing-pin forward (the FP safety has to move UP to be disengaged, but the firing-pin has to move FORWARD to fire the round).

 

[Wes Janson]

All it needs is motion diagonal to the two X and Z axis of the pistol (if I got that correct). In other words, the pistol was drawn into the machine from in front, struck the side of the machine, and suddenly stopped. So it had a sudden deceleration, while the firing pin safety was simultaneously being pulled up and out of the firing pin tunnel by the magnetic field. Thus the firing pin was free to slam forward hard enough to crush the primer.

Or at least, that's my understanding.

 

[TehK1w1]

It's very simple: ferrous metals(including 1911's!!!!!!)+ incredibly strong magnets=BAD IDEA!!!

 

[FieroCDSP]

You'd think that if the field was strong enough to pull it from several feet away, you'd notice the pull as it was pulled out (by hand) from it's holster to be set on the table. Mag fields on metal objects are usually very noticible.

 

[HiroProX]

The pistol was likely drawn into the magnetic field so that the muzzle struck the magnet's bore first. With the firing pin allowed to move freely in its channel, the force of the impact on the muzzle end was sufficient to cause the firing pin to overcome its spring pressure and move forward to strike the primer of the chambered round.

Can't happen in a Colt 1991A1. The 1991A1 is a Series 80 pistol, and that series' notable "new" feature was a firing pin safety that requires the trigger to be pulled to disengage.

 

[DMK]

Can't happen in a Colt 1991A1. The 1991A1 is a Series 80 pistol, and that series' notable "new" feature was a firing pin safety that requires the trigger to be pulled to disengage.

The magnet pulled the firing pin as it also pulled the firing pin block out of the way. The field was obviously stronger than both the firing pin spring and the firing pin block spring.

It's interesting how the magnet bypassed two safety mechanisms (grip safety and thumb safety), and physically overcame two more(firing pin block and firing pin spring). Obviously, this scenario was not conceived by the engineers building the weapon.

 

[fletcher]

That is too funny. Sounds like the MRI was trying to reenact that scene from "Empire Strikes Back".

I would have loved to see the look on his face when that happened.

 

[peacemaker45]

That is really amusing.

You'd think that if the field was strong enough to pull it from several feet away, you'd notice the pull as it was pulled out (by hand) from it's holster to be set on the table. Mag fields on metal objects are usually very noticible.

It looked to me as if the gun was still holstered. From the text, it sounds like the cop changed in an outer room, and was carrying the holstered weapon in his hand when he walked blithely past the tech who wanted to to lock it up for him in the inner room, and finally reached the MR field itself. Gun was pulled straight out of his hand. Oops.

~~~Mat

 

[Wes Janson]

Can't happen in a Colt 1991A1. The 1991A1 is a Series 80 pistol, and that series' notable "new" feature was a firing pin safety that requires the trigger to be pulled to disengage.

There are ways of getting it to fire without pulling the trigger...and this is obviously one of them. Evidence says that it DID fire, regardless of the safety.

From the article.

The gun likely discharged as a result of the effect of the magnetic field on the firing pin block. The firing pin block was probably drawn into its uppermost position by force of the magnetic field. The firing pin block has to overcome only light pressure from a relatively small spring to release the firing pin. The pistol was likely drawn into the magnetic field so that the muzzle struck the magnet's bore first. With the firing pin allowed to move freely in its channel, the force of the impact on the muzzle end was sufficient to cause the firing pin to overcome its spring pressure and move forward to strike the primer of the chambered round.

 

[Firethorn]

I'm thinking of a set of strong lockers in the changing room for the storage of valuable personal effects; to include change, credit cards, keys, knives/multitools, and firearms. Anything adversly affected by magnetic fields, really.

Either have a settable personal code via keypad or plastic keys*.

Obviously, this scenario was not conceived by the engineers building the weapon.

Yah think? I'm picturing Browning giving you the 'eye' as you explain to him that you want a version of his pistol capable of being safe around 1.5T of magnetics. After explaining just how powerful of a magnet you're talking about.

Probably think that you're involved in some sort of top-secret military project.

*Yes, they can make them strong enough today.

 

[Odd Job]

They have keys made of non-ferrous metals. There is a lot of metallic equipment in the scanner room, but it isn't ferro-magnetic.