Dropping a loaded shotgun

[Col4570]

Somewhere on You Tube there is a video of a shooters Auto misfiring so he bumps it on the floor,it discharges and blows the Peak off of his Cap.

 

[PabloJ]

The English double guns had and have what is called intercepting safety sear to prevent discharge when gun is dropped. When you drop American-made clunker it will probably cook one off.

 

[R.Greene]

An 870 will not. I think I proved that in the video I made that Plumer Roy posted. So for those of you who have stated an 870 can discharge without the trigger being pulled please explain why neither I nor Remington can duplicate an 870 discharging with out the trigger being pulled and the safety off? Remington tried to duplicate it in more ways then I did and could not cause a discharge. They also had an independant testing firm try to cause an 870 to discharge without the trigger being pulled and they could not.

I shot that video several times so that 870 was beaten way more then what you saw in that video. Yet, no discharge. Case closed.

I don't think the video does a good job of replicating the shotgun falling muzzle first. He was hitting the stock, which is more like a fall that's stock down. Think of the inertia of the firing pin - when hitting the back of the stock, the firing pin stays put while the gun goes forward - this would not strike the primer.

I want to see this test done by striking the muzzle...

 

[plumberroy]

I don't think the video does a good job of replicating the shotgun falling muzzle first. He was hitting the stock, which is more like a fall that's stock down. Think of the inertia of the firing pin - when hitting the back of the stock, the firing pin stays put while the gun goes forward - this would not strike the primer.

I want to see this test done by striking the muzzle...

If you are talking landing on the muzzle with enough force to cause an inertia firing pin to strike the primer with enough energy and speed ( it takes both) to detonate the primer, dropping it wont do it . A firing pin simply does not have enough mass to do that with out the hammer power behind it . Unless you have a very worn sear which you would know , and shouldn't have the gun in use I don't see it happening nearly as much as claimed . what I do see is people doing unsafe things and wanting to blame it on a faulty gun instead of admitting they are an idiot when something happens
Roy

 

[AI&P Tactical]

Hitting the stock? Yes, and beating the receiver so hard the trigger pins where coming out of the receiver. So it proved the lock up is secure and the only way to cause an 870 to discharge is to pull the trigger. I don't know what can convince a person if that does not. Thinking that some kind of surge can cause an 870 firing pin to come forward and cause a discharge is not even possible. However, the some of the early Mossberg 500's had to be recalled because they would discharge when you racked them forward hard.

The only way your 870 can hurt you if it falls is if it lands on your toe.

 

[Uniquedot]

Hitting the stock? Yes, and beating the receiver so hard the trigger pins where coming out of the receiver. So it proved the lock up is secure and the only way to cause an 870 to discharge is to pull the trigger.

Well in my opinion it proved that the lockup is safe and secure on YOUR firearm when the stock and receiver are struck with a rubber stake mallet, but what about Tom, Dick, or Harry's 870? I personally would not want to lead anyone to think that any design is inherently drop safe and especially so with any type of repeater. Most gun owners don't have the knowledge to check their firearms nor the inclination to have them checked periodically by a qualified gunsmith.