Has Anyone Actually Seen A Gun "Go Off" By Itself?
- Thread starter vtail
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I dropped my Italian made .380 auto pistol in the house several years ago and when it hit the floor, barrel first, it went off and blew a hole in the floor. There had never been any "work" done to the trigger and that was the only time it happened.
robert garner
Member
I've never seen one go off by itself...
They usually elope.
robert
They usually elope.
robert
The sheriff is most likely just protecting the other girl from the sad and terrible reality that she shot her sister and killed her.
It is possible that the gun went off without human manipulation if it was worn or damaged but highly unlikely with a very large percentage of firearms, even older designs. There is an even smaller chance that this happened without the gun being bumped or jostled around.
It is possible that the gun went off without human manipulation if it was worn or damaged but highly unlikely with a very large percentage of firearms, even older designs. There is an even smaller chance that this happened without the gun being bumped or jostled around.
Prince Yamato
Member
One of the girls pulled the trigger. It was an accident, no charges were filed, probably to spare the feelings of the living sister.
Come on folks, even massively defective guns can only "go off by themselves" when they are loaded and then handled improperly. If this was such a defective gun, it should never have been loaded.
Come on folks, even massively defective guns can only "go off by themselves" when they are loaded and then handled improperly. If this was such a defective gun, it should never have been loaded.
mgmorden
Member
Just sitting there? No, never seen it. I have seen a pump shotgun go off when the action was closed and there was no finger on the trigger, and I've personally had a rifle that would discharge when the safety was disengaged if the trigger had been pulled while the safety was on.
Both of those trace back to mechnical problems with the gun though and neither just "went off" - they still had to have some mechanical interaction happening with the firearm even if it wasn't a trigger pull.
Both of those trace back to mechnical problems with the gun though and neither just "went off" - they still had to have some mechanical interaction happening with the firearm even if it wasn't a trigger pull.
Some older striker fired guns can discharge if they're bumped with the safety off or if they're dropped. I have also had a derringer with a worn hammer notch that allowed it to fire with the slightest bump after being cocked.
As I noted above, it is possible but highly unlikely for a gun to fire by itself if it is in good mechanical shape and is a modern design.
As I noted above, it is possible but highly unlikely for a gun to fire by itself if it is in good mechanical shape and is a modern design.
chicharrones
needs more ammo
I'm curious to know the make and model of the gun in the article.
WardenWolf
member
My Smith & Wesson M&P has basically a hair trigger once it's cocked. It has the special target trigger. I'd hate to see what might happen if someone attempted to do a trigger job to further improve that. It's possible the handgun in question had a trigger job that rendered it unsafe. Not at all uncommon for older revolvers.
Capt. Ct.
Member
There was a news article a few years back where a guy shot his girl friend in the leg at a sports bar. Told police the Glock fell on the floor and went off. I kind of doubted that one. Must have been very defective if that was true. Guess all three safeties failed.
SimplyChad
Member
Smith and wesson sigma. Did it twice.
Lost Sheep
Member
Details?
SimplyChad
Member
First time I was actually using it as my CC. I would carry IWB about 430, anyway we were getting in the car so I took it out of the holster to put it in the center console or my lap IIRC anyway bang hole through my seat and bootheel and one powerder burned crotch. Wife was in the car too. I know I didnt touch the trigger but it still went off. Anyway after we returned for the night I sat and started thinking that I had to of pulled the trigger without noticing. It must have been an ND. So I reloaded and put it on the night stand. About an hour later my wife and I woke up the it firing and spinning on the table top. I cleared it and later sold it to a buddy who was a gun smith. He tore it apart and told me it was a combo of a bad trigger and firing pin. Gave me what I paid for it.
gamestalker
member
Many years ago my Brother in law dropped his revolver when we were rabbit hunting, it landed on the hammer, BANG! Neither one of us got shot, but it nearly blew his family jewels off, left a hole in the crotch of his pants, which were wet and soggy.
GS
GS
Guns don't just go off by themselves.
As mentioned several times, if dropped they can. Well, some can. Personally all of my handguns are drop safe all the time, that is a criteria for purchase...but sitting on the counter? No. Somebody pulled the trigger. I'd wager a lot of $ on that.
As mentioned several times, if dropped they can. Well, some can. Personally all of my handguns are drop safe all the time, that is a criteria for purchase...but sitting on the counter? No. Somebody pulled the trigger. I'd wager a lot of $ on that.
Missionary
Member
Greetings
The M85 caliber .50 MG that was mounted in the cupolo of the M60A1 MBT would fire if someone pulled straight out on the barrel. An LT. who knew better was climbing up on the tank turret and grabbed the barrel of a loaded M85. Took the first round through the upper kneck and the second through the nasal area. By then his barrel grasp was gone and the weapon cease to cycle.
When I was about 16 the old well worn caliber .22 rimfire I was holding went off and fortunately the round went into a nearby tree trunk. That was the last time I ever had that rifle out.
MIke in Peru
The M85 caliber .50 MG that was mounted in the cupolo of the M60A1 MBT would fire if someone pulled straight out on the barrel. An LT. who knew better was climbing up on the tank turret and grabbed the barrel of a loaded M85. Took the first round through the upper kneck and the second through the nasal area. By then his barrel grasp was gone and the weapon cease to cycle.
When I was about 16 the old well worn caliber .22 rimfire I was holding went off and fortunately the round went into a nearby tree trunk. That was the last time I ever had that rifle out.
MIke in Peru
winfried
Member
Not sure if this is relevant, but in a gunshop in South Africa, a salesman was repacking 357 ammo when a box went off. Not sure how many cartridges blew, but he had a badly injured hand. I still saw the stiches. I do not remember what make of ammo it was.
Further I was involved in a murder investigations involving a G3 that was blocked for automatic fire. It was essential to establish if the G3 could fire full auto (always two shots) when on single shots. Had used and destroyed (surplus) many G3's but that was the only one with its own will.
On a dirty gun anything is possible, even a firing pin block can be stuck to allow the firing pin to move.
The members here on THR can probably not understand or believe why some people lower/decocking the firing on a loaded chamber of a bolt action rifle, but some fools actually do this. Then the slightest touch on the rear of the bolt will fire the rifle. Such stupidity led to the death of an owner of a 30-06 K-98 Mauser. The question I had to answer was it suicide or accident.
It was a clear case of an accident when the rifle fell over while the gun owner sat on the toilet. The idiot of a judge ruled sucide and the insurance did not pay out.
Further I was involved in a murder investigations involving a G3 that was blocked for automatic fire. It was essential to establish if the G3 could fire full auto (always two shots) when on single shots. Had used and destroyed (surplus) many G3's but that was the only one with its own will.
On a dirty gun anything is possible, even a firing pin block can be stuck to allow the firing pin to move.
The members here on THR can probably not understand or believe why some people lower/decocking the firing on a loaded chamber of a bolt action rifle, but some fools actually do this. Then the slightest touch on the rear of the bolt will fire the rifle. Such stupidity led to the death of an owner of a 30-06 K-98 Mauser. The question I had to answer was it suicide or accident.
It was a clear case of an accident when the rifle fell over while the gun owner sat on the toilet. The idiot of a judge ruled sucide and the insurance did not pay out.
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I received an sks and started shooting it. It turns out that the last owner bought it and never cleaned out used it. It still had the packing grease on it. Long story short between the grease and the carbon build up I had a 10 round slap fire.
Another instance was after a long engagement using an M2 o had a cook off.
It can happen but it has to be the right conditions. I think the right conditions are rare though.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Another instance was after a long engagement using an M2 o had a cook off.
It can happen but it has to be the right conditions. I think the right conditions are rare though.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
76shuvlinoff
Member
Worn parts can cause a WWII Walther P38 to discharge during decocking. It happened to me repeatedly with my Dad's bring back. Fortunately it was always pointed in a safe direction. New components corrected it but I will never trust it again. I seldom shoot it anyhow and ease the hammer down pinched between the off hand thumb and forefinger now.
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