ND vs AD

[Bob M.]

ND. Here's a classic example.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYvAxLX6OzE&feature=player_embedded#

 

[EddieNFL]

An accidental discharge( to me)is the firearm malfunctioning.

Could still be negligent if the owner caused or knew the problem existed.

In my opinion if it's in the shooter's hand it is almost never, ever an AD. This has nothing to do with legalistic terminology. It has to do with responsibility...or rather trying to dodge responsibility. Same with car crashes (not accidents) as one or more drivers almost always caused the crash.

 

[General Geoff]

In my opinion if it's in the shooter's hand it is almost never, ever an AD. This has nothing to do with legalistic terminology. It has to do with responsibility...or rather trying to dodge responsibility.

I had an AD with an old Remington 700 chambered in .30-06 years ago. I was at the range, on the firing line, loaded up the magazine, chambered a round, shouldered the rifle, took off the safety, aimed, attempted to squeeze the trigger. Nothing, the trigger wouldn't move. Then after I lowered the rifle (finger nowhere near the trigger or trigger guard), the rifle discharged by itself. Fortunately the rifle was still pointed downrange. It was a friend's rifle, so I don't know what ever became of it, or what actually caused the malfunction. Scary as hell to have a weapon discharge without touching the trigger, though.

 

[SaxonPig]

Any unintended event is an accident. Most times some negligence on the part of the operator is to blame, but I prefer AD to ND because the word negligent is a legal term that assigns responsibility and if you are in the habit of saying ND and you say it to a cop following an unfortunate incident you just assumed all legal liability and a lawyer will now take you to the cleaners.

If this sounds like words from a man married to a lawyer... you're right.

 

[ball3006]

They are neither AD or ND. They are stupid gun handling discharges. The rules for safe gun handling should be read aloud before anyone picks up a gun, period....chris3

 

[Old krow]

This is precisely why I hate "politically correct" terms.

(230 grains x 850 ft/s^2)/405,500 + "accidental discharge" = 409 ft/lbs

(230 grains x 850 ft/s^2)/405,500 + "negligent discharge" = 409 ft/lbs

(230 grains x 850 ft/s^2)/405,500 = 409 ft/lbs

 

[PreMod70]

F___edup suits me just fine, the AD-ND debate will be settled in court because that is where people with questions of that nature take you.

 

[moxie]

+1 on what SSN Vet said. A slam fire such as happened to you is not negligence except under the most strained definition of the word. The fact that you were handling the gun responsibly, i.e. pointing it down range, prevented anything untoward from happening. Good job, and thanks for reporting this. Forget about the semantics.

 

[Doc3402]

In my opinion, for whatever that's worth, there is no such thing as an accident. Unexpected events occur because someone, somewhere, by conscious or subconscious decision, either didn't do what should have been done, or did it improperly.

Accidents don't just happen. They must be carelessly planned.

 

[KodiakBeer]

I was out shooting my two mosin nagants with a buddy...

 

[chevyman097]

now that is creepy....how the heck did you get that picture of us?

 

[Owen Sparks]

I read a story in a gun magazine years ago about a .38 Special revolver that discharged WHILE HOLSTERED and get this, the round that went off was NOT the one lined up with the barrel. It could have been an overly sensitive primer that went off when the gun was bumped or maybe something caustic got in the powder at the factory and caused it to spontaniously combust due to a chemical reaction. Something like a drop of battery acid might do that.