[JMBstudent]

Mas is correct in citing JMB's patent 984519, applied for February 17, 1910 and granted Feb 14,1911.
This patent covered a number of features of of JMB's pistol which was to become accepted as the US Army Model 1911.
Page 2, lines 35 thru 55 describe a device to block the trigger when the magazine has been removed.
The purpose as described by JMB.....quote from the patent:
"is to produce a firearm of this class in which, to insure absolutely against the dangerous accidental firing sometimes liable to occur if the trigger is pulled after the magazine has been withdrawn, in the belief that all cartridges have been removed from the arm with the magazine, whereas the loaded cartridge still remains in the chamber, the magazine catch shall not only lock the magazine in its seat or at will release the magazine, but the catch shall also automatically lock the trigger against operation whenever there is no magazine in the seat, and shall automatically release the trigger when a magazine is entered into the seat and there is locked by the catch." A rather longwinded sentence, but that is how patents are written.

However the US Army chose not to incorporate this feature into the 1911.
In fact when the design of the model 1911 was revisited by the Army in the late 1920's a magazine safety was not incorporated as an improvement to the 1911.
The 1911 and the improved 1911-A1 remain in service with the US Army today, even after being replaced as the main issued handgun by the Beretta pistol.
Here we are in 2009, only 2 years from the 100th anniversary of this fine combat pistol. This pistol has been in the hands of millions of soldiers and civilians, and yet throughout this history of nearly one hundred years there has not been any movement to modify the 1911 pistol to incorporate a magazine safety.
Nearly 100 years of use by militaries around the world as well as police and security companies.
The 1911 has been hailed as perhaps THE pistol design of the 20th century.
It is the standard from which other pistols are compared.
Yet I hear no clamor from the Army, nor others to modify the 1911 to incorporate a magazine sensing device.
I know of no states, with rigid safety tests, that have failed the 1911 design because of its lack of a magazine sensing device.
Nor have I heard of any movement on the behalf of city, county or state police departments to recall handguns not equipped with a magazine present sensing device.
In fact huge numbers of other pistol designs do not incorporate a magazine sensing device.
I accept JMB's original position that a magazine sensing device prevents the accidental discharge while UNLOADING or RECKLESSLY handling a handgun.

Apparently the Officers of the US Army in 1911 and their successors for nearly a century, as well as all the firearm experts responsible for their various police, sheriff and other law enforcement departments were in error while allowing model 1911 handguns as well as countless other handgun designs not incorporating a magazine sensing device.
This of course counts the thousands of handguns used on the street today by law enforcement.
The odds are greater than even the officers armed inside the courtrooms, where these very arguments would be made, are carrying handguns without a magazine sensing device.
Fiddletown, I apologize for mis-spelling your name. I never intended any insult.
I feel the weight of my argument has shown there are other positions held by many people other than myself that have chosen to not require a magazine sensing device in a military or law enforcement scenario.
I respect your arguments, although they seem to depend upon the lack of firearm knowledge by a jury.
A real world problem we all need to be aware of.
I'm back to eating up the words in the many books I study and continue to study.
The covers remain intact. Thanks,