The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Have you ever accidently discharged your handgun?

Uncle Billy · January 1, 2010, 05:57 AM

Firepower!: What's his phone number? When (not "if", but "when") it happens to him, and assuming he's true to his word, I'll make him a deal for his guns.

Twice for me in about 60 years, the first when I was shooting my first doubles while learning to shoot trap. If you close the action of a Model 12 Winchester pump shotgun with the trigger back, it will discharge as soon as the action is closed. Maybe all pump actions do that, I don't know. I missed the second bird, what a surprise. I experimented a little with doing that on purpose when shooting 2 birds but it didn't work.

The second was with a Herter's .44 Magnum "SAA", which wasn't all that wonderful mechanically. Among other ugly things, the cylinder fell out once after 3 shots without checking that the cylinder axle rod was firmly in place. The AD was while it was pointed at the ground about 2" from my foot- I cocked it and was raising it to aim but it went off with my finger out of the trigger guard which was clearly a mechanical failure. After that I never loaded it again, and never cocked anything until it was pointed downrange. The gun is retired from active duty entirely, and hangs in the gun room in a western style holster as decoration.

January 1, 2010, 05:57 AM	#257
Uncle Billy Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2009 Location: Small city in New York Posts: 482	Firepower!: What's his phone number? When (not "if", but "when") it happens to him, and assuming he's true to his word, I'll make him a deal for his guns. Twice for me in about 60 years, the first when I was shooting my first doubles while learning to shoot trap. If you close the action of a Model 12 Winchester pump shotgun with the trigger back, it will discharge as soon as the action is closed. Maybe all pump actions do that, I don't know. I missed the second bird, what a surprise. I experimented a little with doing that on purpose when shooting 2 birds but it didn't work. The second was with a Herter's .44 Magnum "SAA", which wasn't all that wonderful mechanically. Among other ugly things, the cylinder fell out once after 3 shots without checking that the cylinder axle rod was firmly in place. The AD was while it was pointed at the ground about 2" from my foot- I cocked it and was raising it to aim but it went off with my finger out of the trigger guard which was clearly a mechanical failure. After that I never loaded it again, and never cocked anything until it was pointed downrange. The gun is retired from active duty entirely, and hangs in the gun room in a western style holster as decoration. __________________ Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how popular it remains?