Accidental Discharge of Gun...

[M. Sage]

The second time happened to me recently shooting my son's Springfield M-1A. I had what is referred to as a slam fire. You shoot the first round and when the bolt cycles, it sets off the newly chambered round. As usual, I had complete control of the rifle and both shots actually hit the target about 8 inches apart. I know what causes it but I'm not quite sure why it happens. This was in a new rifle, not some worn out piece of junk.

It's probably more common in new rifles. Remove the bolt and make sure there is no lubricant of any kind in the firing pin hole! The firing pin should rattle forward and back freely when you shake the bolt.

The two most common causes of rifle slamfires I know of are both in rifles with floating firing pins; primers that are too soft or a sticking firing pin, usually from grease in the firing pin channel.

Make sure that no grease or oil goes on that firing pin.

About the closest thing I've come to an ND was when my father's Saiga bump-fired on the bench at our range. I had my suspicious that it was a bump-fire but the rifle got unloaded and checked over for any mechanical defects.

Probably hammer follow. Not too uncommon in AKs, but fairly easy to fix usually.

 

[phatcyclist]

Probably hammer follow. Not too uncommon in AKs, but fairly easy to fix usually.

The rifle had recoiled off my shoulder and I pressed the trigger again, I had it set up on "bags" to sight it in.

 

[Texas1911]

The triggers on AKs are ridiculously light for a battle rifle in my opinion. There are some I question remaining single-fire down the road, LOL. I can easily see how you could bump fire it without meaning to do so.

 

[JKTex]

I think everyone has had their say.

(I'm not saying a word. )

Security guard charged with firing gun, hitting woman a mile away | L.A. Now | Los Angeles Times

Security guard charged with firing gun, hitting woman a mile away
6:58 AM | July 23, 2009

A security guard in Long Beach has been charged with two felonies stemming from an incident last month in which he allegedly fired his gun in the air to break up a fight and wounded a woman a mile away as she slept outside her home.

Prosecutors charged Gilbert Fonoti, 23, with two counts of felony discharge of a firearm with gross negligence and carrying a loaded unregistered firearm, said spokeswoman Jane Robison of the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

The case unfolded June 26 when groups of people began brawling outside Club Cohiba around closing time. Fonoti, who was providing security at an event at the club, unsuccessfully tried to stop the fights before allegedly fired his gun in the air.

The bullet traveled over a mile and struck the 49-year-old unidentified woman, who was sleeping on her deck. Fonoti, who could not be reached for comment, was arrested that night and released on bond, according to the Los Angeles County sheriff's website.

Authorities said they pursued charges after ballistics evidence reviewed by the Long Beach Police Department showed the bullet was fired from the gun taken from the defendant.

-- Andrew Blankstein

 

[Texas42]

Talk about being unlucky. ( both for the security guard and the lady)

I wonder what kind of energy a bullet from a pistol has at that range.

I wonder what would happen, legally speaking, if this happend in TX.

 

[DRod]

Wow. Megabummer.

 

[JKTex]

Talk about being unlucky. ( both for the security guard and the lady)

I wonder what kind of energy a bullet from a pistol has at that range.

I wonder what would happen, legally speaking, if this happend in TX.

Need to ask the guy out here in Justin that had his .50 bullet rip through a trailer at Texas Motor Speedway and all but destroy a ladies arm. I haven't heard anything much since he came forward realizing it may have been his. But the ladies husband quickly put up a website trying to get support to ban them.

 

[M. Sage]

The triggers on AKs are ridiculously light for a battle rifle in my opinion. There are some I question remaining single-fire down the road, LOL. I can easily see how you could bump fire it without meaning to do so.

Yeah, shooting off bags with an AK is a good recipe for bumpfire.

Light trigger + short reset.

 

[wrtanker]

The Army no longer recognizes accidental discharge only negligent discharge. Having been on the receiving end of a ND many years ago I learned to be VERY safety concieous. I was on a hunting trip with my father years ago (different event). He was using a Marlin lever-action 30-30. At the end of the trip I watched him cycle all of the rounds out of the magazine until he worked the lever and nothing came out. He handed the rifle to me and since I had just watched him unload it I didn't check it. I put it in the gun rack in the pickup. Then he started putting the rounds back in the box and came up one short. We looked everwhere and couldn't find it. I finally tried working the action on his rifle one more time and the missing round popped out. After that I ALWAYS check a weapon when I pick it up even if I just watched you check it. I also follow the rule of never point a weapon at anything you don't want to shoot, loaded or not.

There was one humerous (after the fact) occurance of what I called a negligent discharge involving a Patriot missle, but that might be classified!

 

[Big country]

Talk about being unlucky. ( both for the security guard and the lady)

I wonder what kind of energy a bullet from a pistol has at that range.

I wonder what would happen, legally speaking, if this happend in TX.

You are liable for every bullet that is fired from your gun. And if that happened in Austin I bet you would get everything but the unregistered gun charge. IMO

 

[Stangfan93]

I have not ever had one myself, but know of a few people who have shot the dash of a truck with a .22, shot the floor of a 2nd story apartment, and shot a 30-30 behind someones head.

I guess you could say I have come close. There has been maybe once or twice that I pulled the slide back to empty the chamber, and then dropped the mag. But, then I quickly realized I didn't drop the mag first. Pulled the slide again and out pops another round. Close call you could say.

 

[DRod]

Heh.. I was showing my LCP to my aunt today and my mom wanted to see it so I handed it too her with some snap caps in it. But she didn't know it. She pulls the trigger and I ask her if she checked it. She said "No, its not loaded is it, I saw you check it". I told her about always assuming a gun is loaded until you personally check it. So yeah, if I hadn't checked, she'd have put one through the window. My aunt even knew to check when handed a weapon. She wants one too. lol.

 

[mace]

Never had one, but I still assume that I will someday and handle my firearms accordingly, e.g. don't point it at anything you aren't willing to destroy, always assume that it's loaded, and keep your finger outside the triggerguard until you have made the decision to fire. I also avoid chambering long guns in the house and don't handle guns while distracted, such as watching TV. I do dry-fire, but only after checking the chamber several times and pointing the gun at something that will (probably) stop bullets.