Over at Crooks and Liars, a story about a man who dropped a gun at a Town Hall that he was carrying in his pocket. Presumably the guy is licensed. All modern pistols have internal safeties that prevent them from going off unless the trigger is pulled. I’ll give that the guy should be more cautious. It’s certainly not within the realm of sound gun handling to drop a pistol. But I’ve done it twice. Never in public, but I’ve dropped guns. It’s a faux pas, but it’s not dangerous with modern pistols. Everyone can calm the hell down and go back to your regularly scheduled hysteria.
14 thoughts on “More Hysterics”
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Maybe I’m just getting cynical in my old age but this could, let me emphasis that could, be a set up.
While it is probably likely that someone dropped the gun accidentally, isn’t it a little off that no one has came forward to claim it yet?
Could it, again let me emphasis could, possible that some political operator wants to make the protesters look bad?
Just saying this has me wondering.
Are the leftists sure they want to go there? They’re having trouble enough passing socialized medicine; do they really want to pick a fight with the pro-2A majority in the process?
Where does it say that the gun was left behind? I got the impression the gun fell out, then it was replaced, end of story.
I never heard anything about a gun being left, or a person being questioned ect ect.
I DID hear a liberal blog make that part up, ‘zat where you heard it, Bob?
Never dropped my gun, but I did have a speed strip of .38s drop out of a pocket when I took off my coat on a warm day. Picked them up and dropped them in my pocket kept walking. One woman saw me, not sure if she had any idea what she was looking at.
it happens, I hope it doesn’t happen again. Nothing to be alarmed about.
Shouldn’t a gun in a pocket still be in a holster? Wouldn’t want keys or anything accidentally pulling the trigger for you… I haven’t seen anything about this incident, but it is very possible that the guy is a union thug just as easily as a person protesting Obamacare.
Yes, it should be in a holster in the pocket. I didn’t say the guy was displaying sound gun handling, just that no one was in any real danger from a guy dropping a gun. Dropping a gun is a lot safer than grabbing for it. Just ask Plaxico Burris.
I thought conventional wisdom was that a gun in the pocket should be in a holster and should be the ONLY thing in that pocket.
Guess I was assuming that it was left, could have been just my mistake.
Wow. Now there is a hell of a mistake to make.
I guess it just goes to show that it does not go without saying that when one goes out in public, one should damned well make ensure that one’s hardware is well and properly secured.
That said, as you said, Sebastian, this is not the big froofera everyone (read “everyone on a certain side of the field”) is making it out to be. Accidents happen, and while this one was certainly preventable, it is not the end of the world.
If this story is true, as a certified instructor, it is as I always tell my CCW students… the key to carrying a concealed handgun is keep it CONCEALED!
Not everyone made a big deal out of this. I read it and decided not to write about it on my blog.
I am curious about “modern pistols” all being equipped with some kind of safety to prevent going off if dropped, I remember reading about a dropped gun going off somewhere last year.
“I remember reading about a dropped gun going off somewhere last year.”
A “Dropped Gun” that “Just Went off” is the same as a gun that “Just Went Off” while they were “Cleaning it”. It’s a common excuse for lax gun handling.
If a gun IS dropped you should let it drop, as if you attempt to catch it you might snag the trigger and all bets are off. I’ve read of a few cases like this.
Safe design, mechanical vs. ergonomic
From the point of view of drop safety, a modern loaded Glock is very safe. By comparison, a WWII era M-1911a1 could in theory fire a cartridge even with the hammer down if dropped on the muzzle. The Glock has superior mechanical safety. But most accidents occur from human error, not mechanical failure, and that is why the old .45 is safer than the Glock, in my opinion. Because the .45 has superior human engineering.
Safety was an important consideration when the original .45 was adapted by the US Army. Especially when considering that the .45 was going to be the first self-loading pistol adapted by the Army and was intended for use as a combat arm by mounted cavalry. I believe an exposed hammer was one design change the Army insisted on for the sake of safer operation. The grip safety of the .45 is another important feature which the Glock lacks.
Now I have a Glock 23C, and an old Argentine Modelo 27 .45 auto. I consider it safe to carry the .45 with a round in the chamber, cocked and locked, but I prefer the Glock carried with an empty chamber. “Glock leg” is too common mainly because of the Glock’s design.
Glock leg should never happen to someone who practices good handling. I’ve dropped my Glock twice, and both times it’s hit the ground and that was it. You just have to accept that it’s best to let it drop, and not try to catch it.
FYI any 1911 should NEVER be carried loaded with the hammer down. Unless it’s a model with a cross-block safety (Such as a Series 80, or a modern Kimber/S&W) even a mild blow two the hammer could cause the gun to discharge.
1911s should be carried “cocked and locked” (preferable) or with an empty chamber (less preferable) Some 1911s have a half-cock notch that would allow an intermediate position, but I fail to see the point.
As for Glocks, keep your finger out of the trigger guard until sights are on target and you’ll never have an ND/AD.