Do you think most firearms failures are gun, operator, or ammo related?

[ghalleen]

One of the gun manufacturers wrote recently that in the case of small automatic's the ejection failure was almost always caused by the shooter not holding the gun solidly enough when he fired it. Anybody experienced this?

I've heard this argument, but never actually experienced it with my own guns. The only small auto I've had feed or eject problems with has been my Beretta Tomcat, and this was during the first 100-200 rounds. Since then, it has settled down and become reliable. Prior to this, with .380's and .32's (Walter and Beretta), I've never had this type of problem.

My personal opinion is that limp wristing is a gun design problem. Yes, shooters should be taught proper techniques, but the gun should function regardless.

 

[CajunBass]

I can't speak for anyone else but me, but in my case, I've had so few firearms failures of any kind that I can't really put the blame anywhere but on me.

The gun I had the most "trouble" with was a Colt Series 70, 1911 in 45 ACP. I never fired a round of factory ammo through that gun, except for a box of 20 GI rounds I bought somewhere. Everything else, and it was thousands of rounds were my handloads, using plain (cheap) round nose, lead bullets. Every once in a while I'd get a malfunction with that, so I'll blame that on the ammo, but because the operator loaded the ammo, the blame goes to the operator ultimatly.

I had a pump 12 ga jam once. I short shucked it. My fault.

I'm sure all the other guns I've owned over the years may have malfunctioned from time to time, but not enough to remember anything special about them. Even my 22's when they start to mess up, a drop or two of oil usually takes care of the problem.

 

[Furminator]

I think that "limp wristing" is a real occurrence. Some of these guns are walking a fine line as far as even being feasible. So small and light that some issues just can't be realistically engineered out. These pistols have to have a very rigid grip to recoil against to compensate for their lack of mass. It's a price you're willing to pay to have something that powerful in such a concealable package.

 

[insman1132]

Well two weapons is no survey, for sure, but in my case I have both the Kel Tec P-32 and the Kel Tec P-3AT, and I don't limp wrist any gun! Neither has ever failed me. Maybe just a stroke of good luck at purchase time? Or maybe I am shooting a very small gun the way it needs to be shot?? In any case, limp wristing could be a simple fix to try if you are having ejection problems?? What is it they say about taking Chicken Soup when you have a cold? "It can't hurt!" Same is true about Limp Wristing!

 

[dgludwig]

In any case, limp wristing could be a simple fix to try if you are having ejection problems?? What is it they say about taking Chicken Soup when you have a cold? "It can't hurt!" Same is true about Limp Wristing!

Are you advocating eating chicken soup to fix jamming guns?

 

[Jart]

Attempting to place responsibility for firearms failures seems to vary over time and by virtue of who's doing the talking.

Several years back a diagnosis of "limp wrist" was a throw-away mantra and I'm convinced numerous malfunctioning semis were mis-diagnosed as operator error. Things seem to have improved since a member here posted videos of failed attempts to "limp wrist" functioning semis.

The likelihood of mechanical deficiency being mis-diagnosed as operator error seems to increase exponentially if the diagnosis is coming from someone in the supply chain for the firearm in question.

The recent shortages seem to have flushed out another problem: revolvers "enhanced" by prior owners. They may have run perfectly right up until the time the only stuff available was S&B or Fiocchi at which point the filed strain screw reared its ugly head, turning "six for sure" into a bromide that needs to die. I've discovered finding replacement square butt strain screws is more challenging than it should be. I guess such things are "former operator error that laid dormant until recently".

I'm of the opinion that a factory fresh revolver that won't ignite all major brands (and Fiocchi and S&B are major brands) is, plain and simple, defective.

I also think that a factory rep suggesting anyone with a new 1911 that's running 20% or more jams with multiple types of ammo and magazines needs to "break it in" should be forced to buy the break-in ammo.

Overall, defective revolvers are generally identified as such. Defective semiautos still tend to get the owner tortured before anyone believes him, though it's better than it once was.