Safety/Mechanism in a Mossberg or Remington question...

A

alank2

New member
Hi Everyone,

I'm thinking of getting a pump shotgun at some point, but one of my questions is how does the safety mechanism work?

I was highly disappointed in a rifle I had to find that the safety block the trigger, but did nothing to stop the firing pin from slipping off the sear and firing. Perhaps I am used to pistols that have multiple internal safeties to make sure the firing pin can't protrude the breech face unless the trigger is held back.

How does the safety mechanism in the Mossberg, Maverick, and Remington work? Do any have a safety that blocks the firing pin?

Thanks,

Alan
 
Mossberg does not, and I think that is also true with Rem 870.

These are not deemed "drop safe" safeties...

But you would never want to rely on a hammer block safety anyway... Mechanical devices can and do fail... and usually at the worst possible time.

The human brain fails only if you let it...;)
Brent
 
Hi Brent,

Thanks for posting; I agree never rely on any safety and always follow the 4 rules, but with that said, I wish some of the better design that seems to be prevalent in pistols/revolvers would make its way to more rifles and shotguns...

Thanks,

Alan
 
With some guns, the term "safety" is misleading and would probably be better called a "trigger block" -- in our litigious society, I suspect the "drop-proof safety" will eventually become universal.
 
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I keep my 870 with a full tube and an empty chamber.

I would never rack the gun for the sound effect that some people think will scar off an intruder. If I suspect trouble I chamber a round and top off the magazine tube before going to investigate.
 
The firing pin can't slip off the sear, it never touches the sear.
As far as the hammer being jarred hard enough to drop without the trigger being pulled goes, it's possible, but that'd take a pretty good thump to happen.
Ditto with the firing pin itself traveling forward if the gun's dropping high & hard onto its muzzle.

The Mossbergs/Mavericks & Remingtons do not have a firing pin block.
Denis
 
The major reason for firing pin block in pistols is the exposed hammer. The gun can be dropped and maybe if dropped on the hammer it will fire.

On shotguns the safety on the trigger blocks it from moving. When placed in the safe position the trigger is locked/blocking the hammer into the cocked position. The sear engagement contact points would have to break/fail for the gun to fire if the gun was cocked and loaded.

To re-engineer many of the product lines now offered by the major makers and place the changes into production would add about $100-$150 to the cost of many guns out there. Just so some idiot won't shoot him self in the foot.
 
With single trigger O/U shotguns, where the safety simply prevents the trigger from engaging either sear, there may be no restriction on the sear and hammer movement other than the springs. Sufficient acceleration may cause the sears to slip resulting in a non-triggered discharge.
 
With single trigger O/U shotguns, where the safety simply prevents the trigger from engaging either sear, there may be no restriction on the sear and hammer movement other than the springs. Sufficient acceleration may cause the sears to slip resulting in a non-triggered discharge.
Click to expand...

In addition to the 870 I have a SXS double barrel with exposed hammers. The gun has no safety, but I feel totally safe with the chambers loaded and the hammers in the down position (not cocked) and the action broken open.

If I expect trouble I cock the hammers before closing the action. It is almost impossible for your thumb to slip while cocking the hammers and that is why the hammers are cocked before closing the action.
 
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