What are the odds that a condition 1 gun will discharge if dropped?

J

Justin

New member
Just out of curiosity...
Does anyone have any firsthand, secondhand, thirdhand, or other knowledge with regard to a quality, modern autoloader discharging when being dropped?
I'm talking about something like a cocked-and-locked Browning Hi-Power, 1911, CZ-75, HK USP, etc...
 
Well, the US Navy conducted tests on 1911s and found they had to drop them something like 18 feet and have 'em land on the muzzle to get the FP to pop a primber. And to assure that they landed on the muzzle, they had to build a special framework to keep the pistols "pointing" the right way.


As to your question, nope, no knowledge of any AD from dropping a C&Led pistol of any good make.
 
I think it would depend on the distance the gun travels before it impacts the ground. I doubt that a gun with good firing pin springs would discharge if dropped only a few feet. If you are really concerned about this, buy a pistol with a firing pin safety such as a Colt 1911 Series 80.
 
slim to none with a series 80 colt or the new

kimber II. Or a series 70 with a wolff extra power fireing pin spring. The others I don't know about.
 
watched an SVI be thrown when someone fell down running. Musta gone 10 feet before it hit the ground. Nothing happened. Thankfully!
 
Most all new semi-autos have some kind of firing pin block, that prevents the firing pin from touching the primer, unless the trigger is pulled. Of course, there is some chance of parts breakage, or other catastrophic failure, but just dropping a gun on the ground seems very unlikely to cause a discharge. I've seen three or four guns dropped at IPSC matches, and none of them discharged.
 
It's easy to check if a pistol has a firing pin safety. take off the slide & look for a spring-loaded button or plunger on the underside of the slide near the back. Glock has instructions in their manual to test the firing pin safety. Other pistols can be tested by using a pen or punch to push the firing pin forward.
 
Probably about as likely as the round itself being discharged if dropped. Possible...but not probable
 
Re: Dropping loaded pistols

While on the subject of dropping pistols, if you are shooting & for any reason lose control of the gun & start to drop it, LET IT FALL!!!
Chances are almost nil that gun will fire, but if you try to grab a falling pistol, chances are good that you may fire it by unintentionally pulling the trigger & you will have no control over where the muzzle is pointed. Also, remind new shooters of this situation.
 
Read an anecdote before on this issue. A C&L 1911 falls off a Jeep going down the road. It bounces and slides down the pavement for quite a distance. No discharge, and only cosmetic damage.
 
Odds are slim.

I've dropped my Glock on two separate occasions. One of the times it was locked n cocked, hit a concrete floor from about 4 feet. Not a single scratch, much less discharge. :rolleyes:
Durable guns like that make you feel good when you drop them. :D
 
It wasn't snapped into its holster when I took it out of my pack in the garage. Always gotta make sure that piece is secure.
 
I wondered the same thing before. I took my dads old beat up series 70 combat commander, loaded a primed empty case into the chamber and rolled / tumbled it across the carpeted floor (cocked & un-locked) to see if I could get the hammer to fall. It never did fall even to the half cock notch. Must've did it 10 or 12 times, couple times it bashed into the wall and damaged the drywall but no hammer fall or firing pin detonation occured. He didnt feel good about a straight drop test so that wasn't done.

I'm confident in them. I do carry the series 80 though, myself.

Don't try this at home, Danger, Danger, and all that...
 
I guess I was just wondering how you carry a Glock "cocked and locked"...or maybe, how you wouldn't carry it that way. I guess it depends on your view of the design.
 
I know it's about safety, but if the problem is non-existant, why does IDPA have procedures like put a sandbag in front, don't touch the damn thing, etc. etc. etc. for a dropped pistol?
 
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