A question for our gun users

[Abbey Marie]

Can a gun accidentally fire if the safety is on? Does the answer change depending on what caliber gun?

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

Can a gun accidentally fire if the safety is on? Does the answer change depending on what caliber gun?

With older models perhaps but with the newer guns its almost impossible unless the safey has been damaged. Caliber has nothing to do with it. Some guns have back up safeties in that one must cock the hammer before it will fire even with the safety off. As always most the older models were less safety conscious when designed and manufactured. The thinking then was that most gun owners know proper safety procedures with guns and are experienced with their proper use, at least here in USA that was pretty much true. Treat every gun like its loaded as an extra precaution .Never put your finger inside the trigger guard unless you are aiming at a target with intent to shoot or are using the gun to hold off an intruder /attacker. Never leave loaded guns were others can get to them unless its a trusted family member even then I dont reccommend it unles that person is extremely skilled in gun safety and use of such weapons! I have mine close by with chamber empty , clip out next to it when at home at night as my son is far too young to put in the clip or rack in a shell. When he gets a few years older I'll have to come up with a different method. A gun that takes too long to get to is MOST OFTEN as useless as "tats" on a boar hog IMHO. -Tyr

[logroller]

Disclaimer: If you have any concerns, whatsoever, contact a gunsmith before attempting to operate any firearm. Is this a generic concern, or have you something specific?

Answer: no, it should not and matters not the caliber.
Can it? Sure. Depending on the weapon, firing groups (pin, sear, hammer, trigger etc) have a variety of parts which, if worn, damaged or improperly modified, can lead to unintended discharges.
There is an inviolable rule to firearm safety, never point a weapon at something you are not willing to kill or destroy. That alone renders grave accidents to an ah shit moment.

[logroller]

With older models perhaps but with the newer guns its almost impossible unless the safey has been damaged. Caliber has nothing to do with it. Some guns have back up safeties in that one must cock the hammer before it will fire even with the safety off. As always most the older models were less safety conscious when designed and manufactured. The thinking then was that most gun owners know proper safety procedures with guns and are experienced with their proper use, at least here in USA that was pretty much true. Treat every gun like its loaded as an extra precaution .Never put your finger inside the trigger guard unless you are aiming at a target with intent to shoot or are using the gun to hold off an intruder /attacker. Never leave loaded guns were others can get to them unless its a trusted family member even then I dont reccommend it unles that person is extremely skilled in gun safety and use of such weapons! I have mine close by with chamber empty , clip out next to it when at home at night as my son is far too young to put in the clip or rack in a shell. When he gets a few years older I'll have to come up with a different method. A gun that takes too long to get to is MOST OFTEN as useless as "tats" on a boar hog IMHO. -Tyr

I agree with this, except it's a magazine, not a clip. (unless you have a revolver, Garand or linked-belt fed weapon) the key is the spring; if it has a spring inside, it's a mag!

[Abbey Marie]

Disclaimer: If you have any concerns, whatsoever, contact a gunsmith before attempting to operate any firearm. Is this a generic concern, or have you something specific?

Answer: no, it should not and matters not the caliber.
Can it? Sure. Depending on the weapon, firing groups (pin, sear, hammer, trigger etc) have a variety of parts which, if worn, damaged or improperly modified, can lead to unintended discharges.
There is an inviolable rule to firearm safety, never point a weapon at something you are not willing to kill or destroy. That alone renders grave accidents to an ah shit moment.

It's a claim made by someone I know who accidentally discharged a gun while it was holstered, in a house while people were visiting with little children. He said the safety was on. I wasn't there, and don't know if the gun was old or new. I didn't believe him, and was wondering about it.

[tailfins]

It's a claim made by someone I know who accidentally discharged a gun while it was holstered in a house while people were visiting with little children. He said the safety was on. I wasn't there, and don't know if the gun was old or new. I didn't believe him, and was wondering about it.

[Mr. P]

It's a claim made by someone I know who accidentally discharged a gun while it was holstered in a house while people were visiting with little children. He said the safety was on. I wasn't there, and don't know if the gun was old or new. I didn't believe him, and was wondering about it.

Neither do I.

[aboutime]

Neither do I.

No way. Anyone who believed that story is probably guilty of buying the mortgage for the Brooklyn Bridge too!

[logroller]

It's a claim made by someone I know who accidentally discharged a gun while it was holstered in a house while people were visiting with little children. He said the safety was on. I wasn't there, and don't know if the gun was old or new. I didn't believe him, and was wondering about it.

For the most part, all holsters cover the trigger, so I'm not quite sure how it went off (regardless of being on safe). My guess is he was (mis)handling the weapon, and if in fact his weapon was capable of discharging while on safe, he has an extremely unsafe weapon-- to which he should have been aware. I couldnt fathom having a loaded weapon in my possession in which I was anything less than 100% confident. My life could depend upon it after all. Plus, given the circumstance of his having a loaded (unsafe) weapon around children and handling it, I have to question his awareness on a broad swath of firearm related issues. From the sound of your story, thank God no one was injured.

[Abbey Marie]

Yup, he's a Darwin Award candidate at this point, as he accidentally shot himself with it. No major injuries, though.

Thanks everyone for your opinions. I believe that you all know what you are talking about, and as I've said, I didn't believe him.

[Voted4Reagan]

RIMFIRE AMMUNITION is more prone to an accidental discharge ....

Center Fire Ammo is far less likely..

[CSM]

I dunno. Something funny here as guns don't just go off by themselves. Safety or no safety, if the gun is secured in the holster and no one is messing with it, I don't see how it just "cooked off" a round. I have several older single action revolvers that are not equipped with a safety; none of them EVER fired a round all by themselves. I have many other firearms that have safeties and none of those EVER fired a round "accidently" whether the safety was on or off.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

I dunno. Something funny here as guns don't just go off by themselves. Safety or no safety, if the gun is secured in the holster and no one is messing with it, I don't see how it just "cooked off" a round. I have several older single action revolvers that are not equipped with a safety; none of them EVER fired a round all by themselves. I have many other firearms that have safeties and none of those EVER fired a round "accidently" whether the safety was on or off.

I am 58 years old and have owned and often fired well over 300 guns in my life. I've been shooting guns since I was six years old and never have I known of a gun just firing off a round by itself. I've been buying ,selling and trading guns for over 40 years and NEVER known that to occur. Short and simple answer is the guy is lying like hell.--Tyr

[Nukeman]

Ya know just to throw this in, WHY did he have a round in the chamber and why was it cocked, that is the ONLY way a round can go off!?!?!?!?!? Unless he was expecting some serious shit to go down why was this pistol "ready" to fire in the first place????

Have no problem with a clip in but you don't need to chamber a round until you are ready to use it!!! if it was a revolver you have to have the hammer cocked otherwise ITS NOT GOING TO DISCHARGE!!!!

So once again WHY DID HE HAVE THE GUN READY TO SHOOT AT A PRIVATE PARTY WITH KIDS????? F-ing moron!!!!!!

[Abbey Marie]

I can GUARANTEE you there was no threat whatsoever. This is a nice vacation home, no neighbors for a ways. The others in the house didn't report any problems. It's as low a crime area as you can imagine. No bears or wolves, etc., threatening anyone either. I also found out that he was "showing" his always-worn-on-his-belt hunting knife to a 6 year old girl in the house.