Have you ever seen...

[thatguyoverthere]

... a gun fire by itself, while just sitting there?

I'm not talking about an ND caused by the user. I'm not talking about a finger (or a zipper or a shirt tail or anything else) unintentionally pulling the trigger. I'm not talking about a slam fire. I'm not talking about a bump fire. I'm not talking about a gun that was dropped, slammed into something, or otherwise jostled. I'm not talking about a round that got chambered caddy-wompus somehow and went off. I'm not talking about faulty ammo.

What I am talking about is a gun with a round loaded in the chamber, with the hammer cocked (like a cocked & locked 1911, for example) just sitting motionless on a table (for example) and the gun malfunctions and the round goes off? I'm thinking a malfunction like a sear that just breaks and allows the hammer to fall for example.

Have you ever seen that, or heard from a reliable witness who has seen it?

I know there would be an incredibly small chance of something like that happening. But I also know that "stuff happens."

I started thinking of that possibility while I was sitting in church this Sunday morning with my cocked and locked Colt Mustang snuggly nestled in my front pants pocket. Of course, in a pocket holster, and nothing else in that pocket, but still pointed directly at the back of the person sitting in front of me (because it's in my front pants pocket and I'm sitting down.) You can't (at least I can't) carry that way without the muzzle covering a person in front of you while you and the other person are sitting down normally.

Hence my question: have you ever seen or heard of a mechanical failure that caused a discharge that did not involve pulling the trigger (or dropping or jarring the gun)?

[Jago668]

Never seen it, never heard of it first, second, third, or whatever hand.

[imkopaka]

On a striker fired weapon, I can't possibly imagine that happening. The mechanics of the weapon simply don't allow it to move that way. No matter what piece broke (unless it was the striker itself breaking at the joint between the front and rear), it would not allow the primer to be struck.

On a hammer fired weapon it would be a little easier, but it would still require that either the locking hook on the hammer break or the trigger assembly break. Both are metal. For metal under that little stress to break would be almost unthinkable.

Now on machine guns that fire from the open bolt it is possible to wear down the seer after prolonged usage where the user is not pulling the trigger fully. When that happens you have what it called a "runaway gun," so called because you cannot stop it from firing, since the seer is too worn to stop the bolt from moving. I don't believe this is possible with anything semi-auto though - there just simply isn't enough friction to wear the seer down.

[E10]

I've no knowledge of that happening, either, but I wouldn't carry that way. You have to contort yourself or stand up to draw if you need it suddenly, and that great little gun is too easily concealed In other, more accessible holsters.

[The Annoyed Man]

... a gun fire by itself, while just sitting there?

I'm not talking about an ND caused by the user. I'm not talking about a finger (or a zipper or a shirt tail or anything else) unintentionally pulling the trigger. I'm not talking about a slam fire. I'm not talking about a bump fire. I'm not talking about a gun that was dropped, slammed into something, or otherwise jostled. I'm not talking about a round that got chambered caddy-wompus somehow and went off. I'm not talking about faulty ammo.

What I am talking about is a gun with a round loaded in the chamber, with the hammer cocked (like a cocked & locked 1911, for example) just sitting motionless on a table (for example) and the gun malfunctions and the round goes off? I'm thinking a malfunction like a sear that just breaks and allows the hammer to fall for example.

Have you ever seen that, or heard from a reliable witness who has seen it?

I know there would be an incredibly small chance of something like that happening. But I also know that "stuff happens."

I started thinking of that possibility while I was sitting in church this Sunday morning with my cocked and locked Colt Mustang snuggly nestled in my front pants pocket. Of course, in a pocket holster, and nothing else in that pocket, but still pointed directly at the back of the person sitting in front of me (because it's in my front pants pocket and I'm sitting down.) You can't (at least I can't) carry that way without the muzzle covering a person in front of you while you and the other person are sitting down normally.

Hence my question: have you ever seen or heard of a mechanical failure that caused a discharge that did not involve pulling the trigger (or dropping or jarring the gun)?

"Caddy-wompus" isn't a real word. Just sayin'.

Correct usage would be "dingle-fritz" or "googley-moogely".

To the question: No, I've never heard of such a thing. "It just went off" is another way of saying "I messed up real bad".

[ScottDLS]

... a gun fire by itself, while just sitting there?

I'm not talking about an ND caused by the user. I'm not talking about a finger (or a zipper or a shirt tail or anything else) unintentionally pulling the trigger. I'm not talking about a slam fire. I'm not talking about a bump fire. I'm not talking about a gun that was dropped, slammed into something, or otherwise jostled. I'm not talking about a round that got chambered caddy-wompus somehow and went off. I'm not talking about faulty ammo.

What I am talking about is a gun with a round loaded in the chamber, with the hammer cocked (like a cocked & locked 1911, for example) just sitting motionless on a table (for example) and the gun malfunctions and the round goes off? I'm thinking a malfunction like a sear that just breaks and allows the hammer to fall for example.

Have you ever seen that, or heard from a reliable witness who has seen it?

I know there would be an incredibly small chance of something like that happening. But I also know that "stuff happens."

I started thinking of that possibility while I was sitting in church this Sunday morning with my cocked and locked Colt Mustang snuggly nestled in my front pants pocket. Of course, in a pocket holster, and nothing else in that pocket, but still pointed directly at the back of the person sitting in front of me (because it's in my front pants pocket and I'm sitting down.) You can't (at least I can't) carry that way without the muzzle covering a person in front of you while you and the other person are sitting down normally.

Hence my question: have you ever seen or heard of a mechanical failure that caused a discharge that did not involve pulling the trigger (or dropping or jarring the gun)?

If there's a gun where it could happen it would be an open bolt gun, like a MAC10...where you have a really heavy bolt that is cocked back to fire and held by the sear and the firing pin is fixed on the bolt face...That said, I've never heard of it happening.

[bblhd672]

Only in liberal gun-grabbers dreams.

[thatguyoverthere]

Ok, thanks to everyone who responded. I know there's a lot of knowledge and experience on this board, so if no one has seen it so far (other than SRO1911's possible example), and even the folks familiar with the more likely open bolt guns haven't seen it, then I won't worry about it (too much!).

Even at that, I still don't like covering someone with my muzzle, even while properly holstered, so I don't carry that way too often.

Once - sort of. No one actually saw it, so there is much supposition... Fast forward 5 years... Everything was rusted, it was heartbreaking, and all were loaded, with the fox having one barrel fired. Best guess is rust/corrosion pushed sear out... The rust was a result of grandmother's shiny new swampcooler in the living room.

Thanks for the info SRO1911. Been there done that. The swampcooler, I mean! (Yeah, I'm pretty old.)

Only in liberal gun-grabbers dreams.

Oh, if they could only make it so.

"Caddy-wompus" isn't a real word. Just sayin'. Correct usage would be "dingle-fritz" or "googley-moogely".

Sorry, TAM. You're absolutely right. Sometimes I get the ferndat mixed up with the cratchet and doomajiggy. I'll try to be more careful to get the technical terms correct next time!

... but I wouldn't carry that way. You have to contort yourself or stand up to draw if you need it suddenly, and that great little gun is too easily concealed In other, more accessible holsters.

You're correct E10, that is not the best way to carry when I know I'm going to be sitting down a lot. I have actually practiced sliding out of my seat and down onto both knees so that my body is straight up from the knees up, in order to be able to draw from my pocket. Not the prettiest thing to see, but there are a few situations where it's just really better for me to carry that way sometimes, although I try to do something better when I possibly can.

Thanks again for everyone's input. The folks on this board always make this place a great resource.

[Mxrdad]

Is the right word maybe Kitty-Wompus or even Wompus Kitty? Spelling might be wrong, dunno. But I know I have heard that my whole life growing up. Please tell me it aint so! It needs to be in the dictionary. How do we file those House Bills???

[cbunt1]

"Caddy-wompus" isn't a real word. Just sayin'.

Correct usage would be "dingle-fritz" or "googley-moogely".

To the question: No, I've never heard of such a thing. "It just went off" is another way of saying "I messed up real bad".

Caddy-wompus is, in fact, a real Texas word, but it is usually considered bad form to use it east of Abilene or north of Highway 80....

Over in these parts, we use "Wonker-jawed" to describe the same condition.

[SIGFan43]

Back in the 1970s in Arkansas, I witnessed a 1911 fire 3-4 times when the trigger was pulled once. The owner was a gunsmith who was always lightening the trigger pull on revolvers and 1911s. The last round fired at a 45° angle in the air at the shooting range outdoors. I guess this was a "runaway" gun. On another occasion, he quick-drew from a speed holster and fired a round from a 1911 into the ground near his right foot. He was banned from the outdoor range. I never let that guy work on my guns.

I have never seen a gun fire by itself just sitting there, but I have heard stories of Raven .25 firing when dropped.

[Jusme]

The only thing I have ever seen similar to that was when I was in the police academy, there were several departments with officers there, and Carrolton PD had issued Glocks to their officers. during tap,rack, and fire, drills, one of the Glocks began to fire when the bottom of the mag was tapped.
It was a female officer, and she called the RSO over and he was able to make it happen 6 times in a row. Trigger not touched, just tapping the mag caused it to fire. The gun was removed from the line, for repairs, but I don't remember what caused it.

[SIGFan43]

"Caddy-wompus" isn't a real word. Just sayin'.

Correct usage would be "dingle-fritz" or "googley-moogely".

To the question: No, I've never heard of such a thing. "It just went off" is another way of saying "I messed up real bad".

Caddy-wompus is, in fact, a real Texas word, but it is usually considered bad form to use it east of Abilene or north of Highway 80....

Over in these parts, we use "Wonker-jawed" to describe the same condition.

My dad grew up in Shelby County on a farm, and he used the word "catter-wompus" his whole life. He also pronounced Chicago as "Chicargo," and Hawaii as "Hiwarrior," and Washington as "Warshington." He couldn't help it, because East Texas was in his DNA.

[mayor]

"Caddy-wompus" isn't a real word. Just sayin'.

Correct usage would be "dingle-fritz" or "googley-moogely".

To the question: No, I've never heard of such a thing. "It just went off" is another way of saying "I messed up real bad".

Caddy-wompus is, in fact, a real Texas word, but it is usually considered bad form to use it east of Abilene or north of Highway 80....

Over in these parts, we use "Wonker-jawed" to describe the same condition.

For the bourgeois it is catawampus and has a similar meaning as wapperjawed. Neither equate to cata-corner.