Could my handgun fire if my bony butt fell on it?

[moischmoe]

I have a Kel-tec PF-9. I keep it in a belt holster with a thumb-break. It's NOT coming out of the holster. I'm not worried about the trigger. My concern is: If I fell real hard on it, on a hard surface, is there anyway it could fire? Could something break and cause it to fire?

For those not familiar with the PF-9, it's DAO, and hammer fired. The hammer is NOT exposed.

 

[VERT]

Can't answer with 100% certainty but I doubt it. Modern guns should not fire if dropped. My guess is there is some type of hammer block that is only disengaged when the trigger is pulled.

 

[Squib]

Trite, but never say "never"; especially if it's loaded.

 

[BlueEagle]

Its a modern handgun that hundreds of thousands of people are carrying around with a round in the chamber right now. If there was a "drop safety" issue, we'd know about it.

That being said, just because there is an issue doesn't mean it won't ever happen. Things can pierce your holster and pull the trigger. Holsters themselves can pull the trigger. Pieces corrode and break.

A quick scan of Google pages shows that the PF9 more likely than not has an internal drop safety, and so theoretically should be "safe."

Do what I did to check. Field strip it, and start poking at the firing pin with a pencil and see how well it moves when the trigger is not depressed. Then, simulate pulling the trigger, (might need a friend to help you hold all the pieces, since it will be field stripped,) and see how it moves then. Best way to trust something is to have a better understanding of how it works.

 

[dom1104]

I am going to go with.... "sure."

 

[VERT]

Since the great minds on INGO can't guarantee it won't go off, the gun must be unsafe. I can't allow you to carry an unsafe gun. Please send it to me so that I can carry it for a while to make sure it meets all safety requirements. This is my service to you.

Seriously though, the only gun I own that does not have a hammer block is a revolver built in 1942. I would be more worried about hurting myself due to the fall then the gun going off.

 

[Kick]

I carry a 1911 with no firing pin safety every day. I carry it "cocked and locked" with a round in the chamber. Some will say that there is a good chance that it could fire if it was dropped. I have spoken with others and witnessed tests that attempted to cause this to happen. It's one of those things that just doesn't happen. I know that they have gone off from being dropped but, even when a group of trained professionals attempted to cause it to fire by dropping it, they are not successful.

My point being, unless you are carrying an old wheel gun and feel that there is a good chance that you will land on the hammer when you fall, it can happen but, in all likelihood will not happen. I would not be overly concerned with it.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

It's one of those things that just doesn't happen.

You may want to run a search on gun writer Steve Malloy.

Guns can discharge when dropped and seriously kill you.

I would be very concerned about it. Eez gon, eez not safe.

 

[Sirshredalot]

You may want to run a search on gun writer Steve Malloy.

Guns can discharge when dropped and seriously kill you.

As opposed to not so seriously kill you?..like in a joking manner or a light tone of voice? lol...Just razzn.

But it does scare the crap out of me if I drop a gun with one in the chamber....however I have never had one discharge.

God bless
-Shred

 

[moischmoe]

Since the great minds on INGO can't guarantee it won't go off, the gun must be unsafe. I can't allow you to carry an unsafe gun. Please send it to me so that I can carry it for a while to make sure it meets all safety requirements. This is my service to you.

Thanks for the offer, but first, please send me one of YOUR guns that I can use as a loaner while you are elvaluating mine.

 

[Mad Man]

While moving my son into his new home I took a tumble down the basement stairs. Bounced all the way to the bottom on my right butt cheek LCP with one in the pipe in an Uncle Georges wallet holster in my right rear pocket. I worried about it going off as I was bouncing down the stairs but it never did
YMMV

 

[Kick]

You may want to run a search on gun writer Steve Malloy.

Guns can discharge when dropped and seriously kill you.

I would be very concerned about it. Eez gon, eez not safe.

It's a shame you can't run a search on all of the people who have dropped guns, thrown guns, and did everything but pull the trigger in an attempt to get the firearm to discharge and failed.

 

[JohnP82]

Anything CAN happen, but it is designed so that it shouldnt. It most likely would not, but anything mechanical can fail. I would not worry about it though.

 

[Wild Deuce]

If we only did things that were 100% safe, we would spend every day on the ground wrapped up in bubble wrap, afraid to twitch a muscle. Even then, you would probably suffocate on the plastic.

Seriously, as long as you understand how your gun works and it is a modern, well maintained firearm, you can rest easy. I would be even more confident knowing that it is a true DAO with all springs at rest. I don't know if your gun has a firing pin block or pin spring like a 1911 but those two items would give me even more confidence in the gun's safety. Throw in a quality holster and you should be good to go.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

It's a shame you can't run a search on all of the people who have dropped guns, thrown guns, and did everything but pull the trigger in an attempt to get the firearm to discharge and failed.

I emphasize the CAN.

True, firearms discharging upon being dropped may be a rarity, but it CAN happen. That's why we at INGO need to be aware of this possibility and plan to reduce the damage (where are holsters are pointed in all positions, do we have a holster and not end up like Malloy, carrying quality gear and guns, etc.). Being forewarned is to be forearmed.

Dropping guns CAN have tragic consequences: Tactical-Life.com Dropped Gun Inertia Discharge