Most guns can fire without magazines
Sadly, some people don’t realize this:
Edwards … admitted to officers that he pointed a gun at his friend’s head and pulled the trigger. But he told officers that he “did not believe the firearm would discharge without the magazine inserted.”
Also, don’t point guns at people.
June 27th, 2017 at 5:11 pm
Jebus. How little do you care about your friend that you’d point a firearm at his head?
June 28th, 2017 at 8:02 am
I take a large group of newbies to the range at least once a year. One thing I demonstrate during initial orientation is dropping the magazine and firing the chambered round. I’m always surprised at how many people are surprised when the gun goes off. Some people think the magazine is just like a battery pack.
June 28th, 2017 at 8:15 am
A good friend, years ago, spent a long time explaining this to me over and over again until HE thought I understood it, before I bought my first semiauto pistol. I have done the same with my kids as they learned to shoot. It takes some serious ‘splaining, and I would have used the Jimbo method had I thought of it.
June 28th, 2017 at 9:29 am
The problem is, some pistols do have mag disconnects (LC9, Highpower). People assume they all do if these are all they’ve seen.
June 28th, 2017 at 10:09 am
It might shoot and it might not, but RULES FUCKING ONE AND TWO!
Oh well, you can’t fix stupid some philosopher said, but you can damn sure stay away from it.
June 28th, 2017 at 1:54 pm
It’s not entirely clear whether the story here is an honest explanation, or an excuse invented by a murderer.
June 28th, 2017 at 4:50 pm
What Paul said. Same goes for the “I was cleaning it and it just went off” excuse. I don’t believe even half of those to be true.
Nonetheless, no doubt we’ll be seeing more guns designed by lawyers rather than by shooters. In this case it may be that the lawyer-designed guns led to the problem, as Wildbill says.
June 28th, 2017 at 6:42 pm
Remove the mag and check the chamber. Eject the round from the chamber. That’s what I rehearse with myself because once upon a time pulling the trigger on an AK after removing the mag. Fortunately the muzzle was pointed at the back inside wall of my basement and the projectile penetrated the sheetrock wall board and buried itself in the concrete block wall.
June 29th, 2017 at 1:33 am
You should never believe anything about a firearm. Same goes for what you “thought” about them. With guns you either know or you verify…for yourself. You never take anyone’s word for anything concerning the a gun’s readiness to discharge.
June 29th, 2017 at 11:12 am
Some of those Browning Highpowers WILL fire with the magazine removed. I’ve shot one. Removal of the mag safety is one of the most common ways to improve the trigger pull.