“Gun owner accidentally fires gun while cleaning.” Has not everyone read this headline at one time or the other. In the gun press this is often referred to as an accidental discharge or AD for short. But is this really an accident? More often than not the so-called accidental discharges are the result of negligence and not true accidents.
A concerted effort has been underway by professional firearm trainers to supplant the term accidental discharge with the negligent discharge. The idea is remove the excuse implied by the term accidental and replace it with responsibility as implied by the term negligence. Accidents cannot be avoided but negligent acts can be. By each shooter taking responsibility for everything that happens with their firearm, we can avoid many of the “accidental” discharges and improve firearms safety.
When a gun fires while it is being cleaned, it is because the owner was not responsible enough to insure it was unloaded before he began to clean it. The responsible owner who wants to prevent negligent discharges makes sure to double and triple check that his firearm is cleared before he starts to clean it. They also follow the rules of gun safety so that even if the gun has an unexpected discharge, the gun is pointed in a safe direction and nothing important is destroyed. By taking responsibility the shooter knows that any firing of the gun will be because of negligence and not an accident.
One of the most common types of negligent discharge occurs while holstering a pistol. The trigger is depressed during the motion of holstering the pistol. Often the is because the shooter still has their finger through the trigger guard and holster forces the finger to press the trigger and fire the pistol. Even shooters who follow the rules of gun safety and remove their finger from the trigger can have problems when they holster the gun. A common issue is a piece of clothing that gets wedged in the holster with the gun and depressed the trigger. Even an old worn out holster can cause a problem by folding over and getting into the trigger. The responsible shooter avoids these problems by keeping their equipment in top shape and using slow deliberate actions while holstering their pistol.
Most other negligent discharges are caused by pressing the trigger at the wrong time. These can be avoided by following the rules of gun safety and never putting your finger on the trigger except when it is on target. Good trigger disciple is not simple to master and everyone should be constantly evaluating themselves and others. If you see a shooter with their finger on the trigger at an inappropriate time, let them know in a polite and non-judgmental manner and when you are reminded take it to heart and work to improve your own trigger disciple.
So the question is, “Is there such a thing as an accidental discharge?” The answer is yes, but they are extremely rare. True accidental discharges occur when a firearm malfunctions. Examples I have heard about include are a slam fires and run-away firing. Slam fires occur when the slide is racked and the gun discharges when the slide returns to battery without the trigger being displaced. This can occur if there is a problem with the firing pin allowing it to strike the primer when the bolt returns to battery. Unless the shooter has tampered with the mechanics of the guns action, this unexpected discharge is a true accidental discharge. As mentioned this is extremely rare and only occurs when there is a mechanical failure in the gun’s action.
Another example of a true accidental discharge is when a gun experiences run-away firing. This is when the gun fires multiple rounds with a single trigger press. Again, this is typically due to a mechanical failure, in this case with the sear, which allows the accidental discharge to occur. The key element is that there is nothing the shooter did or did not due which was the cause of the unexpected discharge. The shooter still has an important role to play. In these cases the role is to prevent serious injury or death. By following the four rules of gun safety, even if a shooter has a negligent or even accidental discharge the risk of injury is minimal. The gun will be pointed in a safe direction and the discharge will not hit anything or anyone of importance.
Be safe, be responsible, work on your trigger discipline and follow the rules of gun safety. Help eliminate, “Gun owner accidentally fires gun while cleaning,” from the headlines.
Very logical