Lesson Learned

[weemsf]

I have not seen a thread with this content, so I thought I would pass it along.  Some time back I had my Browning HP worked over by a very reputable gunsmith.  Action job, new sights and a rebluing on the slide were the biggest part of the work.  After getting it back, I was very happy with the looks and the trigger pull.  However, I did not get a chance to shoot it right away.  Here is where I get DUMB.  I broke out my BHP holster and carried the pistol for a few days before going to the range.  You guessed it, when I pulled the trigger that was a deafening click.  After manually cocking it and firing it three or four times it finally shot the first round.  It would fire, perhaps one time out of five consistently.  The gunsmith and I decided that the firing pin spring had taken a set and needed to be replaced with a factory weight spring instead of the extra power spring.  I shudder to think what would have happened had I needed that pistol and it gone click.  I guess my wife would be writing this instead of me.  Now, and it should have been then, I NEVER, carry a gun that I have not personally fired for reliability and function.  Good lesson learned as cheaply as you can learn it!

[jwc007]

Had a similar situation.  Bought a new Taurus PT945 (which I still have), shot it some for function, and did a lot of dry fire practice with it.  Then loaded it and put it by the bedside, where it stayed for about a Month.  Decided to take it to the Range one night and at the shooting point it went Click, Click, Click.  Ejected the cartridge and examined the primer for Firing Pin hits and there were none!

Needless to say, it went back to Taurus for a new Firing Pin and my .45 Witness went back into the Nightstand.  So that PT945 in my nightstand was basicly a paperweight.  It's been fine since and Taurus has increased it's inspection of MIM parts, which had proved to be a problem.  Also, I now use Snap Caps for dry fire which I rarely do anymore.  I have plenty of Ammo!

And Yes, I feel very very fortunate indeed that I did not need to use it!  I also feel fortunate that I have not needed to use it!

[KingPolymer-III]

This is the stuff nightmares are made of.  Worth repeating it many times over.  Any NIB/unfired gun or any gun "new to you" or after it has had ANY work done on it,  test and re-test, and with all the brands and types of ammo you will use in it.  Only then am I satisfied in its readiness.  I guess I am a bit anal retentive, but imagine a perp running at you with a knife and you fire and you hear the dreaded "klick".   Remember its not only function, its function with the type and brand of ammo you are going to carry in it.

[jwc007]

Quote:but imagine a perp running at you with a knife and you fire and you hear the dreaded "klick".

Funny you should mention that. A very well known Police Officer, turned Gunwriter, Evan Marshall, actually had that happen.

When Evan was fresh out of the Police Academy and an Inspector/Detective he always road the New York Subway.  He had the habit of cleaning his .38 Snubbie Service Revolver AND it's ammuniton with WD40.  He never fired off the Ammo carried in his Revolver for practice as it looked so nice and well preserved by the WD40.

One late evening, riding the subway home, the only other occupant of the Subway Car was a Drug Addled Mugger, looking for his next score.  He decided Evan looked good for the picking and drew a long knife from his coat.  Seeing the approaching mugger with knife, Evan drew his revolver, aimed, and pulled the trigger.  The result of the trigger pull, six times, yielded only 6 clicks, and no Bangs, as the WD40 had nuetralized the primers in the Revolvers ammunition.

Fortunately for Evan, the Mugger, having lived a very drug abused life, saw the Revolver pointing at him, and hearing the clicks, was scared literally to death, and died on the spot, from a heart attack.  This has gone down in history as a "No Shot" stop.

[BRASMAN]

WOW now that is something. I know it is very serious but I can not help but chuckle a little also.   Someone must have been on Mr Marshals side that day.

When I was young and stupid instead of middle aged and learning. LOL.. I purchased a pistol after a tour overseas and used it to protect my Home at night and one night a guy tried to break in but fortunatly I was able to talk him out of getting all the way in the appt when I told him he would go out in a body bag if he came in. I had never fiered it though and it was a Lorcin   That thing had More falures than fires when I shot it. Some guy at a pawn shop that liked me and even new what he was buying took it off my hands for what I paid for it. Nice Guy.

Edited for spelling: "Some gut at a pawn shop" LOL

[KingPolymer-III]

Wow!!!, fascinating story.  Obviously Glocks aren't perfect, but this is one of those moments that even the "antipolys" who hate Glocks,  would say "Wish I had a piece of tupperware!".  

[jwc007]

Not even Combat Tupperware will save you if the primers in your ammunition are dead or the Firing Pin in your pistol is broken.

Also, Evan Marshals event took place at a time when there were no such things as Glocks.  Not even a rock to throw!  Just his Guardian Angel to watch over him.  And fortunately, that was quite enough!

[KingPolymer-III]

Yes, it can only be described as a miracle,  what is even more fascinating is that so many folks still use WD40 ,which is intended for vehicles , and they clean firearms with it.  Amazing.

[weemsf]

I have seen a few "uniquely finished" weapons on auctions that were cleaned with motor oil.  It tends to ruin the finish on a blued gun.  

To add to this tale, I bought a Taurus 441 in 4" SB.  I had it turned into a 3" RB by the same gunsmith.  It was fine except for an indexing problme that he could not fix because of Taurus' policy on parts.  Because it needed a couple of parts that Taurus won't sell to anybody, I sent it to them.  After getting it back, it would sometimes hang up in firing process; i.e., the hammer would be all the way back and the trigger would be pulled as far as I could pull it.  Several seconds later it would finally fire.  Had to have the action shimmed to get the hangup cleared.  

MORAL OF THIS STORY:  everything mechanical is subject to breakage and malfunction.  It is why most LEO's carry a backup weapon.