23Dec06

ND in WA

Yesterday, a man in Spokane, WA experienced an ND with his pistol (SIG 229/357SIG) while in a restroom at a local Costco. The single bullet (bran d unknown) hit a wall and disintegrated. Police responded, of course, but no one was hurt.

The media reported, "... the man had been carrying his brand-new SIG -Sauer 357 semi-automatic pistol in a shoulder holster. While pulling up his pants,

the man's shirt somehow pulled the gun out of the holster. Although the gu n is designed to not fire unless the hammer is cocked, the pistol fired anyway when it hit the floor."

As always, the media can't get the facts straight, and, when the subject is

guns, apparently doesn't want to! The pistol may have inadvertently fallen

out of the holster and hit the floor as reported, but, as we all know, SIG pistols are completely drop-safe. So, we know it didn't discharge as a res ult of striking the floor. The discharge was caused by Goofy putting pressure on the trigger, as that is the only way the pistol can discharge! But, as always, the media reports its own ambrosial beliefs and not the facts. The

foregoing is a typical example.

/John

23Dec06

SIG pistols and drop safety:

After my last Quip about a recent ND in Spokane, WA, I received several notes reminding me that some SIG pistols are not completely drop-safe. So, to clarify:

The (1) old-model SIG220 (45ACP), out of production for over ten years now,

and the (2) SIG230 (380Auto), also out of production and long-since replaced

by the SIG232, are the two models of interest in this matter.

When these two pistols are decocked incorrectly, that is "manually, " via lowering the hammer slowly while holding the trigger back, the resultant gun will not be drop-safe. When the gun subsequently falls and lands on its ha mmer spur, it may fire. Conversely, when these two pistols are decocked correctly, via the decocking lever, the guns are rendered drop-safe, and no kind of external impact will cause them to fire. So, the whole issue is a moot poi nt when either of these pistols are used correctly. However, when SIG was mad e aware of the fact that some owners were decocking incorrectly, contrary to printed instructions and advice of every credible instructor in the business , they redesigned the decocking system so that now, no matter how the pistol i s decocked (even incorrectly), the resultant gun will always be drop-safe.

That change was over ten years ago, and every subsequent SIG220 manufacture d has been on the new system. In addition, every 245, 239, 229, 232, and 226

ever made at any time has been on the new system. And, of course, the whol e issue is a moot point with SIG's DAK system, as it automatically de cocks itself.

So, those who still own an old-system SIG 220 (they have a sharp hammer spur, while new-system 220s have a rounded hammer spur) can continue to use and carry it with confidence. So long as it is decocked correctly (via the decocking lever) it will be as drop-safe as any pistol ever was.

Incorrect (manual) dococking is the product of ignorance, and as the accident-engendering practice it is, we instructors eliminate whenever it re ars its ugly head! Indeed, this mistaken practice is what has caused manufacturers

to now offer self-decocking (DAO) pistols (where decocking lever and hammer

spur have both been eliminated) and why these self-decockers (H&K LEM, Bere tta Constant Action, SIG DAK, S&W M&P, Glock) are so popular among police.

/John