“The 45-year-old man, whom police did not name, was pulling his pants up in the restroom at about 2 p.m. when the gun accidentally discharged and the bullet grazed his leg,” journal-news.com reports. “The man had a concealed carry license to carry the Glock pistol, which did not have a safety.” While the chances of getting shot at Chick-Fil-A – whether by your own hand or someone else – are less than getting your arteries blocked by their terrifically tasty sandwiches and wicked waffle fries . . .
it behooves us all to remember to use a proper holster. Don’t play with your gun even when you’re bored shitless, waiting for your bowels to move. Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot. Don’t catch a falling gun. Etc.
“The man walked out of the restaurant under his own power and was taken to West Chester Hospital as a precaution, Sourhada said, adding that no charges will be pressed.”
No pressed chicken or customers at Chick-Fil-A, but an IGOTD nonetheless.
This is twice in the last week that I have heard the “…it was a Glock, which does not have a safety…” line in a mainstream media article.
The sky is falling I tell you! Lock up your women and children these evil plastic pistols have no safetiezzzzz!!!!! the childrun! errmagurd!
It’s the same tactic as “the rider of the motorcycle wasn’t wearing a helmet” at the end of an article about a car hitting a bike.
That’s at least relevant. The cyclist/motorcyclist is always going to lose the physics contest against an auto.
I think the point is that whether or not he wears a helmet has no bearing over whether a car manages to run into him or not.
I am not a fan of Glocks, but they do have safeties. They have several passive safeties, and without arguing semantics, a proper holster is as reliable as a manual safety.
The problem is that glock defenders assume that all glock owners know how to properly secure the gun to prevent it going off which is not the case. Per usual XD is not in the news for a negligent discharge as it has 2 passive safeties where glock is. Glock really needs to work on adding a second one because these “negligent discharge of the day” articles might as well be re-named “Negligent Glock Owner of the day”
Glock actually incorporates three passive safeties into its action, if you want to split hairs. I’m sure Springfield incorporates the same systems.
No number of safeties (manual or otherwise) makes up for negligent handling of a firearm.
Not really true. While they have “multiple” safeties in place it’s all connected to 1 safety. Just like my Tokarev has 3 safeties connected to one switch, it’s still essentially 1 safety. By adding a grip safety which is what XD’s have, you now require 2 points of pressure to cause an accidental discharge. All a glock needs is something in the trigger well, and while we all know it should be properly secured, by the obvious trend of a glock being discharged and noted on this website almost daily, the vast majority of the owners aren’t capable of having only that trigger safety. Therefore unless glock adds a second safety the gun will forever be rather unsafe and we’ll be reading “stupid glock owner of the day” for the rest of the time TTAG is available. In fact. I challenge the authors at TTAG to find a negligent discharge in recent events with an XD.
A few Glock-related NDs here and there, or even “near daily”, supports no conclusions about “the vast majority of Glock owners” nor of Glocks themselves. That’s just more Glock hating gun snobbery.
And, yes, a Glock does have three safeties and, no, they don’t all rely on the trigger. In fact, the trigger safety must itself be disengaged before the trigger can move rearward.
I will give you this, though: Glock’s safety system is designed primarily as protection against accidental discharge, as in genuine accidents. That’s not the same thing as a negligent discharge. If you’re negligently discharging your firearm, then you shouldn’t have it in the first place.
It’s not Glock’s responsibility to idiot-proof their product such that engaging it to do what it’s intended to do won’t cause it to do exactly that, unless you really, really, pretty please with sugar on top, want it to do that. That’s just assinine.
Keep it holstered and don’t pull the trigger. You’ll be fine, just like millions of other Glock owners have discovered.
Why does the I.D.F. carry empty pipe but previously they carried a round chambered. At least according to a coffeehouse friend that spent 22 years in the Israeli army, before immigrating to the U.S. & opening 20 beach wear stores
Guys, I got two glocks, I like um!
But pocket carrying a Glock is just stupidity.
You want to pocket carry, get a mic holster or something to cover the trigger and/or buy something with a safety.
Dont be dumb.
Well, I have read all about how Glocks are perfectly safe right here on TTAG, never mind about safeties, they don’t make any difference anyhow, over and over, while NDs seem to be overwhelmingly Glocks. Just coincidence, I guess.
There are also a whole lot of Glocks out there. The Glock system is certainly more vulnerable to NDs than the XD, 1911, etc. Plus having to yank the trigger before takedown is more of a bug than a feature.
How many articles have you read of people pulling the trigger on a non-Glock and having nothing happen, because they forgot to disengage the external safety?
How many articles have you read of people, in the terror of a DGU, struggling and fumbling with the external safety of a non-Glock, only to have the gun taken from them or dropped or otherwise rendered useless?
How many articles have you read of people whose first shot was ineffective and whose second shot missed entirely, because they didn’t anticipate the typical change in trigger weight between first and subsequent shots, as opposes to the consistent 4.5 weight of a Glock?
These are all plausible scenarios and articles surely have or could be written on such real life experiences horrifically and repeatedly befallling non-Glock owners. These in turn would elicit scornful comment board posts about how unsafe and inappropriate non-Glocks are for defensive purposes.
Just context, I guess.
Who will bet against my prediction that he dropped it and tried to catch it? Anyone? Anyone?
maybe he thought that trigger dingus would make it safe…
“trigger dingus”……….i love it. beer out the nose.
After all these years we now finally have a name for the ‘trigger dingus’. Why did it take so long?!?
Dingus
noun, plural dinguses. Informal.
1. a gadget, device, or object whose name is unknown or forgotten.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dingus?s=t
…and the nose just went off.
@gov, “dingi” would be a more appropriate sounding plural, especially if dingus were a derivative from Latin “dingum”.
Dictionary.com said it’s of German/Dutch origin, so I guess we’re stuck with ‘dinguses’. Personally I kind of like ‘dingusi’.
I was watching a student recently that had developed a bad habit of resting his finger against the side of the trigger and instructed him to use the trigger guard or frame. Instead of just accepting my advice, he chose to point out how the trigger safety would protect him from a ND. I started calling it the “idiot switch” after that, but trigger dingus works too!
Failure to follow safety instruction at a training session. Sounds like grounds for dismissal from class.
Guys, just for the record, I picked up that “trigger dingus” appellation from this very board, some time ago. Can’t say who used it first. But it does fit, doesn’t it?
Awesome! I’ve been calling it a doohickey all these years…
Or the idiot was carrying in pocket with his car keys and without a holster.
The only reason I think dropping is more likely the case is he was in the bathroom. But thats a good guess as well. I bet we never learn how exactly his gun “just went off”, because people could learn from this maroons mistake.
I know a couple geniuses that would be very likely candidates for ADs (if they carried a gun).
I vote pocket/car keys/no holster. My Glock has never just “gone off” due to rough handling, including taking a tumble down a full flight of stairs. Too many built in safeties.
At last, I have identified the need that the tactical kilt fills! Bathroom NDs can be eradicated today.
Was that guy a Capitol cop or something? ‘Cause I thought that the Capitol police had a patent on toilet mishaps.
Well, no name released and no charges filed…
Buy a quality holster people, heck even a $15 Uncle Mikes is better than nothing
I know a dude who SWEARS by the clip that attaches to the side of the slide and ONLY the clip. He carries a G36 and other things with no manual safety and a round in the pipe. Every time I see him I think, its only a matter of time.
That’s not nearly as bad as pocket carry without a holster. The clip generally puts the gun inside the waistband where it’s trigger is not accessible. That could be true of pockets too except people have a habit of sticking other stuff in pockets.
More people carrying,=more NDs….unfortunately. I’ll take my fil- a to go please…and I’ll wash my hands later thank you.
There may be slightly more – yes. But regardless, those occurrences are a statistical blip.
More people with Glocks means more negligent discharges. These instances dont happen with XD’s. Seriously TTAG needs to rename it “Dumbass Glock Owner of the Day” because its always a glock.
So the only unanswered question is did he do it first or say it first? Hmmm, a real chicken and egg question.
There’s a two-word solution to these restroom ND’s, fanny pack. Take it off, re-buckle around the handicap grab bar, or sling it over your head. Gun and holster are safe and out of the way.
I think the fanny pack is more embarrassing than the ND. As far as possible charges go, do not underestimate the fashion police.
Chuckles, Royal, my 21 year old daughter agrees with you.
I never carry off body. Too many instances of folks forgetting their carry bags. When I am on the throne the gun sits safely in front of me cradled by my BVD’s and pointing away from the family jewels.
TMI 😉
Yep. Proper holster. Not in your pocket with a bunch of other junk like keys.
All these places have diaper tables how about a rack for your weapon. Even in the U.S. Capitol it would eliminate using the seat cover dispenser as a holder. BTW those clips were meant originally for revolvers only. Anything that attaches with the same tape that holds on car body molding I don’t trust. Now I know why my local place has a mouthwash dispenser. Antiseptic for ND ‘s.
“Don’t play with your gun…….” If I remember correctly, in the Marine Corps, your gun is neither a rifle nor a pistol and playing with it should be reserved for a very private location.
Yes, I remember the first time we learned that definition.
Not possible to drop a Glock and have it discharge from impact. There’s a better chance of shark bite, and a lightning strike the same day. Guns don’t “just go off”, he either tried to catch it or was playing with it while he TCB.
‘Guns don’t “just go off”’
Unless they’re made by Remington, Winchester or Caracal.
As a bonus, when the Caracal goes off, there’s a chance it’ll explode like a hand grenade. Fun!
If it had either a frame or grip safety, it would not have gone off, period. Making excuses for a Glock is a full time job.
Well, assuming the safety was engaged. I’m sure there are folks out there who could manage NOT to manage that…
If you carry a Glock you might want to check out the Saf-T-Blok. It’s a small piece of shaped plastic that fits snugly behind the trigger and prevents it from moving. You can easily push it out with your finger during the draw, so it won’t slow you down if you need to fire. It’s basically an inexpensive manual safety for a gun that doesn’t usually have one.
$16.95 @ lone wolf. adds exactly 1/1000 of a second to draw. I picked up a gen 2 g22 today and as with all glocks I Don’t put NY 1or 2 triggers gets one for carry.
Or, you could buy a gun which has one to begin with! What a plan!
Some unfortunately are issued wrapons. What I can’t figure is how ATFE can rule this a DAO pistol. The powers that be that I volunteer with finally authorized personal owned weapons carry. Sig 229/226 DAK here I come, as soon as I can find one I can afford.
Anyone wanna buy a gen 2 glock
“safe action system”
Tomorrow’s ‘Question of the Day’; Is it the Glock or the Glock owners?
By “Glock”, do you mean “the most popular semi-auto brand on the market”?
I’m personally not a huge fan, but even just statistically speaking, there are going to be more incidents with Glocks because there are so many of them out there. Maybe after normalizing for saturation you might still see some higher level of incidents, but I’m skeptical.
Perhaps he means newbies, people most likely to have a nd, gravitate towards glocks because of their relative ubiquity. In other words the “I know nothing about guns, including the four rules, but I know the name glock” buyers naturally gravitate towards glocks thereby having a nd with a glock. It seems logical to me.
Not to mention the newbies who gravitate toward Glocks because their know-it-all boyfriends, brothers-in-law, whatever, tell them, “You don’t want anything other than a Glock”.
Also gun counter commandos like to recommend them to newbs.
AND they’re also a favorite among police departments. That alone probably puts Glock in the NG top spot.
police chose them due to pricing and originally because a couple of chiefs were stuck on DAO revolvers. They got with lawyers and ATF between it all Somehow the Glock 17 then the other models were ruled Double Action Only pistols. The other options were bobbed hammer metal frame S&W pistols at $500 more per pistol. Glock s at the time were costing agencies about $300. some even free to trade in gen 2&3 Smith’s.
That was the only way some agencies could get semi-auto weapons.
Well, there is no doubt there, it is the owners, 100%. You can buy one copy of each Glock extant, and if you lock them away and never load them, you will have no problem with NDs. Probably a good plan. Mine has resided on the mantle in a holster, in a bowl, for 10+ years, with an empty pipe, never had a problem with it.
GLOCK brand GLOCK for the win!…or the loss.
I unholster when I use a public restroom… Perhaps it’s because I live amongst a large number of undocumented immigrants that every public restroom’s floor is covered in toilet paper and puddles of I don’t want to know. I don’t leave my gun on my belt so that the weight of it causes my pants to touch the floor. Not to mention that it also becomes visible to anyone walking into the restroom.
So, I draw it from the holster and place it on top of the toilet paper dispenser and behind the handlebar.
I’m far from comfortable doing it that way but I’ll be damned if I’m going to get a piss-soaked gun and holster or some libtard calling in a SWAT team on me…
I hear the Beatles in my head now. “You’re gonna lose that girl.”;-)
Not entirely sure what you mean by that but I’m going to guess that you are suggesting I might leave my pistol in the bathroom stall…?
That is actually a huge worry for me. After I leave the bathroom I end up touching my pistol 1000 times like an OCD to make sure it’s there.
However, I should explain that I’m not your average public pooper… I have worked from home for nearly a decade so, I only leave the house for shopping and errands. I’m not your average Joe leaving the house for 10+ hours a day; forced to use public restrooms multiple times a day. I manage to only ‘do number two’ in public in the most gut-wrenching of circumstances. So, possibly once or twice a year…
Doesn’t that leave the holster visible?
Not really. Without the gun in the holster, my pants don’t end up so low that anyone can get a good look. Also, I use an IWB holster so, it’s already mostly hidden.
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it a million more times, the safety on a glock sucks. Examples like this are how I’ve talked numerous people into the xd platform.
I hear / read a lot of blame being directed at the Glock design or Glock users for NDs. I hear no ND reports on Kahrs, and they lack the trigger dingus. Admittedly I see more complaints about Kahrs running properly (mine run fine). And Kahrs have a longer pull/reset.
“… pulling his pants up in the restroom at about 2 p.m. when the gun accidentally discharged and the bullet grazed his leg”
This was not an accident.
The gun did not go off because he pulled up his pants! This guy was fiddling with it, perhaps trying to holster it and some material got in the trigger guard. When he encountered resistance he pushed the gun into the holster and it went off… or he was really negligent and actually had his finger on the trigger while holstering (or putting it in his pocket).
Oh well
No Steve, it was not this guys fault at all. It could have all been avoided it he wouldn’t have had a Glock. If it had a real safety then it wouldn’t have gone off.
/sarcasm
I carry a Glock 19 religiously.
NDs happen with Glocks for one reason. They are designed to be ready to fight by just drawing, aiming, and pulling the trigger.
I like that feature. To me, a safety is a fail to fire device and I don’t want it.
My problem with these ND cases is that unless someone else gets hurt, charges are rarely filed. I’d charge every one with “failure to maintain” just like automobile negligence.
We cry about personal responsibility all the time for everything, seems like when the subject is Glock guy shoots himself, it’s the Glock. Stop blaming the tool people. Dumbass is dumbass regardless of his choice in gun. It can be done with any firearm.
Yep
I agree with the “proper holster” comment. But I also consider that some part of one’s clothing might get in the wrong place if you’re not paying attention, which is why when I’m in such a situation, I use the holster and its attachment point on my pants to pull my pants up. A sidearm is supposed to be under control, and from the first time I was in that situation I didn’t see any way that having it flap around while I focused on my pants counting as having it under control. The solution was to focus primarily on keeping it under control and consigning getting my pants up to second priority.
After all, once they’re up and both gun and pants are secure I can adjust clothing as I desire. Besides that, for the most part I’d rather be caught naked in public than with my chosen protection out of my control.
p.s.: yes, I sit with one hand gripping the holster. just try drawing when it’s dangling loose on pants around your knees!
I totally agree with getting a proper holster.
The way I see it, the holster IS the safety for glock type pistols, but one with that in mind.
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