What Kind of Accidental Discharge Was This?

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Originally Posted by SA Friday

I've investigated a couple of shootings where the person claimed spontaneous firing from the gun. It was disproved every time. The first was an M-16. I did some seriously dangerous things to try to get the gun to fire without touching the trigger in a controlled setting. Nada.

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My case wasn't a malfunction, exactly - the selector was set to auto, and the lodged primer cup was causing the trigger to be depressed enough that it didn't catch the hammer. This apparently occurred sometime during the last burst from the preceding magazine, as the rifle had locked the bolt back on the empty mag.

When I seated a fresh magazine and pressed the bolt release, the weapon acted exactly as it was supposed to... just that since it was debris keeping the hammer from engaging the trigger, there was no way for me to "let off" the trigger, and my trigger finger was outside the trigger guard anyway (finger off the trigger until on-target and ready to fire!).

Had the rifle been on "semi", it would have fired a single round instead of the whole mag when I pressed the bolt release.

That explains why it wasn't uncomfortable for you to explain why your semi-auto just went full auto.

Sounds like it was set down in "battery" for the firing pin to operate. There doesn't appear to be a de-cocker on those fine pieces, so looks like full reliance was placed on the safety lever, if activated.
As far as I'm concerned, putting a weapon down that is cocked with round chambered is not a good idea, safety or not.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Circuits

My case wasn't a malfunction, exactly - the selector was set to auto, and the lodged primer cup was causing the trigger to be depressed enough that it didn't catch the hammer. This apparently occurred sometime during the last burst from the preceding magazine, as the rifle had locked the bolt back on the empty mag.

When I seated a fresh magazine and pressed the bolt release, the weapon acted exactly as it was supposed to... just that since it was debris keeping the hammer from engaging the trigger, there was no way for me to "let off" the trigger, and my trigger finger was outside the trigger guard anyway (finger off the trigger until on-target and ready to fire!).

Had the rifle been on "semi", it would have fired a single round instead of the whole mag when I pressed the bolt release.

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The one I investigated involved an Airman getting shot by the ND.

Primer in the trigger area was the first thing I looked for. The next was modifications or alterations of factory parts.

However it happened, that's one European who will likely not go away with an interest and like for firearms.