drop safe question

**Ridge_Runner_5** · 02-16-09, 03:36

Originally Posted by UVvis

Also consider that the bolt slams shut on a live round every time you fire the weapon, or release the bolt catch on a live round. I've yet to have a round fire when I did this procedure.

^^^Yep. I figured if loading the chamber on any weapon were to result in an AD, it would have been this gun...not a problem yet, though!

UVvis, when ya gonna be back in town?

**Failure2Stop** · 02-16-09, 11:07

I have seen horrible things happen to AR based guns- being blown up, run over, and dropped from several stories onto asphault. None of them fired the round that was chambered.

I have never heard a credible tale of a milspec AR firing under any condition other than when the safety was on fire and the trigger pulled- except for cook-offs. While there may be documented evidence to the contrary, I have not seen any, or had anyone provide any when challenged. I am not saying that it can't happen, or that it hasn't happend, but rather that it is very unlikely that a fall from a realisitc height will impart enough force to the firing pin to fire the cartridge, and probably only a little more likely that the fall could cause the hammer to slip from the sear.

**UVvis** · 02-16-09, 13:55

Originally Posted by Failure2Stop

I have never heard a credible tale of a milspec AR firing under any condition other than when the safety was on fire and the trigger pulled- except for cook-offs. While there may be documented evidence to the contrary, I have not seen any, or had anyone provide any when challenged. I am not saying that it can't happen, or that it hasn't happend, but rather that it is very unlikely that a fall from a realisitc height will impart enough force to the firing pin to fire the cartridge, and probably only a little more likely that the fall could cause the hammer to slip from the sear.

I possibly saw one at a high power match with a guy shooting an F class gun. I'm not sure if it was a slamfire, or if his hammer was following the bcg home, or high primers, or a combo of the above. Either way, there wasn't much standard about that gun, or the shooter if I remember right.

Originally Posted by Ridge_Runner_5

UVvis, when ya gonna be back in town?

C-17 should be giving me a ride tomorrow. Should be getting my life reassembled in March. LC-130's are heading away, one just buzzed us as I was typing this...

**Ridge_Runner_5** · 02-16-09, 13:56

Originally Posted by UVvis

C-17 should be giving me a ride tomorrow. Should be getting my life reassembled in March. LC-130's are heading away, one just buzzed us as I was typing this...

Glad to hear it!

We'll have to meet up at Cherry Creek again sometime...

**moonshot** · 02-16-09, 14:46

Okay, thanks for all the input. I wish the AR was drop safe, but it sounds like one would have to work at it to get it to fire without pressing the trigger.

Failure2stop - you wrote...

I have never heard a credible tale of a milspec AR firing under any condition other than when the safety was on fire and the trigger pulled- except for cook-offs.

I know the term "milspec" is overused, and not completely understood (at least be me). Would I be correct in stating my LMT Defender lower / BCM midlength upper with LMT SA BCG will be milspec? (I said will be, as I'm still waiting on the upper and the BCG). How about my stock Bushmaster XM15 E2S?

**Failure2Stop** · 02-16-09, 15:04

Originally Posted by moonshot

I know the term "milspec" is overused, and not completely understood (at least be me). Would I be correct in stating my LMT Defender lower / BCM midlength upper with LMT SA BCG will be milspec? (I said will be, as I'm still waiting on the upper and the BCG). How about my stock Bushmaster XM15 E2S?

I am referring to ARs issued by Uncle Sam to military forces (at the time FN and Colt). As such, technically, no you do not have a milspec fire control group (FCG). However- the LMT is one of the ones that is about as close to milspec as you can get without signing on the dotted line. I do not see any reason that a FA or burst FCG would be more resistant to mechanical failure than a SA FCG, other than the individual quality of the FCG parts.

I do not mean to imply that slam-fires or FCG failures are impossible, just that in my experience the "non-drop safe" design fretting of the AR is overblown. Once weird parts and ammo are introduced into the equation (as UVvis brought up) I have much less knowledge and credibility- hence my caveat of milspec guns (I should have included ammo as well). Further, I omitted slam-fires since the discussion centered on the "drop" issue. There are reports of repeatedly chambered rounds having desensitized primers and incidents of slam-fires.

**trunkmonkey** · 02-16-09, 15:10

I've never heard of ANY AR, milspec or not being dropped from a reasonable (8 stories is not reasonable) distance and firing itself. When nato ammo is being used anyhow.

Like was stated above, you've got a better chance of winning the lotto.

Saw one get dropped from about 4 stories once when a sling came loose. bent the barrel but no bang.