Are Guns Inherently Unsafe?

[walleye]

Gun designs vary a great deal and some are more inherently likely to be unsafe than others. In general, I think the manufacturers could improve things to reduce negligent discharges and true accidental discharges.

Have any particulars in mind? Not to start a war with Glockers, but I used to own a Glock and always thought an extra pound trigger-weight wouldn't be bad. I carried it alternating with revolver and due to the heavier trigger-pull of the latter, would find myself firing the Glock a second before my decision to. Not good for SD emergencies so I had a NY1 spring put in. Solved the problem but not a real enjoyable feel to shooting it. Not sure if I just shot the Glock by itself that would have been an issue.

Anyway, out of guns I have or had that's about the only thing I can think of.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[ExSoldier]

To quote the Late Jeff Cooper: "Safety is nice but it's not first. Life is first and LIFE is not SAFE...."

[BugDude]

Guns are like chainsaws, they are dangerous in that they have the potential to do great harm and need to be treated with care and caution. Handled and used appropriately, they can safely provide a great service to the operator. On the other hand, you can give an idiot a spork and he can put both of his eyes out.

[Hopyard]

Have any particulars in mind? Not to start a war with Glockers, but I used to own a Glock and always thought an extra pound trigger-weight wouldn't be bad. I carried it alternating with revolver and due to the heavier trigger-pull of the latter, would find myself firing the Glock a second before my decision to. Not good for SD emergencies so I had a NY1 spring put in. Solved the problem but not a real enjoyable feel to shooting it. Not sure if I just shot the Glock by itself that would have been an issue.

Anyway, out of guns I have that's about the only thing I can think of.

Let's not go there. It wasn't what I had in mind anyway so let's not start the war.

[Hot Wing]

Are guns dangerous? Why of course they are...I wouldn't carry one if they weren't.
Guns are simply tools...many tools have safety factors involving correct use.

Indeed

My parents say and think Motorcycles are dangerous . ( I have heard that for the last 35 or more years )

[chiefjason]

Have any particulars in mind?

When I was a kid my dad gave me a single shot shotgun. Gotta be safe right? Wrong! When you pulled the hammer back, it put the hammer right beside the lever to break open the barrel. They were just similar enough that on 3 different occasions I pulled back the hammer but did not fire, and when I went to let down the hammer the gun fired. My thumb was resting on the break open lever. Basically, something that really should be intuitive and be able to be done by feel was not. After the 3rd time I gave the gun back to my dad. You know it's bad when a kid is giving the gun back. But I was smart enough to know I wanted nothing to do with that gun.

[walleye]

Let's not go there. It wasn't what I had in mind anyway so let's not start the war.

Right!

So to clarify: Glocks are safe guns but in my situation with two guns in rotation I used a heavier spring as LEOs do for their particular use of Glocks- (and they would not be using Glocks in such numbers if they were unsafe).

[jumpwing]

My gun is so dangerous it will self-fire if anyone even taunts it.

I should really think about getting a different gun...

[Doghandler]

Safety is a philosophical question.

Pulling the trigger is a practical consideration.

Yes, guns, like unsupervised children and pets are inherently unsafe.

[Hopyard]

Indeed

My parents say and think Motorcycles are dangerous . ( I have heard that for the last 35 or more years )

That's pretty much what my work colleague said before he rode into the side of a trailer being pulled by a truck
that turned left in front of him. After, he didn't say much of anything. His brains were on the concrete.

[Hopyard]

Right!

So to clarify: Glocks are safe guns but in my situation with two guns in rotation I used a heavier spring as LEOs do for their particular use of Glocks- (and they would not be using Glocks in such numbers if they were unsafe).

I'm not getting into the G thing. It wasn't what I had in mind with my comment. But as for "they wouldn't be using if it weren't safe" remark, see my response about motorcycles; they use plenty of them and their safety is quite questionable.

[mcp1810]

Sorry Hopyard but that motorcycle analogy doesn't fly. Your coworkers death was the result of either the other drivers failure to yield the right of way making an improper turn in front of the motorcyclist or your coworkers failure to reduce speed to avoid a collision. Had it not been for an unsafe act by one of the operators there would have been no collision and no death would have resulted.

[Doghandler]

I've done some quick research and I haven't found a safe technology.... yet.....

but I'm still looking....

[apvbguy]

do pencils cause misspelled words? or math errors? do forks cause obesity? do cars cause drunk driving?
guns are only dangerous when misused.

[Hopyard]

Sorry Hopyard but that motorcycle analogy doesn't fly. Your coworkers death was the result of either the other drivers failure to yield the right of way making an improper turn in front of the motorcyclist or your coworkers failure to reduce speed to avoid a collision. Had it not been for an unsafe act by one of the operators there would have been no collision and no death would have resulted.

And had he been in a car wearing seat belts he'd be alive. The issue was whether or not guns are inherently unsafe and someone used the analogy with motorcycles; which are indeed inherently unsafe. And I know that because I've been there and done that. There were 5 of us at work who were riding when this accident occurred. Our wives immediately put their feet down and took them away.