Cedar Park Dad wrote:
However NDs can happen if "the pistol falling from the holster, or out of your hand, or an accidental discharge when you draw it."
The number of unintentional discharges by police and others show it does occur. Glock leg is not just a myth.
It is my very sincere belief that they *forgot* they pulled the trigger.
On any modern semi auto handgun, there is a firing pin block. That firing pin block is held firmly in place by a spring. The firing pin cannot move forward and strike the primer while the block is in place. The lever that pushes the block out of the way is only actuated when the trigger is at the extreme rear of the pull. The block is removed an instant before the sear releases the hammer or striker.
You can't drop a gun hard enough to dislodge it and it is perpendicular to the firing pin, so the forces that could potentially actuate the firing pin won't even affect the block or vice versa.
The FBI tests all this stuff thoroughly.
You can take the slide off your pistol and push the firing pin forward with a small drift punch, it won't go forward until you identify the block on the underside of the slide and press it up.
People either:
1) Pull the trigger then lie about it.
2) Grab for the dropped gun and perhaps pull the trigger.
3) Drop the gun precisely so that the trigger is fully actuated by an object the gun strikes while falling.
4) Truly have a malfunctioning gun.
I find 3 and 4 about as likely as the occurrence of porcine aviation.